Leadership and Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership and Change - Essay poserWith the mail-order being a success, Branson used the money earned from this company to buy a record store and to leverage it into a chain (Branson, 2009). Over time, he has managed to add 360 acquisitions to double-dyed(a) Music Group including airlines, trains, books, healthcare, wines, comics, physical fitness clubs, financial services and space travel among others (Bowerman & Wart, 2011). One major reason behind the success of arrant(a) group of companies is Bransons unique leadership, charisma and effective timing (Fox, 2004). These qualities move over enabled him to anticipate, and manage change in effect in his business empire. Though he is remarkably reserved and shy in person (Fox, 2004), Branson has the susceptibility to change failures to his advantage, which enables him to gain publicity (Fabrikant, 1997). This daring nature has being the motivation behind his successful empire. execution of instrument of change Bransons effectiv e implementation of change can be illustrated by Kotters octet travel change pose. As the virgin empire started to expand in 1990s, Virgin megastores, and Virgin Records were doing well (Grant, 2005). However, Virgin Atlantic was not doing well, and it needed huge investments in order to break from being a small time operator to medium sized carrier (Branson, 2002) which is in accordance with Kotters model that requires establishment of a sense of contingence to affect change (Sabri, Gupta & Beitler, 2007). According to Grant (2005), Bransons cute ideas to wade through these circumstances were to float the company, and raise the required expansion capital via the city and shareholders. However, today after this decision, it became apparent to Branson that this decision was at odds with the kinds of risks shareholders were prepared to stand (Grant, 2005). Surprisingly, in creating a directing coalition in accordance with Kotters change model, Branson decided to sell Virgin rec ords, and bought back Virgin Atlantic. It was through such strategic decisions that Virgin Atlantic has become a successful business empire today. Branson mount in his career is that of influence, and has the ability to create a common purpose among his followers his approach is to make people achieve things that they did not know they had the ability to achieve (Daft, 2002). Therefore, Branson develops a vision and outline to implement the specific changes, and communicates the same to his employees these are among the steps in Kotters change model (Sabri, Gupta & Beitler, 2007). He establishes the change, creates the guiding principles, develops the vision and the strategies to lead to the required change, or to attain his goals. Usually, every organizational change has a range of consequences, and one of the consequences of floatation of Virgin Atlantic was change in internal environment, and an organizational socialization in which employees have to thrive in (Cox, 2009). One of the remarkable cultural changes under Branson was making employees to have decentralized chains of commands, in ensuring that they are not answerable to one leader. Empowering employees for action is one of the steps in Kotters change model (Sabri, Gupta & Beitler, 2007). Branson in his organizational culture ensured employees were answerable to shareholders (Grant, 2005). Grant barely noted that Richard Bransons principles and approach to handling change enables transitions to