Category: Leadership

Explain the difference between leadership and management

Although the concepts of leadership and management have in the past been used simultaneously to imply comparable contexts, it is now clear that the two are distinct in major ways.

In their contextual definitions, it can be argued that leadership is distinct from management as the former involves a process of influencing others to willingly follow, while the latter underscores the capacity to achieve objectives with the resources available by maintaining the organisation in operation.

In terms of the main differences, scholars argue that leadership entails setting a direction and aligning people with organisational or team objectives, while management is largely involved in tasks such as planning, budgeting, organizing, and staffing.

Additionally, leadership employs the mastery of context and charisma to motivate people into action, while management utilises the control of the environment to achieve compliance. These elucidations clearly demonstrate that leadership has more strengths than management as it employs a whole range of human-centred factors to achieve compliance.

As an example, in team settings where participation is voluntary, a manager may have several difficulties in getting the team to deliver as he or she is unable to control the environment.

Explain why leadership is important within own team

Work teams are as effective and successful as their leaders, hence effective leadership is of primary importance within own team. The importance of leadership within own team is embedded in the fact that team members need to be influenced and motivated to achieve their personal best.

Additionally, in team settings, there is always the need to have a leader who is committed to clarifying about the expectations concerning how things might be done to achieve the set objectives.

Leadership is also important as it is charged with the responsibility of implementing metrics of performance and facilitating team cohesion, which basically entails creating an enabling environment through which members stick to each other and remain united as they pursue the teams set objectives.

For example, most teams in work-related settings consist of multidisciplinary as well as multicultural members, implying that leadership has an important role in developing strategies aimed at enhancing members self-esteem and efficacy, reducing stress levels, and increasing their willingness to share ideas with the view to achieving team cohesion.

Consequently, it can be argued that leadership within own team cannot be divorced from the success or failure of the team in meeting set objectives. The implications for ineffective leadership include disengaged team members, lack of clarity in group tasks or objectives, selective communication, lack of effective conflict handling mechanisms, and failure in the attainment of set goals and objectives.

Describe a range of different leadership styles

Numerous leadership styles have been documented in the literature, but this section samples three such styles, namely servant leadership, charismatic leadership, and transformational leadership. Servant leadership basically entails leading by first making a conscious decision to be of service to followers, with the view to influencing their growth and well-being.

Available leadership literature demonstrates that servant leaders are most likely associated with the participative leadership style and that the main characteristics of being a servant leader include listening effectively to others, understanding the feelings and perspectives of others, fostering the emotional and spiritual health and wholeness of members, as well as influencing them through persuasiveness.

As an example, it can be suggested that the behaviours and characteristics of Jesus Christ fit the description of being a servant leader.

Charismatic leadership style involves the use of charismatic traits, emotions and extroverted nature of leaders to move followers or team members into compliance.

Available literature demonstrates that charismatic leaders rise to positions of authority or influence due to their achieved status, ability to inspire others and instil moral values and/or acceptable models of behaviour, and capacity to have effective communication and interaction strategies with subordinates.

In team settings, for example, a leader may be viewed as charismatic not only for demonstrating capacity to relate well with the problems or struggles facing team members, but also instilling moral values in them with the view to effecting change.

Lastly, transformative leadership style works by inspiring positive changes in those who follow through the demonstration of energy and zeal to succeed, enthusiasm, involvement, and passion to assist every member of the group succeed.

Transformational leaders are proactive, visionary, adaptable and inspired, not mentioning that they demonstrate organisational consciousness, internal motivation and self-management, ability to make challenging decisions, and enthusiasm to listen and entertain new ideas.

In team settings, for example, a transformative leader is able to take control of the group and influence others by demonstrating traits/behaviours such as ability to convey a clear vision of the teams short-term and long-term objectives, capacity to express his or her passion for the work and commitment to the team, as well as ability to make other team members feel recharged and energized.

Describe the most commonly used leadership style within an organisation

Transformational leadership is definitely the most commonly used leadership style in own organisation, as leaders and managers have realised that employees need to be motivated using mutually fulfilling endeavours rather than rewards or punishments.

In this type of leadership style, leaders demonstrate commitment, enthusiasm, involvement and passion for the organisation and followers, with the view to not only creating a vivid organisational vision which elicits followers loyalty and trust, but also inspiring positive changes and prompting the highest levels of motivation and commitment amongst their followers.

In own organisation, most leaders demonstrate intellectual stimulation (challenging the status quo and encouraging creativity among employees), individualised consideration (providing support and encouragement to individual employees), inspirational motivation (articulating to employees a clear vision), and idealised influence (serving as a role model for employees), hence the justification to acknowledge that most leaders are transformational.

In own organisation, these leadership styles and behaviours are identified using a leadership assessment tool that is duly filled by employees regarding their perceptions of particular leadership styles and behaviours demonstrated by leaders.

Explain the likely effect this leadership style has on a teams performance.

Existing leadership scholarship demonstrates that transformational leadership has many positive effects not only on team members, but also in the attainment of the set goals and objectives.

For instance, idealised influence, or the ability to serve as a role model for other team members, has been positively associated with varied intermediate outcomes such as shared vision, team commitment to the set objectives, and an energised team environment where members corroborate with each other and with the team leader to generate results.

Equally, intellectual stimulation on the part of the transformational leader has been positively associated with team creativity and innovativeness, shared vision, as well as openness and independent thinking in the team. For example, team members led by a transformational leader often develop innovative problem-solving strategies and utilise them effectively in the pursuit of the set objectives.

A transformational leader demonstrating individualised consideration, for instance, has far more capacity to influence and motivate team members than a transactional leader employing the reward and punishment system, hence transformational leadership style is more effective in team contexts.

It is important to note that, in turn, the mentioned intermediate outcomes impact positively on the teams performance by reducing conflicts, enhancing team communication and cohesion, as well as focussing the team members on the attainment of the set goals.

A leader is an individual who leads other people to the achievement of a certain goal. A leadership trait makes a leader to be trusted. Honesty is a trait that requires a leader to be sincere and have integrity. In handling mistakes, a leader should admit failure and allow corrections.

Honesty should be displayed since in most cases people assume their leaders are dishonest. A leader should be forward looking by having visions for the future. The visions should be communicated to the team members.

To have a clear vision for the future, a leader should plan and strategize on things needed so that no empty promise is given to the people. Competency doesnt mean that a leader knows everything, but decisions made by the leaders should be satisfactory to the people. A leader should be reasonable and morally upright or emotionally stable on whatever he/she does. Intelligence helps a leader to solve challenging matters that others are not able.

Intelligence is acquired through formal and informal learning. An intelligent leader has humility and always helps people to learn without showing off how smart he/she is. Inspiration on people helps them to act beyond a certain boundary and become motivated to achieve something. A leader should show people that everything is possible with a positive attitude. A leader should be courageous in everything he undertakes (Howel and Costley, 2006, p. 104).

Leadership strategies make the leader to be thinking ahead, predictable and be able to solve any issues that arise. Time management is one of effective strategy a leader should have. Time consciousness makes a leader to focus on important things and do them on time. Ability for a leader to measure and improve productivity is important for goal success.

