Study On The Visionary Of Leadership

A leader has a vision, humility and courage to learn and grow constantly and develop a vision of the future and a plan to achieve the vision by setting a direction which takes him to the success. Leadership makes ability in a person to do what they don’t like and then they like to do it. In the Morden world only study of management will not help to solve the problems on the sufficient level. People who add the leadership role to their primary role have little or no need to fall back on the sanctions which support their authority. The organization culture and value depend on the quality leadership because the more important role of the leader is a motivation. In organization leadership increase the performance of other roles by motivation.

Leadership has a critical role in the creation of successful organization. Leadership always related to outcomes and situational aspects. In organization leadership is an important factor (Arvonen, 2002; Yukl, 2006; Arnetz, 2005). Leadership theory traditionally included two dimensions derived from factor analysis. According to Arvonen, 2002 and Yukl, 2006 there are two dimensions relation and structure orientation. The balance between these dimensions as they relate to different desired organizational outcome and many researchers discussed about this from past several decades.

Andersen 1995 says Leadership research assumes that leadership considerable influence people on organizational effectiveness but Winston Churchill define leadership concisely as a ability to influence people set aside their personal concerns and port a large agenda. Churchill made it clear that effective leaders motivate people to perform beyond and above the call of duty in order to enhance group success. Leadership effectiveness is not who exerts the most influence or who control the group. Churchill suggests that the leadership is the best source of the organizational competitive advantage. The other definition of leadership is that it is the act of engaging, satisfying and stimulating the motives of followers that take followers towards a mutually shared vision. This theory embraces three components; leader, followers and the context.

There are different categories of leader which define different approaches of the leadership.

Leaders who have vision, humility and courage makes them effective leader. This quality makes them visible and outstanding. They use their quality because they know what to do with themselves.

Leader always has great relation with the people around him because the though power of leadership does not come from inside or personal character, it’s come when people love their leader and on the other hand leader must be a great supporter, encourager and he know what to do with their people, how they feel safe and the part of corporate community.

Good leader always maintain proper communication and create effective leadership. Effective leader know how to use communication channels to create good environment in the organization. The very fearful communication channel in the organization is a clogged channel. Organization effectiveness or the root issue lies at the failure of the misunderstanding and the communication.

Leader has to make a systematic work environment in the organization because leader knows that what is going on in the organization and he maintain the systemic or holistic picture of the organization. The big role of the leader in the organization is to help his people by systematic thinking.

So different categories of the leaders make up components of the organization, the leader and the style of led and the most important is the connection between them that call as communication channel. The other category is to see organization in a systematic manner by different leadership style.

Visionary Leadership

The visionary leadership always joint to the disciple for the successful leadership. There are different type of leadership style which would help organization to move in a right way. Different types of leadership style have ability to change in the organization (Bas, 2002; Kanungo and Conger, 1998; Sashkin, 1998) the quality of visionary leadership is very much greater than before by estimating the change of the organization that will be a lot simply by some leaders.

Need of vision

The sustaining and sustainable vision is not something that can be built by a person or a group of a person in the organization. It shows the corporate future, which is something that could not be achieved by the few but can only be accomplished with synergy that emanates from the active participation of the all. The attainment of an organizational vision is based on the mobilisation of bias and the pursuit that mobilisation must be of the many not of the few. If the staffs work together on the task the organization can fulfil the goals that can’t be achieve by one or two people.

The characteristics of vision

It is a comprehensive view of the future.

It acts as a guide when dealing with uncertainty and complex events.

It affords a means for overcoming employee inertia.

It holds out the real prospect of the vision being changed and adapted.

It indicates a change from the past and present to a new, dynamic future.

It creates a context for individuals to locate their work schedules within a collective

Framework.

It draws people together in pursuit of a super ordinate goal.

It provides a rationale for action.

It presents a standard against which to judge and make choices.

It serves as a means to align corporate activities.

The characteristics of effective vision

It meets the needs of the new, individual contribution, educated worker to be engaged in making valued, corporate efforts.

It focuses energy on the outcome of collective effort and not simply upon the outcome of individual efforts.

It depicts a whole, a totality, into which people can place themselves, their feelings and their attitudes.

It unites and inspires people to make an extra effort in pursuit of collective and individual goals.

It creates a positive attitude that people can expand in their own immediate work Environments.

