Improving Zappos Corporate Culture and Leadership Term Paper

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document

Total Length: 1917 words ( 6 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 1+

Page 1 of 6

Zappos 3D IT Leadership Model

It is always necessary to clarify the concept of leadership in order to understand the 3D-IT leadership model. In this case, leadership has been identified as complex as well as a dynamic process. It is due to the changes available in the competitive arena and globalization that the need for different types of leaders has been experienced. It is worth mentioning that most followers take leaders as authoritarian, democratic, participative and direct. However, theorists claim that leaders should recommend to their followers to ignore their personal interests. A leader should maintain appropriate motivational standards and be able to empower his or her followers. The behavior from employees like the need for teamwork and collaboration requires a leader to ensure that there is job satisfaction, personal growth, and maturity.

Zappos Corporate Structure

Evidently, Zappos has never been among the most traditional organization. Its latest idea has been removing all job titles and undertaking 'holocracy'. In this case, every employee of the company is being re-organized into various decentralized teams that choose their specific roles as well as objectives. It is the hope of the CEO that the action will assist him in making fewer decisions. The company contains 1500 employees. On the other hand, it is the largest company to implement holocracy and it is 50% through with the implementation. Through the implementation of the new model, everyone at the company is considered a leader. Therefore, individuals take some authority and practice it in their volition. In some cases, people possessing the traditional leadership roles must drop their authority. Evidently, the step has marked a great change because people shift from directing work and telling people what to do to inspiring them (Groth, 2013).

The pilot group was the Human Resource function. An essential way to assist is by leading by example. It is worth identifying that HR is the guardian of culture hence starting with it would make the transition easier. At Zappos, much emphases is usually placed on the company's culture because all the stakeholders exist as a team and a family. On the other hand, the company aims at creating an environment that is friendly and exciting for everyone. Idea diversification and varied points-of-view are highly encouraged at the company. According to the management, the best leaders lead by example, and they act as both the team followers as well as team leaders (Nevarez, Wood, & Penrose, 2013). In this case, most of the ideas and decisions at the company are made from the bottom upwards. Hence, the decision makers are those who are at the frontline and closest to the issues. The manger's role is to remove any available obstacles hence facilitating the success of direct reports. Therefore, the best leaders are the servant-leaders. Therefore, they serve those that they lead. All the team members in the company take the initiative whenever they notice issues so that the group and the company can succeed (Reisinger, 2013).

Nowadays, it has been a common behavior at the company that all team members have a positive influence on one another. In this case, they strive to eliminate any form of negative energy whenever they interact with each other. The organization is characterized by peace and harmony because the aim of every employee is to achieve the goals set by the management. The best team members are those that not only work with each other at the company, but also interact outside the job environment. Most of the common ideas of the company have resulted from the direct informal interactions outside the work environment. For instance, it can be identified that the idea of the culture book came about from a casual discussion outside the office (Lidow, 2014).

Discuss a 3D IT leadership model not used at Zappos, but could be used

Notably, there is another essential model that Zappos does not use, although can be implemented successfully. There are three dimensions to effective leadership. These are usually within the control of the individual leader. In this case, this can be developed through the appropriate support as well as guidance of a particular leader. Evidently, the effective form of leaderships are concerned with the development of one's ability in three dimensions namely values, effectiveness as well as influence. Eventually, the leader chooses to apply his or her skills and abilities in a balanced manner. As identified, Zappos does not apply this model of 3D-IT leadership. Instead, it implements the model where everyone plays both the role of a team leader and a member.

Stuck Writing Your "Improving Zappos Corporate Culture and Leadership" Term Paper?

View All Our Example Improving Zappos Corporate Culture and Leadership Term Paper

Have A Custom Example Essay Written

However, the prior model could be effectively implemented at the company (Nevarez, Wood, & Penrose, 2013).

For instance, through the application and assessment of values, the management of the company can be guided on identifying things that are good or bad for the company. The dimensional values are the internal thoughts that determine the way a particular leader views the environment around them. It is worth identifying that some values are usually embedded in the moral framework. Therefore, by appropriately directing such values the leader can assist the company in making essential decisions that will positively influence its future well-being. The primary reason for implementing the values dimensional is the fact that values are not only personal, but also oriented towards the organization. Therefore, a leader who has positive expectations for the company will be guided by his or her positive values towards ensuring only the best. This can be done by identifying the desirable core values that are possessed by every leader. Therefore, the management can recruit only those people who- demonstrate the values that depict the well-being of Zappos.

Effectiveness is also a major 3D-IT leadership dimension. It is worth identifying that an individual leader must be able to self-manage himself in order to lead people effectively. Therefore, all leaders need to be personally effective especially when performing key tasks. For instance, time management is one of the major examples. In this case, leaders who fail to identify as well as manage their priorities are unlikely to help their team members. Zappos can implement this dimension in order to ensure that the company's leader is self-effective. The leader will be effective and hence meet the company's goals as expected (Levenson, 2014).

It is highly important to identify that influential leaders are of great importance to any company. For instance, leaders who use their personal charisma or popularity to motivate others are of great significance. In this case, most of the members or stakeholders of the company want to be associated with them. Therefore, they push the general performance of the company. Eventually, the status of the company is improved. Zappos can utilize this dimension because there are many leaders who are influential in the environment. Therefore, a leader should develop influencing skills that are suitable for the well-being of the company (Nevarez, Wood, & Penrose, 2013).

Identify the Major Factors in the Model

Many factors are available in the 3D IT leadership model. Some of these include charisma, inspiration, intellectual stimulation as well as individual consideration. There are various studies have brought out the understanding of these factors. A transformational leader should ensure that he or she possess all of these characteristics. Since these are the major factors in the model, the Zappos organization should ensure that it majors in them. There is a need of applying this strategy instead of the current model because of various reasons.

For instance, the current model that Zappos utilizes does not impose a sense of direction because everyone is a leader and servant. Furthermore, some employees will not take the performance of the company seriously because they are not answerable to anyone. The fact that there are leaders in a company it is easier to reach various decisions that the management has to make. The current model ensures that the decisions in the company have to be made bottom-up. Through such a step, there is much time that is spent in order to arrive at the final decision. Therefore, ensuring a leader possesses the right leadership qualities are appropriate. Through the latter model, a leader possessing the named traits will save much time. In this case, the company can concentrate on other issues that are important for the well-being of all stakeholders (Groth, 2013).

It is pertinent to identify that the transformational IT leadership model is essential for the governance of Zappos. With such fators in place, leader with charisma will be crucial because people will want to be associated with them. In this case, people will tend to follow the decisions that such leaders make. The leaders will win the trust and the loyalty of the customers. Besides, the employees will heed to whatever such leaders say. On the other hand, leaders who have self-management characters are essential for the future of the company. A leader who can manage his or her time appropriately can also lead in the company. Zappos requires a leader who can diversify the people and make crucial decisions….....

Show More ⇣

     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Improving Zappos Corporate Culture And Leadership" (2015, January 05) Retrieved May 7, 2024, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/improving-zappos-corporate-culture-leadership-2148418

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Improving Zappos Corporate Culture And Leadership" 05 January 2015. Web.7 May. 2024. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/improving-zappos-corporate-culture-leadership-2148418>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Improving Zappos Corporate Culture And Leadership", 05 January 2015, Accessed.7 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/improving-zappos-corporate-culture-leadership-2148418
   

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document
order custom essay example