To improve productivity, a leader should have information on what the team members can contribute and issues preventing them from giving good results. Work and personal life balance strategy is important for a leader. Staff should get a balance between the private time and work time without being overworked because it is not healthy for goals achievement. For problem solving strategy, a leader should create a team that will solve problems.

To solve any problem in the right way, a leader should create a solution oriented question for the problem. Leaders should create a strong team to work with. Good team players give critical decision that helps in business growth (Howel and Costley, 2006, p. 107).

Leadership behavior should be good and powerful. A leader is expected to be respectful and treat other people in the right way. A leader should understand and review the needs of the team members. A leader should be persuasive in achieving visions and should always make people believe in the plans.

Some visions are hard to achieve because of challenges that may hinder success. It is important for any leader to have demonstrative character that focus on the plan accomplishment and the end results. A leader should demand for the entire truth and clarity from the team on any issue that need to be addressed.

It is impossible to have decisions on matters with little information. Leaders should not shy off or hide issues with little information because it does not benefit the people. Courage is an effective behavior on leaders. A leader should have enough courage to communicate any bad news to the people. Some leaders fear to admit to people on failed goals because they think they will be rejected. Courage makes the leaders to communicate their mind on touching issues, for example telling a person that his/her contribution in not necessary any more in the team. Courage also makes a leader to take some decisions however risky they are (Lorg, 2007, p.12).

List of References

Howel, J., and Costley, D. (2006). Understanding Behaviors for Effective Leadership.USA: Prentice hall

Lorg, G. (2007). The Character of Leadership: Nine Qualities That Define Great Leaders. USA: B&H Publishers.

The details of the experience

My experience of a bad leadership was when I was a member of a project management team made up of fifteen members. The team ran out of its allocated budget funds and had to scale back on its spending to finish the project within the stipulated time.

However, the team leader was not straightforward with team members on realizing that the only way to complete the project was by cutting stipend costs for the team as maximally as possible to leave the project development budget intact.

The reductions of team member compensation lead to a dip in morale that negatively influenced work performance. The realization that the team leader had deliberately influenced the pay cut without consulting team members brought a new dispute within the team of the role of the leader in shaping up the working environment of the team.

Unfortunately, instead of dialoguing with team members, the team leader dismissed their claims and request and chose to quell further misgivings in the team by releasing complainants from the team. As a result, the project completion delayed and the final quality did not meet the expected standards.

An analysis of the leadership behavior

The leadership behavior described in the above experience is autocratic. In this case, the leader did not want any team member to voice concerns that are against the leaders views. The leader dismissed the importance of communication within the team by deciding to decide what is best for the team without consulting.

The leaders approach of dealing with arising disputes is not sustainable and left team members with a low self-esteem. The autocratic nature also comes out when the leader failed to accommodate team members and used their expulsion from the team as a way to tow other team members into line. The leader failed to lead by an example during the financial difficulty facing the team and instead forced the team members to accept new conditions.

Research Supporting the Negative Leadership Behavior Description

Daft and Lane (2008) indicate that leadership traits alone do not make up a leadership quality and that behavior plays a key role in defining a leadership style. The authors further indicate that positive leaders inspire action in their teams and adopt their behaviors to suit the condition even when changing their behaviors goes contrary to their personality traits.

According to Schafer (2010), ineffective leaders lack a proper work ethic and do not show integrity in their work. Ineffective leaders are uncaring to their subordinates and do not appreciate the diversity of opinion in their teams.

The authors report that their empirical findings indicate that most sought after trait of a leader that is significant in project management is honesty. Team members judge their leaders honey policy through direct communication with the leader and by observation of how the leader conducts leadership roles. Finally, a leaders failure to demonstrate honesty and integrity leads to a drop in the efficacy of any team.

According to Hamilton (2008), an autocratic leader improves the time taken by teams to make decisions. However, the author cautions that the timely decision-making does not usually encompass the input and concerns of all team members.

While there is an increasing favor of team project management by organization, the autocratic leadership style is becoming rare because of its characteristic on a one-way communication from the leader to team members. One-way communication does not improve team member accountability of tasks performed.

When the working environment in a team is bad then team members become dissatisfied less committed to voluntary completion of their assigned tasks. Wells and Peachy (2011) support this view and present empirical findings of their study that shows transformational leaders display positive leadership behaviors.

Transformational leaders encourage their employees to express their concerns and interests in the organization even when those interests go contrary to the leaders intentions. The authors posit that the main cause of voluntary organization departure intentions for employees lies in unfavorable communication environment.

A recommendation for strengthening leadership behavior

It is important for leaders to question themselves whether as team members they would be happy with the leadership behavior they demonstrate. Secondly, leaders should aim to create a positive influence to their teams and therefore must refrain from demonstrating behaviors that seems questionable and display a lack of appreciation for team members. Leaders should plan, clarify their intentions, have personal relations with team members and use effort recognition to demonstrate desirable qualities of the team.

Planning allows an effective leader to engage team members properly in accomplishing tasks. Clarifying of roles and objectives forms the core of the initiating structure behaviour of the leader and monitoring operations and performance facilitates the effectiveness of other behaviours.

Specific relations behaviours are important in demonstrating a concern for people. They are namely; supporting which results to less absenteeism as well as a reduction in other non-favourable behaviours of subordinates like alcoholism. Secondly, developing offers mutual cooperative relationship as it allows team members faster career advancement. Lastly, recognition allows the leader to communicate using symbolism of the teams values and priorities. Recognitions occur in the form of praise, awards and recognition ceremonies.

References

Daft, R. L., & Lane, P. G. (2008). The Leadership experience (4th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.

Hamilton, C. (2008). Communicating for Results: A Guide for Business and the Professions. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Schafer, J. A. (2010). Effective leaders and leadership in policing: traits, assessment, development, and expansion. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 33(4), 644-663.

Wells, J. E., & Peachey, J. W. (2011). Do leadership behaviors and satisfaction with the leader matter? Team Performance Management, 17(1/2), 23-40.

Introduction

In organizations, effective leadership is important in ensuring that achievement of objectives is realized. Leadership facilitates the attainment of a explicit goal or objective. The goal is common among all the people. To be an effective leader, it is imperative that all objectives are clear and every member understands his or her role.

Various theoretical frameworks and explanations provide insights on various ways that objectives become achievable through effective leadership. Besides, ways of exercising leadership differ across the board. This expository essay illuminates on the broader concept of organizational leadership. The paper will utilize various standpoints held by critical thinkers who have been pivotal throughout this course.

Theoretical Frameworks of Leadership

There are various theories that explore the concept of leadership especially in organizational context. Ciulla (2003) explicates that leaders ought to adopt a style that suits their situation. While that is so, leaders have to exhibit specific traits that make them stand out in a group. Trait theories articulate that leaders have intrinsic ability to influence others.

This implies that leaders are inborn and not everyone in the society is able to assume a position of leadership. Another theory that explains the concept of leadership involves cognition and learning. The theorists assert that people acquire leadership traits through experience and being in a position of followership.

