Sky

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Introduction

Sky is a media and entertainment company popularly known worldwide, and is based in
Europe. The company provides its customers with a wide variety of services including
broadcast, media, sports, entertainment, news, arts and studios. The diversity and
growth of the organization has led it to branch towards corporate and customer related
services such as retail and insurance. The organization has about 30,000 employees
and mainly based in the UK, with its headquarters in Osterley, West London. The
company is not only the UK but also well established in Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria
and Switzerland.

Leadership

In an organizational approach, leadership is the ability of a company's management to

set and accomplish difficult objectives, act quickly and decisively when necessary,
exceed the competition, and motivate people to give their all. (Schein, 1993).

Ensuring that the company is strategically aligned with its target markets and products
is the goal of the organization's leadership. A strategic move to simplify the product
base and streamline operations is reflected in the decision to align various teams in
Germany, Italy, and the UK and Ireland. Leaders hope to increase customer value by
doing this and making it simpler for customers to interact with and remember the
brand's offerings. This tactic fits with the transformational leadership style, which
promotes creativity and inspires change for sustained success (Riggio & Bass, 2006).

With the organization's change in the communication strategy, a clear focus is directed
on openness and participation. The utilization of town halls and email correspondence
to explain the rationale behind modifications is consistent with a transformational
leadership approach, which prioritizes candid communication and active participation.
The ensuing sub-team talks show a participative leadership style by bringing teams
together to explore the ramifications and new methods of working that arise from the
modifications. Sky CEO and the executive group are extremely crucial in establishing
the culture, direction, and vision of the business. Such an approach is consistent with

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transformational leadership, which highlights the impact of visionary leaders on
organizational results. This emphasizes how crucial leadership traits and actions are to
guiding the company.

In order to assist and maximize the performance of leaders and their teams, the
essential role of HR and People Teams emphasizes on assisting the prominent
executives in the company. This fits with a servant leadership approach, in which
leaders put their team members' growth and well-being first (Rivkin et al., 2014). This
strategy highlights the organization's dedication to fostering a healthy work environment
and demonstrates a knowledge that effective leadership requires a supportive
infrastructure. The organizational culture description stresses a dynamic, fast-paced
setting. The emphasis on efficiency and speed in a delivery-focused culture is in line
with an adaptable and results-driven leadership style. Furthermore, the dedication to
diversity and inclusion shows a deliberate attempt to establish an inclusive workplace by
adopting a transformational leadership strategy that supports a range of viewpoints.

The leaders at Sky stress the significance of comprehending the nature of risks,
emphasizing the importance of talent retention, product launch, and health and safety in
particular. Being able to recognize and reduce risks is essential for a leader as it
demonstrates a proactive and accountable style of working. The executives at Sky are
aware of the variety of risks, including those related to brand awareness, pricing
competition, and content quality, particularly with regard to various client generations.
This acknowledgement demonstrates a strategic mentality in handling problems and
shows awareness of the fast-paced and fiercely competitive media and entertainment
sector.

With the competitive nature of the digital business and start-ups and big tech companies
vying for technical expertise, Sky's management is especially worried about talent
threats. This emphasis on talent is in line with a modern leadership theory that values
human capital and emphasizes developing and retaining exceptional individuals for
positions of future leadership. A comprehensive approach to decision-making is
reflected in the focus on connecting strategic decisions to the organization's values and
guaranteeing alignment with customer needs and return on investment. This strategy is

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in line with leadership theories that support a customer-centric and values-driven
leadership philosophy.

There is really a huge significance in the capacity of individual leaders to manage,

inspire, involve, and lead teams through change is important. The focus on leadership
as a critical component of change efforts' success is consistent with modern leadership
theories, which emphasize the significance of transformational and adaptable
leadership in a business environment that is changing quickly.

Health and well-being

Mental health is ability of a person to manage life's stressors, reach their full potential,
learn and work effectively, and give back to their community. It is a vital aspect of health
and wellbeing that supports our capacity as individuals and as a society to make
choices, form bonds with one another, and influence the world we live in. Mental health
is a basic human right and it is crucial to personal, community and socio-economic
development (Wyn et al., 2000).Working conditions and the demands of the work
environment are a significant source of stress for many employees, and research has
found that the design of work can have substantial effects on employee well-being and
mental/physical health (Ivandić et al., 2017).

