\"These various forms of distance pose significant strain on the relationships b
ID: 410606 • Letter: #
Question
"These various forms of distance pose significant strain on the relationships between leaders and their followers. When leaders are physically, structurally, socially, or psychologically distant from their followers, the frequency of their interactions and quality of their exchanges may suffer (Napier & Ferris, 1993) (Youssef & Luthans, 2012, p 543)." Do you believe it is still relevant in the current business environment? Why or Why not? Use at least two real life examples to support your argument.
Explanation / Answer
In the era of digitalization, video conferencing/calls/chats, multi-media, such kind of stain is less possible unless the relationship between the leader and follower is too weak or feable. Although, physical absence will definitely be a drawback, but that can be mitigated once leader is in a constant touch with his followers over a call (could be either video or audio).
Gone are the days where leaders and followers work together in the same platfom, from one place. In the era of managing multi-cultural teams across the world, leader works from elsewhere and his followers work from different places. They align, stay in a network and work in an absolute coordination and cooperation, and exchange information in a jiffy and make transactions within minutes.
Like for example, Google is the company which is headquatered in America, yet it has its branches all over the world. A manager from the headoffice in America would have to work with different teams across America, Asia and Europe. So, instead of working as per their timezones, they work together in one timezone, align their work and stay connected in the network. In such case, leader and the followers stay tuned to their projects and work together in coordination with the multi-cultural teams.
Let's take an example of a domestic company like chain of restaurants which are operated in different locations in America. Every location would have a manager who takes care of the place in that particular location. The leader of the chain of the restaurants would converse and coordinate with the managers all across the locations in America on a daily basis. The leader should know the performance status of the operating restaurants, and in order to increase the revenues and improve the sales, leader and his managers should be able to converse and coordinate, and discuss things that would help them succeed.
Therefore, in my opinion, distance will not pose any kind of risk in the relationship if the bonding between the leader and the followers is strong and when they are in a continuous conversation with each other on a day-to-day basis.
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