Thus, everyone can assume a position of leadership as long as they have acquired enough experience to lead a group towards its goals and objectives. These are among many theories that explain leadership in the context of organization.

Further, it is important to notice that exercise of leadership is dependent on the strategy that a leader assumes. Ellis & Harper (1997) says that transformative leaders will employ a style that is convincing to people and use their charisma to enhance the achievement of organizational goals.

This is contrary to dictatorial and authoritative leaders who not only use their authority to decide the course that a group takes but also dismiss teamwork. Situational leaders on the other hand will always attempt to handle every matter as it arises (Yukl, 2006). They are also synonymous to contingent leaders who respond to different situation as they crop up. Indeed, they do not have any prior plans that anticipate situations.

In the contemporary world, the need for supportive leaders is increasing. This is in lieu of the fact that leaders will be the focal point of every organization in ensuring that members achieve their goals as planned.

They support and encourage their members without any form of discrimination. In addition, they allow members to participate meaningfully when working towards a common goal. This way, members are able to contribute important insights that lead to improvement of the organization.

Ciulla (2003) says that organizations should be able to ensure that all members are able to give their opinions. She further says that effective communication where information flows from the staff members to the management is the best way to enhance ethical and effective leadership (Ciulla, 2003).

This way, a leader is able to understand the emotional intelligence of all members and make sure that they do not cross the line when issuing instructions (Ellis & Harper, 1997). To this end, members become committed to the organization making it easy for the leaders to achieve effectiveness. Nonetheless, it is upon the leader to adopt a leadership style that he or she feels will be able to motivate the group towards the objectives.

Individual and Organizational Leadership

Spence et al. (2004) articulate that organizations are composed of different individuals who fulfill their roles and responsibilities to achieve its objectives. As such, various individuals perform their duties at different capacities. Of particular interest are leaders of departments and other functions of the organization.

As a leader, it is important to ensure that the members are able to comprehend their roles in a clear manner (Ellis & Harper, 1997). This is possible through effective communication and support.

The leaders should be in a position to form a team through which various abilities, talents and skills become apparent. In addition, the leader should be able to inculcate an element of trust among his followers. This way, members will open up and give the leader a chance to understand their emotional intelligence.

While some members respond to a specific situation in a calm way, others may react in an opposite way. As such, emotional intelligence is the key to unraveling the character that every member possesses. Ciulla (2003) explains that an individual who occupies leadership position in an organization ought to understand the aforementioned aspects of group members. According to Hobbes, a leader has power.

Power within an organization is positional. It ought to propel an individual to ensuring that the organization achieves its mandate, which to large extents, involves influencing others. To this end, a leader should be able to comprehend the aspects of power that could impede the achievement of goals.

Effect of Ethical Leadership in Organizations

In the modern business environment, the concept of ethical leadership has become a norm. Corporations are seeking to control their activities and limit them to only those that yield benefits for all stakeholders.

Ethics are guidelines of acting in a way that does not injure humanness of people in the pretext of increasing profit margins. While it is true that many organizations have entrenched ethical frameworks in their decision-making processes, sometimes they experience ethical dilemmas. This is when the interests of the organization are at stake for taking ethical standpoints.

For instance, McDonalds fast food company embarks on an aggressive social responsibility regardless of its financial performance. The company has suffered immensely from health practitioners articulations that junk food is unhealthy for people. Nonetheless, the fast food giant continues to make substantial amounts of revenues notwithstanding the health issues raised regarding fries and junk.

Should a company bear the social obligation to meet the demands of the society despite making profits from hazardous goods to consumers? Apparently, the major objective of any corporate organization is to maximize on profits and increase the wealth of the shareholders.

This case presents two moral dilemmas for an organization. First, despite profiting from unhealthy products, the company continues to direct substantial proportion for the revenues to corporate social responsibility. Is it worthwhile? Second, to what extents are companies morally obligated to assume moral standpoints yet the main objective of a company is to increase its profit margin and increase the value for its shareholders.

Corporate social responsibility reflects reward power to the society where the company reaps benefits from sales and rewards the society through the initiative (Spence et al., 2004). The use of reward power by McDonalds has helped the organization to meet its objectives amidst calls for a paradigm shifts in eating habits.

Yukl (2006) explicates that the most important aspect of an organization that the leaders ought to understand entails dealing with stakeholders in a manner that does not lower their value. According to Yukl, does the company have the moral obligation of helping the society?

Leaders ought to be the representatives of organizations and as such, they act in line with the organizations objectives (Yukl, 2006). By embarking on the aggressive social responsibility strategy, the leaders are just acting in line with the objective of making unprecedented profits and the strategy reflects use power influence.

Further, the concept of power and self-interests elucidated by Plato could infer that McDonalds has centralized power of influencing both the employees as well as the society. Plato sees no rationale for embarking on such strategy since it would imply that people have power.

He distances himself from people power and argues that the company, which in this case represents the Republic, should not bear any moral obligation for the society (Bostock, 2000). In essence, the society has no mandate to demand any source of help from the company.

The wielder of power, in this case, McDonalds bear the mandate of distributing power in any manner it feels best address the interests of the people without coercion. Due to the power of self-interests, McDonalds should focus on its objectives, which is to increase the wealth of its owners rather than distributing its revenues to people (Annas, 1981).

The self-interests of the shareholders should prevail as opposed to the need to address societys issues, which is in itself contradicts the essence of the Republic. Annas (1981) points out that leaders of the organization who are the shareholders and management should concentrate power for the sake of achieving individually motivated goals and objectives.

Contrary to the views of Plato, Hobbes could judge the dilemma from different perspectives. His perspective of power, which in this case is wielded by McDonalds, should be in relation to other people. In his masterpiece, The Leviathan, Hobbes says that power is relational to other people without whom there would be no any phenomenon referred to as power (Ellis & Harper, 1997).

Hence, McDonalds has wielded relative power given that the consumers continue to have faith in the company. To that end, the exercise of power should be with the aim of ensuring that the organizations stakeholders have the satisfaction with the organization. This way, the company will continue making profits and achieve it financial and organizational goal.

This raises the next question, to what extents are companies obligated to have a social responsibility initiative? Hobbes argues that there is a minimum standard power that people should possess.

In what he referred to as ceding power, McDonalds aggressive corporate social responsibility should be seen as a way of showing that people hold this type of power. It is therefore important for the company to act devoid of self-interests and provide healthy foods to the consumer as a show of ceding power (Zaccaro et al., 2001).

Niccollo Machiavelli would argue in line with his premise that human nature is typical of endless competition. In fact, the essence of life is to ensure that every person gets an edge over others. Applying this argument to the context of an organization, McDonalds should not relent on its current strategy whether or not the food they serve are healthy.

Antonakis et al. (2009) assert that the company should focus on ensuring that it maximizes on profits without considering the consequences of its operations on the society or consumer. This is in lieu of the fact that an organization should aim at posing the increased competition with other food industry despite the means it uses.

Owing to this nature of human beings, the revenues of the company should not fund corporate social responsibility since it negates human nature (Ciulla, 2003). Machiavelli infers that an organization should act selfishly and amass wealth for the stakeholders who ultimately should understand that life is short, nasty and brutal (Davis & Blomstrom, 1975).