The Sky company has multidimensional approach to health and well-being, with a
centralized team dedicated to diversity and inclusion. This team's inclusion of managers
and well-being experts points to a deliberate attempt to make employee wellbeing a top
priority throughout the company. The company's size has presented obstacles, which
have been acknowledged by the centralization of well-being efforts over the past two
years. The goal is to provide a unified and uniform approach to well-being across all
business areas.

A dedication to offering a variety of easily accessible services for staff members is

demonstrated by the inclusion of outside speakers, the creation of teams with mental
health champions, and private insurance with mental health assistance. Including
celebrities who talk about mental health on film helps to spread awareness and lessen

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stigma. The difficulty, though, is in going beyond token efforts to guarantee significant
influence and long-term enhancement of workers' well-being.

It is important that the corporation is concerned about not just paying lip service to
mental health efforts. Although teams and rules are in place, it might be difficult to
match these initiatives with the company's guiding principles, which include being
progressive and restless. The industry's fast-paced environment and emphasis on
constant change make it difficult to predict how employee performance and wellbeing
will hold up over time.

It's a good sign that the organization is cognizant of this difficulty because it has made
people consider how the rapid speed of change affects employee sustainability. It's
critical to strike a balance between employee wellbeing and creativity. All things
considered, Sky's well-being strategy shows a dedication to worker welfare; the crucial
challenge is making sure that this dedication results in observable and long-lasting
benefits for the workforce.

Diversity

Diversity in public organizations is the existence of people with different traits,

experiences, and backgrounds working for government agencies, institutions, and other
public bodies. (Selden & Selden, 2001). Diversity encompasses a wider range of traits,
including educational background, socioeconomic level, sexual orientation, and cultural
perspectives, in addition to demographic factors like race, gender, age, ethnicity, and
physical abilities (Code of Conduct - CMI, 2021).

Concerning hiring, the business understands the value of using inclusive language and
images in job postings. Sky's understanding of the impact of small prejudices in
recruitment processes is seen in the focus placed on the use of inclusive language and
pictures in job ads. By ensuring that job adverts are inclusive of candidates from a
variety of backgrounds, inclusive language helps to reduce the possibility of inadvertent
exclusion. This is important since the language chosen can affect how job openings are
seen and draw in a wider pool of applicants. Sky exhibits their commitment to

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developing a more inclusive and accessible recruitment process by acknowledging the
significance of representation in job ads.

The organization also aggressively works to diversify its talent pool by participating in
various careers fairs and outreach activities, acknowledging the need for representation.
This endeavors to connect with prospective individuals from all areas and backgrounds
by participating in a range of events and projects. This approach recognizes the value of
actively seeking out diverse talent rather than just waiting for it to present itself. It is
consistent with the knowledge that a more inclusive and varied workforce is a result of a
more diversified recruitment pipeline.

In addition to fostering diversity inside Sky, the emphasis on graduate and

apprenticeship programs benefits the media industry as a whole.
Nevertheless, challenges still exist. A recurrent organizational challenge is highlighted
by the friction between the possibility for delayed decision-making and the perceived
benefits of various perspectives.

The company embraces affirmative action to promote inclusion and diversity. Affirmative
action is described as a series of steps intended to end illegal discrimination against
applicants, address the effects of previous discrimination, and stop future instances of
prejudice (Agócs & Burr, 1996). Sky's diversity and inclusion strategy implies a
purposeful and proactive effort to resolving structural and historical injustices. Beyond
only stopping discrimination, it actively works to right historical wrongs and advance
inclusivity.

There is a sophisticated view of diversity that goes beyond demographic considerations

and acknowledges the importance of a range of perspectives and experiences.
However, the difficulty still resides in dispelling the myth that variety reduces productivity
(Choi, S., & Rainey, H. G. 2014). Furthermore, even while the organization aims to hire
a diverse staff, these efforts' efficacy must be continuously assessed.

