1. Leadership and Management Style
July 12, 2012
Richard T. Alexander, Jr., Esq.
I believe, and have demonstrated, that effective managers have a very different view of
the workplace, the company or government organization, and team member dynamics. I view
a group such as the Clerk’s office as a cohesive systemand not a group of people working like a
machine to perform tasks. It is a mistake to build a huge group to command, as this creates
departments resulting in conflicts within the organization.
I look at organizations as a community and not a machine. The company or organization
really should be viewed as a joint effort to accomplish a higher purpose. The leader in this
position must inspire employees to dedicate themselves to the success of their peers and the
overall goal of the organization and therefore the community. The leader or manager should
set the general direction of the organization and then work to provide the members of the
organization with the tools and resources to accomplish the goals. In other words, I push
decision making down to engage the team rather than soaking up all the decisions at the top
level.
A true leader views employees as peers and not subordinates. All employees must feel
he or she is the most important person in the organization. Excellence is expected at all levels
and not just in the management ranks. As a result, employees take charge of their own
outcomes with a desire to hold themselves accountable and set their own goals. The people
that perform the work know the work and will make important contributions to the team that
otherwise may never materialize, such as insight on performing a function more efficiently.
Employee recognition and reward is much preferable to fear as a motivator.
Leadership instilled fear fails as a motivating factor. Fear causes teammembers to resist
the temptation to make decisions for fear of dismissal. On the other hand, vision promotes a
healthy work environment and inspires people to see a better future and how they are part of
the future. The employees must believe in the vision and share in the goals and rewards.
Change in the workplace often creates fear for employees, such as when a new Clerk assumes
office, but through an open, honest introduction with employees a new manager is free to set
expectations about the future and his or her management style.
All managers or leaders will have to manage change during their tenure. Many
employees see change as difficult or threatening, but with the right leadership, employees will
embrace change and change will evolve into success in reaching new goals or ways of doing
business. One change that is often a challenge for managers is technology advancements. In
today’s world that is a common experience of many managers and employees.
Technology changes are empowering for employees and should be presented in such
fashion. An old view of technology advances suggests that management often viewed
technology as a means to clamp down on or control employees. The more enlightened view

2. places more creativity with employees. Using technology, like smartphones and tablets, should
be fun and not a chore. I feel that employees should have fun at work and enjoy peers and
their particular job duties.
I have never thought of work as a necessary evil, but rather something that should be
inherently satisfying and enjoyable. One of the most important duties of a manager is to put
people in jobs that truly make them happy. What other things do employees need at work to
make them happy?
Of course pay, benefits, vacation time, profit sharing, and training, but I think the most
important element in job satisfaction is their immediate supervisor. Departments within an
organization can have different dynamics, environments, productivity levels and retention and
satisfaction rates. One element that is mandatory is employee engagement. Engaged
employees drive business outcomes. Disengaged employees actively erode business outcomes
and destroy the team spirit of peers. Sustained engagement requires a year round effort by
management and pays dividends.
To meet the goals I have set forth above, I make every effort to speak with each of my
one hundred plus employees each day. On job issues I seek feedback from employees every
day and discuss ways we can accomplish our mission in better ways. More importantly, I ask
about employees’ families and follow up from previous conversations on issues facing their
family, if shared. I never pry, but always express my interest. Communication is a key factor for
a position such as Clerk of Court. This is true not only with the public we serve but employees,
customers, court staff, and Judges.
Since becoming a member of the staff of the Gwinnett County Judicial Circuit’s Clerk of
Court, first as Chief Deputy Clerk and later Clerk of Court, I have changed the culture from
geographic areas of responsibility to a common goal and overall mission. Teameffort has new
meaning within the office and as one example of team building and collaboration is our shadow
program. With implementation of the shadow program allowing deputy clerks to visit, meet
and understand other office personnel and functions, the atmosphere of team has a new
direction and sense of accomplishment for employees.
In conclusion, actively engaging employees, seeking feedback on the organization’s
goals, focusing on outcomes, individuals and teams, and establishing open lines of
communication brings accountability and success to the organization’s mission. These simple
guidelines pay high dividends on the single most important investment of any organization,
people.