Despite such radical standpoint held by Machiavelli, all organizations are selfish because competition is a reality in business environment. As such, all companies aim at having an edge over others in order to increase their earnings and enrich the stockholders as opposed to the stakeholders.

To the contrary, Rand conceptualizes the concept of power by elucidating that practical power is important and inherent aspect of human beings (Carroll & Buchholtz, 2006). Therefore, McDonalds consumers should be able to question the motives of the organization and demand the company to give back to the society through corporate social responsibility.

Conclusion

In essence, leadership is an important aspect of organizations. Various theories attempt to explain leadership from different standpoints. They include cognition, behavioral and traits among many others. These theories attempt to unravel the reasons behind successful leaders in organizations and amplify the role of individuals in an organization.

Further, it is important to emphasize the importance of ethical leadership and dilemmas. The aforementioned case of McDonalds gives an illustration of various ways that an organization can face ethical dilemmas despite adopting ethical decisions.

References

Annas, J. (1981). An introduction to Platos Republic. Oxford: Clarendon Press

Antonakis, J., Ashkanasy, N. & Dasborough, M. (2009). Does leadership need emotional intelligence? The Leadership Quarterly, 20 (2), 247261.

Bostock, D. (2000). Aristotles Ethics. New York: Oxford University Press.

Carroll, A. & Buchholtz, A. (2006). Business and Society: Ethics and Stakeholder Management. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-Western.

Ciulla, B. (2003).The Ethics of Leadership. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Thompson-Wadsworth Publishers.

Davis, K. & Blomstrom, R. (1975). Business and Society: Environment and Responsibility. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Ellis, A. & Harper, R. (1997). A Guide to Rational Living. Hollywood, California: Wilshire.

Spence, L., Habisch, A. & Schmidpeter, R. (2004). Responsibility and Social Capital. The World of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. New York: Palgrave.

Yukl, G. (2006). Leadership in Organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Zaccaro, J., Rittman, L., & Marks, A. (2001). Team leadership. Leadership Quarterly, 12(4), 451-483.

The article under analyzes is called The Social Scientific Study of Leadership: Quo Vadis? and is dedicated to the analysis of relationships between leaders and organizational culture (House 409).

Due to the fact that most research studies are associated with Western industrialized culture, specific attention is made to the analysis of leadership paradigms, including trait, contingency, behavior, and neocharismatic theories. Therefore, the author provides new techniques and directions in exploring leadership theories.

While examining leadership trait paradigms, the author focuses on the individual features that distinguish leaders from followers. A large number of characteristics are associated with gender, physical attributes, appearance, and psychological traits (House 412).

In fact, the investigated traits have become strongly associated with leader efficiency. The obvious connection is especially seen leaders operate in organizational setting with insufficient technical requirements where the focus is mad on the degree to which they are able to motivate their employees and delegate various situations.

Behavioral models are also applicable to discussion of leadership approaches. In particular, behavioral responses to various situations identifying the common characteristics of leaders are also among the paradigms related to senior control.

Contingency theory relies on leaders ability to interact into various situational realms. The performance metrics concerns the leader responses and behavioral reactions to other employees action. Situation control is an important indicator of leadership skills.

Such frameworks as path-goal theory, life-cycle theory, cognitive resource theory, and decision process approach have been introduced within this context. Leader-member exchange framework is among the modern theories that discuss the relationships between leaders and their subordinates.

Finally, the author discusses neocharismatic theory that consists in sub-theoretical paradigms, including charismatic leadership, transformational leadership, and value-based theory of leadership.

All these frameworks belong to a common genre and identify how leaders control organizations to found, develop, and growth of successful firms. Corporate culture evolution is also involved into the analysis to discuss how competition contributes to leadership policies.

Finally, such a theoretical approach allows the scholars to understand how particular leaders are able to introduce strategies for encouraging, motivating, and enhancing the potential of their staff.

This is of particular concern to leaders versatility and ability to predict what external and internal factors influence employees performance. Further discussion is dedicated to the analysis of related research studies to define what theories are popular among current leadership practices.

Apart from personality and behavioral traits, the author also pays attention to leadership styles that are based on the above-presented paradigms. In this respect, the focus is made on cultural and social environment that make leaders act in a specific way.

In conclusion, it should be stressed that the article produces a multifaceted view on leadership theories and allows scholars to gain a deeper understanding of what strategies should be implemented to enrich organizational culture and build a highly competitive environment.

The author also attains much importance to leaders individual skills. Although the given studies introduce cultural limitations, the discussion of new paradigms complements the existing theories in leadership.

With regard to the above-presented information, the following questions for the discussion are presented:

1. What theories, models, and frameworks are applicable to a modern business environment?
2. How have the described theories contributed to the traditional outlook on theory?
3. What theories should not be employed and why?
4. What leadership styles can you describe?

Works Cited

House, Robert, J. The Social Scientific Study of Leadership: Quo Vadis?. Journal of Management. 23.3 (1997): 409-473. Print.

Heathers success

Heather was 100% successful in negotiating for her demands. The purpose of Heathers meeting with the executive committee was to negotiate for her approval to hire three marketing representatives. Although her request received much logical opposition, she persuaded the committee until it approved the hiring of one representative. Heather was to use the approval to prove the worth of her strategy.

If the hired representative proved worthy to the company, then the executive would grant Heather full hiring approval. Based on her persuasive power during the meeting, Heather demonstrated confidence in the success of the investment.

Therefore, she was optimistic that the chance given by the executive would prove the worthy of her plans and eventually get the full approval. To Heather the one approval indicated the executives agreement to her plans.

Did Heather leave anything on the table?

Yes. The executive committee did not approve all her demands at once but promised to do so after the hired representative proved a good investment for the growth of the business. It therefore implies that the executive had to keep track of the performance of this representative. It further means that series of meetings were to take place between Heather and the committee to evaluate the performance of the representative.

In these future meetings, Heather would empirically demonstrate and convince the executive the worth of the investment. The executive would therefore grant the full approval to Heather on the basis of the empirical information. Heather therefore expected to organize other meetings in future with the executive.

Leadership Characteristics Displayed

Heather displays good speaking and listening skills. Listening and speaking are fundamental leadership skills for effective implementation of policies. Leaders should possess excellent speaking skills to enable them pass fundamental information about the company (Gallos, 2008, p. 102). In Heathers case, the executive is not aware of Heathers strategy to hire sales representatives.

The introduction Heather gives to the executive on the subject at the beginning of the meeting demonstrates high level of speaking skills. Throughout the meeting, Heather provides informative responses to the members, thereby illustrating excellent skill of listening. She is indeed an active listener.

Heather demonstrates effective communication skills. Leaders should possess effective communication skills to enhance information flow within an organization. Heather understands effective channels to negotiate her demands. According to Dubrin (2010), face-to-face communication is an effective tool of employee/manager engagement, a concept Heather applies to negotiate her claims to the executive (p.24).

Heather also demonstrates high skills in overcoming barriers to communication. The executive consists of members with different views on her subject, which acts to impede Heathers success; however, she confronts the barriers until eventually the executive grants her approval.

