Critical Discussion On Leadership Approaches, Theories And Styles

Traits of Effective leaders

The discussion brings out the report that critically discuss the leadership ideas. Leadership is an projection of the personality which has the combination of persuasion and example that can make people do what the leader actually wants them to do to execute a successful plan. Leading is an art of influencing, inspiring, and motivating the people to perform and execute the activity in such a manner that it can achieve a common goal. Various leadership, which I have studied in the classes, are briefly explained below with their merits and characteristics named as democratic leadership, autocratic leadership, transformational leadership, team leadership, transactional leadership, laissez-faire leadership, and charismatic leadership. Moreover, the discussion carries what traits of a person can lead him to be an effective leader. The matter also discusses other theories and approaches that can improve leadership skills. The report brings out how well an amateur leader can improve its traits by using the personality traits of famous leadership theories, traits and approaches (Changing minds, 2018a).

A sum of several tasks involve role, responsibilities, and interpersonal skills can constitute leadership traits. A leader might not have intelligence while solving problems but it should possess high level of integrity and character that are equally concerned with the ends. Effective leaders have to work endlessly and interact with the people to inspire them in an effective and efficient manner (Solomon, Costea, and Nita, 2016). In charismatic leadership, a leader manifests his revolutionary power. Charisma does not mean a greater change in the behavioural traits whereas the leader is distinguishable and he transforms the believe system of the followers by influencing the followers by his personality traits and qualities. The personality of a charismatic leader relies on the positive charm that influences and attracts the followers. I always wanted to adopt multi traits of various leadership styles such as a combination of situational leadership and a transactional leadership or a combination of situation leadership and the charismatic leadership. A situational leader utilises a range of different styles that depends on the external environment and best suits it. I would personally prefer a leadership trait that would work in various cultures in the society. This leadership recognises the front-runners who work in the globalised and contemporary market. Organisations at the International level requires this type of leader who have excelled in various cultures and languages. 

More styles of leadership such as transformational and transactional leadership have different set of personality traits, which I consider are important to undertake such as transformational leader typically inspires the staff to create an environment of an intellectual stimulation. There are certain assumptions that a transformational leader follows such as people follow a person who strongly inspires them, a person with the vision and passion can achieve great things. Moreover, a way to get the things done is by enforcing enthusiasm and energy. I ardently want to follow a trait list of transformational leader who can be wonderful when uplifting his experiences. Transformational leadership starts with the development of a vision and with a view of future that can excite and convert the followers into his favour. The leader or the senior team with a future perspective develops the vision and they put their passion to achieve it everything after a series of discussion. In the next step, the transformational leader takes energy and commitment and further grabs the opportunity to use and work on convincing others and the team members to climb the board of achievement. In order to become a successful leader, a person should have a clear vision of direction. Learning should be an ongoing process that can motivate the followers to constantly listen, sooth, and enthusiasm the followers. Transformational leader always stand visible and will stand apart too counted rather than hiding the career. When I get a chance to become a transformational leader in an organisation, I would look to transform the organisational structure, if it is not up to the mark. I would make tacit promises to my followers that would lead to positive influence on the followers. The transformational theory states that in this process, a person usually communicate and interact with others and are able to create a new relationship that can result in increased motivation that should be both intrinsic and extrinsic for both leader as well as followers.  

Charismatic Leadership

A transactional leader have some assumptions according to the leadership studies such as people in the transactional leadership are easily motivated by the reward and punishment. Social system works best especially when there exist a clear and defined chain of command. When people agree to do job, a part of their work is to impose all the responsibility to the manager. The main purpose of subordinate is to do what the manager asks them to do. This leader has a clear vision by creating clear structures where the subordinates require it. It is not necessary that punishments are always mentioned but they are well understood among the subordinates and it enforces a formal system of discipline. The initial stage of transactional leadership is negotiating the contract where the subordinates are given salary and several other benefits. The company through the implication of subordinate`s manager gets the authority over the subordinates. When I as a transactional leader allocates work to the subordinate, they are considered to be fully responsible for the tasks. To note whether the leader has the capacity and capability to carry out resources in a right manner. Whenever the situations get reversed or wrong, then the subordinates, which is considered as, fault personally and can lead to punishment for the failures. I as a manager of organisational structure uses management by exception and works on the principle that can operate something and rinse out the accepted performance that does not need much attention. Exceptional conditions to the expectation requires praise and reward system for exceeding the expectations whereas, some kind of corrective actions is applied to the performance, which are below expectation. Transactional leadership is based on the contingency in which the reward and punishment depends on the performance. Transactional leadership is very popular approach with many managers. The limitation to the transactional leadership is the assumption that it should be a “rational man” which a person is largely motivated by money or reward system (Wilson, and Wright, 2017).

