The Future of Leadership - Essay Example

The Future of Leadership Introduction This essay analyzes important developments in the field of leadership. In the recent decades, such developments involved the increase in new strategies of leadership development and an increasing understanding of the significance of the emotional quality of a leader with others. A progressing understanding that leadership development requires more than merely harnessing leaders has presently resulted in a better emphasis on the milieu where in leadership is created, systematic reflection on how to best exercise competencies of leadership, and concerns of work/life balance (Hernez-Broome & Hughes, 2004). Future developments involve interesting prospective progress in return on investment, technology, globalization, and new outlooks towards the nature and development of leadership. Reexamining the status of leadership over the past two decades, it is surprising to learn that HRP first released an editorial with the term ‘leadership’ in its heading after more than a decade (Storey 2004). The last twenty years have seen a proliferation of interest in the development of leadership in organizations. Several of the most notable trends and subject matters in the arena of leadership development in the recent two decades are classified either (1) the explosion of strategies in leadership development, or (2) the essence of the emotional quality of a leader with and influence on others (Nahavandi 2003). One evident pattern over the recent two decades has been the escalating use and understanding of the strength of various developmental skills (Howell & Costley 2001). Classroom-type leadership exercise is currently matched, or reinforced, with very diverse activities. Action learning is a group of exercises in organization development where in major actual organizational issues are addressed (Rost 1993). Three forms of goals are pursued, according to Palus and Horth (2003 as cited in Hernez-Broome & Hughes 2004): (1) providing assessable organizational outcomes; (2) share knowledge particular to a specific setting, and (3) expanding broader leadership abilities and competencies. Successful action training could range from unsupervised, implicit learning at work to facilitated and planned learning programs to transformations of organizations and individuals (Rost 1993). As stated by Ohlott (2004 as cited in Hernez-Broome & Hughes 2004), difficult job assignments are very effective type of leadership development and offer numerous of the developmental prospects in current organizations. The extent of organizational participation in establishing job assignments a component of the process of their leadership development ranges from merely informing people about developmental prospects in their present occupation to a methodical scheme of job rotation (Nahavandi 2003). Making use of job assignments for the objectives of development offers advantages that transcend the mere fact of accomplishing the job and could even provide competitive advantages for the organization (Howell & Costley 2001). Meanwhile, two decades ago, our knowledge of organizational leadership was governed by the traditional two-factor model emphasizing relationship and task patterns (Hernez-Broome & Hughes, 2004). That common model can be typified as inherently transactional, as differentiated from a qualitatively distinct model usually characterized as transformational (ibid, p. 24). Transactional leadership is typified by equally advantageous transactions between parties to maximize shared gains including the completion of required organizational duties. The ‘exchange-model nature’ (Hernez-Broome & Hughes, 2004, 24) of transactional leadership has a tendency to generate expected and quite brief results. Transformational leadership stirred the entrenched values and self-worth of subordinates, and resulted in greater degrees of for lower effort and dedication and more permanent change (Nahavandi 2003). Transformational leaders offer interesting images of a better future and encourage trust through apparently strong conviction and self-worth. The Future of Leadership A number of developments will have a key function in the future practice and interpretation of leadership. They distinctively embody the important contribution shifting perspectives will give to the field of leadership (Hernez-Bloome & Hughes, 2004, p. 25): 1. Leadership competencies will still matter; 2. Globalization/internationalization of leadership concepts, constructs, and development methods; 3. The role of technology; 4. Increasing interest in the integrity and character of leaders; 5. Pressure to demonstrate return on investment; and 6. New ways of thinking about the nature of leadership and leadership development. Leadership competencies will always be important, but they will transform as the competitive world evolves. Changes in the perspective where in leadership is practiced will push particular competencies increasingly to the forefront, such as public scrutiny of leaders’ integrity and character, the growing application of technology, and globalization (Storey 2004). Future leaders will have to be knowledgeable in conducting business globally and envisioning strategies internationally. Globalization will build up the need that leaders address successfully the challenging group of factors outside the organization, such as duty of managing the organization’s transaction with trade, media, political, and regulatory groups on a broad array of issues (Nahavandi 2003). The field of leadership is quickly advancing to include significant elements concerning global markets, international economic developments, and emphasis on specific areas like the Asia Pacific (Storey 2004). Leaders are educated with how the world is becoming mutually supporting and the demand to be informed with global developments that are important to business success (Hernez-Broome & Hughes 2004). Internet use to acquire information, products, and services globally is an issue in numerous current programs of leadership development. Conclusions The tasks of understanding the essence of leadership and putting into practice productive leadership development exercises will perhaps be greater in the coming decades. Simultaneously, we discover ourselves cautiously hopeful about the future of the leadership field. Our hopes are strongly linked to several of the developments that render the future exciting and challenging. Leadership development practices, for instance, will have to become fully integrated in the wider perspective of organizational structures and challengers. Hence, not merely will businesses have to recruit and harness leaders; they will as well have to be the form of organizations that cultivate and strengthen performance of the sorts of behaviors looked for in leaders. Fulfilling such tasks will be one major drive of more inclusive attempts in the future to show realistically the strategic function of individuals in organizations. References Hernez-Broome, G. & Hughes, R.L. (2004). ‘Leadership Development: Past, Present, and Future’, Human Resource Planning, 27(1), 24+ Howell, J.P. & Costley, D.L. (2001). Understanding behaviors for effective leadership. New York: Prentice Hall. Nahavandi, A. (2003). The art and science of leadership. New York: Prentice Hall. Rost, J.C. (1993). Leadership for the Twenty-First Century. Westport, CT: Praeger. Storey, J. (2004). Leadership in Organizations: Current Issues and Key Trends. London: Routledge. Read More