Every individual expresses unique leadership traits and behaviors that define the way they interact with their followers. Few business leaders have managed to make an impact on the world like that of Sir Richard Branson. His leadership style has been analyzed by experts, and copied by managers who wish to duplicate his success. With his unique approach to management, he has been a driving factor in the growth of Virgin Group Ltd into a leading multinational company. In terms of situational leadership, Branson would be described as a delegating leader.
He makes an effort to find talented people and inspires them with a well laid out vision, while still remaining involved in the decision making process (Schermerhorn 2005). The following analysis will define his leadership style, areas of improvement, and ways I can implement his qualities in my career. Branson’s Leadership Style It is clear that Sir Richard Branson was born to be an entrepreneur. He struggled throughout grade school, but still managed to start a school magazine titled Student at the age of 16.This would be the first of several successful business ventures for Branson at a very young age (Hawn 2006).
From his early experiences he was able to learn how to communicate a vision to his followers and manage resources effectively. Situational leadership is the ideal way to analyze his decision making process because he clearly falls into the delegator category of leaders. A delegating leader will find the best talent for the job and assign responsibilities based on areas of strength or weakness, but remains highly involved in the decision making process (Humphreys 2010).As time has passed, Branson’s leadership style has proved to be a very important aspect of Virgin Group’s consistent success. Specifically, he prepares his organization for change and urges creativity from his employees.
“Change is part of the Virgin culture, focused on satisfaction, creativity, irreverence, and fun. Branson's leadership fits the image, packaged with an ever-present smile, open-necked shirt, and eye toward the future” (Schermerhorn, Hunt, ; Orborn, 2005, ch. 13). The culture he creates at Virgin Group keeps the firm consistently focused on innovation and growth.This leadership model has proved to be successful in a number of different industries including airlines, entertainment, and financial services, among many more.
He believes in this leadership style so strongly that he prefers to start his companies from the ground up, rather than acquire them via mergers and acquisitions (Hobson 2012). His clear communication of his leadership style to his employees keeps them confident in his decisions making process. As a delegating leader, it is crucial that his followers have confidence when major changes come about.Making Branson a More Effective Leader Despite his overwhelming entrepreneurial success, there are ways Sir Richard Branson can become a more effective leader. No single style of leadership is optimal in all scenarios, and Branson could benefit by improving his focus on projects over longer periods of time. He has stated that he becomes bored easily and needs to always been learning new skills (Hobson 2012).
Although a desire for change is a good trait for personal growth, I believe it can put limitations on an effective leader. There will be times in business when things become mundane and repetitive.If the leader of the organization reflects these feelings, then the rest of the workforce is sure to follow. It is the leader’s responsibility to keep the followers focused on the ultimate goal.
Sir Richard Branson could improve his leadership style by preparing for situations when the mission of the company has become more or less than exciting. Branson’s Leadership in Space Tourism One of the most exciting and innovative projects in the world today is global space tourism. Fittingly, the Virgin Group is at the forefront of development in this exciting new industry.Finding success in this highly unknown frontier will surely require exceptional leadership skill and planning (Hawn 2006). Branson would tackle this challenge by communicating his vision to his team and continually reminding them of it throughout the duration of the project.
He is the type of leader that strives to bring his team members personal satisfaction from the success of a project. Therefor, I believe he would make an effort to give strong positive recognition to his followers as each major milestone in the project is reached. Perhaps his most valuable leadership trait, Branson is excellent at communicating his vision.A project like space tourism requires a clear and achievable vision, because no other similar project has been successfully completed in the past.
There is no leadership precedent to draw upon, making this ambitious goal an exceptionally challenging one. Branson will need to use his delegating skills to acquire the best talent and assign responsibilities accordingly. However, he is the visionary behind the project and will need to remain involved in the decision making process at the highest level. Ways I can Incorporate His Leadership StyleAlthough every person will ultimately develop a unique style of leadership, I believe here are many things to be learned from Sir Richard Branson. First, I think the idea of being focused on change constantly is a great way build success.
In today’s business climate, technology is constantly changing and an effective leader must always strive to be one step ahead of the curve. I believe that resisting change will create stagnation within a group and lead to a loss of competitiveness. Specifically, this can help me in school because being open to change will help myself and classmates learn more effectively when working in teams.I also respect his goal to make work fun. Promoting a fun working or learning environment will help people remain focused over the long term.
Trying to lead people in a woeful setting is bound to cause unnecessary stress and a loss of motivation. My goal is to implement a fun working environment with my career and always try to stay positive. Studying the leadership of Sir Richard Branson has taught me that if you’re not having fun, it’s most likely time to head down a different path. Summary Every great leader offers an opportunity to learn from their behaviors, and Sir Richard Branson is no exception.His ability to create a culture of positive thinking and innovation in many different industries is proof his success as a business leaders. As an charismatic delegator, Branson has shown a unique ability to delegate responsibilities in a way to leads to entrepreneurial success.
Time and time again, his start-up businesses have been able to thrive and gain market share on the biggest brand names in highly competitive industries. If he continues to employ these leadership tactics and works to improve his weaknesses, it is safe to assume that he will continue to see positive results in future projects.