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References
Agócs, C., & Burr, C. (1996). Employment equity, affirmative action and managing
diversity: assessing the differences. International Journal of Manpower, 17(4/5),
30–45.
Choi, S., & Rainey, H. G. (2014). Organizational Fairness and Diversity Management in
Public Organizations: Does Fairness Matter in Managing Diversity? Review of
Public Personnel Administration, 34(4), 307-331.
Code of Conduct - CMI. (2021, February 5). CMI.
Ivandić, I., Freeman, A., Birner, U., Nowak, D., & Sabariego, C. (2017). A systematic
review of brief mental health and well-being interventions in organizational
settings. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 43(2), 99–108.
Riggio, R. E., & Bass, B. M. (2006). Transformational leadership. In Psychology Press
eBooks.
Rivkin, W., Diestel, S., & Schmidt, K. (2014). The Positive Relationship between
Servant Leadership and Employees’ Psychological Health: A Multi-Method
Approach. Zeitschrift Fur Personalforschung, 28(1–2), 52–72.
Wyn, J., Cahill, H., Holdsworth, R., Rowling, L., & Carson, S. (2000). MindMatters, a
Whole-School approach promoting mental health and wellbeing. Australian and
New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 34(4), 594–601.
Schein, E. H. (1993). Organizational culture and leadership. Long Range Planning,
26(5), 153.
Selden, S. C., & Selden, F. (2001). Rethinking diversity in public organizations for the
21st century. Administration & Society, 33(3), 303–329.

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TASK 2

Recommendation 1: Leadership Development Program

It would be feasible to combine online courses, mentoring relationships, and workshops

to create the Leadership Development Program. It should emphasize the development
of practical skills, case studies pertinent to the media and entertainment industry, and
the practical implementation of transformational and servant leadership concepts.
Including feedback channels and ongoing assessment will guarantee that the program
adapts to the changing needs of the company.

The Sky leadership emphasizes innovation, change, and long-term success and is
transformative in nature. The organization's move to communication that is more
transparent and interactive is consistent with transformational leadership. Using a
Servant Leadership strategy can be especially helpful, especially in light of the
emphasis on HR and People Teams' critical role in assisting leaders. This approach
places emphasis on the development and welfare of team members, cultivating a
nurturing environment (Linuesa-Langreo et al., 2018).

These traits can be further developed and formalized in a Leadership Development

Program, which will guarantee alignment with the company's strategic objectives of
streamlining operations, boosting customer value, and creating a dynamic, fast-paced
work environment. It might place a strong emphasis on good communication
techniques, encouraging openness and participation from team members. With risk
management courses included, this will help create a workforce that is more unified and
knowledgeable by giving leaders the tools they need to recognize, evaluate, and
successfully manage risks. This will strengthen the organization's overall resilience.
Strategies for talent management, highlighting the value of investing in human capital
and giving leaders the resources they need to draw in, nurture, and keep outstanding
people, can be included in a leadership development program.

However, it's essential to acknowledge and consider the potential limitations. It takes a
large time, financial, and human resource commitment to develop and implement such
programs. The program's benefits might not materialize right away, and the organization

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might have trouble committing the required funds. The program's successful adoption
may be hampered by resistance from leaders and employees, particularly if the current
leadership style has proven beneficial. This might potentially cause division within the
business and compromise the program's efficacy. Finally, if it is put into practice,
gauging its success rate can be difficult, particularly if the results are ambiguous and
subjective. It could be difficult to show a clear connection between the program and
observable commercial results, which makes evaluating its overall efficacy difficult.

This proposal will generally have a significant positive impact on risk mitigation,
improved team dynamics, enhanced leadership effectiveness, and organizational
resilience. Effective execution necessitates rigorous preparation, cooperation with
essential parties, and continuous assessment to guarantee its efficiency.