Apart from new and modernising leadership styles, there are some more common styles, which are used from centuries such as autocratic leadership, democratic leadership and laissez-faire leadership (Hollyer, Rosendorff, and Vreeland, 2015). Autocratic leadership is more centred on boss. I would never have the traits where I would control my subordinates. The best example of autocratic leadership was Hitler from the history. In this leadership, a leader holds all the responsibility and authority. Leader makes all the decisions of the organisation without consulting the subordinates. They reach a decision, communicate it to the subordinates, and promote the implementation (Turnnidge, and Côté, 2018). An autocratic business environment would normally have little or no flexibility. In autocratic leadership, guidelines, policies, and procedures are natural traits of the personality of an autocratic leader. Another opposing the traits of an autocratic leader is the democratic leader. In this type of leadership, subordinates are properly involved in decision-making processes but a democratic leader takes the final responsibility of the decisions. Moreover, a democratic leader delegate the responsibility to authorise others to contribute to decision making that can determine work projects (Kerzner, and Kerzner, 2017). The other most common characteristics is that communication is both active upward as well as downward. Democratic leadership is one of most acceptable leadership style because it entails fairness, creativity, honesty, courage, intelligence, and competence (Burke, 2017).

Situational Leadership

According to current scenario, autocratic leadership is independent and less submissive and imply rigidity to control the subordinates. People generally look for those jobs, which can satisfy their self-esteem. Moreover, every autocrat styles also brings positivity (Changing minds, 2018b).

I am a curious person who always attempts to learn and adopt a learning and development procedures that can give opportunities and experiences to develop the traits of the effective leader (Antonakis, and House, 2014). I kept taking more projects together in such a way that I could manage them all. I took only that number of projects, which I can handle. I simply covered the concept of job description that can lead to growth in long term (Leadership-central, 2018). I stepped out from my comfort zone that was the only way to learn something new and form a proper development leadership strategy. A true scholar who is striving to become a leader has problems and uncertainty. Initially, I had a sense of threat especially when there was a chance to disagree my point by others (Dierendonck, Stam, Boersma, Windt, and Alkema, 2014). I kept trying to keep open my mind and get an advantage of situations. I respect others to grab the opportunity of learning and development procedures. A good leader always sees bigger consequences of the actions that they play as actions. I learnt to anticipate problems that could enhance the ability to handle the complex situations that have tight deadlines (Geddes, Wright, and Frantz, 2014). A leader has the ability to foresee and provide the suggestions accordingly to avoid the potential problems that are invaluable for a leader. This ability allowed me to recognise the opportunities than other leaders can overlook or subordinates do not pay attention to it. Being a recognised leader even among a group of twenty people, a leader has the power to influence the subordinates’ style of working (Fairhurst, and Connaughton, 2014). A leader has an influential personality. No leader leaves the opportunity to empower its team members. Eventually, a responsible leader should realise that to learn how to resolve conflicts. Instead of ignoring the interpersonal conflicts in the organisation, a leader should strive to makes rules and regulation to build team spirit among the team members and address those by assigning the tasks in teams. A leader should punish the workers, team members, or the wrongdoer who hampers any other team member (McCleskey, 2014).

Transformational Leadership

Conclusion

From the above discussion on various styles, theories, and approaches of the leadership. A person can learn various positive traits, which were not kept into consideration while making successful leadership strategy plan. A leader should always have a patiently listening capacity to spot who is guilty among the team members. A good listener and a communicator are not only traits to learn verbally. They have to be implemented in the traits of a leader with suggestions, ideas, feedback, and consent from other people. Exceptionally, the leadership theories, styles, and approaches give a sense of teachings to an amateur leader but these could not become successful until a leader implies its practicality. Charismatic leader is made out of authority but is made his influencing the decision making power of his behaviour. A transactional and transformational leader transforms the organisational structure if there exist any wrong behaviour. These leadership styles focuses on reward system and punishment to motivate the people around them.

References

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Burke, W.W., (2017) Organization change: Theory and practice. US: Sage Publications.

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Kerzner, H. and Kerzner, H.R., (2017) Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. US: John Wiley & Sons.

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McCleskey, J. A., (2014) Situational, transformational, and transactional leadership and leadership development. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 5(4), p.117.

Solomon, I.G., Costea, C. and Nita, A.M., (2016) Leadership versus management in public organizations. Economics, Management and Financial Markets, 11(1), p.143.

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Wilson, M.C. and Wright, J., (2017) Autocratic Legislatures and Expropriation Risk. British Journal of Political Science, 47(1), pp.1-17.