Theories of Leadership in a Technological Era - Essay Example

Leadership Project College: Leadership Project Leadership is an essential tool both in the political arena and in the business environment. In the contemporary society, leadership has become a complex issue, raising question as to what are the best leadership styles to adopt. A leader is expected to handle a wide range of issues within those under them and to meet the needs of a diverse society. To overcome the leadership challenges, it is crucial to deploy effective leadership theories and styles to ensure optimal performance of the group of their authority. Various leadership theories provide different approaches to leadership, which at times may be contradictory. While theories such as the ‘great man’ theory sees leadership as composed of inborn characters and traits, other theories agree that leadership traits are developed throughout due to the changing demands of the political and business environment. Although it is clear that leaders must be intelligent and open-minded people, it is clear that leaders need to learn and develop skills that match their leadership environment. This points out that an integrative approach to leadership is more superior to any other form of leadership and that a leader must understand the specific needs of their business environment. For the last few years, leadership is a topic that has generated a lot attention among many scholars. The development of new characteristics of leadership has rendered traditional methods of leadership less effective both in politics and in the business environment. The people have become more conscious of their rights and privileges and are assertive as far as the rules of leadership are concerned. People have come to reject autocratic leadership and are questing for more democratic business environments. Therefore, the leaders are being forced to develop new tactic to handle the public and employees to ensure that they remain cooperative and they are on board the goals and the objectives advanced by the leaders. In addition, changes in the population characteristics have become challenges to the leaders and they have to device new leadership styles. For instance, political leaders have to deal with a population with different cultures and needs, which must be satisfied. International business managers have to maintain teamwork and efficient communication within a population with diverse cultural characteristics. The laws are becoming stricter and organizations are encouraged to use diversity management strategies to ensure that they provide equal environment opportunities for all employees (Northouse, 2010). These new complexities in the business environment show that a leader must use personal traits as well as their leadership experiences to execute effective leadership within the dynamic work environment. Leadership theories provide a ground through which peers can learn and adopt effective leadership models that they can apply in their area of jurisdiction. A number of theories advance the idea that leaders are born and that they cannot be made. The great man leadership theory suggests that leadership traits are inherent and that leaders are born with leadership qualities (Winkler, 2010). This seems to refer to the traditional system of leadership where the first born of a King was supposed to inherit the kingdom. The traditional believe was that strong kings could only give rise to strong heirs. The idea behind this theory is that traits such as brave, confidence and boldness can be passed from one generation to the next. However, inheritance of leadership is something that does not exist in the contemporary business environment. Democracy in leadership gives privilege to every person to vie for leadership. As such, each person must be able to have leadership qualities to fill in leadership positions and to serve the people effectively. From a keen look, to some extent, it is clear that personal qualities are essential for leadership. For instance, there are people who are naturally born social, and are able associate with others in an easy way. Therefore, as a person, I feel that I need to utilize my personal leadership traits as I prepare to be a business leader in future. The trait theory is another leadership theory that seems to support the idea that leaders are naturally constructed. The idea of this theory is that there exist traits that make people potential leaders in the society. Traits such as confidence, brave, intelligence, hard-work and creativity make people better versed leaders in the community (Winkler, 2010). However, the criticism of this theory arises due to existence of people with such traits who do not manage to become effective leaders. This kind of situation points out that leadership trait is not all that is required for one to become an efficient leader. Effective leadership in a dynamic environment requires that people possess the right traits and have an experiential attribute to leadership. Flexibility is also crucial for leaders as this helps them to change with the changing leadership trends to conform to different work environments. Leaders therefore, need to take advantage of their personal traits as strength in leadership and be able to use it to guide those under them. In addition, they have to understand the unique needs of the people to make sure that they get to know the right skills to use for a specific population. The ramifications of understanding abusing personal capabilities can have far reaching effects in the business environment and may resort to failure of leaders. On the other hand, the behavioral theory of leadership seems to provide a different dimension of leadership. Unlike the great man theory, the behavioral theory holds the idea that leaders are made and not born. This theory sees leadership as a character that is nurtured right from the time one is born to the time that they assume this role. This a more flexible approach to leadership suggesting that any person can become a leader as long as they nurture the right skills and characters. Another