The banking industry is a relevant example of dramatical changes in the last 2 years and we can tell that the leaders who administrated the situation has made a good job. Ben Bernanke-US Federal Rezerve Chairman, Lloyd Blankfein-Goldman Sachs Chairman are two of the leaders responsible with regaining the trust in the banking system. Do we have this kind of leaders? Mugur Isarescu, the governor of NBR, acted so that to maintain the same rate of exchange RON per EUR since 2004, not registering any bank failure, creating a national reserve equivalent with all public debt of Romania. To reveal this potential at the level of the Romanian Banking System, this study include a survey made on 4 banks (BCR, Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank, Credit Europe Bank) meaning more than 30% market share as assets and 10% as number of banks, with a sample of 9 employees per bank.leadership, team, banking, financial and economical crisis

Valentin Stanciu Ph. D Student

English

Research Papers in Economics

 
1 
 
LEADERSHIP AND THE TEAM, VITAL ELEMENTS OF MANAGEMENT IN THE BANKING SYSTEM  
Valentin Stanciu  Ph. D Student 
University of Craiova 
Faculty of Economics and Business Administration 
Craiova, Romania  
 
Abstract: The banking industry is a relevant example of dramatical changes in 
the last 2 years and we can tell that the leaders who administrated the situation has 
made a good job. 
Ben Bernanke-US Federal Rezerve Chairman, Lloyd Blankfein-Goldman Sachs 
Chairman are two of the leaders responsible with regaining the trust in the banking 
system.  
Do we have this kind of  leaders? Mugur Isarescu, the governor of NBR, acted 
so  that  to  maintain  the  same  rate  of  exchange  RON  per  EUR  since  2004,  not 
registering any bank failure, creating a national reserve equivalent  with all public debt 
of Romania.  
To reveal this potential at the level of the Romanian Banking System, this study 
include a survey made on 4 banks (BCR, Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank, Credit Europe 
Bank) meaning more than 30% market share as assets and 10% as number of banks, 
with a sample of 9 employees per bank. 
JEL classification: G21, M12  
Key words: leadership,  team, banking, financial and economical crisis 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Here is the latest formulation, from Goldman’s 2009 annual report to shareholders: 
“Looking back on 2009, it is impossible to know what would have happened to the 
financial system absent concerted government action around the world . . . Through 
aggressive measures ranging from liquidity and funding facilities to direct investment 
programs, the government arrested the contagious fear that had engulfed the  global 
financial system and averted more acute circumstances. We believe such efforts were 
absolutely  critical  to  protecting  the  financial  system  and  ensuring  the  continued 
viability of the global economy. Goldman Sachs is grateful for the indispensable role 
governments played and we recognize that our firm and our shareholders benefitted 
from it.” 
I think that it is more obvious than in normal times that it is necessary to focus on 
leadership as an activity-the activity of a person mobilizing people to do something. 
The secretary of US Treasury-Hank Paulson and the chairman of Federal Reserve-Ben 
Bernanke,  through  a  2  pages  document,  proposed  to  the  United  States  Congress 
granting a facility of 700 billion dollar to the financial system, to fight with the fear, 
distrust and panic of the financial markets, during the financial crisis of 2008. Leading 2 
 
is more likely to produce socially useful outcomes by setting goals that meet needs of 
both leader and follower [2]. 
This is the starting point in reasearching capacity of the Romanian banking system to 
create leadears and teams capable to fight with terrible events, as the passed economical 
and financial crisis. 
2. LEADERSHIP  
From  literary  point  of  view,  acording  to  English–Romanian  dictionary,  the  word 
“leader”  is  translated  in  “to  manage,  direction”.  But  we  should  delimitate  the  two 
concept of leader and manager; the concept “manager” comes from latin word manus or 
hand; from this word was created manége, meaning school of teaching horses, which, 
some centuries ago, was one of the most appreciated activities of high class people. 
The  root  of  word  leader  is  the  Anglo-Saxon  term  “lead”,  meaning  way,  road; 
accordingly,  the  leader  is  the  person  showing  to  the  others  the  way.  Relationship 
between  leadership  and  management  creates  tough  debates  in  the  literature  [1].The 
most  difficult  and  valuable  task  of  leadership  may  be  setting  targets  and  creating 
strategy that promotes adaptive work. To produce adaptive work, a  vision must  be 
anchored in reality; it has to have accuracy, and not simply imagination and appeal. The 
practice of leadership requires a sense of purpose–the capacity to find the values that 
make risk-taking meaningful. 
Leadership is a function: L = f (T, B, CA), where: 
T = features and skills of the leader; 
B = behavior of the leader; 
CA = capacity of being adaptive to a context. 
In the past, scholars put in the first row the features of the leaders, but in fact leadership 
represents a synergy of all 3 elements. 
3. THE TEAM  
The leader, the manager of the bank and his work is subject of deep research and 
debate,  theoretical  and  practical.  The  persons  involved  in  the  management  process 
focus on human potential and propose new solutions, taking into considerations issues 
unknown or ignored until now. The banks change structures, abandon old hierarchies, 
search organizational solutions which value creativity and skills of the persons, use 
more often the team work. 
Creation  of  a  team  inside  the  bank  starts  from  the  complex  needs  of  competence, 
required  by  the  actual  economical  environment,  but  also  from  the  old  human  need 
reflected by Maslow, as important motivator, to be part of a group. 
The concept of group and team are not the same. The purpose of creating them, their 
structure and the way of functioning, allows us to appreciate that all teams are groups, 
but not all groups are teams.  
3 
 
