Leadership and Trait Theories - Coursework Example

Leadership Theories Leadership theories Leadership theories have been studied for centuries and are the source of various studies. In practice as well as in reality, many people have tried to identify the unique charisma possessed by authentic leaders which makes them stand out among the masses. Professors, researchers and philosophers all have studied and published their own leadership theories. Most leadership theories are categorized according to how they define the leader. Howell(2011) notes that the most common theories are trait theory, behavioral theories, contingency theories, power and influence theories, great man theory and transactional leadership theories. In today’s society there are so many leadership theories these automatically proves that there is no one best form of leadership. Trait theories Trait theories claim that effective leaders have similar personality traits or characteristics. Ancient trait theories urged that leadership is an instinctive, innate quality that an individual might or might not have. Later on, the ideology was abandoned and the current trait lays more emphasis on learning how to acquire leadership qualities. According to Porte (2011), trait theories assist individuals to identify qualities and traits such as assertiveness, integrity, empathy, likability and decision making skills which are vital especially when leading. Nevertheless, the traits do not guarantee that the leader will be a successful leader. Traits are usually external behaviors stimulated by our own minds. The internal beliefs are also necessary for effective leadership. Behavioral theories The behavioral theories concentrate on the behavior of the leaders. In 1930, Kurt Lewin established a framework, which was based on the behavior of the leader. He insinuated that there are 3 types of leaders; autocratic leaders, democratic leaders and laissez-faire leaders. Autocratic leaders usually make decisions on their own without consulting their counterparts. Silver (2012) argues that this mode of leadership is appropriate when a fast decision making process is needed and team input is not needed. Democratic leaders consult and embrace input provided by the team members in decision making, but the level of input may vary from one leader to another. This form of leadership is important in organizations that have team agreement but might be hard to manage in situations where team players have diverse ideas and perspectives. Laissez-faire leaders allow team members to make most of the decisions without interfering. This type of leadership is successful when the team is motivated, highly capable and does not need supervision. The style of leadership might fail if the behavior is as result of distraction or laziness. According to Salovey (2013), the behavior of leaders has a lot of impact on the performance of the organization. Researchers have realized that the leadership behaviors are most appropriate when utilized at certain situations. Effective leaders are those who can combine various behavioral styles and utilize the appropriate style for every situation. Contingency Theories Philosophers realized that there was no right type of leader and the ultimate leadership style was one that could handle the situation encountered. Contingency theories try to identify the most appropriate style to handle the circumstance. McConnell (2011) notes that contingency theories consider issues like quick decision making, team work considerations and task oriented or people oriented issues. Hersey- Blanchard situational theory is a contingency framework that connects the maturity of team members with leadership styles. Other contingency frameworks include Fiedler’s model and the House’s path goal model. A leadership process model can also be used to understand factors affecting effective leadership. Power and influence theories Power and influence theories use a totally different approach as they concentrate on the ways in which leaders use powers and influence to carry out their duties and then observe the resulting leadership style that emerges. The most common theories in this section are the raven’s and French five modes of power. Under this section there are three forms of positional power they are coercive, reward and legitimate. Hogg (2011) asserts that there are two sources of personal power namely, referent and expert. This model urges that the use of personal power is definitely the best alternative when establishing expert power as it is the most genuine source of personal power. Transactional leadership is also another leadership style which uses influence and power. Great Man Theory This theory evolved during the 19th century. There was no scientific certainty which could prove that the human characteristic had the power to identify great leaders. The theory urged that man was the only being who could possess the attributes of a marvelous leader. The theory also stated that leadership traits were intrinsic. This meant that good leaders were not made they are born (Howell, 2011). The theory insinuates that effective leaders have a destiny even from birth to become authentic leaders. The theory also believed that the leader would emerge when confronted by a phenomenon experience. Thomas Carlyle, a renowned teacher was responsible for popularizing the theory. Herbert Spencer, later on disputed the argument claiming that heroes were as a result of social conditions. Transactional Leadership Theories They are also known as the exchange theories of leadership .They are described as theories where a transaction is made between the followers and the leader. The theory actually values a mutually and positive beneficial relationship. Transactional theories must have motivational value for them to be effective. A leader should find techniques of adequately punishing or rewarding his followers after analyzing their performance of a task assigned by a leader. A mutually reinforced environment is what really makes transactional leaders efficient because the organizational and individual goals are synchronized (Porte, 2010). Transactional theorists urge that human beings aim at maximizing pleasurable experiences but minimizing on un-pleasurable experiences. Transformational leadership theories Transformational leadership theories state that the process by which an individual is able to interact with other people and create a solid relationship with them results in increased trust and therefore increased extrinsic and intrinsic motivation for both the followers and the leaders. Transformational theories aim at assisting leaders to transform followers by using their charismatic personalities and inspirational nature (Silver, 2012). Regulations and rules are flexible, under the keen scrutiny of group norms. The attributes assist followers to have a sense of belonging, identify the leader and his purpose. Management Leadership Theories Impoverished Management Shockley-Zalabak, a famous philosopher stated that the theory had low interest in task accomplishment and interpersonal relationships. The leader made limited attempts towards influencing his team members to accomplish tasks and goals (Salovey, 2013). The leader seems to hate responsibilities and gives other undesignated individuals the responsibility which rightfully belongs to him. Generally, the leader is uncomfortable with responsibility issues. Critics are keen to detect that leaders might be the reason behind the collapse of a firm. Middle of the road management Middle of the road management is a unique style of leadership where a leader balances people’s concern and tasks. It is also known as the compromised management or leadership (McConnell, 2011). The leader compromises and negotiates over directions for action and workable agreements. Country club management This is a form of leadership where leaders lay a lot of emphasis on matters of interpersonal relationships neglecting vital aspects such as goal achievement. The leader’s main aim is to have group followers who will feel supported. The leader offers an interpersonal relationship bond, which lays little emphasis on task accomplishment but offers a lot of interpersonal support (Hogg, 2011). This type of leadership is faced with a few setbacks whereby the leader might want a task to be done but lacks the power to emphasize on the element of task accomplishment. If the team players are not task oriented then the leaders might find themselves doing the task. He also might not be able to improve the employee’s standards of performance. Leadership can be shown by anyone at any time. On the playground, in public and in a discussion, sighting a leader is easy. A person is born a leader. Some human beings have the right instincts and know exactly what to do when time calls for it. People who are lucky enough to hold positions are called leaders even basketball players. Famous movie stars have even earned leadership titles. However, philosophically speaking they are not real leaders. True leaders are intellectual speakers and belaboring teachers. These individuals show that leadership is not a position but an action. Their intrinsic characters match many of the leadership styles and theories mentioned by prominent philosophers. Delegating, directing and participating are some of the attributes every authentic leader should have. Different circumstances need different skills and approaches. It would be absolutely wrong to claim that there is just one ultimate style of leadership applicable in all situations. References Howell, J. (2011). The ethics of charismatic leadership .Retrieved April 16, 2011, from Porte, G. (2010). Managing for success. St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby, Inc. Silver, D. (2012). Role of Implicit Personality Theory in Leadership Research. Journal of Business and Leadership: Research, Practice and Reaching, 108-115. Salovey, D. (2013). Emotional Development and Emotional Intelligence. New York, NY: Basic Books. McConnell, R. (2011). Maker management skills for the new health care supervisor (4th Ed.).Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett publishers. Hogg, D. (2011). Social identity and leadership processes in groups. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Volume 35, 1-52. Read More