Brett Jones in Hydro Generation
In the case study, Brett Jones was a very talented worker working for the Hydro Generation, a US-based construction company. Jones worked for the company for its first project in Africa, Tanzania. As the head of operations, he was in charge of setting up their office and hiring a local team to help in local purchases, gaining support from the local, helping expatriates (engineers) settle and get acquainted with the surroundings, and most importantly, lead operations on the ground. The project was a construction of a dam, which was earlier discussed upon with the local authorities prior to their arrival in Tanzania. Jones had previous experience working in Africa as he had worked in the neighboring country, Kenya, for a while before going back home to get his MBA. With his experience and passion for working in Africa, he was the most suitable candidate as he was qualified for the job, knew his way around the locals, and also understood the culture. Jones was able to deliver results on time and within the stipulated budget despite some of his methods being questionable.
However, despite the success associated with his work in Tanzania, Graham Steinberg, the vice president of HG was conflicted about his methods of operation. According to Steinberg, Jones was quick to adapt to Tanzanian ways of doing things, at the expense of going against the organizational culture of his company. He was concerned about the effects of these actions on the company in the future. First, Steinberg was concerned about Jones’ lifestyle as he chose to live among the middle class even though what he got paid was enough to secure his accommodation in the rich suburbs. By isolating himself from his fellow expatriates, he did not do much to help his colleagues settle and adapt to the new environment. Secondly. Jones had worked his way around to get things done faster by giving out tips beforehand. It was common knowledge that operations moved a slow pace; thus, Jones had devised a way of dealing with this. To Steinberg, this went against the company’s culture and values as this practice was illegal in the US. If word came out that the HG paid for everything to get done, then they would get people who also demanded pay for even the smallest services. They also risked the local authorities finding out, which meant that they would have to pay larger amounts of tips to get things done. Thirdly, Jones hiring methods raised eyebrows form the company vice president. Although the employees hired were qualified, he was concerned of the levels of nepotism practiced. According to Jones, hiring the customs; officers’ daughter would result in easier operations in imported goods
Steinberg was not comfortable with this practice, as it had its negative effects as well. He argued that the family members could potentially collaborate and do side deals that could harm business. Finally, there was the case of the ritual involving the river. Before the operation was started, there were no problems regarding the river that would be involved in the construction of the dam. On arrival to the operation ground, the communities living near the river claimed that the river was sacred. This was sacred to the Muslim community, and even spread this claim reaching international press that led to a support worldwide. Seeing no way around this, Jones was advised by an African religions expert to talk with the religious leader at the region to come up with a solution. After talks, it was agreed that the spirits would be appeased by a sacrifice at the river. This involved sacrificing a sheep, four goats, a slew of chicken and two cows. However, after the ritual was performed, the spirits were not appeased, because Jones was not present at the ritual. So, a second ritual was arranged, this time at a higher fee and Jones attended. Finally, the spirits were appeased, and the operations were allowed to continue. Taking part in these rituals worried Steinberg of its damage to the company’s image, as well as offending the Christian community that consisted of the largest number of Tanzanians.
Jone’s means of getting things done are clearly questionable. His decisions to isolate himself from his expatriates at the expense of not properly getting his team acquainted were not professional. His is because his primary objective on the ground was to deliver his duties as a manager, but he chose to follow his own path at the expense of the survival of his teammates. I believe that a leader needs to set a good example to his teammates, taking care of their needs ahead of his. Even though he did not like how expatriates in Kenya isolated themselves in upstate regions, he ought to have made proper living arrangements for his team, without having to make them settle on their own. A leader that is closely connected with his followers promotes morality and motivation. Through the transformational leadership theory, a leader is supposed to share in an individual’s concern, showing care for their well-being for the purposes of achieving the common good. (5 Leadership Theories & How to Apply Them, 2020, pr.2). Jones inspired his followers from an intellectual capacity, motivating them to work because he found means of getting the company moving. However, neglecting some of these aspects of transformational theory made him lack some leadership skills. Steinberg was right in raising concerns on the suitability of having Jones on the job again, regardless of his ways of treating his staff.
Jone’s methods of operation involved working with what he could get. He knew that for operations to run smoothly, he needed to create a good rapport with the locals. Every chance he got at doing this, Jones took it. Although some of these actions were risky, like nepotism and bribing the locals, he ensured that the work was done at the end of the day. Through his actions, the idea of the end justifies the means comes to mind. I do not agree with his methods as they were highly unethical. In regards to the rules in the United States, nepotism and corruption are illegal. Steinberg was genuinely concerned for the image the company would get at their headquarters if they learned that they condoned corruption and nepotism in one of their first projects in Africa. However, I believe that these were necessary evils in the journey of establishing the company in a foreign land. Jones had to the necessary in order to get the company operations up and going. Due to his experience working in an African country, h understood the methods that worked, regardless of the rules of where he came from. He worked with his teams in identifying the needed change, involved his local contacts in order to get allies for the project. I agree with his actions, as he showed adaptability and flexibility while on the ground. He was a transformational leader because his end results created change and space for more leaders of his caliber to operate in Tanzania.