idea of this theory is that the behaviors of the leaders are more important than the mental characteristics of the leaders. This theory points out to the way that learners can acquire leadership qualities in class and through observing the behavior of their leaders. For instance, a student can become a leader by observing the way their teachers conduct themselves amidst people. Leadership classes are also potential places that the peers can acquire leadership traits (Meindl & Schyns, 2005). By conforming to the theories of leadership that they learn in class, it is possible for learners to become strong leaders in future. Therefore, the students have a role to not only learn from their leaders but also acquire leadership strategies from their learning if they aspire to string leaders in future. In the contemporary business environment, leadership has become an essential tool not only for managers but also for all employees. Leaders have the role to guide, direct, control and unite the people in undertaking the development plans. In a typical business environment, leaders are involved in developing the organization goals and objectives that are meant to drive the organization to success. However, leaders require the cooperation of those under them so as to succeed in the practical aspects of the projects. The employee commitment and loyalty are crucial aspects of the work force that determine the work output and the profitability of the organization. These factors determine how well the predetermined objectives are implemented and how accurately they meet the specified outcomes. Thus, the leaders are tasked with the role of communicating the project plans, maintain employee royalty and commitment during the implementation phase (Bush, 2011). Also, the leaders have a duty to enhance the relationship between the employees to maintain strong team work in a diverse work environment. Different employee attitudes and behavior make it a challenge to unite them, demanding strong approaches to ensure that all employees remain cohesive and oriented towards the organizational goals. Therefore, leaders have a great challenge within the work environment and this can only be overcome through strong leadership qualities. In a business environment, the behaviors of the leaders seem to determine their success in handling the diverse needs of the employees. As behavioral theories suggest, the leaders’ interaction with the employee determines the way they respond to the work instructions. For instance, if a leader listens to the employees as they present their suggestions, it is possible for them also to listen to the issues raised by the leaders. A patronizing leader is likely to be rejected by their employees, undermining team performance within the organization. Thus, the wrong leadership behavior results to failure of the leader in controlling the employees’ behavior. A wide range of research shows that behavioral approaches are critical within the work environment. For instance, the leaders must be able to understand the worker qualities and attitudes to ensure that they are able to handle them. The issues of culture, race, beliefs and personal attitudes determine the behavior of employees (Duffey, Fox & State Educational Technology Directors Association, 2012). . Since it is virtually impossible for two organization to have the same population characteristics, it is clear that managers need to understand the unique needs of each work environment before launching strategies to manage the workforce. A wide range of leadership qualities can be acquired within the education path. While it is necessary for students to be brave and intelligent, what comprises the characteristic of “great man” theory, it is crucial that they are keen to acquire the right leadership qualities. For instance, communication within the work environment has become the vehicle to strong team work within organizations. The management must create effective communication channels through which they can communicate their management goals and where the employees can give their feedback to the management. In short, communication must be two way to ensure that both the workers and the management can provide their input in developing the management goals. Communication strategies are one of the issues that learners can acquire along the academic path (Băeşu & Bejinaru, 2013). For instance, in the learning environment, the teachers organize exchange session when students can discuss issues concerning their education. These moments helps students to learn how to communicate fluently, a crucial element that is necessary for their leadership career. In addition, these sessions help students to learn the aspect of two communication, respect and dignity, which are essential in the work place. On this note, some leadership qualities must be acquired within the learning environment, which in accordance with the behavioral theories that suggest that leaders can be made. Leadership practice must not only focus on the employees but also on the customers who form an important group of the stakeholders. The customers determine the success of the organization as the business depends on the number of units of services and goods that the customers purchase from the organization. In a competitive business environment, winning customers’ loyalty becomes an important factor for the organization. Winning the customer loyalty depends on the ability of the organization to provide effective customer service by communication efficiently, taking customer feedback and maintaining strong social relationships between the workers and the employees. Customers prefer to acquire products from businesses that provide effective customer service and where they can contribute to the development of the products. Therefore, leaders need to learn how to interact with the customers (Pihlak & Alas, 2012). To do this, they need to understand the customer behavior and to find strategies to satisfy this behavior. This points out that the leadership behavior depends not on their internal qualities but on the behavior