Nancy, Langton, and Stephen, P. Robbins. Fundamental of Organizational Behaviour.
(6) References
(1) Background
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, nicknamed 'The Great One”, was born Jan, 26/1961 in
In his first NHL season, 1979-80, Gretzky was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the League's Most Valuable Player (the first of eight in a row) and tied for the scoring lead with Marcel Dionne with 137 points. Gretzky first played in the official NHL for the Edmonton Oilers from 1979 to 1988. During this time he scored 583 goals for the team.
He met American actress Janet Jones in 1984 when he was a judge on the show "Dance Fever" and she was a dancer, but they didn't begin dating until 1987. Their July 17, 1988 nuptials at
Gretzky participated in the 1998 Winter Olympics in
Since 2005, Gretzky has been coach and part owner of the Phoenix Coyotes. Briefly, the Coyotes are a professional ice hokey team based in the
(4) Leadership
It is pretty safe to say that most people consider Wayne Gretzky to be a leader, but why? Because it just seems natural to think of him as one? Is it because he was the greatest of his time and led his Oilers to three Stanley Cups in five years while shattering almost every point and goal scoring record in the NHL? Yes, those are good reasons, but what makes him a great leader?
There is something about the type of people that seem to always emerge as leaders in society today that makes them different. Studies show that when the personality of leaders are analyzed around the big five personality traits, that the most important trait was extraversion. (Langton, 259) This however does not guarantee that a leader will succeed; they are just more likely to emerge as one. EI or emotional intelligence on the other hand has more to do with the future success of a given leader. The five components of EI, which are self-awareness, self-management, self-motivation, empathy, and social skills, can be a better sign of a good leader. Based on researcher’s findings, personality traits can help to predict the emergence of a leader, but cannot predict whether or not that leader will be successful in getting their group to achieve its goals. (Langton, 259)
In 2002 when Gretzky took the pressure off of his team he demonstrated the Fiedler Contingency Model very well. The situation allowed him to take control of the situation, and he did. Gretzky used his position power to take pressure off his hockey team and let them do their job, which was to win the gold medal. On the leadership grid Gretzky was right where he should have been, 9 out of 9. He had a great concern for his players, while at the same time keeping the ultimate goal of his team in mind.
Gretzky also demonstrated a great deal of charismatic leadership in the 2002 Olympics games. By standing up for his team when nobody else would, he empowered them to keep pushing toward their goal, which was eventually accomplished. He did not settle for the status quo. Gretzky could be compared to Steve Jobs in this situation. With Apple doing poorly in 2006 they brought Jobs back because they knew his success in the past, and it worked again. His charismatic leadership style turned the company around and changed the face of Apple.
Over the years it has been easy to see that Wayne Gretzky has been a great leader. By looking at just a few of the reasons for his success, and the success of others, it is clearly seen that leadership does not happen by chance. Leadership can be predicted when certain traits are found in people, although it does no guarantee their success as a leader.
(5) Situation
Wayne Gretzky was the executive director for Team
Gretzky became a very important part of Team
Wayne Gretzky stepped up to the plate when his country needed him. He was able diffuse the conflict surrounding Team
(3) Diffuse Conflict
Conflict, defined in Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior by Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Roberts, is a process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about. Gretzky has stood out because he takes it upon himself to relieve conflict from his team members and diffuse it. It allows for his teammates, players, and coaches to focus on the game and better prepare for the next challenge. This is how he diffuses conflict, both as a player and a coach. Through years of conflict as a player, Gretzky has expanded his borders and understanding of the game of hockey by becoming a coach. He brings with him years of experience and understanding into how successful teams should be operated because he was a player for the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980’s.
As a coach, Gretzky is in a constant state of conflict resolution and is working towards relieving conflict between the press and players; so that they can focus on they job. Gretzky likes to develop multiple alternatives and set the common goals for his players, so he can solve the problem. He has maintained the balanced power structured during conflicts which made him a model for other coaches and players. Gretzky has always resolved his team issues without forcing consensus. Through the development of himself as an individual and a professional hockey player, Wayne Gretzky has acquired all the skills and abilities to handle conflicts as a coach.
(2) Innovation
Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior by Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Roberts defines innovation as a degree to which employees are encouraged to be innovative and take risks. The organizational behavior is innovation-oriented when an employee contributes to improvements, developments or unique creations at an individual, team or organization level, and as a result encouraged, recognized and rewarded for their effort. Gretzky won four Stanley Cup championships and three Canada Cup tournament titles during his career as a player. Gretzky’s constant re-innovation of the game of hockey and how the press should be dealt with is a refreshing and admirable quality.
Gretzky is a frontrunner in the NHL, bringing out new concepts and ideas that label him an innovator. Recently, Gretzky has developed a new, battery-warmed skate that melts ice to give its wearer more speed with less work and overall, a better hockey experience.
His love of the game of hockey, Gretzky has transcended himself into an innovator and has made himself the idol of many players and coaches in how he performs as a professional. He is constantly innovating the game of hockey long after being retired as a player and will be for many years to come.