Leadership Styles According to Branson and Goleman - Essay Example

INDIVIDUAL LEADERSHIP UNDERSTANDING Name Name of the institution 16 September 2015 Introduction In every business, there must be rules safeguarding the daily operation of the business. How efficient these rules determine how the employees participate well in the business activities. To ensure that all the employees are active in the organization depends on how they are led by their leaders. As such, leaders are supposed to set up good role models and make use of workable business rules. All entrepreneurs across the globe startup businesses with the hope of achieving their set objectives. How these objectives are achieved in business is much more dependent on many factors with the leadership styles used being the prime factor. Richard Branson is a well-known entrepreneur as he owns the famous investment group known as The Virgin Way by making use of the viable leadership styles. As such, Richard Branson provides various styles that a leader should make use of so as to achieve their business goals. This report, therefore, reviews Richard Branson’s rules and philosophies and compares them with Daniel Goleman’s theory of Emotional Intelligence and as well as his leadership styles as they apply to any business organization and how leaders should make use of them. Findings Business philosophy according to Richard Branson. With the increasing industrialization and evolution in the business industry, as a leader Branson employ’s various business philosophies to keep up with this pace (Branson, 2012). As such, as a leader, he combines the social and career life so as to keep on his performance. He sets huge goals that somehow seem like unachievable but works himself out to achieve them all. He also views the business opportunities as the moving buses in a way that once he grabs one he waits for the others. More so, Branson takes his work as a lifestyle as he intends to enjoy every bit of what he does. Lastly, Branson believes that respecting the needs and the rights of the employees. As a leader, he likes people who he works with so as to bring out the best in them and prevail in whatever they are doing. Leaders competence and capabilities according to Daniel Goleman In contrast, Daniel Goleman the author of the book Emotional Intelligence, has developed several components that should be employed by any leader in the workplace. As a result, Goleman claims that successful leaders should employ five components in the organization. In his book, Emotional Intelligence, he has identified self-awareness as one of the key components that should be apprehended by the leaders. Moreover, he believed that self-awareness make a leader obtain the ability to understand personal emotions. In addition, Goleman identified self-regulation as another ability that can make a leader control his/her emotions. He continued and claimed that a leader require to have social skills, that will enable him to manage the relationship and develop networks. On the other hand, Goleman believes that for a leader to be competent he/she need to adapt the competent of being empathy. In this case, he clearly stated that when leaders exercise empathy in the place of work, the leader will be able to understand the emotional point of the employees. Lastly, Goleman whispered that inside motivation for work can make leaders develop a passion to work. Such motivation components may include external rewards. Leadership styles according to Branson and Goleman Branson’s leadership styles Branson gives out the organizational structure that any other business should adapt to and make use of. In the description of the organizational structure, he provides the structure the Virgin Company has adopted and published a book ‘Business Stripped Bare: Adventures of a Global Entrepreneur.’ In the book, he stresses on the contingency approach used to manage his organization. He believes that every organization has its way of leading its people. Additionally, he prioritizes the need of finding good people to work with (Branson, 2008). He then insists on treating all customers in the right way by delivering quality products and services. Therefore, Branson should maintain his leadership styles. This is because globalization heavily favors the cultural diversity in a business environment which is the key factor of the leadership style of the Branson. Branson’s leadership traits and behaviors. A good leader should always think differently- Branson says that there is no leadership formula for one to lead well. All that a leader should do is carry out their own activities in a different way. Branson believes in teamwork. He believes that no one can succeed on their own without relying on a third party. As such, he motivates his employees so that they can improve their talents and their abilities. Branson is a delegate leader who never commands his employees but gives them the opportunity to be who they want to be at their workplace. As a good leader, Branson gives his employees the freedom they want to do and try different methods of carrying out an activity thus increasing their confidence and their strengths. Goleman’s leadership styles In his research, Goleman generated six leadership styles. Moreover, he claimed that leaders use these styles in one way or the other. All the styles originate from his findings on the Emotional Intelligence. In summary, Goleman believed that effective leaders are the one who masters his leadership styles and the ones who uses the styles so as to outfit the situation (Goleman, Goleman, & Goleman 2011). In the real scenario, Goleman claims that his leadership styles have recognized the positive effect on the working situation and as well as the employees performance. The six key Goleman leadership styles are listed below. i. Training leadership style In this style, the leader concentrates on helping employees in term of coaching for personal growth and development. Mostly, in this style the leader focuses on developing employees in the job interrelated activities. With leaders applying this style, they help the staffs up their skill and become effective in the place of