Literature Review

The visionary leadership emerged in 1990 as a matter of utmost interest to go in various field including the education sector (Montagomery and Gowe 2003, Thomson 2003, Fehlis 2005), stazesky 2000, political science. The literature review of the management which include the origin, significant characteristics, visionary leadership process.

The origin

Mary Parker Follett has worked on the origin of visionary leadership, contribution, cooperation, group membership and participation as early as 75 years ago (McLamey and Rhyno 1990).

Significant of leadership

Significant of visionary leadership describe the success, growth of the corporate survival in the today’s challenging environment.

Determination of corporate success and failure

According to Tellis (2006), the determination of corporate success and failure of the company is based on its internal culture. Likewisw has described the six leadership styles: visionary, affiliative, directive, coaching, participative and pace-setting. Peace-setting style is belongs to demotivating and low performing organization and the visionary, coaching, participative and affiliative styles present the high motivated and cultured organization.

Visionary leadership as a powerful strategic device

According to Chopra and Ahmad (2004, pp. 51-54) suggest that the visionary leaders share and express the organization mission and goals in a easy and simple way so that everybody can understand. Their vision statement is always in a tangible and easy understood way. Their vision and mission statement is to help for the management. Visionary leadership develop the clarity, flexibility and focus in the organization. It is use as a powerful strategic device for organization growth and to motivate the employees.

Visionary leadership for full use of people potential

Visionary leadership put people in to the highest possible realms of human potential. It helps to drive and awake the human inner strength and inspire the immense potential translation in to action. They spread the roots of their vision so that they take people in to the reality. They challenge, line between the inspired world and the material world of action.

Stimulating innovation

Based on Over 300 sample of company, Tellis and Chandi (1998) demonstrate that vision of the leader have put impact on the radical innova tion. According to Bob Webb (Motivation tool.com) visionary leader are building today’s organizations and they are using human affects in a totally different way. Wal-Mart airlines give the beat example by moving responsibility to the frontline. By this decision employees got the full opportunity to develop their capability and the power of decision making.

Characteristics of visionary leadership (convergent perspective)

There are many convergent prospective of visionary leadership. According to Bennis (1990), the leaders of 21st century would have the power of creating the vision and turn that vision in to the reality. The leaders ensure that their followers are highly motivated and flexible to take necessary action to achieve the vision (White and Hodgson, 2002, p.184). Kahan (2002) says that visionary leadership is a transformative and power based inspiration; include the social responsibility as its modus operandi. Visionary leadership is to increase the performance. Westley and Mintzberg (1989) says that visionary leadership is a dynamic and its involves three stages-

The vision of the desired future of the organization

The vision should be shared and served

Every follower must know that so they can enact the vision

Starratt 1995 suggest that visionary leaders embrace with the sense of security and they know that one day the dream will come true. Vision gets shape according to sharing of the vision. Strong vision can define what will come and what will happen. Green (2006) says that visionary leaders are charismatic, super creative and inspiring with lots of possibilities that how vision can improve. They identify the contact and potential it into active energy. They try to find new ways of getting thing done. Malloy and Fontaine (2006) says that visionary leadership focuses on communication and clarity.

Perspective of centre for visionary leadership

Corinne McLaughlin (2006), executive director, centre for visionary leadership, asserts that visionary leader can see wonderful vision for the future. They have great inspiration with articulating as well as bringing those visions in to the world and transforming in the same way. They can effectively articulate their vision because they are creating specific goals. Leadership basically characterized by a clear inspirational vision, innovative action, commitment to core spiritual value and empowering relationship.

Visionary leaders are equipped with a high level of commitment to spiritual values. They have a sense of energy and personal integrity. They are elevated by exercise more relation and the power. Moreover, the base of the leadership for them is inspirational positive picture of the future and the clear sense of direction in reaching there. They are marked of empowering relationship. They can create shared sense of vision. They transform paradigms or old mantel maps and evolve strategies which are outside the box of conventional thought. They focus on the opportunities not on the problems.

The process of visionary leadership

Visionary leadership comes as interactive, dynamic process and it’s available in a different forms. Westley and Mintzberg (1989) describe the visionary leadership by using the metaphor of drama. In the drama action and communication occur simultaneously. The audience, actor and the action and the ideas are all synchronized to form a united whole in the unfolding drama. It’s all starts with the repetition. The actor has the excellent knowledge of the particular subject. Just as the actor rehearses for the moment they step on the stage, this moment of the vision is a visionary practice. This thought of vision is a leader communication. Leader creates all vision in to success, when repetition moves in performance. Westley and Mintzberg (1989) give the future assume that visionary leadership style comes in a varying form leader to leader and different variety of packages. The style of the leader may vary with the context in which it takes root and the content f the leader’s vision. The theories of visionary leadership based on three assumptions; variety, dynamism and context/content. These three assumptions underpin their representation assistance model.

