The organization I want to be a part of shortly is Apple Inc. a multinational technology company that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services. Apple’s mission is to create more advanced and convenient products, thereby simplifying people’s lives. The company’s mission is to bring the ultimate personal computer experience to students, educators, creative professionals, and consumers across the globe through their hardware, software, and internet offerings. Apple’s core values are simplicity, innovation, attention to detail, user-friendly design, and a consistent focus on environmental responsibility. The firm aspires to generate devices that are not only high-tech but beautiful and effortless to use.
Strategic planning is an unavoidable process that helps organizations properly plan for long-term success. The main goal of it is to carefully bring the company’s resources, capabilities, and actions together to respond to the mission, vision, and core values. This fit is facilitated through an in-depth analysis of the internal solid and weak points and the external opportunities and threats in the business environment. The strategy that came up from this process serves as a compass, offering directions for significant decisions that have to be taken and channeling the available resources towards the most critical issues that close the gap between the organization and the desired end state.
Strategic planning should not be underestimated as it lends organizations a unified direction while enabling them to be proactive in response to changing market trends, technology, and customers’ preferences. They also need to know how their organization can cope with the changing environment, maximize their competitive advantage, or capitalize on emerging opportunities. A sound strategic plan not only implies focus but also helps select significant initiatives and makes the organization efficient, thereby increasing the chances of the organization being a sustainable and long-lasting organization in its industry.
The potency of the vision, the ability to communicate the vision effectively, and leadership are the major factors determining organizational success. A well-defined vision is a beacon that shines toward a desired future state and shows employees and all the stakeholders the meaning of their work (Chui et al., 2023). It goes beyond targets and outcomes, unifying people at the base and across the business to align their efforts. But, a vision without leadership cannot be materialized; it needs the initiative of effective leadership to make it come true.
Those capable of giving a voice to the future directions of the organization by putting it into one or two powerful sentences that evoke passion and total dedication are called influential leaders. They inspire others to internalize and be fully committed to this dream, creating a fertile soil where innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement thrive. Leading their teams through inevitable challenges, these leaders make complex decisions with boldness and resolve, giving an example for their teams to overcome adversity and hurdles.
The lack of concrete direction and guidance in the business administration today is one of the most critical factors that could threaten the company’s achievement and result in its failure. Organizations that need more focus and the ability to change fast enough may find themselves in trouble not being able to recognize and take advantage of a new opportunity in time. Finally, the organization’s success is based on vision and leadership. They are the foundation that functions as a quality tool that ensures that the organization is built, sustained, and excels.
Leadership and followership are inseparable and interdependent concepts that cannot work independently to reach organizational goals. Leadership is about the ability to motivate, direct, and steer others to the desired direction or accomplish a set goal or vision. Managers establish the direction, make decisions, and inspire their workgroups to accomplish set goals. Efficient leaders have to do with vision, strategic thinking, communication skills, and the ability to motivate and develop their followers (Sousa & Rocha, 2019).
However, followership involves the readiness and capacity of people to be supportive and to fully be involved in the realization of the group goals through the influence of leaders. Followers are a central part of any entity’s success, and their members join the effort and help achieve the overall goals by sharing their abilities, knowledge, and effort. Successful followers stand out as they participate, share ideas, and offer critical input while supporting the leader’s ideas and plans.
While leadership is often considered the primary source of an organization’s power and progress, the role of followership is not less significant. Leaders depend on their followers’ devotion, trust, and cooperation to implement strategies and achieve results. A leadership-followership relationship with a healthy balance and mutual respect is fundamental for building a culture where people can be productive and harmonious with one another.
As a computer science club president in the college, I had the chance to unleash my transformational leadership attributes. When I assumed this position, the club faced a severe problem of declining membership and the absence of exciting events. I have understood the need to change and set up a vision to revitalize the club through a more accepting and collaborative environment.
I ensured I shared this vision with the existing members and got them to communicate their opinions and worries freely. I did my best to listen actively to their views and collaborated on a plan with their input. This way of doing things was effective because it made the members trust and buy into the organization; thus, they had ownership.
The plan was executed, and the members were encouraged to take up event organization, workshops, and networking activities to lead (Allen et al., 2022). I collaborated with the group by giving them direction and assistance but also encouraged them to embrace the role of leaders and their own experiences. Additionally, more people were involved and more active and helped the members develop their leadership skills.
This leadership approach was transformational, and consequently, we recorded a considerable hike in club membership, improved morale, and a stronger community. We brought to life the vision by energizing and motivating our members to have a common goal, resulting in a more involved and affluent campus community for computer science students.
During my internship at a software development company, my group worked with a senior developer who mentored us. In this instance, my actions did not go along with the attributes of a pragmatic leader. At the start of the work, I respected the senior developer and showed eagerness to follow the lead. Yet, I followed a balanced way, asking questions when a decision or process called for further clarification or enhancement.
I actively sought the senior developer’s feedback and guidance when tasked with implementing specific features. Still, I also contributed my ideas and suggestions based on my knowledge and understanding of the project requirements. If I had concerns or identified potential issues, I would respectfully voice them and engage in constructive discussions to find the most effective solutions.
While I followed the senior developer’s overall direction, I was not a passive or conformist follower. Instead, I aimed to balance respecting their authority and offering my perspectives and insights. I was willing to challenge assumptions or propose alternative approaches when I believed they could improve the project’s outcomes.
This pragmatic approach allowed me to learn from the senior developer’s experience while contributing my skills and knowledge to the project. It fostered a collaborative and open environment where leadership and followership were valued, ultimately leading to a successful project outcome.
Allen, J., Harris, R., & Jago, L. (2022). Festival & special event management. John Wiley & Sons
Chui, M., Yee, L., Hall, B., & Singla, A. (2023). The state of AI in 2023: Generative AI’s breakout year.
Sousa, M. J., & Rocha, Á. (2019). Leadership styles and skills developed through game-based learning. Journal of Business Research, 94, 360-366.