Recommendation 2: Well-being Program Evaluations

Regular evaluations provide the company with tangible data on the impact of well-being
initiatives. Making well-informed judgments on the launch, modification, or continuation
of new programs can be aided by this data. Employee participation in the assessment
process guarantees that their opinions are heard. This encourages a sense of
accountability and assists in adjusting wellness initiatives to the real requirements and
preferences of the labor force. A flexible approach is necessary due to the industry's
fast-paced nature and emphasis on ongoing development. Frequent reviews enable the
business to modify its well-being plans in response to changing conditions,
guaranteeing their long-term efficacy (Chambers et al., 2013).

The proposal is consistent with the company's objective of offering a standard and
unified approach to well-being. It guarantees that the strategy for well-being is dynamic
and adapts to the shifting demands of the labor force. Frequent reviews offer a
comprehensive perspective of the business's well-being initiatives, taking into account
both immediate and long-term results. Employee participation in evaluations promotes
openness, trust, and teamwork in the workplace (Code of Conduct - CMI, 2021).

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Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) for employee well-being, including
engagement levels, satisfaction ratings, and well-being service usage rates, can help
put this into practice. The process of analyzing gathered data to pinpoint patterns,
advantages, and opportunities for development in order to provide thorough reports can
direct administrative and executive decision-making (Bhatti et al., 2013).

The significant resources that still need to be deployed remain one of this approach's
primary drawbacks. Employee feedback can be subjective, which makes it difficult to
accurately interpret. The organization must employ a well-rounded strategy that
includes both qualitative and quantitative data.

Recommendation 3: Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) give workers a place to connect with one another
based on traits, interests, or experiences they have in common (Green, 2018). By
creating ERGs with a diversity and inclusion focus, staff members can interact with
colleagues who share their distinct opinions, creating a supportive and communal
environment. Employees who might not often interact at work have the chance to
network and collaborate through ERGs. This promotes better cross-functional
cooperation and aids in the dismantling of organizational silos, all of which lead to a
more unified and interwoven corporate culture. This project can provide insightful
spaces for brainstorming and problem-solving. These groups can provide creative
answers to problems the business faces by bringing together people with different
backgrounds and perspectives, which boosts creativity and decision-making.

This strategy demonstrates a commitment to diversity and inclusion, which facilitates a

number of benefits at the organizational level. At the team level, ERGs help to build a
more welcoming atmosphere by encouraging respect and awareness of diverse
viewpoints. Enhanced cohesiveness and cooperation within teams result in better team
performance as a whole. Finally, employees who participate in ERGs experience a
sense of support and belonging on an individual basis. This promotes professional
growth and individual well-being in addition to increasing job happiness. Participation in

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the ERG can also provide a platform for awareness and acknowledgment inside the
company.

Although the goal of ERGs is to unite people, if these groups function independently,
there's a chance that they could inadvertently create silos. This could obstruct
communication and collaboration across functional boundaries, which would be
counterproductive to the objective of developing a unified corporate culture. Additionally,
the participation and support of the leadership are frequently necessary for ERG
success. The influence of ERGs may be restricted if leaders do not actively participate
in them or do not offer enough funding. For ERGs to succeed in the long run, leadership
commitment must be sustained (Welbourne et al., 2015).

If employee resource groups are not handled inclusively, they could be viewed as
exclusive clubs, which could alienate workers who don't share the group's particular
interests. It's critical to convey that ERGs are inclusive of all employees, regardless of
their experiences or personal traits. Ultimately, there's a chance that ERGs won't be
viewed as a sincere attempt to promote an inclusive atmosphere, but rather as a
checkbox or a symbolic gesture. This impression can call into question their legitimacy
and efficacy.

SUMMARY

To align with transformative leadership beliefs, adopting a Leadership Development and

Well-Being Programs will promote a collaborative, encouraging atmosphere, encourage
cross-functional cooperation, and show a dedication to diversity and inclusion. This
highlights the possible advantages including less risk, better team chemistry, more
effective leadership, and organizational resilience. It ends with a focus on meticulous
preparation, teamwork, and ongoing evaluation for long-term success.

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References

Bhatti, M. I., Awan, H. M., & Razaq, Z. (2013). The key performance indicators (KPIs)

and their impact on overall organizational performance. Quality & Quantity, 48(6),

3127–3143.