The purpose of the study

The empirical work on the visionary leadership is very little in India. Notwithstanding this lake of research literature, this is gratifying to suggest that in India. This assignment shows the visionary leadership quality of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at Defence Research and Development Laboratory. Dr. Kalam presented his visionary leadership at DRDL by changing its demotivating and low -performing climate into energizing and high performing climate. Dr. Kalam used indigenous management techniques at DRDL.

Vision of Dr. Kalam in organization change (implementation and outcome)

In 1982 Dr. Kalam was appointed as a director of DRDL in Hyderabad. At that time DRDL was working on five staff project and sixteen build up projects. DRDL was working on many technologies oriented activities to get lead time for future project. At time of joining Dr. Kalam saw the different problems in the DRDL and he starts working on that. The problems of DRDL were-

The demotivating and old low performing climate was the big problem of the organization. The scientists of DRDL were frustrated with the devil missile project. They were thinking that ministry of defence cheated them and all senior officers using them for their profit. The Tactical core vehicle was also pending from long time. Dr. Kalam decided that or good work he has to built a healthy climate which include the confidence and trust. He used indigenous management theory to build up the high performance and high energize climate at DRDL. He provided clear direction and effective communication to the confused team so that every buddy has good understanding and it’s helped them to launch (IGMDP) Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. After some time the team performance reached on high level because of indigenous technique used by Dr. Kalam.

Focus on Inside and outside communication system

Dr. Kalam focuses on the effective communication which was not in the DRDL. Dr. Kalam got a chance to improve the communication between government and scientists when Admiral O.S. Dawson, the chief of naval staff visited the DRDL. Dr. Kalam takes this opportunity to make two way trusts through effective communication. Dr. Kalam shows the product plan and the battlefield capability of Tactical Core Vehicle. Dr. Kalam focuses its sea skimming role rather than as single core vehicle as present earlier. This information passed to every scientist in the DRDL in this own words “Do not make anything which you cannot sell later and do no spend your life on making one thing only. Missile developed is a multi dimensional business – if you remain in any one dimension for a long time, you will get suck”. Dr. Kalam spends time in interacting with people and explains the future goal of DRDL. He tries to connect this goal to the people life in DRDL. During this time he came to now that scientist at DRDL had a high level of determination and an urge to go ahead. In earlier project they show that they have high level of motivation, based on this Dr. Kalam started the reviews at DRDL at various level to accomplish the precise specification. He also start inviting the professionals from outside laboratory (IIT’S, CSIR, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research) to contribute an useful knowledge.

Clear direction to the team

Dr. Kalam worked with ISRO and there he learned about visionary leadership from great visionary’s prof. Vikram Sarabhai and Prof. Satish Dhawan. Dr. Kalam learned how make mission larger than life and how motivate people to achieve that. With these professors he learned that you should dream before your dream come true some people do hard work there goal of life and other people not able to move their feet because the confuse about what they want in life and how to achieve that. This was power for Dr. Kalam in DRDL because he knows the potential capability of scientist and he knows that they can fulfil the expectation of the Ministry of Defence.

Dr. Kalam had a very professional team of scientist in the laboratory but he knows that there is a lake of leadership and guidance in the team. Dr. Kalam visualized that to increase the R&D activities in the DRDL, technological and technical problems must be taken promptly. To achieve the goal he took the major decision, he made missile technology community of senior scientist where different issue can be discussed and debate as a collective process. The idea behind this community is the participation of all level of scientist and engineers to manage the laboratory activities. The organizational climate of DRDL was improved constantly. The new climate of DRDL helps in to the birth of Integrated Guided Missile Development programme (IGMDP).

Launch of guided missile programme

After improvement in the laboratory culture DRDL came with the Guided Missile Programme. This successful program happened because of Dr. Kalam’s vision for development of technology. Dr. Kalam always asserted himself that know where we are going. The great thing in the world is not so much in knowing where we stand and which direction we are going. Its help to accomplishing the technological competence as compare to Weston countries. At DRDL it was like driving force for the people. To complete the production of indigenous missiles, chairman formed the community. All people at DRDL welcome this proposal.

