Leaders & Followers: Flying High at Pancontinental Airways (PA) Case Study
Introduction
According to (Shah, 2018, p. 23), leadership is the behaviour or manner in which an individual has when they have the privilege to direct a group of people or oversee an action towards a desired goal. The major aspect of leadership duties is that it concentrates on influencing the work of a team and ensure upcoming changes are embraced. It is authoritative for any manager or leader to understand and practice things such as organizational skills, management of projects, performance evaluation and employees’ management. However, some people have mastered such skills, but they have not been effective leaders. Leadership skills act as a building block which is necessary for any manager or leader. To some individuals, they are born with qualities of leadership while for others they practice to nurture them. The charismatic leaders are evident at work or in the communities and they utilize different techniques that are capable of motivating their followers. Such kind of leaders have cultivated the atmosphere whereby everyone is fully accountable for any action and if any team member makes mistakes, then all the team has failed. Therefore, leadership is an act that encompasses personal qualities, behavioural features, power-influence and situational environment.
This paper will explore on the case study of Pancontinental Airways based on the principal elements within the relationship of the leaders and the followers. This will require an examination of the leadership theories linked to the company that will develop theoretical aspects and practical implications. Additionally, the paper will examine how leadership in Pancontinental has influenced the performance of the organization.
Major Elements of the Relationship at Pancontinental Airways between Leaders and Employees
It is evident that the leadership style at Pancontinental Airways has employed theories of Emotional Intelligence which have turned to be very productive.
This aspect has turned out to be very crucial to the success of individuals within the expanding future of work. Also referred to as emotional quotient, it is among the top skills that the management band staff need to nurture to thrive at a workstation. Emotional intellect is the capability of an individual to understand, view and control one’s feelings and emotions (Shah, 2018, p. 43). It is the part of social intelligence that entails the capacity to observe personal feelings and emotions as well as that of others whereby one discriminates among them to get a way of thinking and making decisions.
From the case study of Pancontinental Airways, it is evident that The Managing Director, Henry Callahan demonstrates that he has high levels of emotional intelligence. The manager understands the rights of his employees that is why he encourages all to join and participate in an industrial union. We also notice that Callahan motivates his staff to be members of workers union to promote themselves and Pancontinental Airways. Through the unions, the staff members have participated in forums of decision making within the organization. Callahan has given all employees the opportunity to express their opinions, decisions and feelings which has enabled the management to address all issues at an earlier stage. This has been productive in building a strong relationship between the management and staff.
- Self-Awareness and Management
The relationship at PA is effectively nurtured through self-awareness that is portrayed by the leaders. It is evident that the manager, Callahan is capable of knowing and understanding his moods, duties and emotions at work and the effect they pose to the entire company (Thomas, 2015, p. 54). Callahan is a leader who knows his strength and weaknesses while managing Pancontinental Airways. Callahan understands what PA requires and through this, the human resource management has recruited the right individuals for the right tasks at the right time which ensures the steady performance of the firm. From the case study, we see how Callahan understands himself which makes it possible to manage his team properly. The manager has stated a clear vision and showed how he clearly understands his team by encouraging the representations of the staff at all levels of labour unions. This has ensured that the team engages positively and boasts a good working environment.
Nevertheless, Callahan understands his style of leadership and the impact it would cause to the company. He passed through various departments while working at Pancontinental and this has demonstrated his awareness of the recommended qualifications and developments. Callahan started working at Pancontinental while he was at the University and this has enabled gain early experience. The manager understands the long working hours that workers go through which has enabled him to develop empathy for every staff. His awareness has enabled him to be very constructive which is evidenced by his effort to help engineers in the hangar workshops and packing cupcakes within the catering department. This illustrates how the self-awareness of the manager has developed a leadership style that boosts good working relations at the company.
iii. Customer-driven Value and Organizational Awareness
The management at Pancontinental has demonstrated its ability to learn and understand what their customers and staff members’ experience. The culture of the firm has valued their customers and they have demonstrated high levels of customer service. The company has created a feeling of fun in its surroundings which has resulted in excellent customer service. Training, development and recruitment have been the key elements in boosting the organization relationship through a strong working culture among the management and the followers (Thomas, 2015, p. 78). This aspect has boosted social awareness among the management such that it selects and recruit applicants with the right attitude and can develop a happy working surrounding at the right time for the company’s success.