Chambers, D. A., Glasgow, R. E., & Stange, K. C. (2013). The dynamic sustainability

framework: addressing the paradox of sustainment amid ongoing change.

Implementation Science, 8(1).

Code of Conduct - CMI. (2021, February 5). CMI. https://www.managers.org.uk/about-

cmi/governance/policies/code-of-conduct/
Green, W. M. (2018). Employee resource groups as learning communities. Equality,

Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 37(7), 634–648.

Linuesa-Langreo, J., Ruíz-Palomino, P., & Elche-Hortelano, D. (2018). Integrating

Servant Leadership into Managerial Strategy to Build Group Social Capital: The

Mediating Role of Group Citizenship Behavior. Journal of Business Ethics,

152(4), 899–916.

Welbourne, T. M., Rolf, S., & Schlachter, S. (2015). “Employee Resource Groups: An

Introduction, review and Research Agenda.” Proceedings - Academy of

Management, 2015(1), 15661.

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TASK 3

Personal and professional account

Leadership skills

Leadership skills are one kind of competency among the various soft skills required to
succeed in the workplace (Mohareb & Mohareb, 2022). Critical thinking is one of the
leadership abilities I would like to hone. Critical thinking is the process of purposefully
examining data to improve judgments and choices. It entails applying concepts like
creativity, logic, and reasoning to make inferences and get a greater understanding of
the world in general (Ennis, 1989). This fundamental ability should enable me to support
effective leadership, allowing me to successfully navigate challenging situations, make
wise judgments, and mentor my team. I would like to be able to approach problems
objectively, attempting to base decisions more on logic and data than on feelings or
assumptions.

Risk management is the second skill I'd like to become proficient in. The ability to
identify, assess, and manage risks that could jeopardize the company's objectives is
one of the essential leadership skills in risk management (Borgelt & Falk, 2007). Risk
management, in my opinion, is a must for all leaders. Prioritizing risks according to their
importance depends on the ability to identify, evaluate, and simply foster a risk
management culture inside a business. This enables me as a leader to deploy
resources wisely to deal with the most pressing problems. The CMI appreciates that by
analyzing the possible risks and rewards, assessing the information at hand, and taking
the organization's risk tolerance into account, risk management promotes the ability to
make well-informed decisions (Code of Conduct - CMI, 2021).

Leadership behaviors
According to Sendjaya et al. (2008), leadership behaviors are visible acts and
demeanor that reveal a leader's style of communicating with and influencing others. The

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primary behavior that I aim to master is empowering others. In order to create a positive
work environment and a positive working relationship between leaders and their
subordinates, I empower my team members by giving them autonomy, assigning tasks,
and creating a supportive environment where they feel appreciated and trusted to make
significant contributions. With more freedom to express their creativity, judgment, and
problem-solving abilities, people will feel more pride and ownership over their work.

The other behavior I would like to develop is being assertive and not authoritative. I
have to be able to make judgments and have faith in them as a leader, even in difficult
situations. This does not imply that I should follow my example and disregard the
thoughts of others around me. Strong leaders are able to consider a variety of opposing
viewpoints and act decisively and confidently in the moment (Ames & Flynn, 2007).
Consequently, I will feel more confident in my ability to make the best decisions and in
my judgment.

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References
Ames, D. R., & Flynn, F. J. (2007). What breaks a leader: The curvilinear relation
between assertiveness and leadership. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 92(2), 307–324.
Borgelt, K., & Falk, I. (2007). The leadership/management conundrum: innovation or
risk management? Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 28(2), 122–
136.
Code of Conduct - CMI. (2021, February 5). CMI.
Ennis, R. H. (1989). Critical thinking and subject specificity: clarification and needed
research. Educational Researcher, 18(3), 4–10.
Mohareb, E., & Mohareb, E. (2022, August 28). Top 10 leadership skills: Definitions and
Examples. Al-Fanar Media.
Sendjaya, S., Sarros, J. C., & Santora, J. C. (2008). Defining and measuring servant
leadership behaviour in organizations. Journal of Management Studies, 45(2),
402–424.
The Fundamental Risk Management Skills that Every Leader Should Possess |
Conserve. (2022, May 13). Conserve.

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