Dr. Kalam made a presentation and question answer session at south block, New Delhi. Dr. Kalam presents the proposal and Dr. V.S. Arunachalam, who is scientific advisor of the defence minister, support him fully when doubts about the proposal. After this presentation defence minister asked Dr. Kalam to meet him in the evening. Mr. Venketaraman suggests that DRDL is not just making missile in phases, DRDL launch integrated guided missile development program. Dr. Kalam and Dr. Arunachalam together rework on the plans throughout the night. When plan was shown to the defence minister, he was visibly pleased. The new proposal was put up before the cabinet and it was approved with an amount of Rs. 388 crores.

At the missile technology community, Dr. Kalam shows the government sanction letter, every buddy was motivated for the work. On 27, 1983 IGMPD was formally launched in the great event and every employee participated in the big success.

Vision of Dr. Kalam to accomplish beyond the collective national capability

Great visionary Dr. Kalam knew that government given them the sanction letter but this is only a 10 per cent of work done. In this operation the leader required who can put his heart and soul into this programme and carry hundreds of engineer and scientist with them. Dr. Kalam was thing beyond the collective national capability. He was convinced if he wants to achieve his goal; his team should work on basis of probability. For this goal he uses the indigenous approach of management technology. The other approach includes in this: capable project leader, pro-active follow-up, technology-oriented structure, collaborative efforts, motivation for outstanding performance, empowerment and spiritual guidance. Dr Kalam shows his power of leadership to finish this project with his team.

Locating capable project leaders

Dr. Kalam starts looking for capable leaders for five individual missile projects. He needs a leader who knows the clear goal and has a capability to perceive the goal. He needs a leader who can give energy all the time to his team working on various working centres. He discussed with engineers and the scientist on the different prospective because he need five project directors to train who will train twenty five future project directors and team leaders. He needs leaders who had the capability to grow the possibilities and were equipped with patience to explore all possible alternatives, who can put old principals of ideas to the new situations. He want leader to be flexible who share his power with others and work in teams, give fresh opinions, listening to wise counsel, respect intelligent people and delegate good jobs. He thought the leader should be capable in making good environment and resolve the conflicts. Overall leader should be capable to take failure in their stride and share both success and failure.

Dr. Kalam creates a science council to provide an emotional outlet to the scientists. His thought at DRDL, that scientists were highly emotional persons. If they stumble it’s very difficult for them to pull together. Disappointment and setbacks were always problem for them. Dr. Kalam did not want any of them to face problem alone. He stopped making goals for them when they were at the low abb. The all issue of general importance were discussed by the council very openly. That time all scientists used to sit together and take common decision. In every three month all scientists including juniors, seniors, veterans and freshers could sit together and let off steam.

Changing the dynamics of DRDL by empowering scientist

The 250 young engineers and scientist change the dynamic of DRDL because of leadership of Dr. Kalam. The outstanding performance contributing ingredients of this leadership which include: believing, positive thinking, visualising and goal setting. The team leader enthused the young engineers and scientist about this goal. In the review meeting, Dr. Kalam says that the young scientist shows the very good team work and we got help to visualizing whole system. He said that climate of confidence and trust gradually developed. The young scientists start questioning to the senior associate on different issues. This helps them to become persons of power. Dr. Kalam kept the work environment on the higher level. He shows that he has the experience of the old science which mixed with his skills. The dependence between the experience and the young scientist made a very productive environment in the DRDL.

At the time of joining DRDL, Dr. Kalam knew that the motivating people to get outstanding results were a challenging task. The behaviour of the individual is based on the environment of the work place. Most people possessed strong inner drive of growth, self-actualization and competence. However, the biggest problem had been the work environment at DRDL. Dr Kalam visualized the leader can accomplish his task with outstanding performance if he get the proper job design and organizational structure, and by appreciating and recognizing excellent work.

According to Dr. Kalam he got the supportive environment while launching IGMDP. At that time the project was in design phase. The first reorganization increases the level of DRDL at least 40 to 50 per cent. In the second reorganization process, he used motivational inventory available at that time. According to Dr. Kalam there are three ingredients of motivational inventory of leadership: understand the people need which they satisfy in their jobs; influencing the people’s behaviour by using the power of positive reinforcement; and design the job based motivation and understand its impact. The second reorganization was very complex exercise managed effectively by Dr. Kalam. The young scientist performed outstanding work such as a world class strap down internal guidance system. It was an effective demonstration of the renewal factor. Dr. Kalam given enthusiasm to the young mind and he got the outstanding performance.

