Management & Leadership-Ford Free Essay Example

Organizational managers and leaders have a number of various differences between them including their roles and responsibilities within the organization. Leaders and managers have begun to re-create the ultra using the four functions of management. When managing any organization, corporate officials must plan, organize, lead, and control, all of these functions work together to contribute to the organizations success and future sustainability. This paper will examine the roles and responsibilities of leaders and managers and what roles they play.

How Ford uses the four functions of management support the creation and maintenance of a healthy culture, and a recommendation of two strategies that managers and leaders can use to accomplish the organizational culture they want to achieve.

Management and Leadership ?CE The Differences and Similarities Effective managers are not necessarily true leaders; however, both are vitally Important to have In any organization to achieve success. Schneider (2003) states; is knowing where you need to go a clear vision and sharing that vision to create a common purpose.

Leaders also possess qualities such as the ability to empower and Inspire. However, leadership lacks structure without management, managers make quotas, meet deadlines, evaluate others, and make the company efficient and profitable (Allan, 2009), Management tends to perform based on the hierarchy, leadership however does not. Leaders rely on their ability to inspire others whereas; managers use their powerful position to accomplish things. Ford Motor Company is one of the largest automakers In the united States (Ford Motor Company. 010). The company is changing in a variety of dramatic ways so it can focus on meeting the needs and demands of the consumer.

A bold initiative requiring firm management and exceptional leadership will usher In a new era of prosperity for Ford (Ballard, 2009). Long-term sustainability is their goal and the decisions being made have that goal in mind. Ford will implement the plan that aims to reduce the emissions of greenhouse asses and will require management to see the vision of the leaders.

Fords ability to implement effective management and leadership allows the company to be hopeful for a bright economic future. Because of the recent economic downfall and the downturn of the automotive Industry, Ford found it necessary to close their factories and lay Off multitude of employees to make the company leaner. Today more than ever, employees need motivation and Inspiration, to believe they belong, and to believe in what they are doing, so that they may help In creating and maintaining a positive, healthy culture.

For managers and leaders to be successful, they need to work together and not apart. They both need each other to be passionate about their managers who wish to lead by motivating their staff must take time to understand what the motivations are and be consistent. A beneficial form of leading is to lead by example; employees should see all managers and presidents following the same guidelines as they follow. The best way to discover what motivates and inspires employees is talking with them and getting to know them as individuals.

If managers and leaders work together they can successfully inspire employees to do well and take pride in their work that in turn makes them a better employee and is one piece of the puzzle that helps build a stronger culture. Four Functions of Management The four functions of management are used by most all companies worldwide, and Ford Motor Company is no exception. The functions Fords management uses to move the company toward success is planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Ford has a heritage, and with that heritage comes a vision.

To progress toward the that vision it is necessary for Ford to restructure the company, this brought about the importance of the functions of leadership and management combining. Ford? leadership has established very clear objectives and strategic plans that will take the company into the next century with products the consumer wants to buy. Because the restructure and the consecutive profit loss the company has had over the last five years, Ford in 2009 reported that they had maintained a 2. 7 billion profit.

The sustainability plan that is in place at Ford has helped in many areas, and all started with a plan. Planning Planning is separates into three different parts, strategic, operational, and tactical. Each of these types have a different function, such as strategic planning. This planning function is responsible for establishing long-term strategies up to five years. Operational planning is responsible for making sure the day-to-day operations support the organizational goals. Tactical planning sets the questions who, what, when, and why to accomplish the objectives.

Ford created their idea for the Ford?C,-1?0 plan within the last five years after their two major United States competitors in the industry filed for bankruptcy, and asked for a government bailout. This strategic plan has taken Ford to the top of their game and is roving to be a worthy plan for the future. This plan included selling off all of the other brands such as Volvo and Land Rover, so they could focus on the one brand Ford started within 1903. The other focus is to meet the demands of the consumer and the world to create technologies that meet mobility needs that will provide for less of an environmental impact.

Organizing The organizing function of management involves the gathering and sorting of resources that an organization needs to accomplish objectives effectively. An organizational chart typically displays the way an organization arranges people and o whom they report (Management: Organizational Structure, 2010). Organizing activities include setting expectations, allocating resources, creating an environment that encourages teamwork and optimizes results. Managers need to look at their strategic plans to ensure that they allocate the proper resources toward the goals and objectives.

Recruiting the right person for a Job is crucial for managers, as is retaining valuable employees. Understanding the human resources and technology affect the structure. Ford Motor Company has used their sustainability plan to organize the business back into what it was years ago, sack to the basics. The organization is such that they have college recruiters to go to the schools attempting to entice individuals to bring their skill set to Ford. People are strategically aligned throughout the organization to have the best fit and the most efficient departments.

Leading Leaders motivate, they guide and inspire people to help meet the goals of the organization. Managers are responsible for the first three functions; planning, organizing, and controlling, whereas leaders Just lead. Ford believes strongly about investing in their employees, by developing an Individual Development Plan that while performing daily work, it helps those meet future goals and maximizes performance. Within the company, Ford has also created that provide training and education in a variety of fields and also include specialized programs geared toward directors and senior managers.

With the Ford? C,-1?0 program they have combined the program with their people processes to support employee development and drive accountability for company success while demonstrating expected behaviors that tie back to the business (Employees, 2009/10). Controlling Controlling means setting standards, checking for inaccuracies, measures reference and takes corrective action. Managers keep general costs down for such items as materials, equipment, costs, and operations. Controllers will also monitor employee performance and accomplishments. Ford has many of opportunities for advancement and several programs that can be applied for.

Controllers keep everything in line and ensure that the correct money, time, and effort are being spent adequately. Two Strategies for Creating a Healthy Organizational Culture Organizational structure is simply the personality and is composed of assumptions, beliefs, values, organization members, and their behaviors. Culture is a combination of thoughts, beliefs, knowledge, ethics, environment, and values management uses to communicate to all employees and stakeholders to share in their belief. Managers and leaders can create a healthy organizational culture in a number of ways.

Strategy One One strategy requires the company to establish a reward system for employees. A system that will increase motivation and morale, and decrease Job dissatisfaction as well by making the employees believe in a sense of ownership to the company they work for (Dither & Dougherty, 2008). Because human capital is a valuable resource, the reward system develops based on employee ideas, such as car design, car name, innovative technology, environmental initiatives, or any other idea to benefit the effort and performance of the company and to further contribute to mission to be the leader of the automotive industry.

Implemented properly, this strategy could go outside the box of the normal innovative initiatives that Ford currently has, and broadens the scope of possible turn of the century products. Strategy Two The second strategy would be to keep the company lean and not over-populate or overpay salaries so that lay-offs and factory closings are a thing of the past. Wear more hats than Just one. This permits employees to acquire a sense of contentment and Job stability, therefore putting them at ease to do a better Job for a company that cares for them and the work they do.

Conclusion Management and leadership roles are similar but different, but it takes both roles to have success in an organization. When a company like Ford Motor Company implements all four functions in all their operations, they have clear objectives and strategic plans that commit to their vision. Solid leaders motivate the employees by setting examples, by empowering an inspiring them to achieve goals that will aid in measuring the organizations success.