of the customers. On this note, the leaders need to understand the behavioral approach to win customer loyalty and to win over the customer preferences. On this note, the aspiring leaders need to acquire the right leadership skills within the learning environment. On my assessment, leadership can be nurtured through experiences during the learning process. For instance, my experience as a class leader in my undergraduate studies has helped me to learn many aspects of a leader. Becoming a leader within culturally diverse institution is a big challenge. One is required to handle different people from different culture and with different attitudes to every aspect of learning. To satisfy the demands of such a population requires that one has to be creative to come up with solutions that fit every person and are not biased. While some people feel superior in the learning environment, others suffer from inferiority complex and this makes it a challenge to socialize with them, understand their needs and satisfy them (Latham, 2014). In my position, I have learnt to socialize with people from cultures, religions and backgrounds. Also, I have learnt how to communicate to the people with much fluency and in an effective manner. Word choice, intonation and vocabulary are all elements of a language that a leader must pay attention to communicate effectively. Therefore, it is recommendable that students learn how to use language and take advantage of leadership experience to prepare for leadership positions in future. It would also be recommendable that students advance their education to develop their leadership skills. The modern education environment focuses on mentoring leadership qualities within the learner to ensure that they acquire the right values of leadership within the society today. For instance, a student who intends to be a leader in the business environment, they may consider pursuing a master in business administration. These programs are specifically designed to provide an instructional approach to leadership development. Administration skills are crucial within the business environment as the top level managers are required to stimulate teamwork and hence optimal organizational performance. The master programs are more focused to leadership in complex organizations and thus can help students in acquiring new strategies of leadership for challenging environments. Also, advanced studies help learners to prepare for senior positions within work place, which is a promise for better career position (Manikandan, 2013). Therefore, it is crucial for leaders to consider advancing their education along their areas of interest to ensure that they are better versed to cope with the challenges of the complex work environment. This will help them to receive more specialized training, which can help to develop adequate leadership qualities. In the technological era, it is crucial that learners learn to integrate technology in their leadership skills. Technology has become a crucial tool in the modern work environment, and organizations are shifting towards this direction to inject efficiency into their organizations (Lim, Stratopoulos, & Wirjanto, 2013). For instance, leaders are using internet technology as a communication tool within the work environment. For instance, video conferencing is replacing the need for physical meetings, and hence leaders must acquire this knowledge to suit in such environment. Marketing platforms such as Facebook require a good understanding of internet technology to ensure that organizations roll out their business services effectively to the international markets. Therefore, learners are challenged with the task of acquiring computer and internet technology if they have to succeed in their leadership career. As organizations attempt to integrate technology within the learning environment, it is personal responsibility for the learners to acquire these skills to ensure that they are ready to fit in the changing work environment (Cakir, 2012). The success of the learners in the future leadership career will depend on their efforts to improve and to conform to the changing demands of the work environment. In conclusion, leadership is virtue that depends not only on personal traits but also the ability of the person to learn and develop their leadership skills. Unlike the traits and the great man theories that suggest that leaders are naturally born, it is clear that inborn mental qualities are not necessarily adequate in leading in complex work environments. The demands of leadership are increasing and the populations characteristic are changing consistently. This is making it a big challenge for leaders as they have to conform to the new demands of leadership. The behavioral theories seem more reasonable in providing that leadership qualities can be developed by acquiring the right skills and qualities. In an era when the employee and customer behavior varies from one environment to the next, it is crucial to adopt dynamic leadership strategies that satisfy each work environment. For learners who are aspiring to be leaders in their career, they need to acquire the right skills from their learning environment. Group discussions, role models and leadership classes all are potential places that learners can acquire leadership traits. In addition, they should consider advancing their education by undertaking leadership programs that provide more specialized education. In a technological era, they must acquire internet and computer technology to be able to suit modern business environments where technology is a tool for business efficiency. References Băeşu, C., & Bejinaru, R. (2013). Leadership Approaches Regarding The Organizational Change. USV Annals Of Economics & Public Administration, 13(2), 146-152 Bush, T. (2011). Theories of educational leadership and management. London: SAGE. Cakir, R. (2012). Technology Integration and Technology Leadership in Schools as Learning Organizations. Turkish Online Journal Of Educational Technology - TOJET, 11(4), 273-282. 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