Current Events in Leadership - Case Study Example

Chapter one- Gender in leadership female leadership traits

Leadership and Gender Debate

One of the important and most contested debates is gender in leadership because, in most cases, leadership has been discussed from the viewpoint or perspective of the male gender (Eagle, 2015). When discussing leadership and gender, some of the topics or areas of study focus on such issues or areas like the perceived leadership roles of both women and men. More so, when have been discussed and study from the viewpoint of how they are effective in their leadership roles as well as the styles of leadership. For instance, for a long time, women have been studied by focusing on what leadership styles they always employ whereby Asgari, Dasgupta and Stout (2012) confirm that women embrace a participative leadership and as such, considered transformational leaders in comparison to their male counterparts who prefer directive and transactional styles. On the other hand, in every leadership context, women have tended to portray special or certain attributes like proper communication, affiliation, cooperation and nurturing or supporting others. More so, the female leaders tend to focus on building or embracing the establishment of a good relationship with the team. Conversely, the study or the exploration of the leadership topic from the gender perspective has been focused on identifying some of the different approaches that males and females use when making decisions. For instance, Eagle (2015) suggests that women tend to be democratic in their leadership approach, whereby they have strong tendency towards negotiating, communicating and facilitating the reduction of hierarchy or the obstacles in the interaction with the followers.

Female Leadership Traits

As such, the difference in the leadership skills or approaches employed by both females and males can be used to identify some of the female leadership traits. For one, female leaders focus on building a relationship with the followers as an implication that a female leader should have proper relationship building as an important character trait to make the leadership more efficient (Asgari, Dasgupta & Stout, 2012). Therefore, in their leadership endeavors, relationship building is an important character that one has to be accustomed to. In addition, leadership is all about effective communication and for the female leaders, they have been identified to be good at communicating with the team. Thus, for a female leader, it is imperative to exhibit proper communication traits, especially developing clear goals and defining proper lines and channels of communication. Communication is both oral or non-verbal and written; a female leader has to portray these traits (Eagle, 2015). Successful female leaders have been identified as those who are pain tolerant because the leadership scenarios are full with many changes thus obligating the women to be resilient. Besides, a woman, given the role females play in the society, should be good at multitasking as an implication that the leader has to show the characteristic traits of striking a proper balance between work life and the societal obligations like having to attend to the family matters. Collaboration matters a lot when it comes to leadership; thus, an effective female leader should show teamwork characteristics and as such, be able to apply or employ social skills in every leadership context (Eagle, 2015).

Chapter two- Leader-member exchange (LMX) relationship

The leadership-member exchange relationship stems from the fact that every leader has a particular way of treating the individual members of the team (Volmer, Spurk & Niessen, 2012). In some cases, a leader may have too much trust in particular individuals while developing less trust in others. However, understanding this relationship is best achieved by first visiting the leader-member exchange theory. According to the theory, the leader-member relationship takes place in three stages namely role-taking (assuming new roles), role-making (performing roles), and routinization (Harris & Kirkman, 2014). Firstly, the role-taking relationship happens when the members have first joined the team whereby the relationship is exclusively based on assessing the new skills of the members as well as the abilities. On the other hand, the role-making stage is whereby the relationship is built by the new members being assigned projects and as such, included as part of the team. In this type of relationship, the leader always expects the team members to show hard work, loyalty and proving that they are trustworthy (Harris & Kirkman, 2014). In the role-making group, the team members can be divided into in-group as members considered as the most trusted and loyal and all attention is given to this particular team. Conversely, a leader may organize the team based on the out-group whereby the relationship is determined or influenced by the team members who show low motivation, less trustworthy and as such, incompetent. Finally, the theory suggests that at the pinnacle of the leader-member relationship is routinization; routines are established between the team members and the leaders.

LMX and benefits to leaders and employees

The LMX has profound benefits to both leaders and the followers. To the leaders, ensuring high LMX relationships presents many advantages. For instance, high-quality engagement with the team members is a prerequisite for improved or positive team performance besides the benefits from self-efficacy that the followers have towards their tasks and the leadership (Volmer, Spurk & Niessen, 2012). Moreover, employees who experience high and quality LMX relationships makes the work or role of the leader easier by always taking more initiatives while the leader also shows commitment towards taking risks in accomplishing the set missions, building networks, extending capabilities as well as influencing others to perform better. Besides, such a leader is most likely to be promoted to the higher ranks. The leadership will not experience higher cases of high employee turnover besides the experience with higher satisfaction with the job (Harris & Kirkman, 2014). Furthermore, the workers are more likely to portray positive citizenship behaviors. Overall, a leader with a higher commitment towards positive LMX relationship enjoys working with a team that shows higher satisfaction, greater organizational commitment and increased productivity or better performance (Volmer, Spurk & Niessen, 2012).