A group can be considered team only if their members help each other for fulfiling 
targets of the bank. 
It can be concluded that a team is a group whose members influence each other for 
reaching the target of the bank [3].  
4. METHODOLOGY  
For making the research, as a method, was used the survey, one the 5 fundamental 
methods utilized in human-social sciences, through which it can be investigated the 
empirical universe. 
The method is a general way to approach reality, the technics represent concrete forms 
of methods and the tools is the mean for capturing reality [5]. 
 
Briefly, the research was made inside the Romanian banking system, using a sample 
extracted from 4 commercial banks, representing 33% market share according to the 
level  of total  assets  and  10%  according  to  the total  number  of  banks,  utilising  the 
information privided by the National Bank of Romania (table no. 1):  
 
Table no. 1.  Commercial banks selected for researching human resources field 
 
Bank  Total assets 31.12.2007 
Milions lei  Market share (%) 
BCR  59,693.5  23.8 
Alpha Bank  12,844.6  5.1 
Piraeus Bank  5,995.5  2.4 
Credit Europe Bank  4,465.7  1.8 
 
The reasearch was made at the level of an  administrative unit, Prahova County, the 
county  with  the  biggest  number  of  inhabitans  in  Romania,  in  order  to  collect 
information from the same economical environment. 
They  were  selected  central  branches  of  all  4  banks  and  a  sample  of  9  employees, 
representing the average number of employees/ branch (Figure no. 1): 
 
Număr mediu de salariaţi în unităţile operative
12,0
10,2
13,4
9,1
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
dec.04 dec.05 dec.06 sep.07
Sursa: Asociaţia Română a Băncilor  
 Figure no. 1.   Average number of employees in a branch 
 
Taking into consideration that the banks has tough rules and norms regarding human 
resources activities, generalized and uniforme at the level of every branch, it can be 
appreciated that the sampling allows obtaining relevant results. The sample included 36 4 
 
bankers  and  represents  0,05%  of  total  Romanian  bankers.  The  research  was  made 
between August-October 2008, through interviews and questionnaires. 
4. ANALYSES 
For  testing  the  potential  leader  of  Romanian  banker  as  leader  was  chosen  the 
questionnaire “Are you a potential leader?” [3]. 
Enclosed is presented an excerpt, only to present the model and after that to briefly 
show the conclusions. 
To  measure  your  potential  leadership  in  the  branch,  read  the  following  statements. 
Encircle  for  the  11  claims  one  of  the  alternatives  "agree"  or  "disagree",  as  it  best 
describes what you think and/ or frequency of your behavior (table no. 2): 
 
Table no. 2A. Potential leader questionnaire 
 
Agree  Disagree   
1.Effective leaders have native, innate qualities, not acquired. 
 
Agree 
 
Disagree 
 
2.I have a tendency to behave well with my subordinates, as long 
as they execute what I told them. 
 
Agree 
 
Disagree 
3.Effective leaders depend on their subordinates as much as they 
depend on themselves. 
 
Agree 
 
Disagree 
 
4.As  a  leader  I  always  explain  the  reasons  for  asking 
subordinates tasks. 
 
Agree 
 
Disagree 
 
5.A  good  leader  will  achieve  his  objectives  at  any  cost, 
regardless of cost. 
 
Agree 
 
Disagree 
 
6.As  a  group  manager  I  wouldn’t  assign  a  vital  project  to 
somebody else besides me  even if it require additional work. 
 
Agree 
 
Disagree 
 
7.The secret to exercise in  a good leadership is to be consequent 
in how to lead. 
 
Agree 
 
Disagree 
 
8.I will recommend subordinates for promotion, to an equal or 
even superior position of my own, if it is justified. 
 
Agree 
 
Disagree 
 
9.Some subordinates can participate in decision-making process;  
it doesn’t threaten the position of the leader. 
 
Agree 
 
Disagree 
 
10.If my group fails to achieve an objective because of a group 
member, I will express this to my superiors. 
 
Agree 
 
Disagree 
 
11.I consider myself indispensable to my current position. 
  