Heather also demonstrates excellent conflict resolution and management skills. Her capability to convince the executive despite their varied perceptions on her demand, illustrates high levels of her accommodation. Heather is also persuasive. Good leaders should have the power to convince and persuade others; their junior or seniors, in support of practical evidences (Dubrin, 2010, p.34).

This character enhances adoption of policies, which are important to the leaders department of jurisdiction. In this case, Heather uses external and internal economic trends of the company to persuade the executive to approve her demands.

Finally, Heather demonstrates her charismatic abilities of leadership; she has appealing and influential personality. Good leaders influence other employees and the management to adopt strategies for business success and in Heathers case; she influences the executive to approve her demands.

References

Dubrin, A. (2010). Leadership: Research Findings, Practice, and Skills. USA: Rochester Institute of Technology.

Gallos, V.J. (2008). Business Leadership: A Jossey-Bass Reader the Jossey-Bass Business & Management Series. USA: John Wiley and Sons publishers.

Introduction

Leadership can basically be defined as the process in which an individual provides directions or a process of social influence, which is enlisted by a person together with assistance from others to attain or rather accomplish a common goal.

Leaders are persons entrusted by the society to bring change in their state of living: positive changes that will enable them coexist and accomplish various goals in life. Therefore, leadership is all about providing directions to a group of people.

There exist various perspectives or meanings attributed to leadership based on the finding of various researchers. For instance, the effectiveness of leadership based on gender conducted between 1967-1987 by Eagly and Johannesen (2003, p.570) found that leadership styles among the genders was more stereotypical.

Earlier researchers distinguished between two leadership styles namely the task oriented and interpersonally oriented style.

While task oriented approach concerns accomplishments of the tasks assigned without necessary placing emphasis on the procedures in which the tasks were accomplishment, interpersonally oriented style concerns close engagement through relationships with others by addressing the subjects welfare and morale. Further, there exist two categories of leaders: democratic and autocratic.

Democratic leaders are accommodative and allow participation of subjects in decision making as opposed to autocratic leaders provide directives to their subordinates.

This therefore illustrates the different kinds of leaders and there approach. Contemporary researches applauses the transformational leaders who inspire and motivate their followers by nurturing their abilities to contribute positively to the growth and success of the organization.

Transformational leadership is a form of leadership that is inclusive and is ready to change from the traditional way of doing things. As Bass (1998, p. 87) points out, transformational leaders project themselves as role models hence gaining the confidence and trust of their followers.

They state and define their future goals and ambitions further coming up with appropriate plans in order to achieve the goals. Furthermore, they are innovative and are not overwhelmed by status quo hence they always yearn to be successful in their leadership. They therefore are agents of change in society.

However, as the paper reveals, leadership comes in handy in nurturing changes in the society based on its vital roles it plays ranging from ensuring the participation of people in decision-making, coming up with innovative ideas, organizing the work, and planning all of which aim at bringing the followers together and towards a common goal.

Roles of leadership in transforming the society

Good leadership is supposed to transform the society into a productive and vision-oriented unit. For instance, in various organizations, it proves hard, if not impossible, to witness change without the involvement of the top management or the leaders.

Therefore, most of the transformation and changes in organization is solely dependent on the direction and leadership or the responsibilities entrusted to the leaders (Brown & Mitchell 2010, p. 601).

The powerful guiding coalition in an organization is important in ensuring success of the institutions and to the society at large. A powerful and a transformational leader will unite the top leadership in an institution towards the achievement of a common goal in an institution with the fruits extending to the society.

There is also need for the leaders to focus on the most important things in an organization to provide better solutions to the various problems that face the organization. This flexibility and sense of urgency drives the organization towards achievement of its objectives.

Leaders should have a vision to plan and achieve the changes and meet the interests and the expectations of the society. A vision acts as a guiding principle of what the institution wants to achieve or where the organization wants to be after a given number of time.

It also allows the organization to plan for any future needs of the people or the institution. Therefore, being visionary transformational leaders impacts positively to the society as the therein plans and visions will stand a chance to accomplish the expected changes in the society.

One of the aspects of transformational leaders is development of its followers (Avolio & Gibons 1988, p.290). These kinds of leaders normally evaluate the capabilities of their followers based on the current activities or fulfillments that they can carryout at the same time considering possibilities of expanding their future responsibilities and knowledge.

This approach hence assists in identifying and developing of different talents among the followers making them to identify their areas of strength and assist them in nurturing them to full potential. Therefore, transformational leaders bring a big change among its followers/society in developing of their full potentials.

Furthermore, as Burns (1978, p.78), the originator of the transformational theory postulates, it assists in motivating the followers to satisfy their self-actualization needs. These kinds of leaders expand the followers portfolios by arousing their dormant needs.

This is an attribute that positively impacts to the society in terms of growth and development and their scope of knowledge and skills. Therefore, this kind of leadership is vital and crucial in the society as it ensures that society grows to more advanced stages higher than their current or present status.

Transformational leadership has also a role in shaping the moral development of the followers. The followers illustrate this as they transcend their own self-interest for the sake of enhancing the team or an organization as a whole (DeRue & Ashford 2010, p. 630).

The society is able to abide by the moral values that are required by the mainstream society by following the desired values as opposed to abiding to personal interests. These therefore help in enhancing the moral standing of the society at large creating a spirit of togetherness and collectivist orientation.

Another role of leadership is to empower the followers. Empowering the followers or society is ensuring that they are independent and autonomy, they can participate in various areas of decision making in the society.

It shows a sign of elevation and empowerment as the members of the society will be able to feel accommodated and appreciated.

Bass and Avolio (1990, p. 240) points out, transformational leaders enhance or provide an opportunity for the followers capacity to think on their own without being influenced by any person, they can develop their new ideas, and are able to question the authority or leadership of the day about certain issues that they feel are not in the right manner.

Leadership role is also in empowering other members of the society in order to have a good opportunity in eradicating any obstacles that may hinder changes in the society. By empowering some of the members of the society they feel a sense of belonging and partisans hence promoting embrace of various changes.

This also ensures that those issues of systems that hinder or undermine the visions are eliminated allowing the realization of the vision. It also ensures the society takes risks of getting involved in nontraditional ideas or activities or actions with the aim of attaining the vision.

Therefore, it is the function or the role of leadership to ensure that the members of society are empowered from them to be able to attain the vision of the organization set.

Shamir (1991, p.99) also supported the need for the transformational leaders to show independence on their followers of society. This independent is important as it enables the society to have autonomy and freedom to express their views and ideas.

Avolio and Gibbons (1988, p.260) also argue that the role of leadership is to ensure that the followers develop a sense of self-management and self-development.

All these observations remain geared at ensuring that the society or the people who make up the society are able to make their own decisions and feel that they are able to make important decisions that pertain to their own life and society.

Leadership also plays a role of a role model. Leaders ought to demonstrate good leadership to the society and to their followers. The way the leader carries around themselves, through verbal and non verbal interactions speaks volume about the success and the capability of leaders.

