The CEO of a Local Bank, Essay Example

I interviewed the CEO of a local bank in my community who conducts business both at the micro and macro levels. He identified himself as a servant leader, some which became quite obvious when interacting with his followers in group meetings and settings. Mr. Lee made sure to practice active listening and repeated what he had heard back to the follower he was interacting with so as to ensure alignment and understanding. When speaking to a member on his advisory team that he was put in charge of, Mr. Lee was careful to make sure that he fully understood what the other members were saying. For example, he would say, “Robert, let me make sure that I fully comprehend what you are asking of me. I heard that you think that the team needs to be notified more in advance with regards to pending changes in writing via email. Is this correct, and if so, how far of an advanced notice do you think the team needs?” What became clear was that Mr. Lee found value in receiving feedback from stakeholders, especially before making any critical decisions. Furthermore, Mr. Lee emphasized the importance of being culturally aware and sensitive as a leader when dealing with partners and clients outside of the United States. Mr. Lee was born and raised in a generally all-white community in the Midwest, so he noted that he has made mistakes in the past in relation to cultural sensitivity. He recalled one incident in which he offended Indian bank executives after participating in a Zoom conference with them. In accordance with Anglo-American traditions, Mr. Lee followed up by sending the Indian executives an email that outlined in detail everything that had been discussed in the meeting. The Indian bank executives perceived this as Mr. Lee and his colleagues distrusting them, thereby cultivating a degree of hostility and resentment in future relations. Mr. Lee thus realized that he as a leader should not view business partners and colleagues as individuals but as a product of cultural upbringing and individual business practices. Mr. Lee did cite certain challenges he faced in his servant leadership approach, including figuring out how to meet the various needs of followers in the most effective and supportive manner; it is clear that not every follower has the same needs. The importance of empathetic listening has become paramount to effective leadership even though there can be an empathy burnout as a result.

Mr. Lee’s followers clearly evinced a conformist type, which is why Mr. Lee’s leadership was so effective with the personalities and work behaviors of all of the followers in the bank. Mr. Lee made it clear just how important it was to create social connection within group settings. The relationship between a servant leadership style and conformity became clear since conformity figures prominently in cultivating consistency while also minimizing any disharmony that manifests within financial institutions like Mr. Lee’s bank. What is so fascinating about Mr. Lee is the fact that there was no burnout in terms of empathy, something which is typically linked with nonconformity. As a leader, Mr. Lee is charged with the responsibility of effectively integrating followers while also established clear organizational standards. As such, there is a lot of currency in fully comprehending how behaviors associated with servant leadership influences conformity and vice versa. Beyond conformity, Mr. Lee broached conversing and interacting with female colleagues far differently than he did his male colleagues. Due to the heightened awareness of inappropriate behavior in the workplace that makes women feel uncomfortable, Mr. Lee is cognizant both of his body language and body language and how he talks to women; he approached women a more calculated manner while he was uninhibited from engaging in heated discussion and dialogue when he felt as though his male followers were chafing against conformity. Finally, Mr. Lee noted that he participates in cultural training twice a year so as to immerse himself in how to comport himself with both clients and colleagues who come from different cultural business practices.