Critical Assessment of Tim Smith’s Leadership Style

Introduction

Smit is a versatile leader. Although he studied Anthropology and Archeology, working in Heligan has given him the opportunity to extend his passion for gardening. He has used both his academic and non-academic skills in the development of the Eden Project. Consequently, his leadership qualities began to emerge in Heligan and reached their pinnacle in the Eden Project. Smit is very optimistic and positive about encouraging people to think differently. According to him, negative thinking should be eradicated. He emphasizes cost minimization and maximum utilization of resources; for example, he designed a roof based on mathematical rules to accommodate the maximum number of seeds, spines, or leaves within a given area.

Critical Assessment of Tim Smit’s Leadership Style

Smit mainly focuses on teamwork to achieve his vision and organizational success in the Eden Project. He is an innovative leader, as he has applied his innovative ideas to achieve success in the Eden Project. According to Dawson and Andriopoulos (2017), "Innovation involves the utilization of ideas in solving problems, developing processes, and improving the way we do things in creating new products, services, and organizations" (p. 48). Social innovations have a different meaning; Ellis (2010) defines them as "innovations that aim to improve the welfare of groups and communities through initiatives that enhance the well-being of people in society" (as cited in Dawson & Andriopoulos, 2017, p. 52). While social innovations are typically not for commercial profit, Saul (2011) observes that commercial sustainability is required for sustainable solutions to social problems. Smit’s innovations and motivations for his team members in the Eden Project are primarily non-profit in nature; however, his profit-making objective ensures the commercial sustainability of the project.

Analysis of Leadership Style

This section critically discusses Smit’s leadership style in light of appropriate theories of leadership and management. It aims to identify the strengths of his leadership style that contribute to the success of the Eden Project and also to uncover any weaknesses that might hinder organizational success.

Transformational Leadership

Due to his willingness to take huge risks, his motivation, his capacity for change and problem-solving, his enormous knowledge, and his multidimensional activities aimed at creating a series of global gardens through teamwork, Smit is recognized as a transformational leader. Transformational leaders transform the values, desires, and beliefs of their followers (Kuhnert & Lewis, 1987). They motivate group members to sacrifice their own self-interests for the betterment of the team and organization (Avolio & Bass, 2004). The behaviors of such leaders promote respect and admiration among their followers (Bass, 1985). Motivating followers and emphasizing their awareness of the vision they create to achieve organizational goals are prime objectives of transformational leaders (Antonakis et al., 2003; Avolio & Bass, 2004; Den Hartog et al., 1997). They inspire the logical skills of followers by encouraging them to engage with innovative and creative thinking and problem-solving (Dionne, Yammarino, Atwater, & Spangler, 2004). In the case of Smit, his focus is "on love and awe rather than guilt and fear" (Eden Project, 2007-8, p. 3). He has been very successful in building teams. The causes of his success in teamwork include bringing together people from different disciplines and skills and encouraging them to brainstorm and collaborate. Consequently, he achieves extraordinary results and success. Team members report high levels of job satisfaction. Smit also attracts many people and creates a captivating belief that spreads throughout the team. All team members own the project and consider it highly effective socially, financially, and environmentally.

Conclusion

Smit’s leadership style in the Eden Project is a testament to his ability to innovate and motivate his team toward common goals. His transformational leadership qualities, combined with his commitment to social innovation, create a lasting impact on the project's success and sustainability. While there are areas for improvement, such as ensuring commercial sustainability, Smit’s approach offers valuable insights into effective leadership in complex and multidisciplinary projects.

References

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