Leadership is a very critical aspect of any business. The current technologically connected world is characterized by a fast moving environment where borders are opened to global trade, consequently putting organizations in constant struggle to gain a competitive advantage over their business rivals. Actually, as Quiros (2014) states, for a company to survive, it requires an outstanding leader who knows the ins and outs of this environment. This paper hereby celebrates one Mr. Matthew Spencer, the Chief Executive Officer of Verus Insurance Company.
Mr. Spencer is an outstanding business manager and leader who have been widely credited for being the main force behind Verus’ remarkable growth and achievements in recent years. Under his guidance, Verus has recent to prominence and is currently among the biggest players in the insurance industry. Mr. Spencer’s leadership style In the current highly competitive environment, Fikru (2014) states that the most precious quality a leader can possess is the ability to build a team of a bunch of workers.
This is among one of the numerous values that have set Spencer different from other business leaders of his time. When he first joined Verus, the organization was evidently struggling to deliver on its projects. However, within no time, he took it from an ordinary to extraordinary player in the industry, thanks to his management design that emphasizes on doing the right things at the right time. His affiliative leadership style works to create emotional bonds that bring a feeling of bonding and belonging to the organization.
According to Fikru (2014), this style has given him a lot of positive influence as it earns him the respect and trust of most of his juniors. Spencer believes so much in the power of teamwork. Being an affiliative leader, people to him come first. As such, he puts a lot of emphasis and efforts in ensuring his workers are well motivated towards their course. This is not only achieved through noteworthy compensation, but also nurturing a culture of good vertical as well as horizontal communication.
His superb communication skills have made him a source of inspiration especially for young lads who are just kick-starting their career (Longenecker, 2014). More so, by leading by example, he has managed to put together strong teams that have propelled Verus to the remarkable heights it has gotten to. The teams are not afraid to take on new challenges as they have been made to believe that innovation comes with taking well-calculated risks at the right time.
How being an affiliative leader helps Spencer Being an affiliative leader has a lot of advantages that are critical in present day fast moving environment. As evident from Spencer’s case, this leadership model empowers business leaders to not only inspire their employees but also guide the company towards its vision and goals. According to Fikru (2014) for instance, being close to junior employees has made Spencer a good communicator who understands the business from different perspectives.
Putting trust in people creates value for them and they become more free and willing to contribute, in their own small capacities towards realization of the company’s objectives (Longenecker, 2014). Apparently, meeting corporate goals greatly depends on how well a leader tells his juniors where they are going, why they are going and how they are going to get there, a skill that Spencer has perfected over time. Another area where Spencer’s leadership model has effectively helped him is recognizing and building talent within his organization.
As stated earlier, he puts a lot of trust in the people due to his personal belief that they are crucial contributors to an organization’s success as well as influence in the market. Actually, ever since he joined Verus, he has always emphasized on developing people for the future. This has been achieved through frequent trainings designed to develop personal talents among teammates. According to Quiros, developing personal talents in this context means Spencer is helping his juniors to build lasting personal strengths that make them more successful overall (Quiros, 2014).
Similarly, he is effectively countering the challenges brought about by attitudes that are defiant to change. As Likierman (2009) notes, a leader that is proficient easily wins the unwilling characters in his organization. Effectiveness of the leadership style It is without doubt that Verus’s remarkable success in recent years is courtesy of its leadership. Throughout time studies have proven that the performance of a business greatly depends on how well it is managed and guided towards its goals and vision (Longenecker, 2014).
Verus is not any different and that is why believe Spencer has been outstanding in his role as the chief executive officer. Ideally, he knows the organization’s overall purpose, goals and objectives as well as agreed-upon strategies to achieve them. More so, he has been instrumental in building teams that fit into Verus’s big picture. His easy level of honest communication with his peers has been more than enough to convince them to help the organization grow and thrive (Likierman, 2009).
Conclusion Leadership is a critical element that affects a business in all dimensions. While there is no guaranteed formula of being an effective leader, Likierman (2009) states that there are a number of practices that enhance a manager’s positive influence in an organization. Ideally, the current fast moving environment requires a leader who is a motivator and pacesetter. These two qualities are very crucial in mobilizing business teams towards a common vision and remain focused on end goals.
