Leadership theories, leadership style and skills - Essay Example

Management Table of Contents 1.Introduction 3 Analysis 6 2.Theoretical Perspective of Leadership 6 Transformational Theory 7 Trait Theory 7 Situational Theory 8 LMX Theory 8 3.Leadership Skills 8 Katz Three Skill Approach 9 Mumford Model 10 4.Leadership Approach 11 Contingency Theory 12 Behavioural Theory 12 5.Working at Apple 13 Conclusion 15 Reference 16 1. Introduction Leadership is a sequence, a process which has different elements intact to it, prevailing towards the successful attributes of a true leadership quality. These elements of leadership are of three types- the leader, the following group or the followers and finally the substance. Leadership qualities are measured on the basis of employees’ performance and their job satisfaction. A leader can be called a successful torch bearer only if his/her followers equally contribute towards the growth of an organisation (Ccl, 2009, p.2). Leadership in itself is an important quality but there are certain factors which define the true leadership qualities a leader should possess. These essential components to develop leadership qualities at par are: a) Setting an example and motivating others, b) Finding a solution to doubts and ambiguities, c) Being ethical, d) Bringing in the desired change, and e) Managing cultural assortment (Oxcel, 1998). Teams and groups have become an important part of an organisation and different leadership theories have greatly influenced such practice. Leadership and its role within a team greatly inspire the organisational culture and also ensure that the team attains success and the overall output is effective (Northouse, 2009, p. 242). Organisations around the world practice several leadership theories to motivate their employees to perform better. Great Man Theory: Great Man theory was mainly put forth to support the fact that the people born in the family of aristocrats are great leaders by birth and are meant to lead with no formal training in leadership (Carolyn baker, 2011). This theory has no clear evidence to prove this fact as many non-aristocratic people have been great leaders and inspired many around the world with their charismatic leadership. Trait Theory: Trait theory explain the phenomenon of deriving traits or rather inheriting qualities which are rare to certain group of people, and this makes them better leaders. It, somehow fails to explain the same in case of people who possess the traits of leadership but are not the leaders (Leader today, 2012). Contingency Theory: This theory believes that there is no single solution to leadership attributes as it may vary from time to time. The style of leadership may change from one form to another depending on the situation. This theory emphasises on the two leadership styles, the task-oriented and people-oriented (McShane, Glinow, & Sharma, p. 465). Further, leadership approach is said to be affected by various internal & external factors. Situational Theory: Situational theory of leadership exhorts that for an emphatic leadership the two valuable aspects to be considered at the time of decision making are management and leadership deed. This theory comprises four styles of leadership which are namely: Delegating, Telling, Participating and Coaching (Betathetapi, n.d). Behavioural Theory: This theory puts forth the idea of leadership on the basis of behavioural pattern depicted by the leaders in various situations. This theory also consist four contrasting leadership styles and these are: Responsibility of task, Responsibility of people, Directive Leadership, and Participative Leadership (Infed, 2011). Transformational Theory Transformational leaders not only contribute towards the growth prosperity of the organisation but also inculcate the organisation’s cultural and other values in their followers (Marquis, Huston, 2009, p. 43). Democratic Leadership Theory Democratic leadership style encourages and supports the people. It believes in creating an environment in the organisation where the employees are motivated to indulge themselves in building relationship (Woods, 2005, p. 16). LMX Theory Leader Member Exchange Theory (LMX) or the Vertical Dyad Linkage Theory can be defined as the bond or accord being established between the leader and the members of the group (Changing Minds, 2012). Analysis The analysis of different leadership style based on various theories and models can be discussed as follows: 2. Theoretical Perspective of Leadership A leader has certain important leadership traits such integrity, self-confidence, intelligence and determination. Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos can be said to be the pioneers of innovation, visionary and determined personalities to bring about a change in the way business functions. The leadership approach of both these leaders can be discussed as follows: Transformational Theory This theory can be widely used to represent the leadership approach of both Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos. It was their transformational leadership quality which helped Apple Inc and Amazon to become market leaders in their respective fields. Steve Jobs leadership qualities have often been praised as he was the man behind the revolutionary products such as iPod, iPad and iPhone. Amazon.com which started as an online book store has emerged as the leading online retailer with variety of products. Kindle fire the latest innovation from Amazon has further proved the leadership quality of Jeff Bezos. Kindle is another revolutionary product which has changed the world of books and reading by making it digital. This theory has moreover led to the formation of team culture in both the organisations because of the charismatic leadership styles of both Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos as they both have always preferred a culture which supports team building to have a greater output. Trait Theory Trait theory in context to Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos has different significance. Steve Jobs with his leadership attributes may be thought to be inherited these