The leaders should be able to advance the culture and the beliefs that conform to that which the society requires at large in order for the culture of the organization to be maintained. In acting as a role model, a leader is also supposed to demonstrate qualities of a good leader like being innovative, creative, good problem solve among other attributes (Hayes 2010, p. 50).

Such leaders will exhibit good leadership qualities acting as a reference point in the society, and hence standing a chance to advance or promote cohesion and development of a society in different facets in their lives.

It is also the responsibility of the leadership to ensure that planning is carried away for instance performance improvements, creations of the improvements and recognizing and rewarding those employees undertaking the improvements.

By doing this the society will be ale to rip from a well-planed and organized leadership, which will have the ability to deliver their services to the society or to their followers.

Leadership has also the role of motivating and making the society to be flexible and accept changes that the organization may introduce in an organization. This requires a lot of skills and avenues for the leaders to convince the followers to accept a given change.

A good leader will be able to employ the right strategies in convincing his followers to avoid resisting to adapt to a given change that the organization has introduced in their institution. This role of leaderships is important as it helps the leaders to introduce beneficial changes which are abided by the society for their own benefits without resistance.

The society is time again involved in crisis and problems that requires creative minds to solve them. This therefore calls for appropriate leadership skills and competencies to be able to solve the problems amicably.

One of the roles that leadership does is ensuring that there is better ways or directions in solving problems that affects society. A leader who cannot be able to solve problems in a society will not be able to carry out his mandate well since the society will look down upon him and will lack trust and confidence in him.

Therefore, it is imperative that leaders should be good problem solvers in order to demonstrate their capabilities and efficiency during such instances.

Leadership is also entailed to scanning into the environment and looking at the opportunities and challenges and taking the best options urgently. For instance, an organizational leader should be able to establish competitive realities available and be able to act urgent to the situation to avoid escalation of the events of activities leading to further complexion (Hayes 2010, p. 46).

It s also vital that identification and discussion of crises, potential rises and any major opportunities present in the environment are well addressed urgently for the organization to exploit and take advantage in such like circumstances. By doing this a leader will have a competitive edge over his competitors hence being able to sustain his organization even during tuff times.

It is also the role of leadership to form a team or a coalition within an organization to discuss a given proposal in that organization for the better of the organization.

From such like coalitions, important issues may be deliberated making the organization or the management as a team realizes their goals hence achieving their goals.

This role is equally important as it ensures that important issues are debated and concrete conclusions are reached to aid the organization in moving forward and meeting the needs of the society at large.

It is the responsibility of the leadership to communicate any vision to its stakeholders in good time for them to be aware and ready for any change, if any, to avoid surprises and any conflicts arising.

One can achieve the communication of the vision through employment of different vehicles or channels that best meets the needs of the stakeholders (Brown & Mitchell 2010, p. 590).

This role is also important since it will allow the stakeholders or the follower to contribute or air out their views concerning the same hence allowing appropriate changes to be adopted to ensure good results in the future.

Leadership roles also includes ensuring that the already attained improvements are well sustained and maintained and at the same time forging ahead towards achieving more change that is positive to the organization and even to the society.

One can consolidate and even advance improvements in institutions through hiring, promotion or developing employees that are able to implement the vision of the institution or by rejuvenating processes in an organization with new projects, change agents and themes that are able to stir the organization towards higher levels (Athalye 2010, p.23).

These strategies can be employed in ensuring sustainability and consolidation of the improvements. This is a role of leadership since it shows some sense of flexibility, direction and innovation geared towards attainment of certain objectives.

Institutionalization of new approaches is another role that leadership does in organizations. It involves proper articulation of the connections between some of the new behaviors and corporate success.

This entails matching these new designs and the magnitude they will create to the level of success of the organization. A visionary leader will have this in mind so as to be always prepared to take opportunities present in the environment for the benefit of the organization.

Development of means or avenues that ensures that leadership is success is also put into consideration in an effort to ensure that the organization achieves its goals.

Another important role of leadership is to promote good moral values, beliefs and culture. Different communities have different cultures because of the evident different orientation and environment (Athalye 2010, p.9).

Good leadership styles ought to borrow and abide by the cultures and the values of the follower going astray or against from the set cultural beliefs would amount to trespass and lack of respect which may lead to a feeling or betrayal hence leading to retaliations.

Therefore, it is important that leadership apart from initiating changes in their roles; they also consider the salient cultural aspects of the society in order to avoid retaliations.

Conclusion

Based on the expositions made in the paper, it suffices to declare leadership a broad area of study. Several researchers have come up with different perspectives and views, theories about leadership and leaders.

The most cherished and seen as democratic or current leadership style or theory is the transformational advanced by Burns. This theory of leadership suggests that leadership ought to be flexible, innovative and have sense of autonomy in order to stir change.

Furthermore, there are many roles that leadership does, as discussed above illustrating the significance of leaders in the society.

References

Athalye, R., 2010. Transformational Leadership through Role Models: How B-Schools Can Teach New Paradigms of Leadership. SIES Journal of Management, 6 (2), pp. 1-10.

Avolio, B., & Gibbons, T., 1988. Developing transformational leaders: A life span Approach. Charismatic leadership: The elusive factor in organizational Effectiveness: 276-308. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Bass, B., 1998. Transformational leadership: Industry, military, and educational impact. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Bass, B., & Avolio, B., 1990. The implications of transactional and transformational Leadership for individual, team, and organizational development. Research in Organizational Change and Development, 4, pp.231-272

Brown, M., & Mitchell, S., 2010. Ethical and Unethical Leadership: Exploring New Avenues for Future Research. Business Ethics Quarterly, 20 (4), pp.583-616.

Burns, J., 1978. Leadership. NY: Harper & Row. DeRue, S., & Ashford, S., 2010. Who will lead and who will follow? A Social Process Of Leadership Identity Construction in Organizations. Academy of Management Review, 35 (4), pp. 627-647.

Eagly, H., & Johannesen C., 2003. Transformational, Transactional, and Laissez-Faire Leadership Styles: A meta-analysis comparing women and men. Journal of Psychological bulleting, 129 (4), pp. 569-579.

Hayes, J., 2010. The Theory and Practice of Change Management. Palgrave: Macmillan.

Shamir, B., 1991. The charismatic relationship: Alternative explanations and predictions. Leadership Quarterly, 2, pp. 81-104.

Introduction

The following article is concerned with applying the adaptive leadership in the issue of Aboriginal reconciliation and how it links to leadership by going through the 7 stages in Daglish book Leadership, Understanding its Global Impact, and how these steps are applied in lights article.

However it is important to first determine what leadership and Aboriginal reconciliation entails before examining its application ion the issue of Aboriginal reconciliation. Leadership is about influence i.e. leaders influence people to perform their duties effectively and enthusiastically. Leaders thus influences their followers to carry out their duties in a more cohesive and coherent manner so that they can achieve their objectives.

Adaptive leadership on the other hand entails the leadership that is aimed at changing the environment i.e. the leadership that is concerned with addressing the active leadership rather than passive one so as to change according to the situations. Both individual as well as groups have the ability to adapt in accordance with the circumstances.

