Kolb’s model of adult learning explains how learning in adults occurs. According to the model, adult learning occurs in four stages (Kolb, 2015). The first stage is the experience of an event or situation (concrete experience). In the second stage, the learner reflects on the experience (reflective observation). The learner then — in the third stage — draws from theories and concepts to gain a deeper understanding of the experience (abstract conceptualization). In the fourth stage, the learner uses the experience as a basis for responding to similar occurrences in future. In this paper, I describe an experience I extremely felt motivated. I then analyze the experience based on Kolb’s model.
Concrete Experience
At my place of work, the department I work in recently got a new manager. The new manager was recruited after his predecessor retired following two decades of service to the organization. The previous manager had over the years risen through the ranks to become a manager of one of the most powerful and critical departments in the organization. The new manager has been in the organization for only five weeks and he is a complete opposite of his successor. While the previous manager preferred staying away from the day to day activities of the department, the new manager prefers to work more closely with his subordinates. He does not just give instructions and then relax in the office waiting for updates and reports. Instead, he rolls back his sleeves to work alongside his subordinates. He collaborates with his juniors to brainstorm and discuss ideas. For me, his management style has been a great source of motivation. I strongly believe that management is not just about delegating tasks or giving instructions. A good manager in my view is one who is actively involved in the tasks they delegate to their juniors.
Reflective Observation
In my organization, managers or supervisors in the caliber of the new departmental manager are quite rare. Most members of staff are used to “absent” managers. In other words, most managers have little time for their subordinates. Once they delegate tasks, they have a tendency of staying away from the team — they detach themselves from the day to day activities of their departments or teams. For many employees at the organization, such a management style sort of leaves them without anyone to lean on when things are thick. They feel like they have no one to coach or encourage them. For the new manager, however, an unusual style of management has been evident. Many members of staff in the department see the new manager as more of a coach or a facilitator as opposed to a supervisor. He actively interacts with his juniors and is always on the edge of what is happening in the department. Though a few members of staff feel that the new manager is somewhat a micromanager, most see him as a leader who leads by example, hence a great source of motivation.
Abstract Conceptualization
Leaders within the organizational setting play a crucial role in motivating employees. Employee motivation essentially denotes an employee’s willingness to apply effort to a given task or goal (Latham, 2012). Motivation often determines how an employee is committed to work and the organization, how they interact with others at the workplace, as well as their level of productivity and performance. Leaders arouse motivation using various techniques, including financial rewards, acknowledgement, and ensuring autonomy, work-life balance, and acceptable working conditions. When employees are properly motivated, they put their best fruit forth to the benefit of both the employee and the organization. Indeed, employee motivation has been significantly associated with increased job satisfaction, employee loyalty, and productivity (Latham, 2012).
A leader’s behavior is a particularly important driver of employee motivation. In other words, a leader’s style of supervising or controlling their subordinates can greatly affect the extent to which the subordinates are motivated. In this case, the new leader’s style of management can be described as hands-on management. Hands-on management is a management style in which a manager is actively involved in the day to day duties they delegate to their subordinates (Tulgan, 2004). Rather than completely detaching themselves from the everyday activities of their function, department, or organization, hands-on managers interact directly with their subordinates, collaborate on tasks, and maintain open communication lines. As they are constantly close to their juniors, hands-on managers act as mentors and coaches, providing frequent feedback to their juniors. For employees, this can be immensely empowering and motivating. It minimizes the distance between the manager and the subordinates, thereby creating a healthy, respectful manager-subordinate relationship. When a manager is closely involved in the task at hand, they get an opportunity to hear diverse ideas from their juniors and to acknowledge their juniors for their input.
Hands-on management may sometimes be seen as micromanagement. While there is often the risk of a hands-on manager becoming a micromanager, hands-on management does not necessarily involve or mean micromanagement (Tulgan, 2004). In this case, the new manager evidently understands the thin line between hands-on management and micromanagement. Though the manager is actively present, he noticeably understands the importance of allowing individuals to work without unnecessary interference. This is the most motivating aspect of his management style — balancing between hands-on management and micromanagement. For the new manager, it is not just enough for a manager to give instructions. A good manager gives instructions, invites feedback from their juniors, and assures their subordinates of their unwavering presence and support. They lead by example, assuring their subordinates that “we are in this together.”
