Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s speech Case Study

Mitch Landrieu Case Study Analysis

Communication and Leadership

Accurate and effective communication acts as a significant element for a successful leader. The speech on race by Mitch Landrieu, the Mayor of New Orleans, demonstrates the various characteristics of excellent communication in leadership. The first is empathy, which is realized by imagining oneself in someone else’s situation. By being empathetic, Landrieu could understand and identify African-Americans’ emotions. In the speech, he asked the audience to consider the four monuments from the viewpoint of an African-American parent trying to convince their children that the statues are there to encourage them (Mann, 2017). In brief, by being empathetic, the Mayor showed the citizens that he was a caring leader.

The second characteristic is openness. Unlike other white Southern politicians who would not speak frankly to their constituents concerning race, Landrieu was refreshingly honest about the city’s racial history, and he did so without condemning or casting blame on his political opponents (Mann, 2017). People have admired him for his openness since he demonstrates a willingness to learn from others even when in disagreement. The last characteristic is confidence. Landrieu expressed confidence in his communication by forcefully refuting the ludicrous perception that the monuments should remain since they are part of history (Mann, 2017). Thus, Landrieu demonstrates that when a leader sounds confident and enthusiastic, the followers feel more confident.

Furthermore, the speech by Landrieu demonstrates that communication must be intertwined with leadership character to be successful. One trait herein is transparency, where the leader in question, in his speech, showed a willingness to be straightforward, open, and forthcoming with information, which in turn, gained him positive public perception. Another one is accountability. When addressing the public as a leader, Landrieu stepped up to the issue of racism and refrained from denial and using blame-shifting (Mann, 2017). Finally, patience is an excellent trait of successful leadership. In brief, Landrieu has shown that patient leaders are straightforward and independent and even challenging in some cases.

Communication reveals that leadership is built upon trust. It is a concept that is not freely granted, but leaders are expected to earn it. Sincere leaders are those who, by their behaviors and actions, show that they have the best interest of their followers at heart. The messages generated by an administrator that the followers’ trust is regarded as leadership message. The word of the leader is fundamental to the well-being of the followers, and it results from communication, which is a core leadership behavior. The ability to communicate is an essential leadership behavior since it lays the foundation for leading others through trust.

Individual Deliverable

Since this is a group project, I believe that the client will face challenges associated with working with varied and many individuals. For example, there could be conflict over opinions, strategies, or positions. The disagreement cannot be resolved if team members make aggressive gestures or personal attacks, as well as when there are heightened tensions. I also feel that uneven communication or mistrust is another issue. It transpires when the group is unable or unwilling to consider alternative approaches or ideas (Cox & Bobrowski, 2016). Another problem revolves around personal agendas and power issues. A conflict that is channeled properly can be healthy for a team. However, this would prove difficult if there is low energy during meetings, unsatisfactory attendance in gatherings, and when members fail to complete assignments. Lastly, I believe that ineffective leadership is another challenge, and it arises when the administrator fails the team by not delegating or defining a compelling vision as a guide.

As a next step, I need to learn various things to be an active team member. For example, I need to know how to commit adequately to a goal. Doing so will enable me to believe in the significance of what I do, knowing that the group needs my contribution. Furthermore, teamwork requires sharing. As such, I need to learn how to share ideas and information freely. The knowledge will also enable me to be willing to consider a new direction even when it goes against my suggestions. Cooperation is also the basis of a capable team (Cox & Bobrowski, 2016). In this regard, I must let other group members know that I support them and have a genuine concern for them. Lastly, I need to learn to embrace change. Adaptability and flexibility are dynamic personalities of a good team player. In brief, the team will be negatively affected if I am rigid in my approach to new ideas or concepts.

References

Cox, P. L., & Bobrowski, P. E. (2016). The team charter assignment: Improving the effectiveness of classroom teams. Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management, 1(2), 93-108.

Mann, R. (2017, May 26). Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s speech on race was one for the ages: Opinion. Retrieved from https://www.nola.com/opinions/article_4fabdbe9-2462-5dc1-9d35-d9fcfdf2fec2.html.