Differences Between Trait And Behavior Theories Of Leadership

Validity of trait and behavior theories of leadership

Differences between trait and behaviour theories of leadership? Are the theories valid?

According to this given YouTube video, trait-based theory of leadership states that leaders are born with effective leadership skills (Christianity 9 to 5, 2013). Leaders have inborn traits that manifest themselves through the leadership process of the one in the leadership position. On the other hand, the behavioral theory of leadership argue that an individual can be trained to become an effective leader. An individual can be trained according to the organization’s style and expectation to foster the achievement of the laid down goals and objectives.

Another difference between trait and behavioral leadership theory is that in trait based leaders have unique traits that distinguish them from their followers (Christianity 9 to 5, 2013). On the other hand, behavioral theory of leadership argues that leadership skills are acquired over a period. In this regard, even a subordinate can acquire effective leadership skills through apprenticeship. To achieve this, the individual in the leadership position must ensure a proper environment that enhances the learning process.

Based on the information on the video, it is suffice to state that these theories have some valid arguments, for example, in the trait-based leadership, natural traits like boldness and assertiveness are vital in successful leadership. Equally, behavioral theory of leadership has a valid argument that leadership skills such as effective communication skills can be acquired through training. However, the two leadership theories have weaknesses, for example, the trait-based theory of leadership does not provide a clear distinction between effective and ineffective leaders.

Organization employ different types of strategies to identify and develop effective leaders. One of the most common method of identifying a leader within an organizational setting is by examining the communication skills of employees. Individuals with effective communication skills can make an effective leader (Yukl, 2010). Another method of identifying a leader is by observing the teamwork skills of an individual. An employee who exhibit the effective skills of mobilizing his colleagues to work together towards the achievement of the laid down objective can make an effective leader. The third way of identifying a leader is by examining the problem-solving skills of an individual. Employees who are very active in finding solutions to the issues affecting the organization are potential leaders.

After identifying potential leaders, organizations utilize the following strategies to develop them into effective leaders.

Workshop and seminars: Potential leaders are taken to leadership seminars and workshops to undergo training on effective leadership skills (Yukl, 2010).

Selecting and developing effective leaders

Apprenticeship: Potential leaders are recruited in the leadership team so that they can learn from their seniors.

Mentoring: Potential leaders are assigned to specific leaders who mentor them to acquire effective skills of leadership.

Companies motivate their employees using different strategies as follows:

Employee recognition: Organizations motivate their employees through employee recognition strategies such as rewarding them with certificates of merit for their excellent performance on organizational tasks (Wireman, 2010). This practice inspires employees across all departments to achieve their deliverables and this ensures increased organizational output.

Salary increment: Employees are motivated by the fact that they will receive salary increment or bonuses for achieving particular milestones within the organization (Anis, Rehman, Nasir, & Sawfan, 2011). This ensures commitment and dedication towards the organizational goals and objectives.

Employee promotion: Being promoted to a higher rank is a sure motivational factor that elicits commitment and dedication within an organizational setting. Therefore, organizational managers set standards to be met to receive promotion.

Provision of feedback: Employers also motivate their employees by providing them with positive and critical feedback regarding their performance (Wireman, 2010). This helps an employee to identify his strengths and weaknesses, and hence, works towards enhancing the weaknesses.

The film Golden Eye (1950) by Campbell is one of the Jame Bond films that I recently watched and enjoyed. While I was impressed by with the theme of betrayal between James Bond and Trevelyan, his former partner, my friend Peterson was not impressed with the gender discrimination and stereotyping that was depicted in the film.

In this film, the film brings out the role of women as assistant character to men. For instance, Natalya (a female) takes the role of an aid to James Bond in his mission to Cuba. Besides, Onatopp helps play a subordinate role to Ourumov. Sexism is also clear in the film due to the representation of women as sex objects. Numerous scenes in the film show images of naked women who are referred to as “bitch” or “ass.” (Campbell, 1995). The subordination of women in the film disappointed Peterson especially due to the modern society where gender equality is an issue that is affecting organizational performance.

Team work is one of the vital aspects that most businesses, firms, and organizations strive to h embrace in their undertakings. Most Chief Executive Officers and senior managers work hard to ensure that team spirit is practiced in their companies for them to achieve their targeted goals and their objectives. In my perspective, the fundamental elements identified by Professor Richard Hackman are the major factors that drive an organization to realize its goals and objectives (Goetsch, 2014). The elements identified by Hackman for any successful team work are:

1. Team should be small and have consistent membership coordination task, hence saving valuable time.
2. Team work should be done too often; organizations should set- up project-based teams which do not require considering the key stages of forming a group.

• In team work there should be support, like the rewarding the work done by the group members and defining the responsibilities done by the team.

1. Also, in every successful team there should be an assertive and courageous leader who can invoke authority even when the team defies the direction stipulated.

The elements stipulated by Hackman are the key elements for a successful team work. For instance, for team to work and perform well in any given organization should be small and have consistent membership to avoid break-up. Also, most organization practiced team work often to boost more output during production. By rewarding the team work members it stimulates morale which makes the workers to work extra hard, hence increased output. Lastly, the leader of the team should be courageous and have a commanding voice to have the workers doing their work more efficiently (Cheruvelil et al., 2014).

Commitment and Trust; all members must be fully committed for the organization to achieve its mission and goals. Communication; every effective team should have good open lines of communication. The communication made among the team members should be honest and should also flow equitably. Members should be free to communicate to others about issues as well as personal ideas (Armstrong, 2015).

