Women and Learderhip - Essay Example

Major ic and contemporary leadership theories Examples ic theory leadership Trait theories- in this case, the leaders are recognized through possession of defined characteristics that distinguish them as leaders. Behavior theories- the theory focuses on the fact that people can study required characteristics of leadership and adopt such behaviors. Thus, any person with the capability of acquiring such traits can be a leader.Contingency theories- in this case, on leadership is sound and there should be room for flexibility due to the different variablesGreat man theories- the theory is similar to the trait leadership theory in that leaders are born rather than made.

Major contemporary theoriesSituational leadership theories- in this case, the action taken by the leader is dependent n the circumstances. Transactional leadership theory- the theory is based on the fact that a good performance is rewarded and a mistake is penalized.Transformational theories- this is based on the fact a good relationship developed by leader and their subjects can lead to inspired output.Servant Leadership Theories- in this case, a person offers their services without expecting any form of reward.

(Doyle and Smith)How the leadership theories are genderedGender equality in many nations regarding leadership has been a great contention (Doyle and Smith?. Many leadership roles are assumed by men and even with civilization, many opportunities are left to the men. Many leadership theories tend to fuel this notion. Some leadership theories also create the social perception that deems women less favored leadership candidates. An example is the trait leadership theory. In this theory, it is believed that some people are born to lead.

They inherit traits that deem them viable leaders. In the early days, men were the leaders and few women if any were given leadership roles. Thus, the inheritance theory insinuates that the leadership traits are passed down along gender lines. However, such traditional leadership theories have been modified by more current leadership theories. An example of such a theory is the behavioral leadership theory. In this scenario, leadership traits are acquired rather than inherited. The current theories are not gender biased and thus, anyone with the capability of acquiring the traits is regarded as a leader.

The theories also give opportunities for people to rise to leadership responsibilities. Question 3The portrait of Napoleon riding out to meet his troopsNapoleon was a great leader and he led his army into many successful battles. The fact that he was participating in the war and fought along his men says that he led by example. This is considered as one of the most important traits in leadership. Leading by example creates confidence among the people working under you. Building confidence ensures that there is a good working environment and that the activity that people are undertaking is productive.

Leading by example also allows a leader to evaluate the various situations that people encounter in the process of any activity. Thus, if any, immediate decisions need to be made, a leader can easily make a sound decision as he/she was involved in the proceedings. In this case, situational leadership is effective in cases where the leader was actively involved in the project. Leading by example allows for an environment where leaders can interact with their staff. Through this interaction, a leader gets to know areas where his/her team is weak and can rectify it so as to give a maximum output.

Leaders interacting with their teams also create an environment where any team player can relay any problems experienced without the fear of intimidation. Works citedDoyle, M. Erina and Smith, K. Mark. ‘Classical Leadership’. 2001. http://infed.org/mobi/classical-models-of-managerial-leadership-trait-behavioural-contingency-and-transformational-theory/#_Transformations accessed on 20/01/2014.