Yahoo's Management Theories

Studies on the subjects of leadership and management have the underlying difference between a leader and a manager as “managers maintain things and leaders change things.” Gill (2006:26) explains their difference as “Managers plan, allocate resources, administer and control whereas leaders innovate, communicate and motivate”

This concept of being a manager who leads is a continuous blend. In clarification she goes on to say that a manager deals with present day issues and concerns. This is a very important aspect of managing and quite a lot can be accomplished with this focus in mind. In order to be a leader you must look beyond today and focus on the future. A leader must be a true visionary. Being able to handle everyday issues and problems while planning for the future are qualities that all leaders must master if they are to truly be successful. For this reason it is vital to have insight, practice forward thinking, and demonstrate the ability to make strategic decisions further improving what is already established. In addition a leader must develop, initiate, and promote their ideas and values. A leader must possess the ability to unite a group of otherwise separate individuals into one humongous group. Most importantly they must focus them to work under a common philosophy with valued goals in mind. Leaders must be proactive in collaborating with others around them. The collaboration must take place with individuals that are equal in position as well as those above and below them. In other words a leader must listen and acknowledge all suggestions, while taking an active part in coaching or developing them further if appropriate. Lastly but equally as important, as a leader you must have authority. This power if you will should not be exerted routinely as it should be reserved

Sims (2002) writes “managers motivate employees, direct the activities of others, select the most effective communication channel, or resolve conflicts among members, they are engaging in leading.”

I want them to feel as if they are part of the team. I must listen to them and be open minded to their viewpoints. I need to be able to respect those viewpoint as well. Second, I feel I need to be fair as a leader. I cannot be bias to one employee over another. I understand that I will have employees that will do more for me and they are the type of employees that will get the recognition they deserve however I cannot favor them in a way that it makes others resentful. As a leader I also think it is my duty to serve and help those within our work community. Meaning that I need to have my employees back and I should have their best interest in mind over what is best for just myself. If I do not have happy employees then they will not be doing good work and that all comes back on me and reflects how I am as a leader. You can either, take the bull by the horns and lead or you can ride on the back of the bull and be bucked off! The last thing I feel I need to be as a manager is to be honest. If I am not an honest person I will never have the respect of those I work with. No matter the situation good or bad I need to be upfront and just let them know the truth. (Heathfield,

In addition, leadership itself can be described in various forms and through the highlight of different skill sets, but the one thing that all definitions have in common is that “leadership involves influencing the attitudes, beliefs, behaviours and feelings of other people” Spector’s work (as cited in Curtis, de Vries, & Sheerin, 2011, p.306). When the skill set of a leader is compared to that of a manager, true differences are noted. Some of these key differences are apparent even in the approach utilized to reach the desired goals. While a manager directs, a leader transforms, a manager sustains and a leader improves, a manager controls, a leader motivates, a manager’s focus is on short-term goals and a leader’s is long-term based, managers ask how and when, while

is to prevent any form of discrimination at work and also provide solutions towards alleviation of

J., & Mitchell, T. R. (1974). Path– goal theory of leadership. Journal of Contemporary Business, 3, 81–97.

Briefly, managers and leaders retain similar qualities such as an ability to motivate and influence individuals to work towards the same organizational goals. Optimally, those leading an organization will possess management skills and leadership to aid in making improvements and decisions. Therefore, organizations require exceptional guidance and the espoused leadership philosophy regarded as most effective is holistic leadership. In order to achieve their goals and visions, organizations should utilize holistic leadership to be efficient.

That the leadership approaches adopted by Yahoo’s leaders is transformational leadership. Transformational Leadership by Yahoo is Women's Leadership in Tech. like is Marissa Mayer, CEO at Yahoo. We should be trying to ensure that women can have balance between the various aspects of their lives rather than trying to be superhuman. Mayer is now one of 20 women, just 4%, who run Fortune 500 companies and at 37 she is one of three under the age of 50 (Perlroth, 2012). She is also #14 on Fortune’s list of most powerful women and is one of the few leading women in the technology industry today. Mayer has helped to set a precedent as a strong leader in the discussion about women in the workplace. She is a transformational leader because through her actions she is motivating her followers to go above and beyond and creating a change in American culture. She is also a charismatic leader in that her portrayed personality characteristics and behaviours surrounding her own decisions have set the stage to have profound effects on her “followers”.

3. Allow all employees to participate in decision-making processes and to understand their jobs better

Secondly, communicate what is expected of each employee. Leaders should clearly and concisely communicate to their employees to let them exactly what is expected of them.

In corporate America the term used to describe a person in a position of power is “Manager”. A leader can be a manager, but a manager is not necessarily a leader. Leaders motivate, challenge, and influence others to achieve goals. Great leaders have the necessary skills and attributes which allow them to connect with the team and organization. Being a leader is not the same as managing an organization. Leader’s posses the interpersonal skills needed to influence others to achieve a goal willingly. Leading is a major part of a manager’s job. Leaders do not need to be a manager to lead people, but managers must know how to lead as well as manage.

3. I would allow employees to utilize the skills that they have to enhance the changes in the organization.

Research findings on Robert House’s Path Goal Theory are basically on the relationship between the leader’s style of leadership and the outcomes of the

The leader must inspire engage employees, prescribe a common vision, choose a direction to take and encourage them to follow him. The whole team needs to continue and share the same goals and objectives. One could say that this style of leadership is the most effective of all, especially in large organizations. Nelson Mandela was one of the greatest leaders in history, great freedom fighter and