Leadership Styles And Theories Management – A Discussion

About Sheila Johnson

Discuss about the Leadership Styles and Theories Management.

According to David V. Day and John Antonakis, there is no specific definition or standards of defining a leader. As there are many leadership theories; there are as many as definitions of leadership. However, leadership scholars agree that the definition of leadership should have common concepts such as influence process and the relevant outcomes of the influence (Antonakis, J., Cianciolo, A. and Sternberg, R. 2004). A leader may also be a manager. Management involves controlling and organizing activities to achieve the set goals of an organization (Buble, M, Juras, A & Matić, I 2014 pp. 161–193). Although the two terms are different, they can be intertwined when there is a discussion about leadership and management of a given organization (Go2hr.ca. 2016).

Studies have been conducted for many years with the aim of understanding leadership and leadership styles. As there are many theories and styles of leadership, therefore, there are many researchers, philosophers, and professors who have studied the issue of leadership theory and styles. What all these people try to do is to differentiate leaders and the rest. Among the models that have been put forward include; situational or contingency, leadership functional trait-based model which is the oldest, Behavioral model and integrated psychology. (Avolio, B., Walumbwa, F., & Weber, T. 2009).

Trait leadership theory was developed in the 1930’s-1940 by Gordon Airport. The theory is based on the idea that leaders have common character traits. Leaders are either born or made. Behavioral leadership theory was developed in the 1940’s – 1950’s by two major types of research: At Ohio State University and the University of Michigan-led by Dr. Rensis Likert. From this theory, the behavior of effective leaders is different from those of ineffective leaders. They are focused on the relationship as well as task. On the other hand, Contingency by Fred Fiedler in 1960’s illustrates that the situation of a leader determines the effectiveness of a leader. Finally, transformational leadership style by James Macgregor Burns in 1970’s explains that the morals of the leaders inspire their followers and create a trust (Lutz Allen, S, Smith, JE & Da Silva, N 2013 pp.23-42).

Faced with the complex nature of issues of the 21st century, leaders are opting to integrate the above leadership styles and others that are related to leadership and stress management (Darling, JR & Heller, VL 2011 pp.9-26). According to Bill George, most leaders in the 21st century are focused on ensuring excellent performance during their leadership tenure through aligning people on the mission and values of the organization, empowering people, concentrating on service to the customers and ensuring collaboration throughout the organization. This report will focus on evaluating the leadership style of Sheila Johnson, the co-founder of BET.

Sheila Johnson leadership

Sheila Johnson is an African-American who is also part of the ownership of three sports teams in USA (NHL, NBA, and WNBA). Additionally, Sheila Johnson is the co-founder of the Black Entertainment Television (BET), and that is the reason why I choose her to be the leader which I will evaluate. Born in a family that loved music, Johnson learned to play the violin at the age of nine. She showed her entrepreneurial skills since childhood. For instance, she crafted purses from potholders and oatmeal boxes and sold them to the neighbors. She led All-State Choir at a high school in Proviso High School, and she was given a scholarship by the University of Illinois to study music. She was later married to Robert Johnson and in her wedding; she wore a dress she sewed (Biography.com. 2016).

After graduation, she moved to Washington to teach violin at Sidwell Friends School and at the same time offering violin lessons at her home. She quit her job later to focus on private lessons only. These experiences taught her to be a business woman. Her husband, on the other hand, secured $500,000 investments from cable TV which allowed Robert, John Malone, and Sheila to co-find their cable TV. Johnson later abandoned her music teaching career to join her husband and worked at BET as head of community relations. Also, she produced her shows such as Teen Summit. Unfortunately, Johnson divorced her husband due to personal and professional differences. Before their divorce, Robert Johnson had sold BET to Viacom. Robert and Johnson are ranked as the wealthiest African-American in America (Biography.com. 2016).

After the divorce, Johnson has continued to be a successful business woman in various ways. She has founded Salamander Hospitality, she is the Vice Chair of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, she is the majority shareholder of WNBA, NBA, and NHL, she a documentary and film producer and recently President Barack Obama appointed her to part of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (Biography.com. 2016).

