Assignment #4

My Leadership Portfolio, Arfat Tahir / 2021-10-31

 Focus reflection “My Leadership Portfolio”

Keywords Authentic; Emotional Intelligence; Transformational leadership; Agile Transformation; Remote

leadership; Direct and Indirect Leadership; Development Talk

Personal Statement
“To develop oneself into a transformational leader with essence to develop and transform people and deliver
business results through them. Stay Authentic, work with Emotional Intelligence and stay true to the values”.

Leading with a clear direction is critical in a complex and fast-changing world. The world around us is uncertain,
in doubt, changing constantly with extreme digital turnaround. Expectations on leaders are very high to deliver
both business and on people together. Pandemic has brought a stronger side of remote leadership, more co-
workers have gone sick, hit the wall, and stressed out under pressure.

I would like to be a Transformational leader that have the essence to develop and transform people and deliver
business results through them. Have the ability and skills to motivate and engage co-workers around the world
even during challenging times like today. I understand that it requires strong empathy, emotional intelligence,
clear vision and mission drive, commitment, and ability to create clarity around goals and be able to deliver goals
with exceeding expectations. My journey is towards being authentic and true to IKEA and my values (Avolio
and Gardner, 2005), (DuBrin, 2015).

Leadership Experience
Below reflects my leadership capabilities, a comprehensive analysis of leadership principles, my strengths, and
(gap analysis) areas of improvement. It covers hands-on feedback from individuals I interact on daily basics,
development talk feedback, group feedback, analysis and guidance from different assessment tools used for my
leadership development in last 3 years, see appendix 1. It covers the leadership aspects I experience through
direct, indirect, remote and matrix leadership.
Communication • Focus on purpose and direction at the same time want to hear about results and
Style achievements
• Warmth and Humility: Communicate with energy and enthusiasm
• Use IKEA values in engagements, Lead by Example
• Provide structure to work, action oriented and energetic approach
• Lead with the heart out and passion
• Prioritize actions and tend to focus on moving towards goals quickly.
• Design strategies towards broad and smart goals
Leadership • Ability to navigate emotions and energize myself
Style • Ability to manage directly and good with one-on-one discussions
• Emphasize on collaborations and promote teamwork
• Flexible and Adaptive: Take charge quickly and deliver
• Work on inefficiencies and enjoy complex problems

• Sometimes I overlook people’s needs and contributions in my focus on the task

Gap Analysis • Some decisions come too quickly and appear impatient
• Work with conflict management
• Assertiveness: Dare to say no and keep sharp discussions
• Becomes impulsive under pressure
• Work life balance: Lead the way to others towards wellbeing
Based on my leadership style and experience, I have analyzed my value, behaviors, and Traits on leadership
capabilities in line with my organization (IKEA) (DuBrin, 2015),(Avolio and Bass, 1996)

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 Focus reflection “My Leadership Portfolio”
Leadership Values, Behaviors and Traits
Capabilities
Inspire and clarify Unleash Entrepreneurship
Works Well Works Well
• As a leader my role is about building • As leader I inspire experimentation to
bridge between new ideas and everyday unleash the ideas of the many, give them
business opportunities and IKEA vision. environment to challenge existing ways
• In day-to-day engagements remotely, I • I aspire to provide resources to co-
communicate openly and straightforward workers to accomplish tasks and reach
towards our vision and goals business goals
• I Inspires curiosity to learn and try new • As Ingvar said, “one makes no mistakes
Entrepreneurship things and dare to do things outside the box. only in sleep”, I encourage learning from
of the Many • As leader I create a safe environment and mistakes and try new ideas without fear
preconditions for others to shine of failure
• I am transparent in information sharing Work more with
Work more with • I need to focus actively on seeking
• Listen to people and take time to change, finding better ways, and
understand people’s strengths and expertise building new Competences
• Continue and expand time for ‘learn
and develop’, exploration, reflection
and questioning
Examples
Facilitate Change: Lead in Digital transformation and tools development in
development function
Build Strong Relationships Collaborate & Co-create
Works Well Works Well
• Created a climate for giving and receiving • I establish possibilities for
feedback collaboration and co-creation across
• Build on constructiveness, respect, and departments and different functions
support • I Show with actions that people with
• Establish trust with teams by being open, different skills, culture and backgrounds
respectful, and understanding of someone’s are value-creating in a diverse team.
feelings in a situation • I continuously encourage others to
Togetherness • Is self-aware and authentic as a leader, contribute with their experience and
showing vulnerability and understands the knowledge to work interdependently to
own impact on colleagues and teams achieve shared ambitious business
• Show Empathy towards others and lead results
with emotional intelligence Work more with
Work more with • Listening to all perspectives in a
• Establish an atmosphere were tensions and discussion
constructive conflicts are positive and a way • Not to ignore conflicts but find ways
of achieving better decisions to resolve them
Examples
Lead re-organization of teams at different times

Lead with IKEA values Create Customer Value

Works Well Works Well
• Leads as a good example for the IKEA • Set goals and actions for the team to
key values through behaviors and actions live up to the customer needs
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 Focus reflection “My Leadership Portfolio”
• Uses the IKEA key values to manage • Ensures that the team follows through
Performance challenging/complex situations and make on commitments
with a meaning decisions • Adapt quickly to changing
• Sets preconditions to make the ‘how’ we circumstances and deviations from
do business as important as delivering business/action plans
results • Create prerequisites to use new
• Strong in 'being on the way’ and accept technology and digital solutions to meet
responsibility with enthusiasm. customer need
• Strong willpower and daring to do
differently.
Work more with
• Consciousness regarding my own
leadership
• Ability to prioritize with IKEA Values in
mind
Examples
To make sure we deliver to IKEA Values and Customer needs, I do regular Job chat
with individual co-workers and group chats to bring alignment and follow through
commitments.

Conclusion
Although individuals can perform any role in an organization, each type tends to gravitate toward leadership,
work, learning and development and communication styles. I can adopt to different situations at time, but it makes
more sense to build on my strengths and work with the gaps. Below is my leadership development plan from now
to three years (DuBrin, 2015).

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 Focus reflection “My Leadership Portfolio”
Bibliography
1. Dubrin, A., 2015. Principles of Leadership. 7th ed. pp.
2. Avolio, B., & Gardner, W. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms
of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 315-338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.03.001
3. Bass, B., & Avolio, B. (1994). Transformational Leadership and Organizational Culture. International
Journal of Public Administration, 17(3-4), 541-554. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900699408524907
4. Gardner, W., Avolio, B., Luthans, F., May, D., & Walumbwa, F. (2005). “Can you see the real me?” A
self-based model of authentic leader and follower development. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 343-
372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.03.003
5. Lindebaum, D., & Cartwright, S. (2010). A Critical Examination of the Relationship between Emotional
Intelligence and Transformational Leadership. Journal Of Management Studies, no-no.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00933.x

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 Focus reflection “My Leadership Portfolio”
Appendix: Leadership Evaluation and Assessments 2018-2021
Note: All Assessments and trainings are provided by multiple organization, a general search will find various alternatives.

4,6
Business Team A

4,1-4,2
3,7 Self
Business Team B

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