Accomplishment at DRDL

On September 16, 1985 the first missile program took place. The test was successful. The success of the missile program at DRDL shows to all engineer and scientist that it happened because of the visionary leadership of Dr. Kalam. This was followed by the successful test by the pilotless targeted aircraft. On February 25, 1988 the DRDL launched the Prithvi missile. DRDL create an epoch making event in the history of rocketing in the country. By launching Prithvi missile DRDL give the basic model of all the future guided missile in the country. On May 22, 1989 DRDL give the perfect launched of Agni. After that DRDL became the finest laboratory for the world.

This was the greatest moment for DRDL as well as for Dr. Kalam. The national defence became stronger after Agni launched. Overall success of DRDL is belonging to Dr. Kalam. The nation celebrated the success of its missile program very first on Republic day 1990. Dr. Kalam was awarded by Padma Shree. He retired from DRDL on 15 October 1991. DRDL got lots of success in his leadership and many successful changes when he was director. Still DRDL working on the same direction which Dr. Kalam shown to the company.

Conclusion

Dr. Kalam worked as a director of DRDL and he showed his brilliant visionary leadership at the company. He worked hard and tried to give his best for the DRDL. Dr. Kalam showed three different characteristics of his leadership style. He has very clear far reaching and encompassing vision. This vision embraced goals and ideas which remained constant no matter how long it took to actualize him despite difficulties which he encountered. Dr. Kalam never allowed any of the means of actions on the way to invalidate this vision and its constituent values. The second characteristic is that DR. Kalam was skilful in creating and designing appropriate organizational culture which helped him to achieve his ideas and vision. The design of such organizational culture was the most lasting contribution of Dr. Kalam. These cultures embodied enduring values, beliefs and vision which were shared by the organization members even subsequently. The third characteristic is that Dr. Kalam attracted others to follow him in seeking attainment of the vision. Dr. Kalam is a charismatic person because he was able to instil in others beliefs, values and ideas of his vision so as to empower them to move beyond the expectations of Dr. Kalam and their own. Dr. Kalam demonstrate a high level of moral capacity and intellectual, over the long period of time, to maintain coherency between foals, short term action and long range if ideas.

The visionary leadership style followed by Dr. Kalam and he shows how vision for exceptional results can be turned in to reality by sharing with the people and for outperform we have to inspire them. The new age leaders need to understand that outstanding performance can be accomplish by having utmost focus on organizational climate, organizational structure, quality of leadership, job deign effective communication, proactive follow up, empowerment, collaboration, internal motivation, team work and spirituality.

Plan for future development of my own leadership

After analysing of some practical and theoretical aspects of leadership styles I constructed a list of list of desired visionary leadership style, which should be developed be me, to go higher level of leadership capability. To become the leader of 21st century I must see the leaders work, especially those engaged in the task of development which involving management of technology globally. The performance of the organization depends on its climate.

I must diagnose this problem and find a de motivating and low performing climate in the organization and I must make concerted effort gradually to transform it into a high performance and energizing climate. I should use effective communication which include inside and outside interaction. I must share my vision with the people and discuss the clear goal of organization. As a leader I must work in a team and provide the proper direction toward people have to move. Participation in management I can use to involve people in the affairs of the organization.

As a leader to accomplish outstanding performance I must assess the existing structure of my organization. I should see the source of full utilization of human resource and effective way to achieve the goals. I must evolve a suitable structure with a comprehensive discussion with the people.

To become a good leader I should grow with the possibilities, I should share my power with the people and work in a team, grow my capability to resolve the conflicts and carry people with me and channelize their energy towards the goal. I must respect people and delegate work of worthy of their talents to them.

As leader I must make arrangement in the organization to provide emotional outlet to the people and help them to release their day to day disappointment and setbacks so that people can express their view points freely and the issue of general importance. I should use pro active follow up activity for repaid growth. If required I must develop collaboration between the organizational units and outside organizations.

To improve the future organizational climate of my company and to get outstanding performance I must focus on the goal setting, visualizing, believing and positive thinking. I can do this by empower young people. As leader I have to understand that there exists an internal motivation with in individuals which can be taken to the attainment of outstanding performance. This can be done by job designs to satisfy higher order needs of people. I need to use my super power to accomplish my outstanding performance like Dr. Kalam.

So to become a good leader I must consider all theories of leadership and the great leader how create new ways to make people follow them.