Sheila Johnson can be called a connector. Since her childhood, she has taken her time to know all people she interacts with. She feels that people enrich her life for example; she once said: “No one is ever above anyone else” (SUCCESS. 2016). This is one character that made her successful in her businesses. According to Yulk G. (2012 pp. 66–85.), this type of character is found in behavioral leadership theory. In the behavior leadership, Sheila Johnson falls under taxonomy of relationship oriented. Such type of leaders has specific traits such as developing, empowering, supporting and recognizing other individuals. Sheila wants to know people that she works with; not to control what they do but to encourage them to work towards the mission of the company. She worked with students by empowering them to be the best musicians. At BET she made friends with janitors and cafeteria workers as a way of motivating them. This is one way of winning staffs according to Tibetan, AE (2012 pp. 313–324). Also, before working together with her husband at BET, she had to resign from her former job to support her husband. This shows her ability to connect with people and make her leadership style successful.

 The other reason she connects with all kind of people is to create trust. Hannes Leroy Michael E. Palanski and Tony Simons call such type of a leader and authentic leader. According to Michael E. Palanski, Tony Simons and Hannes Leroy (2012 pp. 225–264), Authentic leaders interact with other people openly and in a way that is not defensive almost making them vulnerable. This vulnerability engenders followers to trust in the leaders. When trust is created, the leader can then interact with the followers at social and personal level. As this happens, followers get to understand the values, their leader’s needs, wants desire and dislikes. This makes followers dedicated to doing their best to satisfy the leader. This is the results that Sheila Johnson wanted to achieve when interacting with janitors and coffee makers at the BET Company which is important in building relations like Deborah Anderson indicates (2012pp. 15–21. 

Priority setter

She has operated various businesses at the same time. Currently, she chairs the meetings at Monumental Sports, runs Salamander Hospitality and she is still a mother of two (SUCCESS. 2016). One would wonder how she conducts all these businesses at the same time and making them successful. She says that the secret behind this is setting priorities. Jim Allen McClesky (2014 pp. 117–130) sites that these type of leaders fall under the category of situational leadership. Situational leadership theory explains that for leaders to be effective, they need to have the ability to understand the situation and have the appropriate response. This is the same situation that Johnson finds herself in. To deal with all the companies and activities around her, she acts according to the situation and priorities. She says that every week is different but none of the weeks have ever been boring because she must find something to do even if it involves calling her staff in the evening to play games or going to visit her children.

Situational leadership theory categorizes the behaviours of situational leaders as either task oriented or people focused. This is true when looking at Johnson style of leadership. She connects with everyone for instance the janitors to ensure that she understands them then empowers them. In addition, she is task oriented as she indicates that every Thursday she must hold meetings with various staffs from different companies to understand the progress of each business (SUCCESS. 2016).

Sheila Johnson is not the type of leader who sits on board or gives out her name to charitable courses. What she does is to pay attention, research and tap her creativity to understand the disparate groups that she can work with for mutual benefits. Tony Simons, Hannes Leroy and Michael E. Palanski research on authentic leaders indicate that authentic leader have three common characteristics; they have self-awareness, they have a balanced procession process and they have a rationale of transparency. On the character of self-awareness, authentic leaders behave in a way that indicates that they are aware of their needs, wants, motivation, preference and wants. This is character that Sheila demonstrated well before joining, after joining and after leaving BET. She always wanted and worked with youths because she knew what she wanted. She left her work to join her ex-husband at BET because she was aware of her preferences.

On the basis of balanced processing, an authentic leader analyzes relevant data before coming up with a decision and is not afraid of what other people are saying about her decisions. Sheila doesn’t support any group of people or organization whether profit-generating or non-profit oriented without conducting her research. She did research and found out that the majority of vulnerable persons in the society are the youths and women. This is why she focused her charity to the two groups.  She was even named as the ambassador of women CARE in 2006. She focused on mentoring the young employees in BET and supporting the young sports men in NHL, NBA and WNBA (SUCCESS. 2016).