Adaptability: The best-powered team should be adaptable to any changing conditions in the organization. Every member should have the freedom of thinking and creativity. Team members should listen keenly the ideas of other members because this will lead to the generation of new ideas which will lead to the realization of the organizational mission and goals (Carmel et al., 2013).

The most vital step to ensure the team’s life does not face challenges is to lead a team effectively. One must create leadership among the members. The others are:

1. To consider each employee’s ideas as valuable and important; every idea and suggestion made by every team member should be respected and taken with great concern.
2. Be keen with the employees’ unspoken moods; be open to team members and be able to learn their moods.

• Resolve minor problems; be in a position to settle minor disputes arising from the team members.

1. Be very clear when communicating; set out the clarifications well.
2. Motivate team members to share information (Schjoedt et al., 2013).

Ways of Breaking the Group Goals into Subtasks to enable individual’s accountability

1. Defining tasks; the first step in working on working on any concrete goal is to divide well and schedule the work. When dividing the goals into subtasks think of the concrete and best steps required to achieve the goals and the missions.
2. Finite Task; most of the goals are finite in nature, and they are required to be broken down into subtasks and put into the schedule until the goal is achieved.

• On-going Tasks; some of the goals and missions are on-going. Also, even if the task is on-going it can be broken in your schedule on some recurring basis (Schmidt et al., 2016).

 Power delegation to keep it close

1. Samantha Parks should do the following:

• Delegate most of the primary tasks to the employees who are more qualified, quick and have knowledge in business.
• The responsibilities which are less important should be given to the middle- level managers. Those managers feel motivated hence working extra hard.
• A delegation of tasks helps in generation of good relations between the managers and the employees hence leading to increased out-put (Link et al., 2015).

1. Samantha should ensure that she interferes with the task that requires great care and avoids intervening on those which are of less importance. Also, she should ensure that should at all cede a lot of controls to the executive committees of the creative individual. Besides, Samantha should consider employing executive members who can come with great ideas which can propel the organization forward (Héritier, 2013).
2. In few organizations, it has been noted that most top executives take more responsibilities to maintain their authority. But in some of the organization, the top level management believes in delegation of authority. They tend to delegate the less important tasks to the middle managers who help in the realization of the organizational goal. For an organization to be successful the work should be relevant and delegated properly. This will make the organization achieve their objective (Sekaran, 2016).
3. Tasks that should never be delegated to other employees by the executives.
4. Strategic Vision and Values. The work of the CEO is the development and communication of the broader vision and objectives.
5. Brand Positioning. The manager must understand the target market and the role of the organization in the market.

• Hiring: The CEO should have the authority to hire many employees in the business firm for it to achieve its target.

1. Firing: since the CEO and managers have the power to hire they also have the power to fire the employees who do not meet the target (Masli et al., 2016).

Anis, A, Rehman, IU, Nasir, A, & Sawfan, N 2011, ‘Employee Retention Relationship to Training and Development: A Compensation Perspective’, African Journal of Business Management. Vol. 5, no. 7, pp. 2679-2685.

Armstrong, G, Kotler, P, Harker, M & Brennan, R 2015, Marketing: an introduction. Pearson Education.

Campbell, B. (Director)., 1995, Golden Eye. MGM Studios. DVD.

Carmeli, A, Gelbard, R & Reiter?Palmon, R 2013, ‘Leadership, creative problem?solving capacity, and creative performance: The importance of knowledge sharing’, Human Resource Management, Vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 95-121.

Cheruvelil, KS, Soranno, PA, Weathers, KC, Hanson, PC, Goring, SJ, Filstrup, CT & Read, EK 2014. ‘Creating and maintaining high?performing collaborative research teams: the importance of diversity and interpersonal skills’, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Vol. 12, no. 1, pp.31-38.

Christianity 9 to 5 2013, Ten leadership theories in five minutes, You Tube, 17 August, Viewed 5^th October 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKUPDUDOBVo

Goetsch, DL & Davis, SB 2014, ‘Quality management for organizational excellence. Pearson: Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Héritier, A, Moury, C, Bischoff, CS & Bergström, CF 2013. Changing Rules of Delegation: A contest for power in Comitology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Link, K & Müller, B 2015, ‘Delegating HR work to the line: Emerging tensions and insights from a paradox perspective’, German Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 29, no. 3-4, pp. 280-302.

Masli, A, Richardson, VJ, Watson, MW & Zmud, RW 2016, ‘Senior Executives’ IT Management Responsibilities: Serious IT-Related Deficiencies and CEO/CFO Turnover’, MIS Quarterly, Vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 687-708.

Schjoedt, L, Monsen, E, Pearson, A, Barnett, T & Chrisman, JJ 2013. ‘New venture and family business teams: Understanding team formation, composition, behaviors, and performance’, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Vol. 37, no. 1, pp.1-15.

Schmidt, C 2016. Discussion. In Agile Software Development Teams (pp. 115-124). Springer International Publishing.

Sekaran, U & Bougie, R 2016. Research methods for business: A skill building approach. John Wiley & Sons: Chichester.

Wireman, T 2010, Training Programs for Maintenance Organizations, Industrial Press, Inc.: New York, NY.

Yukl, G 2010, Leadership in organizations. (7^th Ed.). Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Zerfass, A & Franke, N 2013. Enabling, advising, supporting, and executing: A theoretical framework for internal communication consulting within organizations. International Journal of Strategic Communication, Vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 118-135.