work. Also, Goleman claimed that training leadership styles style enhance employees to gain adequate knowledge and capabilities that will make organizations be successful. ii. Democratic leadership technique In this styles Goleman states that, leaders should use employees as decision creators in the workplace. Furthermore, he felt that this style can produce working environment that allow employees to work with good emotions such as morale. In the business world, employees’ values opinion count and this can make them become committed to attaining the objectives of the business. iii. Pacesetting leadership method Goleman leadership is centered on the provision of highly skilled employees who are self-motivated. He declared that this style of leading employees is effective since the leaders set high enactment standard for the workers and as well as for themselves. iv. Affiliate leadership technique In this leadership style, Goleman, clearly states that leaders should emphasize in building teams in the workplace. In its implication, Goleman leadership style can be more effective in the case whereby there is low morale in the place of work and as well as underprivileged teamwork. v. Authoritative leadership method In this style, the leader institutes himself/herself as an expert in the business. In this leading technique Goleman sees a leader as a person with visions. With the leader applying this style, Goleman believed that the leader can lead the employees. As such, the style is effective when there is a rise of a new trend in an organization. vi. Coercive leadership system This is the last style of leadership that was found by Goleman, in his research. In his findings, he claimed that this type of style is one of the most aggressive technique of leading employees. However, the style should only be applied for a short period, just to ensure that employees perform their responsibilities (Goleman, Goleman, & Goleman, 2011). How are Branson’s leadership styles different from Goleman leadership styles? Branson’s leadership styles are unique. The outstanding reason onto why they are different is that the styles were never learned from the first instance (News.roberthalf.co.uk). As such, Branson operates his company under the saying of rule breaking in the quench of learning something new. Also, Branson looks out in employing his weaknesses so that they may complement his strengths. Furthermore, Branson’s leadership style employee’s needs to be motivated to make viable decisions in all their endeavors as it is the only option left for the leaders. (Branson 2008) Having passion about one’s job is also a key to the success of the business operation as depicted in the Branson styles. Nevertheless, in contrast to the Branson leadership styles, Goleman leadership styles, are difference totally different. In this case, some of the style applied by Goleman need to be used when needed and in a short period of time. However, as Branson uses his leadership technique to strengthen his management skills, Goleman states that leaders should adopt the most effective style in leading employees. Therefore, he claims that all leaders should adopt his styles so as to enhance performance improvement. Lastly, Golemen styles are sometimes used in the case whereby a situation dictates the application of such leadership style. This is seen as a difference in the case of Branson. In such situation of dictating, Branson believes that employees’ motivation is the appropriate techniques to be applied. Conclusion Conclusively, leaders should employ various leadership styles that will increase their employee’s output. As such, leaders are supposed to make use of the Branson’s leadership principles in their organization to achieve their goals. These principles include listening more while speaking less as well as willing to learn on every point. More so, leaders should always do what they enjoy doing as constant motivation will persist leading to greater performance. Despite the use of these styles used by Branson and Golemen, it is essential to note the limitations that they pose to the business. Critically, it is the freedom that the employees are given to improve their strengths and confidence. This is a danger for the lazy employees who can misuse the given freedom. Besides, another limitation lies in within the different thoughts that selfish leaders employ. This is especial to the leaders who value their needs more than their employee’s needs. Moreover, more limitations can be observed in the case Goleman leadership techniques.in this context, some of the styles used can damage the company’s working backgrounds in the longer periods. As a result, the employees can become less committed and as well as inflexible. Lastly, the only convincing way in the case of Goleman styles is to use these styles at the appropriate time. Recommendations On the other hand, a leader should always understand the employee’s personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. This will help them involve employees in the activities that increase their strengths while reducing their weaknesses. Moreover, leaders should always give their employees freedom so that different ways of solving a problem can be invented. Lastly, leaders should ensure that the right techniques are used in controlling the emotions of the employees. With such step, the organization or any other business will succeed and enhance the accomplishment of the business objectives. Bibliography Branson, R. (2008). Business stripped bare. London: Virgin Books. Goleman, D., Goleman, D., & Goleman, D. (2011). Emotional intelligence, why it can matter more than IQ & Working with emotional intelligence. London: Bloomsbury. Branson, R. (2012). Like a Virgin. New York: Portfolio/Penguin Anon, (2015). [Online] Available at: http://News.roberthalf.co.uk/uk/news/management-and-leardership/9-leadership-skills-richard-branson-can-teach-you/801772669 [Accessed 16 Sep. 2015]. Manepatil, u. (2013). Situational leadership model. Ror, ii (VI), pp.1-4. Anon, (2015). [Online] Available at: http://www.educational-business-article.com/six-leadership styles.html [Accessed 16 Sep. 2015]. Read More