5 
 
 
Assessment : Grant following scores for the 11 claims, then sum the points of 
the encircled options (table no. 2B): 
Table no. 2B.  Potential leader questionnaire-answers page 
 
Statement  Agree  Disagree 
1  0  1 
2  0  1 
3  1  0 
4  1  0 
5  0  1 
6  0  1 
7  0  1 
8  1  0 
9  1  0 
10  0  1 
11  0  1 
 
You  will  obtain  a  sum  between  0  and  11,    which  indicates  your  potential  
leadership. Is estimated that between : 11 – 9: excellent potential, in this case; 
                                                  8 – 6:  good potential; 
                                                  5 – 0:  drastic change is needed. 
 
 
 
Figure no. 2.   Romanian banker leadership potential 
 
The results shows that the average banker has an exceptionally good potential of leader, 
as an average 58% has extraordinary results, while 42% a good one. 
 6 
 
 
Going further with research, for analyzing the capacity to work as a team member, I 
used the “Belbin questionnaire self recognition” [4]. 
 
Read each statement carefully and distribute a total of 10 points sentences that 
you feel it’s describe best your behavior. This 10 points can be divided for all the 
sentences or  only some of them.  Subscribe allocated points to the right column of each 
sentence (table no. 3): 
 
TABLE no. 3 A   Belbin questionnaire self recognition 
. 
I.  My contribution in the team consists in :  Points 
a  I quickly realize new opportunities and I take advantage from them.  2 
b  I can work well with different types of people.  1 
c  I produce ideas easily.  2 
d  If  I  observe  that  the  teammates  can  contribute  with  something  of 
value to the group objectives, I can make them to give the best. 
1 
e  I have a great capacity to concentrate and I work efficiently.  1 
f  I’m ready  to face the temporary lack of popularity, if it eventually 
lead to good results. 
1 
g  I realize immediately what fits and what works in one situation in 
which I am accustomed. 
1 
h  I can offer viable alternative solutions, without prejudices, in case of 
necessity. 
1 
     
II.  In activity that I develop in to the team, a deficiency can occur, 
because: 
Points 
a  I  don’t  feel  comfortable  if  meetings  are  not  well  structured  and 
generally well  controlled. 
 
b  I incline to be too generous to those who have a solid point of view 
and that they haven’t been able to exploit it. 
 
c  I tend to talk too much when discussing new group ideas.  3 
d  Because  of  my  objective  point  of  view  it  is  difficult  to  join 
immediately with enthusiasm to my colleagues. 
 
e  If is necessary I can be convincingly and authoritatively for to carry 
on what is to do. 
3 
f  For me, a leadership role it’s difficult and this thing is due, perhaps, 
to the fact that I'm too sensitive to the group atmosphere. 
 
g  There is the possibility to be too focused on my ideas and so not to 
be attentive to what happens around me. 
3 
h  My teammates say that I am to busy with minor details and that I am 
pessimistic. 
1 
  
7 
 
   
III.  When I am involved in a project with other people :  Points 
a  I can influence peoples without pressing them.  2 
b  I am careful to not make mistakes and not be missed anything.  2 
c  I am ready to act for make me sure that the meeting isn’t a waste of 
time and that are not forget the main objectives. 
2 
d  I count myself among those who contribute with something original.   
e  I am ready to support a good initiative for general interest.  2 
f  I am eager to find new ideas and events.  1 
g  My cool judgment is appreciated by others.   
h  You can count on my organizational skills.  1 
 
        
IV.  How do I approach the teamwork :  Points 
a  I want to know my teammates better.  2 
b  I  provoke  discussion  about  the  views  of  others  and  I  am  not 
reluctant to have my beliefs, even when I am in a minority. 
2 
c  I find an argument to reject wrong affirmations.  2 
d  One of my skills is to make things work properly, when implement 
a plan. 
 
e  I tend to avoid the obvious and I prefer surprises.   
f  I bring a note of perfection of any positions that I have within a 
team. 
 
g  I am ready to use the contacts outside the group.  2 
h  I’m interested of all points of view and I’m not hesitating to  take 
decisions when it’s need. 
2 
     
 
V.  I find satisfaction in a job because :  Points 
a  I like to analyze all the situations  and to weigh all the possibilities.  2 
b  I’m  interesting  of  finding  out  practice  solutions  to  resolve  the 
problems. 
2 
c  I like to stimulate o good collaborations.   
d  I can have a big influence concerning decision making.   
e  I can convince the people to agree on an required way to act.  2 
f  I can convince the people to agree on some useful things.   
g  I feel good when I can pay full attention of a task.   2 
h  I like to find an area that requires my imagination.  2 
   
 
 8 
 
VI.  If I receive a hard task with a deadline and strangers :  Points 
a  Before I develop a plan I am retiring in a corner to find a way to 
break the deadlock. 
 