The company has created a fun presence that is evidenced by their aircraft that are colourful external paints. This has facilitated an attractive scenario that seeks to attract new clients. Mr Callahan together with his operational staff has embraced an organizational culture that is jovial. The exciting behaviour has enabled the company to experience a steady growth in its turnover which has also ensured higher ratings of customer satisfaction. The result is that Pancontinental Airways has remained at the leading airline in league tables. The sense of fun has built a firm, corporate identity that has been experienced globally. This has ensured the company’s business has nurtured a sense of ‘family’ among the customers at the international level as well as the operational staff. Apart from improving customer engagement, The relevance of having fun while at work is also widely emphasized by Callahan as it ensures stress reduction among employees. The fun culture has established a strong sense of community that seeks to enhance work-life balance for stress removal.
- Management of Relationship
This aspect has clearly described the capacity of the leaders at the company to cultivate desirable responses among the staff and customers (Breevaart et al., 2014, p. 34). The managing director has been able to nurture a good working relationship by encouraging the establishment of unions which will be used by employees to present their issues. Though such a strategy, Callahan has been able to mitigate various forms of disputes at the company. Nevertheless, the industrial unions have been used to provide remedies to issues facing the staff and the company. Callahan developed a culture that links the management, staff and unions by promoting membership and representation of all the employees at all levels. Nevertheless, Callahan is very open and close to his employees in that he would go to the catering department and the hangar workshops to help the workers in completing their tasks.
The empathy demonstrated by Callahan has been key in enhancing relationship management. The manager understands the hectic tasks carried out by various employees and this makes him offer motivation and help where necessary. Callahan is a holistic leader who chairs all contract negotiation meetings, through this he gets closer to his staff and gets to understand what has to be done at Pancontinental Airways to build a healthy working environment. Also, the creation of pleasing behaviour at the company has developed a good working relationship. As a leader, Callahan knows how to present information to the employee’s pleasing behaviour based on how conditions of a particular service and this has developed a friendly working relationship between him and the staff.
Examination of how the Leadership at PA has affected the Improved Performance of the Organization
At Pancontinental Airways, some forms of leadership have been significant in improving its performance. It is evidenced that there is servant leadership at the company. Callahan is a servant leader who has shown that he possesses strong, generous, ethical qualities. The managing director has been observed to be very caring and concerned about his employees and customers. Callahan cares about the needs and wants of the staff as he promotes the formation of labour unions and encourages every individual to be represented at all levels. The manager focuses on cultivating the sense of wellness in the organization and this has resulted in low rates of staff turnover as well as a high commitment among them. As describes by Breevaart et al., 2014, (p. 64), the servant leadership at the company has been witnessed through an enhanced feeling of community at work, power-sharing during decision making and a holistic strategy to work. Additionally, as a servant leader, Callahan has demonstrated some empathy and has made efforts to nurture the employees.
Callahan has been very close to his staff and this has developed a sense of community at work. The manager is always with the workers in every department of the company. He goes to the catering department and assists the workers in arranging the cupcakes onto meal trays and also he is seen at the workshop fitting and tightening nuts and bolts. The results are that there is increased inspiration among the employees who have worked towards the success of the company (Shah, 2018, p. 86). By developing empathy and a sense of community at work, Pancontinental has experienced low turnover rates among the staff over the years. The pleasing behaviour from the manager and employees has doubled the turnover of the company in the last decade. The act of power-sharing during decision making at the company has been very successful. The development of industrial unions has incorporated active members who take part in decision-making forums at the company. As a servant leader, Callahan understood that through the unions, the staff have the freedom to raise concerns at the table during the process of contract negotiations. Through such meetings, Callahan has understood every issue facing his workers and the management has laid necessary strategies to tackle them. By addressing the workers issues, it has resulted in a positive reputation for the company whereby many employees develop a sense of belonging and get committed to working. This has ensured profits continue to grow for the company which has been a major catalyst for improved performance.