Hands-on management does not necessarily mean that a manager has no confidence or trust in their subordinates. A hands-on manager understands that even though employees may have adequate training to work with minimal supervision, they need constant support, encouragement, and feedback (Tulgan, 2004). A hands-on manager is better placed to offer support and encouragement compared to a hands-off manager. In other words, hands-on management is not about perfectionism or micromanagement — it is about walking together with your subordinates. This motivates subordinates as they have someone to listen to their ideas and concerns, offer guidance when required, and to praise outstanding input. Also, communication between the manager and their subordinates is improved. This is particularly true in this case. Since the new manager came, there has been more open communication between the departmental head and his subordinates. During meetings members of staff are now freer to suggest ideas and articulate their concerns. For many in the department, this is empowering and fulfilling.
Active Experimentation
One of my greatest aspirations as an individual is to become a great leader. I am deeply inspired by leaders who leave a positive impact wherever they lead. For me, the new manager provides valuable lessons as far as leadership and management is concerned. The new manager has a style of leadership that may not be common in most workplaces. He demystifies conventional notions about leadership. When you are a leader, it does not mean that you leave everything to your subordinates. Your leadership may be more effective when you delegate tasks and actively participate in accomplishing those tasks alongside your subordinates. This sends a strong message to your followers that everyone’s input is important and appreciated.
As an aspiring leader, the new leader’s style of management has greatly transformed my understanding of leadership and management. I now understand that leadership is not about sitting in the office and waiting for all the paperwork to be done by your subordinates — it is about working together with your subordinates. This is the kind of manager I desire to be. I aspire to be a collaborator, a facilitator, and a coach. I strongly believe this will set me apart especially in an environment where most managers want to show that they are in total control or they have all the authority. Authority in management is important, but rolling back your sleeves to collaborate with your juniors to accomplish a given goal or task does not necessarily mean loss of authority. By being a hands-on manager, I would be better placed to motivate my followers. I would model the behaviors I would expect them to portray.
Conclusion
Overall, as per Kolb’s model of learning, the experiences individuals go through in life provide important lessons. Experiences promote learning by providing an opportunity for reflection. Also, one is able to relate the experiences to future occurrences, further enhancing learning. In my case, a change of leadership at the department I work in has been a crucial learning experience. The new manager depicts a management style that has not been common in the organization — hands-on management. For me, the new manager is a practical embodiment of leadership by example. As an aspiring leader, I feel strongly motivated by his style of management. I believe his style of management will shape my future managerial behavior. Though there could be some shortcomings in his hands-on management style, I believe it is important for a manager or a leader to be closer to their subordinates or followers. This is the kind of manager I desire to be.
References
Kolb, D. (2015). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Latham, G. (2012). Work motivation: history, theory, research, and practice. London: SAGE.
Tulgan, B. (2004). H.O.T. Hands on transactional management. Amherst: HRD Press.
Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply
Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?
Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.
Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?
- Plagiarism free papers
- Timely delivery
- Any deadline
- Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
- Subject-relevant academic writer
- Adherence to paper instructions
- Ability to tackle bulk assignments
- Reasonable prices
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Get superb grades consistently
Online Academic Help With Different Subjects
Literature
Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.
Finance
Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.
Computer science
Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!
Psychology
While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.
Engineering
Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.
Nursing
In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.
Sociology
Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.
Business
We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!
Statistics
We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.
Law
Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.
What discipline/subjects do you deal in?
We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.
Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?
Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.
What if I don’t like the paper?
There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.
Reasons being:
- When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
- We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.
In the event that you don’t like your paper:
- The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
- We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
- Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.
Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?
Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.
What if the paper is plagiarized?
We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.
When will I get my paper?
You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.
Will anyone find out that I used your services?
We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.
How our Assignment Help Service Works
1. Place an order
You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.
2. Pay for the order
Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.
3. Track the progress
You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.
4. Download the paper
The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.
PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!