Employees also stand to gain a lot from positive LMX relationships because with less or reduced workplace supervision they are more likely to show satisfaction with the job tasks (Volmer, Spurk & Niessen, 2012). The positive outcomes stem from the fact that with quality engagement, the employees have the necessary resources at their disposal; thus, being able to fulfill their job tasks in the most efficient manner. Besides, employees are entitled to more career progression when the engage effectively with the management. The implication is that employees who have developed positive interactions or trust and mutual respect with the leadership benefits a lot from the workplace favors and other benefits or incentives (Harris & Kirkman, 2014).

Chapter three- Charismatic & Transformational leadership or leader

Charismatic Leadership

Different styles approaches or styles of leadership are applied depending on the particular leadership context, and one of the extensively discussed approaches is charismatic leadership. As such, charismatic leadership relies on the persuasiveness and the charm of the leader as an implication that commitment and convictions ever drive these types of leaders to their common goal. Specifically, Day (2015) define charismatic leaders as those who strive at all costs to encourage and persuade individual behaviors through personal influence, eloquent communication and persuasion. In this regard, a charismatic leader always tries to inspire his or her followers to perform tasks in the best ways possible. An excellent example of charismatic leader documented in leadership studies is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who has gone down the history as a leader with such charisma who used powerful communication or oratory skills, engaging personality as well as commitment towards positive change to influence many people.

Transformational Leadership

On the contrary, transformational leadership is considered a better approach towards leading people and as such, is one of the situational leadership strategies (Avolio & Yammarino, 2013). As such, a transformational leader is described as an individual with vision and goal, striving to encourage, support and steer his or her followers towards change. There are essential elements of transformational leadership like the idealized influence implying that the leader acts as a role model who can be emulated by the followers. On the other hand, transformational leaders value on individualized consideration whereby they strive to support their members or engaging with the employees at the individual level. More so, the high level of engagement enables the transformational leaders to support or encourage followers at the individual level as such is necessary during change management situations. Most importantly, transformational leadership is driven by inspired vision whereby the leader sets a vision that inspires the followers to accept changes and as such, communicating the vision in a clear and concise manner (Avolio & Yammarino, 2013). Besides, transformational leadership is driven by inspirational motivation whereby the leader takes the responsibility and the entire necessary step to motivate the followers towards accepting the set vision. In this case, the success of transformational leadership is always based on the extent to which the followers are motivated, as this will determine their commitment towards the mission and goals of the organization. Finally, intellectual stimulation as one of the aspects of transformational leadership concerns giving the followers a chance and opportunities to nurture their skills and talents since such are necessary for advancement and career development.

Charismatic and transformational leadership often portrays a direct link or relationship because, at times, charismatic leaders and transformational leaders have been found to share many similarities. However, the difference is found in their audience and focus; whereas charismatic leaders focus on making a better status quo, transformational leaders focus on change, especially transforming their respective organizations towards a proper direction through vision (Avolio & Yammarino, 2013).

Chapter four- Employee job attitudes

Most importantly, employ-job attitude measures or tend to focus on determining the perception that the employees have towards their jobs. As such, the attitudes are determined or influenced by different aspects including the function or role, the working team as well as the inherent organizational culture (Judge & Kammeyer-Mueller, 2012). In addition, attitude, in the context of employment, concern such aspects as the culture, work environment, and job functions. In this case, the job attitudes not only have direct impacts on the perception that employees have towards their jobs but also how they perform the assigned tasks.

General types of job attitudes

Job attitude can be categorized into different aspects including the job lovers, job haters and job doers (Judge & Kammeyer-Mueller, 2012). The job lovers are those who dedicate their time and passion in doing their job. The attitude is always shown when an employee has fitted well into the company, and this type of attitude is positive as it influences other employees to do the same. On the other hand, job haters have a negative attitude towards the entire organization and the company. More so, job lovers are never comfortable with the jobs, have low motivation and show least commitment. Finally, there are the job doers whose attitude is not easy to define, but are somewhat comfortable with their job tasks.

Indicators of Job Attitude

Job satisfaction is one of the signs of job attitude because the amount of satisfaction accrued from the job directly links or relates to the attitude towards the organization and the job itself (Judge & Kammeyer-Mueller, 2012). The implication is that job satisfaction is an important element as a personal wok aspect and as such, directly reflects the perception and the view that the employee has towards the job. In this regard, the satisfaction aspect concerns how an employee does the job task as well as the perception that the company has on the way the individual does the job task. Job satisfaction as an indicator of job attitude is influenced or determined by many factors including opportunities for growth, recognition, equitability in both treatment and compensation.

On the other hand, engagement is one of the elements or indicators of job attitude. In particular, employees do not only show their attitudes towards their jobs from how best or worst they perform the job tasks but also the extent to which they have engaged or committed to the organization. As such, Judge and Kammeyer-Mueller (2012) define employee engagement as the degree to which employees are connected to the company and dedicate all efforts to make sure that the company is recording an outstanding growth besides reaching the set goals. For instance, a good indicator of positive attitude is how employees commit themselves to voluntary work as an indication that aside from the job, the employees are also committed to tasks outside their responsibilities especially those aimed at painting the company in a good way or good image.

