Ashram Barge Company's Leadership Challenges
Introduction
What is leadership? This question have been defined and analyzed by many scholars and experts around the world and have different perspectives of what good leadership is all about. The hunt for the best practices of leadership is highly in-demand simply because organizations would like to know they can effectively lead its people towards its success. Leadership challenges vary in different organizations because they are unique in each way, depending on what industry they are in, what type of work they do on a daily basis, or how an organization is structured. This paper aims to analyze Ingram Barge Company’s leadership challenge, and apply the five leadership practices by Kouzes and Posner (2012) to be able to propose solution/s to the problem.
History of Ingram Barge Company
Ingram Barge Company, a family owned business, is the largest barge company in the United States (Ingram Marine Group, 2007). Ingram transports different commodities like …show more content…
The Ingram Barge’s major commodity is coal and averages to 30% of Ingram’s revenue. When a new Clean Air Act was enacted regarding reduction of carbon monoxide emissions, Ingram lost several suppliers and customers, and shut down one facility. Many associates lost jobs, and those who got to stay, feared of losing their jobs, as well. People that were close to retirement and have been with the company for many, many years were laid off. Positions that are no longer necessary for the company’s current need were eliminated. This unfortunate event made the Ingram Barge’s employees unsure about the company’s future and lost their trust to the senior staffs. Many managers believed that the timing of the survey, which was after the downsizing, was not good. Employees are in the heights of disbelief and uncertainty, and that could have been the reason why Ingram scored low in the employee appreciation
What is leadership? This question have been defined and analyzed by many scholars and experts around the world and have different perspectives of what good leadership is all about. The hunt for the best practices of leadership is highly in-demand simply because organizations would like to know they can effectively lead its people towards its success. Leadership challenges vary in different organizations because they are unique in each way, depending on what industry they are in, what type of work they do on a daily basis, or how an organization is structured. This paper aims to analyze Ingram Barge Company’s leadership challenge, and apply the five leadership practices by Kouzes and Posner (2012) to be able to propose solution/s to the problem.
History of Ingram Barge Company
Ingram Barge Company, a family owned business, is the largest barge company in the United States (Ingram Marine Group, 2007). Ingram transports different commodities like …show more content…
The Ingram Barge’s major commodity is coal and averages to 30% of Ingram’s revenue. When a new Clean Air Act was enacted regarding reduction of carbon monoxide emissions, Ingram lost several suppliers and customers, and shut down one facility. Many associates lost jobs, and those who got to stay, feared of losing their jobs, as well. People that were close to retirement and have been with the company for many, many years were laid off. Positions that are no longer necessary for the company’s current need were eliminated. This unfortunate event made the Ingram Barge’s employees unsure about the company’s future and lost their trust to the senior staffs. Many managers believed that the timing of the survey, which was after the downsizing, was not good. Employees are in the heights of disbelief and uncertainty, and that could have been the reason why Ingram scored low in the employee appreciation