Johnson looks for needs and opportunities

Michael B. HargisJohn D.Watt and Chris Piotrowski (2011pp. 51–66) explanations on transactional and transformational leaders can be used to describe the character of Sheila Johnson. Transactional leaders are those leaders who identify what the followers need and work towards meeting these needs. When working with Teen Summit at BET she realized that the youths who were her followers in her show needed someone to talk to. She opened her arms to receive them. She was surprised one day after giving a platform for the youths to talk and discuss issues affecting them, more than 800 youth volunteered to be tested for HIV. These are the results of motivation; it creates followership according to Adriana Elena Å¢EBEIAN (2014 pp.6–220.

Like mentioned earlier, Johnson has many businesses and responsibilities to attend to: She has founded Salamander Hospitality, she is the Vice Chair of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, she is the majority shareholder of WNBA, NBA, and NHL, she a documentary film producer and recently President Barack Obama appointed her by to the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. She says that she runs all the duties in a competent manner and she also has supportive staff behind her (SUCCESS. 2016).

She can be considered as a servant leader and according to Larry W. Boone and Peter J. Tobin (2012 pp. 83–96). Such a leader has five necessary attitudes for him/her to be successful; believing that vision is the beginning of everything and it is not everything, listening is essential to achievement, being committed to the success of the staff, sharing of power and being a builder of the community. These characteristics can be identified in Johnson leadership through the way she makes her staff part of the vision; she empowers all her staff regardless of their position; she takes time with her employees and followers such as youths to listen to their issues. Finally, she is committed to community building through empowering women, starting hospitality organization as well as empowering the youths.

Sheila Johnson is steadfast at the act of giving back to the community. She says that one cannot be successful in business until he/she learns to reach out to others. She says that she focuses on two major themes in her life; improving the lives of the disadvantaged and inspiring those that have been inspired to go out and help someone else. She says that these can be achieved regardless of one’s financial status. “I don’t think you have to have money to give back; giving your time is also giving back,” she once said (SUCCESS. 2016).

She Maintains competence and cares for the staff

According to Sherry H. Penney (2011 pp. 55–62), leaders in the 21st century are more concerned in organizations that make a profit and even more; those that practice corporate social responsibility. If modern leaders have some characteristics like mentioned above, they are effective in their leadership and have a promise of future leadership. This is what can be said about Sheila Johnson who believes in giving back and has dedicated much of her resources and time to help the disadvantaged in the society.

According to Sherry H. Penney (2011 pp. 55–62) generation Y and X leaders are faced with the challenge of advanced technology. Most of the leaders we have today may not lead in a few years to come if they do not take up the task of learning the modern technology. Sheila Johnson has related well with the staff because that is what is required today. However, she has not inspired her staff to learn more about modern technology. In future, she might lose these staff due to lack of expertise.

If I were in her position, I would be more focused on empowering the youths to learn more about the modern technology so that they can be effective leaders in future. I would also integrate modern technology in my organization such as instead of holding physical meeting, I would start to introduce online meetings. This could be one way of showing my followers that they should be keep in toe with the modern technology.

Conclusion

Although there is no a standard or specific way to define who a leader is, most researchers agree that the definition of leadership should have some concepts such as the process of influence and the relevant outcomes of the influence. There are theories that describe effective leaders such as trait-based model, situational or contingency leadership, Behavioral model functional and integrated psychology. Leaders in the 21st-century combine styles mentioned above as well as integrating leadership that deals with current issues.

Sheila Johnson is one of the effective leaders in the 21st century. She is the co-founder of BET and co-owner of WNBA, NBA, and NHL. Currently, the runs Salamander Hospitality, she is the Vice Chair of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, she is the majority owner of WNBA, NBA, and NHL, she a documentary film producer and recently President Barack Obama appointed her to the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Some of the traits she uses in her leadership include connecting with people, ensuring that she is competent and cares about the staff, Johnson looks for needs and opportunities, she a priority setter and believes in giving back to the community. One thing that she has not done that I would do to improve her leadership style is integrating modern technology and empowering my followers towards the same.

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