Leadership Development: Evaluation of Leadership Theories - Coursework Example

Leadership Development Table of Contents Evaluation of Leadership Theories 3 A. Leadership Styles, Values That Have Relevance to Todays Hotel Business 3 B. Leadership Values, Styles Relevant to My Personal Goals 6 References 8 Evaluation of Leadership Theories A. Leadership Styles, Values That Have Relevance to Todays Hotel Business The classroom discussions focus on various kinds of leadership styles that fit different kinds of organizations and are useful and effective in varying organizational contexts. From traits-based styles to theories that are centered on contingencies, behaviors and influences, there is a wide range of styles that can be used. On the other hand, it is clear also that apart from the different styles, there are fundamental shifts in the way people view managing and leading people, away from egoistic paradigms that encourage conformity, to more ethics-based, purpose-based and humility-based paradigms that focus on empowering people and encouraging diverse teams and workplaces. Essentially, from a broad perspective, leadership styles and values that can be made use of in the hotel business at present are those that help achieve the long-term business goals of the hotel venture, and those that are a good fit with the dynamics of the industry (Cengage Learning, 2011, slides 7-13). Taking a step back, the literature provides various perspectives on leadership styles and values that go beyond what is offered in the standard texts already mentioned above. For instance, there are classifications that divide styles of leadership along degrees of management involvement with staff, from transformational, to transactional, to laissez-faire styles. In the transformational style of leadership, the focus is on inspiring, motivating, and instilling in people a sense of pride and purpose for their work. In the transactional leadership style, the focus is on rewards and punishment for performance and behavior. In the laissez-faire style of leadership, the level of engagement with staff is insufficient. In all of these styles, it is evident that where the strategy of the hotels is to achieve differentiation in service, motivational leadership styles are the most important (Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt, and van Engen, 2003). On the other hand, literature also exists that qualify that some organizations are better suited for transformational leadership styles than others, and the basis of judging is the kind of employees that organizations have. Those companies that are more intent on innovating for instance, to transform from one state to another, are more apt to show positive results with the use of transformational leadership styles. On the other hand, those organizations whose employees rely on discrimination and discretion in order to thrive and to arrive at decisions, such as for instance the thinking professions such as law, may not be as suited to adopt transformational styles of leadership. This has implications for the kinds of hotel businesses where transformational leadership styles can thrive (Benjamin and Flynn, 2006). Elsewhere, and along the lines of new paradigms of leadership such as the transformational style discussed above, the literature discusses the emergence of leadership styles that are based on values. In the most fundamental sense, values-based leadership is about determining what it is that is most important to a hotel or to a manager, and then basing ones leadership decisions on whether the decisions are in line with or against those values. In the hotel business, such values as customer satisfaction and its corollaries- excellent service and outstanding management of the hotel facilities, can be deemed as defining, and from there management can take its cue when leading people and making decisions. From the point of view of personnel relations, fundamental values such as fairness and justice can likewise guide how managers make day to day decisions. This creates a compelling case for the use of such a values-based leadership style for the modern hotel business (Rue, 2001, pp. 12-15). The literature further details other emergent leadership styles that veer away from control-based and personality-based styles centered on the leader to leadership styles that show more consideration for worker inputs and welfare. The literature notes that worker engagement and worker levels of satisfaction at work impact the overall performance of the organization, and so such emergent styles warrant consideration for hotel businesses that rely on excellent customer service in order to woo and retain customers. In the hotel business, moreover, regardless of the state of the facilities and the excellence in which those facilities are maintained, the fact that the industry as a whole relies on customer service as a point of differentiation implies that those leadership styles that are able to successfully motivate employees, such as these alternative leadership paradigms based on consideration and worker-welfare regard, have relevance in the hotel business in the modern age (Lok and Crawford, 2004). Meanwhile, literature also exists that links culture with the appropriateness of certain leadership styles. By culture is meant organizational culture, and that culture either accelerates or hinders the adoption and effect of certain styles of leadership. Culture can be construed as constituting organizational momentum or inertia. This has implications for the hotel business and what kinds of environments and cultures are best suited for some of the leadership styles above, in particular motivational and values-based leadership styles. In general one can say, meanwhile, that the leadership styles presented here, representing new paradigms of working with people in organizations, are very relevant to the modern-day hotel business (Ogbonna and Harris, 2000). B. Leadership Values, Styles Relevant to My Personal Goals I believe that my life experiences leading my family and taking over the leadership vacuum vacated by my mom when she died helped me realize how important it is to have grounding in fundamental values as a basis for good leadership. This is why I am able to relate to the literature relating to this. I am able to glean insights into the way this works in real life. For instance, at a most fundamental level, family is very important to me because the decisions I make there, as the leader, impact the lives of those who I love. Consequently, having their well-being as a primary value, I was able to make decisions that made sure that their well-being were secured. They were ends in decision making rather than means to other ends. In a way my family comprised of non-negotiable values. With such values to stand on, I was able to make good decisions and show good leadership. I believe this is something that I can build on moving forward (Rue, 2001; Ogbonna and Harris, 2000; Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt,, and van Engen, 2003). Transformational leadership styles also appeal to me very strongly from a personal vantage point. Beyond its effectiveness, that it has the potential to inspire people and to empower them to be the best versions of themselves touches something very vital inside me. As a person I want to grow to become the kind of leader that leaves such tremendous positive impact on my organization and the people around me. It makes sense to me that aspirationally, this is a lofty undertaking that is worth my time and my effort long-term. That it is challenging all the more gives me reason to conclude that it is worth striving for to perfect and to use in my future leadership roles (Rue, 2001; Ogbonna and Harris, 2000; Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt,, and van Engen, 2003; Lok and Crawford, 2004) References Benjamin, L. and Flynn, F. (2006). Leadership style and regulatory mode: Value from fit? Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 100. Retrieved from http://www.francisflynn.com/papers/Benjamin_Flynn_2006.pdf Cengage Learning (2011). Chapter 1: What Does It Mean To Be a Leader?, PowerPoint Presentation Slides. Eagly, A., Johannesen-Schmidt, M. and van Engen, M. (2003). Transformational, Transactional, and Laissez-Faire Leadership Styles: A Meta-Analysis Comparing Men and Women. Psychological Bulletin 129 (4). Retrieved from http://www.communicationcache.com/uploads/1/0/8/8/10887248/transformational_transactional_and_laissez-faire_leadership_styles-_a_meta-analysis_comparing_women_and_men.pdf Lok, P. and Crawford, J. (2004). The effect of organisational culture and leadership style on job satisfaction and organisational commitment: a cross-national comparison. Journal of Management Development 23 (4). Retrieved from http://202.28.32.21/rungson/teach/document/master/pdf/Job%20satisfaction-1.pdf Ogbonna, E. and Harris, L. (2000). Leadership style, organizational culture and performance: empirical evidence from UK companies. International Journal of Human Resource Management 11 (4). Retrieved from https://www.hs-fulda.de/fileadmin/Fachbereich_SW/Downloads/Profs/Wolf/Studies/england_UK/uk_leadership_style.pdf Rue, B. (2001). Values-based Leadership. PM. Retrieved from http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/dau/rue-ja.pdf Read More