Job involvement is another indicator of job attitude and as such, concerns the relationship that an employee has with the job and the enthusiasm (Judge & Kammeyer-Mueller, 2012). Therefore, attitude is indicated by how the employee executes his or her job tasks and as such, this influences the level or extent of the commitment towards the job.

Chapter five- Charismatic Leader Sir Richard Branson

Richard Branson is such a charismatic leader who has taken his company, Virgin Atlantic or the Virgin group to greater heights. There are different elements of leadership that make Branson such a charismatic leader. For one, the leader is visionary because he built his company, the Virgin Atlantic, on an extraordinary vision of providing exclusive private airline, though at affordable prices, but still able to meet the recommended international standards and satisfy the customers (Mitravich, 2015). On the other hand, his courage and confidence in making the Virgin Group such a force to reckon with in the airline industry indicate a leader who is committed towards success and transcending every obstacle or barrier to achieving the set goals and mission of the organization. As such, his approach to leadership explains the great success because so often, Branson has focused on task and relationship approach to his leadership. Charismatic leaders influence their followers through clear communication and enthusiasm. Particularly, Richard Branson is such a leader with clear objectives and always communicating his goals and mission of the organization in the most efficient and coherent manner (Schawbel, 2014).

Branson also understands the importance of providing support to the employees so that they can achieve the set goals and objectives. As such, his charismatic leadership approach is built on the focus on innovation whereby the leadership ensures that the employees are encouraged to innovate through internal integration and external adaptation (Mitravich, 2015). Besides, charismatic leaders influence their followers and such has been Richard Branson leadership attributes. For instance, he has had a personal influence and persuasion, as some of the qualities of charismatic leadership, and as such, used the influence to establish a strong foundation for the cultural assumptions for the company through his individual assumptions.

Most importantly, Branson charismatic leadership allows everyone in the organization to make their contributions towards the business ideas and strategies (Mitravich, 2015). On the other hand, he is such a leader who has placed the employees at the center of all decisions and operations and this coincides with one of the elements of charismatic leadership especially the necessity to have people or the followers at heart. In addition, Branson exhibits such personality traits that makes him a charismatic leader especially the empathetic attributes that has been the basis of his leadership success. Mainly, he always seems to care about people and considers that putting people first is the most important thing in leadership. Notably, by focusing or believing on inspiring people, Branson is seemingly confirming the assumptions of charismatic leadership that empathy is the basis for bringing the best out of people (Schawbel, 2014). For instance, the leader provides opportunities for nurturing and bringing the best out his employees because they have the opportunities to own stakes in the ventures. More so, the success of Virgin Atlantic has been attributed to creativity and innovation because Branson always provide or give the employees the opportunities to engage in creativity and the attitude is linked to a charismatic leader who not only wants the best for himself but also the people around him (Mitravich, 2015).

Chapter six- Narcissism in the Workplace

Narcissism in the workplace is one of the problems and major issues of the contemporary organizational contexts. The concept of narcissism is the approach used in dealing with others. Particularly, a narcissist is such an individual who has full perception or sense of self-importance whereby the views of others are less importance with much dislike for criticism (DuBrin, 2012). On the other hand, a narcissist leader is always full with unrealistic plans and fantasies. It also involves bullying at the workplace and as such, entails other aspects of workplace mistreatment like emotional and verbal abuse. In addition, it involves the exploitation of employees without considering their needs, expectations and even the importance they have or attach to the organization. Moreover, narcissism entails having on empathy to the employees whereby workers are being regarded or considered as just instruments, tools or objects, especially from the part of the leadership or the management. Furthermore, narcissism is a situation whereby an employee or the executive management uses others for their benefits. For instance, one can focus on being accredited for performance or achievement that he or she has not attained and as such, assuming the benefits or favors from the organization or the management.

Unfortunately, the western culture and society has been considered to be too much narcissistic in their workplaces. Some of the elements of narcissism at workplace include such aspects as competitiveness, over ambitious, and individualism (DuBrin, 2012). Some of the characteristics have been documented to be accredited to the narcissist employees and employers. For instance, such workplaces tend to harbor arrogance, self-centeredness, privileges and special treatment. On the other hand, the individuals are sometimes charismatic, funny and articulate; they seek favors or wanting something to be done.

A narcissist workplace is ever characterized by too much disrespect to boundaries and individual privacy (DuBrin, 2012). In this case, people do not have respect for the defining roles and responsibility and privacy is not such a concern. Also, a patronizing culture exists in such workplaces whereby people always tend to criticize others but are not ready to accept the criticism or engaging in disagreements with others. Such workplaces are also defined by instances of anxiety, rage reactions and unhealthy behaviors that can compromise the workplace relationships. Nonetheless, setting others for failure is the order of the day in such workplaces, with frequent instances of abuse and cruelty and targeting of others (DuBrin, 2012).