Callahan is also highly concerned about the value of customers to the company. The management has ensured that there is a culture of fun at work and more so when handling clients. It is evidenced that Pancontinental Airways is recognized for having a ‘wacky behaviour’ which is also promoted by the managing director. The pleasing behaviour has ensured the Airline foster customer satisfaction at all levels. The sense of fun has improved the customer satisfaction ratings at the company which has made it tops the tables. The strategy of having ‘a sense of fun’ has boosted the reputation of PA which has been recognized as a well-loved super brand. The vision of ‘Fun in Flight’ has made Pancontinental attain awards like the staff MISS which stands for Most Impactful Staff Silliness due to its superb customer relations. The leadership and management at the company have also enjoyed good organizational culture from the closeness and pleasing working environment (Braun & Hornuf, 2018, p. 223). Due to servant leadership, the employee feels a sense of value and belonging for their work as Callahan understands the experience of being a follower.
Improved performance has also been enhanced at Pancontinental through the practice of authentic leadership by Callahan. The aspect of authenticity in leadership does not only entail knowing, longevity or trust, but it offers dynamic channels that ensure they all merge under a reflexive procedure (Braun & Hornuf, 2018, p. 218). As a leader, Callahan has positive capacities that ensure behaviours that promote self-awareness and self-regulation for positive self-development. The aspect of self-awareness describes the improved performance that Pancontinental Airways experiences through the leadership of Callahan. As the manager of the Airways, he has gained extensive knowledge and experience as he used to work at the company. Therefore, the staff members and workers have followed his channel which has enabled them to gain the longevity and trust when working at the company. The employees have also gained the trust of their managers and they have demonstrated their commitment at work by getting used to long working hours for the sake of enhancing performance improvement.
Additionally, the management of the staff members demonstrated an authentic manner. Callahan suggests that for the company to have good management and leadership, they have embraced fun while doing work, felt it, breathed it and believed about it. It is realized that the feelings of the people have propelled the high customer retention and success of Pancontinental Airways brand. Authentic action and relational transparency have improved organization performance (Braun & Hornuf, 2018, p. 233). According to Callahan, the success of the company has been through making authentic actions whereby they have looked for the right employees in the right department to work at the recommended time. This shows that the manager has benefited from a clear vision because they have employed the most suitable people to enhance customer service. Recruitment, training and development have been developed a strong educational culture between the followers and the management. Relational transparency has nurtured an organizational culture that is based on the right attitude whereby the particular training for a task has nurtured competent employees.
Conclusion
The major aspect of leadership duties is that it concentrates on influencing the work of a team and ensure upcoming changes are embraced. Any manager or leader has to understand and practice things such as organizational skills, management of projects, performance evaluation and employees’ management. Emotional intelligence is part of social intelligence that entails the capacity to observe personal feelings and emotions as well as that of others whereby one discriminates among them to get a way of thinking and making decisions. The Managing Director, Henry Callahan demonstrates that he has high levels of emotional intelligence. The manager understands the rights of his employees that is why he encourages all to join and participate in an industrial union. Callahan is capable of knowing and understanding his moods, duties and emotions at work and the effect they pose to the entire company. He understand what PA requires and through this, the human resource management has recruited the right individuals for the right tasks at the right time which ensures the steady performance of the firm.
The sense of fun has built a firm, corporate identity that has been experienced globally. This has ensured the company’s business has nurtured a sense of ‘family’ among the customers at the international level as well as the operational staff. The relevance of having fun while at work is also widely emphasized by Callahan as it ensures stress reduction among employees. The servant leadership at the company has been witnessed through an enhanced feeling of community at work, power-sharing during decision making and a holistic strategy to work. Additionally, as a servant leader, Callahan has demonstrated some empathy and has made efforts to nurture the employees.