Reconciliatiion is concerned with the act of enhancing unity as well as respect among people. The Aboriginal reconciliation in Australia was aimed at bringing respect between the Aboriginal and the non indigenous Australians.The reconciliation was aimed at bringing justice and equity to the people of Australia and adaptive leadership played a key role of ensuring its success.

Leaders engage in adaptive leadership by influencing their followers to adapt in accordance with the changes that occurs. The Aboriginal reconciliation helps to explain that leadership is concerned with the act of moving people to process challenging issues on their own rather than waiting t be directed.

Applying the adaptive leadership in the issue of Aboriginal reconciliation

The first step with regards to adaptive leadership as explained in the Daglish book is problem identification. The two types of problems that exist are the technical problems and adaptive problems. Technical problems refer to those issues that are clearly defined and their solutions are determined in advance. The problems are thus easily solved by experts as well as the leaders.

The problems are mostly concerned with such aspects as living standards as well as resource allocation. They can be solved by improving the living standards of people, ensuring that there is fair distribution of resources and also, the treasury should provide the solution by ensuring that people have disposable income so as to meet their needs. Adaptive problems on the other hand are the issues that are not clearly defined.

This entails that their solutions are not easily determined in advance and therefore, different people have different interpretations as far as the adaptive problems are concerned. They may be solved through the following i.e. enhancing dialogue between the conflicting parties e.g. the blacks and the whites in Australia, confession so as to seek for forgiveness e.t.c. (University of Microfilms, 1987, P.24).

Leigh in his article argued that adaptive leadership with regards to reconciliation should not be viewed as the duties of the elected officials or the aboriginal leaders but it is the duty of all the people to see that adaptive leadership indeed is enhanced (The University of Michigan, 1980, P.16).

The politicians as well as the aboriginal leaders too have the responsibility of ensuring that the adaptive leadership is enhanced but the greater responsibility lies with the citizens. Adaptive leadership in accordance to the Leighs article should not only aim at improving the living standards it should be aimed at changing other peoples attitude.

In order to achieve this, the technical work should be separated from the adaptive work. The main problem of the Aboriginal people is not about their living standards but the discrimination between the blacks and the whites. The adaptive leadership should aim at ensuring that both blacks and the whites continue to co-exist peacefully and that there is no discrimination. This will thus enhance reconciliation (Altman, & Hinkson, 2007, P.26-28).

The second stage with regards to adaptive leadership as explained in the 7 stages in Daglish book is Focus attention. This stage is concerned with the leader forwarding the problems.This stage requires both the leaders as well as the followers to put attention on the exact issues at hand so as to change the manner in which they have happened in past and to come up with a solution.

Andrew Leigh in his article outlined such as aspects as land ownership, stolen generations and standards of life as the ones that requires to be focused. With regards to stolen generations, the author explains that adaptive leadership should be used to bring the stolen generations home.

The Aboriginal as well as the Torres Strait Islanders had their children taken away and thus separated from the rest of their family members. With regards to living standards, the Aboriginal should be given a chance to have quality education, access to good health care, employment e.t.c. just as their white counterparts.

There are increased school drop rates among the Aboriginal children and unemployment rates are also high as far as the Aboriginal are concerned. This issue has thus been the focus of attention as far as the reconciliation process is concerned. The Prime Minister has for instance argued that adaptive leadership should take its course in ensuring that the Aboriginal communities standard of living is enhanced.

With regards to land ownership, the Australian government was reluctant top issue the Aboriginal communities withy land rights and therefore this issue was the most outstanding as far as the focus attention was concerned. The most crucial component of adaptive leadership in this stage is the duty to be involved i.e. all the people should be involved in ensuring that the issues are addressed.

The third stage with regards to adaptive leadership as explained in the 7 stages in Daglish book is framing the issues i.e. all the people who are involved should understand that the issues are characterized with opportunities and problems too. According to Andrew Leighs article, all the stakeholders should seek to find frame the issue by ensuring that they are presented in the right time.

With this regard, time is considered as a crucial aspect implying that it should not be wasted. The adaptive leader should therefore involve people in getting adapted to the social issues at the right time. The adaptive leader should thus identify the core problems so as to discuss and resolve them. The leaders should present the issues so as to understand the peoples needs (Wolfensberger, & Race, 2003, P.43).

The fourth stage with regards to adaptive leadership as explained in the 7 stages in Daglish book is securing ownership. This entails that the all the people who are involved should be responsible for the issues. The adaptive leader should therefore involve all the stakeholders and also ensure that the teams have the right individuals.

Wit regards to Andrew Leighs article, both the blacks and the whites should be held responsible for the current problems. For reconciliation to be enhanced, both the blacks as well as the whites should do their work at personal level. The adaptive leader should thus encourage people from different races to blend in an effort to combat racial discrimination.

With regards to securing leadership, the adaptive leader should ensure that the Aboriginal communities are settled so as to ensure that justice is done and this calls for moving the whites into a discomfort zone (Adrinna, 2008, P.90). The whites should confess that they dispossessed the Aboriginals land, killed thousands of them, separated their children form their families, discriminated and excluded them.

They must acknowledge their ignorance as well as bias in order for reconciliation to take place. In other words, they must admit their responsibility in promoting injustice. In order for reconciliation to be successful, people must be prepared for the discomforts that come along the process. The stakeholders should confront truths and the adaptive leader should support them (Obolensky, 2010, P.56).

Mediating the conflict is the fifth stage with regards to adaptive leadership. Different stakeholders usually plays different roles in ensuring that solution is delivered.The adaptive leader should act quickly to resolve conflicts between the parties so as to move forward.

The adaptive leaders in Australia has for instance enhanced the interpersonal reconciliation through such organizations as the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and Native Title Tribunal. The Native Title Tribunal has indeed enhanced peaceful coexistence between the Aboriginal communities, the pastoralist communities and the people who works in mining firms.

This tribunal provides people with an environment where they can discuss issues that affect them so as to facilitate the reconciliation process. The leaders should ensure that people build trustworthy relationships by providing them with the required skills and resources. The business communities and government has also been on the forefront as far as the reconciliation process is concerned (Heifetz, et.al.2009, P.82).

Generating productive distress is the sixth stage as far as adaptive leadership is concerned. Leigh in his article stresses that leaders should recognize that adaptive issues cannot be resolved instantly and rather that reconciliation is a long process. The leader should therefore create a discomfort environment that harnesses stress so that people can recognize the need for a change.

The leaders should also be careful not to overwhelm the stakeholders while generating the productive distress. With regards to Australian case, the adaptive leaders should aim at discomforting the white Australians (Safty, 2003, P.45).

The last stage of adaptive leadership is the creation of a safe haven. This means that when the problems tend to become counterproductive, the adaptive leader should slow down the rate of change so as to discuss the issues in a wider perspective (Daglish, & Miller, P. 2010, P.17-36).

Conclusion

The application of adaptive leadership in the issue of Aboriginal reconciliation a links to the 7 stages in Daglish book Leadership, Understanding its Global Impact. Leigh in his article has applied these leadership steps so as to provide the adaptive leaders with an insight on how they ought to go about the reconciliation process.