qualities but he developed a unique leadership style of his own which is different from what trait theory suggests. Jeff Bezos on the other hand had his own style of leadership which again suggests that the trait theory has no significance with his leadership approach as well. Situational Theory This leadership theory describes the leadership approach as per the situation demands. The leadership attribute of both Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos can be related to situational theory because of the fact that both knew what situation demanded and for these very reason both have been successful leaders. This theory again reflects a new beginning for the organisational culture which changes as per situation demands to cater to needs of the changing times. It further ensures that the organisational culture is not hampered but rather moulded in a way to overcome the demanding situation. LMX Theory LMX theory explains the importance of bonding between the leader and the followers. Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos were able to bridge a bond with their employees and led to the building of trust and loyalty amongst the followers. These leaders with their leadership qualities have been able to inculcate the values of the organisation amongst their followers and have led to the success of their organisations. These true values define the organisational culture for an organisation. Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos have successfully instilled the values of the organisation in their follower to carry forward the legacy of both Apple Inc. & Amazon .com. 3. Leadership Skills Leadership skills are an important aspect for a leader. Leadership skills play an important role in the administration of the organisation. There are three types of leadership skills that can be seen in leaders’ generally i.e. technical or analytical skills, interpersonal skills and conceptual skills. (Sperry, 2002, p. 43). Katz Three Skill Approach Technical skill involves knowledge and the area of expertise that a leader is involved into. Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos have been excellent leaders in terms of technical skills. Both the leaders have innovated products ahead of their time. They not only understood the demand of technology of the present times but also predicted the future technology and by inventing iPhone and Kindle for the consumers. Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos ability to understand not only the needs of consumers but also their employees showcases their interpersonal skills. They both can be termed perfectionist and visionary which made them great leaders and their leadership quality have made a great impact on the employees and have led to the rise in productivity. Conceptual skills involve the ability to generate new ideas and shaping it through proper management of teams and other available resources. Conceptual skills also include the quality of these leaders to sense the market demand and deliver accordingly. Steve Jobs is known as the pioneer of innovation in the field of technology while Jeff Bezos is not far behind with the fact that he is equally applauded for innovation and technology at his firm. Both Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos have faced criticism but that does not takes away the leadership skill that they possess. Like true leaders they both have changed the whole meaning of organisational culture as their respective leadership styles have made the organisation aim for more and be more competitive to meet the demands of the customers by their revolutionary products. Mumford Model Mumford’s model based on leadership skills identifies three important competencies that play a vital role in establishing effective leadership through knowledge, social judgment, and problem solving. These three skills either work together or work separately to have different results (Rowe, & Guerrero, 2010, p. 83). Mumford’s model somehow also impacts the organisational culture and team building in an organisation as leadership and attributes based on this model plays a significant role in shaping the culture of an organisation and making the members of the organisation an important part of this culture. Knowledge: Knowledge and problem-solving skills of a leader are interlinked. Leaders like Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos have been part of developing alternative strategies to bring in the change. Knowledge about the market and preference of consumers allowed these leaders to construct future plans for the organisation based on past incidents. The outcome is positive with both organisations leading their way to the top. Social Judgement: Social judgment skills like social perceptiveness, perspective taking, social performance, and behavioural flexibility have played a major part in shaping the leadership style of Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos. Using different leadership competencies and knowledge about the market has enabled them to emerge as successful leaders. Problem Solving: The problem-solving abilities and finding alternative solution makes a leader charismatic in the approach. Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos have significantly been the charismatic leader to bring innovative ideas in designing business structure despite problems occurring. 4. Leadership Approach Leadership approaches opted by Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos cannot be limited to the industry where they belong. Every industry is likely to be impacted through different leadership styles that different leaders use. Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos leadership style has been based on the industry that requires innovation in products. The products of such industry require constant improvement in their structure to make them more attractive to the customers. In other industries such as banks and construction the product innovation though is minimal and same product is pitched to different customers. But it cannot be neglected that these industries has also come of age and bringing in innovation in their product category to meet the demands of the customers. The different leadership styles can very well be implemented in banks and construction industries as well which have long been used by Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos. This can be illustrated through following theories of leadership. Contingency Theory Contingency theory which defines that there is no fixed leadership trait and the style changes according to the situation can very well be applied to construction and bank as well as consumer durable industry. Though the products of these industries are different but the demands from consumers are same and they prefer innovation. The situation demands different leadership style and it is well known that the situation changes for every industry irrespective of what type products they deliver to the consumers. Behavioural Theory This theory emphasises on certain important aspects which includes responsibility of task and people, participative and directive leadership. These aspects are important not only in the case of consumer durable industry but also in bank and construction. The bank and construction industry are supposed to be conservative and does not prefer changes at rapid pace. The behavioural approach which puts forth the importance of responsibility handling by leaders and the need for them to be participative in decision making process along with directing the members is equally applicable in the conservative industries of bank and construction to bring in the change. These industries also require their leaders to take responsibility and change their structure to cater to the demand of consumers by being innovative. Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos approach of leadership are not restricted to their industry of work but has a broader application. Implementing these approaches can make a difference to other industries as well. 5. Working at Apple Apple Inc, an innovative organisation with path breaking products and always striving for excellence will require leadership qualities that can carry forward its legacy. Steve Jobs, the visionary leader under whose leadership the company has reached the pinnacle needs to keep the momentum going. As a new recruit at Apple the leadership styles which I would like to apply while managing a team are as follows: Transformational Style This theory which has been a used by Steve Jobs to change the fortunes of the company can be applied in managing the team. Transformational leadership style is based on trust and faith between leader and follower. This will enable to have views of followers by including them in the decision making process. Transformational theory is also helpful in dealing with different situations as the leader exhibits professionalism in his/her approach. Applying this theory in every situation may give desired results but again it is applied across different industries by leaders. LMX Leadership Style LMX theory is the appreciation between the leader and the group members who are in symbiotic comprehend mode with each other for better decision review and better implementation of the decision for growth prospective of both the company and employees working. Apart from this LMX style also improves productivity of the team members by increasing their loyalty towards the organisation. The LMX theory is also contradictory to its definition as the leaders do not develop a cordial relationship with each and every member or sub-ordinates but still can be preferred as it supports member’s participation in decision making process. This theory supports friendship between leader-member giving rise to benevolence, certitude, positive energy and this positive energy exaggerates efficaciousness and commitment at work (G. Graen, & J. Graen, 2006, p. 67). Democratic leadership Style Democratic leadership style is vastly used in most of the industries around the world. The democratic leaders emphasises on making their subordinates part of decision making process to build trust and loyalty (Strike, 2007, p. 94). The democratic leadership also focus on building healthy relationship amongst the leader and subordinates (Gitman, & McDaniel, 2008, p. 162). This theory cannot be implemented when some harsh decisions are to be taken to bring in an effective change in a short time period. Otherwise it is amongst the most applicable leadership style which can be implemented while managing a team at Apple Inc. Conclusion A leadership theory has many obligations and many supports, but still applied throughout the world in different organisations. Leadership theories have been criticised by many but are practiced by leaders like Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos for higher efficacy of the organisation. Leadership theories are implemented to develop a bonding between leader and follower which gives rise to trust, loyalty, commitment, and enthusiasm. The problem of employee turnover, productivity, commitment have been handled through various leadership styles and making all this thing of passé. Leadership and their attributes have greatly impacted the organisational culture to enhance the efficacy of organisation, and to stay a competitive force in the market. The different leadership styles have persuaded leaders towards individual growth and personality development along with achieving the organisational goals. The leadership attributes of leaders like Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos have made a mark of their presence on the map of business world to be distinguished and remembered as the pioneers of innovation and creativity. Reference Betathetapi. (No Date). Situational Leadership Theory. [Online]. Available at: www.betathetapi.org/documents/resources/.../situational_leadership. [Accessed on 8 may 2012]. Carolyn baker. (2011). Leadership Theories. [Online]. Available at: http://www.carolynbaker.org/206/leadership-theories/. [Accessed on 8 May 2012]. Ccl. (2009). The Leadership GAP. [Pdf]. Available at: http://www.ccl.org/leadership/pdf/research/leadershipGap.pdf. 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