b  I’m ready to work with the person who showed the most interesting 
no matter how difficult it would be. 
2 
c  I did find a way to reduce the size of the task by each individual 
contribution. 
2 
d  I would follow the deadline and I would ensure it does not exceed.  2 
e  I would keep myself calm and ability to think clearly.  1 
f  I would keep a calm atmosphere, despite pressure.  1 
g  I would be ready to take the lead if the group would not make any 
progress. 
1 
h  I would open discussions to stimulate new points of view and put 
things in motion. 
1 
       
VII.  Regarding an issue on teamwork:  Points 
a  I'm ready to show impatience with those who oppose progress.  3 
b  Others can  criticize me that  I analyze things too much and I am not 
enough intuitive. 
1 
c  I wished to assure me that things are done as I can slow down the 
progress. 
2 
d  I get bored pretty quickly and I rely on one or two colleagues who 
trains me. 
2 
e  I began working very hard if my target is not well established.   
f  I'm stingy to explain and clarify the ideas that comes to me.   
g  I ask others to do the things that I am not able to make.  2 
h  I hesitate to support my point of view when it is fought.   
 
 
Register now assigned scores for each statement in the following table. In paragraph 1 
write scores that have registered for (d) the first column under the name-worker, scores 
assigned to (d) as leader and so on (table no. 3 B): 
 
TABLE no. 3 B.   Belbin questionnaire self recognition-answers page 
 
Para- 
graph 
Work
er 
Chair- 
man 
Shaper  Plant  Investi- 
gator 
Monitor  Team- 
mate 
Finisher 
I  g  1  d  1  f  1  c  2  a  2  h  1  b  1  c  1 
II  a 
h 
d 
b 
f 
e 
 
1 
 
2 
1 
 
5 
b 
a 
h 
f 
c 
g 
 
2 
2 
 
2 
2 
9 
e 
c 
b 
d 
g 
a 
3 
2 
2 
 
1 
3 
12 
g 
d 
e 
h 
a 
f 
3 
 
 
2 
 
 
7 
c 
f 
g 
e 
h 
d 
3 
1 
2 
2 
1 
2 
13 
d 
g 
c 
a 
e 
b 
 
 
2 
2 
1 
1 
7 
f 
e 
a 
c 
b 
h 
 
2 
2 
 
2 
 
7 
h 
b 
f 
g 
d 
c 
1 
2 
 
2 
2 
2 
10 
III 
IV 
V 
VI 
VII 
Total  
9 
 
 
Identify: 
a) Your dominant role in the team (highest score) – in this case “Investigator”. 
It outlines how you put your team qualities worth. 
b) Other types of roles (next score). They indicate what roles you are able to accept in 
the team, if is necessary – in this case “Shaper”. 
c) Last two scores - involving possible weak areas (but remember that your goal is not 
to reveal any roles given team, even if you are the team leader). In these areas it must 
be supplemented by another team member – in this case “ Worker”. 
 
 
 
 
Figure no. 3.   Romanian banker profile as team player 
 
 
The Romanian banker has capacity to work as a team member, putting in practice all 
roles identified by Belbin and mainly is extraordinary worker, obeying the rules and 
being extremely stable. He is the practical organizer who transforms de strategies and 
decisions into tasks so that to be applied. He had a powerful character and he is very 
disciplined and honest, he has integrity and ambition without easy disarming himself. 
He needs stable structures and he is vulnerable at volatility. 
He is efficient, systematic, metodologist, bearing the risk of becoming inflexible on 
time.  
 10 
 
 
5. CONCLUSIONS  
This study is only an excerpt from a deep research regarding Romanian banking worker 
and the results are encouraging. 
The results shows that the  banker has an exceptionally good potential of leader, he had 
capacity to work in a team, putting in practice all roles identified by Belbin and mainly 
is extraordinary “worker”. 
According to the objectives assumed in such an enterprise, I consider only a small first 
step in researching banking field in Romania, being such a vast and promising domain. 
REFERENCES  
1.  Constantinescu , D.         Managementul întreprinderii,  Craiova, Editura SITECH,  2005   
2.  Heifetz, R.                       Leadership Without Easy Answers, Harvard Univ. Press, 1994 
3.   Gavrilă,T., Lefter,V.,     Managementul organizaţiilor-studii de caz, aplicaţii, teste de  
         Pricop, M., Popescu, D.      verificare, Editura Economică, 2007. 
 
4.   Lefter,V., Diaconu,A.,    Managementul resurselor umane, Editura Economică, 2008 
          Marinaş, C., Puia, R. 
 
5.  Rotariu, T., Ilut, P.           Ancheta sociologică şi sondajul de opinie, Editura Polirom,  
                                                 2006 
. 

LEADERSHIP AND THE TEAM, VITAL ELEMENTS OF MANAGEMENT IN THE BANKING SYSTEM

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