Jones’ style of leadership is task-based, falling under the contingency theory of leadership. Jones shows an impeccable motivation and drive in his methods of getting things done (Rawat, 2020, pr. 3). He cooperated aspects of this theory in working toward the goal, doing everything in his power to achieve it. Although there is little information on how he related to his employees, we can see how committed he was in ensuring the scheduled operation started on time. An example is when we are told that he gave out tips in advance in order to speed up the process of getting things done. He understood that the nature of operations in that culture moved at a steady pace. So, he found a way around it in order to stay on schedule. His participation at the ritual and the willingness to shows just how much he was eager to get the project rolling. It did not matter much to him the consequences of his actions, but to get the task completed as scheduled. He shows tenacity and flexibility in his methods, proving that he can work around any challenge that he comes across. I have confidence in his methods of leadership, as he portrays the importance of getting creative and working with the available resources in order to complete a task. A leader who is not afraid of getting his hands dirty is always one his followers can count on. In contrast to some aspects of contingency theory, he broke several of his company policies and culture, like corruption and nepotism.
From the podcast, leadership is the ability to motivate a following while inspiring accomplishments past known expectations. The podcast presents evidence in the relation between cultural practices and the different societies they present. In Tanzania, the culture influences its leadership in that it is expected to conform to the community directive, characteristics, and culture. Leadership in the USA is also influenced by its culture, influenced by charismatic, individualistic, transformative, delegative, and participatory features. In relation to American leadership, Tanzania is more inclined towards team leadership, where the leader is expected to serve his or her followers whilst improving the performance of the team. From the Globe Project, this kind of leadership is considered a global level. However, some disagree, saying it does not apply to the international scene due to the involvement of a larger culture with different organizations. Keeping the past ideologies pertaining to gender and traditions, leadership maintains its effectiveness today. The podcast concludes by challenging the United States to adopt to more traditional methods of leadership, acquiring the personalities of a servant relationship and its dimensions to understand more about successful leadership. Therefore, Brett Jones proved to be the ideal leader for the project in Tanzania.
Upon reflection of the podcast, I agree that leadership is the ability to inspire followers while building them for creative innovation. From our studies on leadership, I am able to learn that productive leaders positively influence their followers through their actions and character to promote innovation among them. From my experience in the USA, the leadership is influenced by a liberal society, where everyone is equal and can freely state their opinions. Unlike in Tanzania, the USA is not influenced by deep cultural practices. The decisions on leadership positions are hardly determined by cultural aspects like religion and traditions. I now learn that good leadership should adhere to traditional methods of servant relationship, which sets a clear distinction between the roles of the leader and that of his servants. In the case study, Brett Jones was a leader who respected the culture of the locals, and therefore, planned his ways in lieu of the culture he was in. He freely interacted with the locals, made them feel like he was one of them by living in their neighborhoods and taking part in their rituals. Before, I did not know the importance of adhering to traditional rules in order to make a successful leader. The society I live in lacks in these strong traditions that influence it. From this podcast, I now understand the need for a leader to take on his role and lead his followers, regardless of the culture he or she is in.
This case study has helped me learn various things in life. I did not understand that culture influences a lot the development of industries or the starting of a project. Coming from a liberal society, I did not consider the importance of heeding to the traditions of a given society and thus would have greatly failed at succeeding in managing a company in a foreign land. I have learned that it is necessary for a leader to be flexible to change, adapt to the surrounding, and think creatively of ways to get things done within the stipulated timeline. Through the transformation theory, I am able to apply the qualities of showing individual concerns in order to be successful as a leader. By following the four elements of transformational theory, I have learned to incorporate the individual, intellectual, inspirational, and idealized impact on my followers. After reading the case study, I can pick the good qualities displayed by Jones, by intellectually inspiring his team while also focusing on individual deliberation as it is necessary to raise disciples who can lead in my absence. Steinberg was in a huge dilemma on whether to still employ Jones as his operations manager, simply because he did not know anyone else with skills as he did. As a good leader, I now comprehend the importance of individual consideration to build my followers in the best way possible. Involving the rest of the elements would further cement my influence over my followers, making my leadership objectives successful. From the contingency theory, we see how Jones was always task-oriented, never stopped by the challenges he faced. It is this strong will that made him able to accomplish his mission on time, regardless of the repercussions of his actions back in the USA. This has helped me learn to always work with what is available and make the most out of it. Jones’s ability to reason and work with the natives enabled him to work through challenges that would have otherwise made it difficult for another leader.
This case of Brett Jones has made me reflect a lot on my character as a person. Brett was a passionate leader that loved working in Africa. This passion drove him to be able to work through a different society and culture from the one he came from. I now know that interpersonal skills work hand in hand with the skills learned in class, in order to produce desired success in leadership. Powerful leaders cultivate these traits from within. Jones’ character has challenged me to be more tenacious, resilient, and goal-oriented. These are the skills that made him stand out and most suited for the job. From the podcast, I reflected on the society I live in, and how it has influenced leadership in my area. The society is a large aspect that determines the kind of leadership that is cultivated. In Tanzania, the society encourages a more servant relationship leadership, since its traditional values are still important. During the ritual in the case study, I was able to understand that some cultural aspects like region need to be respected. Using the theories learned in class, I understand more the relationship between a leader and his or her followers and the different dynamics that make up a successful leader. Therefore, from the above reflection, I have made a choice to be more conscious of the society I live in, evaluating its impact on the types of leadership in my society keenly. I will also study more about different cultures in the world so as to be more conversant about the different cultures that make up the different societies.
Bibliography
Rawat, S., 2020. Top 4 Theories Of Leadership. [online] Essays, Research Papers, and Articles on Business Management. Available at: <https://www.businessmanagementideas.com/leadership/top-4-theories-of-leadership/3351> [Accessed 24 March 2020].
Benedictine University CVDL. 2020. 5 Leadership Theories & How To Apply Them. [online] Available at: <https://cvdl.ben.edu/blog/leadership_theories_part1/> [Accessed 24 March 2020].