As a leader, it is important to distinguish between the adaptive leadership and technical leadership. Usually, many people have practical skills that are essential in handling the problems that emerges (Bowler, & Clark, 2005, P.61).

However, leaders needs to consider adaptive work once the practical work has been successfully completed and this is essential since it enables people to adapt in accordance with the varying environment. Many leaders have the problem of determining which work is important in a given stage or situation.

Adaptive leadership also requires that the leader remind their follows that the process of changing in accordance with the situations calls for thinking about the objectives to be pursued. The leaders once they successfully enabled their followers to change should also ensure that people are mobilized to become innovative. This will ensure that people are able to prosper in their endeavors in the future.

With regards to the 7 stages of adaptive leadership, the leaders usually gather adequate information before coming up with the decisions. Good leader usually admits whenever they make wrong decisions.Adaptive leaders take calculated risks.

The adaptive leaders are supposed to devise possible solutions for the problems that they have identified. The seven stages of adaptive leadership thus play a crucial role of guiding the leaders so as to enhance the reconciliation process (Randall, 2006, P.19).

Both the blacks and the whites have the responsibility of ensuring that the Aboriginal communities living standards are enhanced. There is the need for the whites to enhance dialogue with the blacks and also confess about the past injustices in order for the reconciliation process to be successful (Giber, 2009, P.53).

Reference list

Adrinna, J.K., 2008. Rethinking leadership in a complex, multicultural, and global Environment: new concepts and models for higher education: Stylus Publishing, LLC.

Altman, R & Hinkson, M., 2007.Coercive reconciliation: stabilize, normalize, and Exit Aboriginal Australia.Melbourne Victoria: Arena Publications Association.

Bowler, J.L. & Clark, G., 2005. From resource allocation to strategy. New York: University Press.

Daglish, C. & Miller, P., 2010. Leadership, Understanding its Global Impact. Melbourne: Tilde University Press.

Giber, D.H., 2009. Linkage Incs Best Practices in Leadership Development Handbook. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2009

Heifetz, R. A. et.al. 2009. The practice of adaptive leadership: tools and tactics For changing your organization and the world. Boston: Harvard Business Press.

Mobley, W. H., 2009. Advances in Global Leadership. West Yorkshire: Emerald Group Publishing.

Obolensky, N., 2010.Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing Paradox and Uncertainty: New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Randall, L. M., 2006. Applying adaptive leadership to successful change Initiatives in academia. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 28(4):325-335.

Safty, A., 2003.Leadership and Global Governance: The International Leadership Series. Sidney: Universal-Publishers.

The University of Michigan., 1980.Sociological abstracts. Ann Arbor: the University Of Michigan.

University of Microfilms., 1987.Dissertation abstracts international: The Humanities and social sciences. Stanford: Microfilms International.

Wolfensberger, T & Race, D., 2003. Leadership and change in human services. London: Rutledge.

Introduction

A plethora of studies has pointed out that strong leadership is extremely important for business organizations. Business leadership is a term commonly used to refer to the activity of leading a group of individuals, usually considered as an organization. In its essence, business leadership involves a number of things (Peters & Robert 1982, p. 55). First of all, it involves the establishment of a precisely clear vision.

Once this vision has been established, it is then shared with other people in an effort to make them follow it. Information, knowledge, in addition to methods, necessary to realize the established vision is then provided. The other thing involved is balancing and coordinating the interests of all stakeholders perceived to be conflicting.

In case of a crisis, a leader takes the forefront due to his ability not only to think but act as well in a creative manner during difficult moments (Peters & Robert 1982 p. 58). Leadership differs from management since it flows from the core of personality. Unlike management, leadership can not be taught. However, leadership can be learned. In addition, through mentoring as well as coaching, it can be enhanced.

It is indicated in the findings of the research conducted by Cangemie et al (2004, p. 30) that strong and effective leadership demands a captain of a ship and not just an individual who is standing by the helm. Cockerell (2009, p. 61) further asserts that leadership is not passive but active.

Thesis Statement

The forthcoming discussion is intended to provide clear and precise evidence why strong leadership in business organizations is one of the most significant elements. In order to adequately and authentically derive the proof, research will be based on relevant literature and studies conducted on the same.

Discussion

Human nature is built on several contradictions. Basically, each and every person is self centered and tends to think about themselves as winners. However, the truth is that human talents are distributed in a normal manner (Robbins 2007, p. 55).

This implies that there is no human being superior as everyone tends to think he is. Another contradiction is that, like processors of information, individuals are not only simultaneously flawed but delightful as well. On the one hand, human beings can hold little explicitly in their minds.

This means that an enormous pressure of maintaining things remarkably simple in their organizations on managers exist. On the other hand, the unconscious mind of humans is extremely powerful (Cockerell 2009, p. 65).

Another contradiction is that all human beings exist within their environments. They have a high degree of sensitivity in addition to being responsive to external rewards as well as punishments. Indeed, drive comes from within a human being. A further conflict is that human beings act in a way as if expressed beliefs are essential; yet, it is considered that actions speak louder.

It turns out that there is no person that can fool others at any time. Usually, people are proficient in watching out for patterns in their day-to-day actions (Peters & Robert 1982, p. 60). Indeed, human beings are wise as they distrust words that are seemingly mismatching our deeds. People in an organization do not differ much, and therefore these conflicts are present in them (Robbins 2007, p. 59).

In order to deal with these conflicts, it is necessary to have a strong leadership in the organization. With a strong leadership in place, a passionate pride is taken in an effort towards setting high targets for the organization of people.

A strong leadership necessary to deal with these conflicts is the one that establishes productivity teams and productivity development teams among others. Even though the approaches adopted by strong leadership are self- defeating, they are perfectly rational.

Usually, the striking attributes of this symbiotic effect are excitement as well as believability, which are two characteristics of herculean importance if at all an organization wants to realize its goals in an effective manner (Solich 2007, p. 55).

Taking believability into account, top performing business organizations are in most cases led by an individual who grew up with the core of the business. Managers represent their unique ability to engender excitement (Powell 2011, p. 8).

Most businesses where strong leadership has been adopted are attributable with producing a lot of winners. In addition, strong leadership usually constructs these systems in such a way that they celebrate the winning when it occurs. Further, these systems unlike the ones without strong leadership utilize non monetary incentives in an extraordinary manner (Pedler 2010, p. 44).

Among the key attributes of businesses with strong leadership is that they are always aware of the essentiality of maintaining things as simple as possible regardless of the overwhelming genuine pressures to complicate the turn of events. In any organization, staff may simplify matters.

However, the people in the field are irritated by the staff as they are known to make life miserable for them. Once the staff of any organization regardless of the number leaps into an action, information requests, regulations, policies, in addition to instructions on how the staff is performing are being generated. As this becomes the trend, overload of information sets into the system.

It is impossible for short-term memory to bear or process all these information. Therefore, everything in the organization, including its running becomes confused. However, in a business where strong leadership has been adopted, when this ensues, there is always a way to cope with this sort of problem (Robbins 2007, p. 67).

One of the strategies that a strong leader does is intentionally keep the corporate staff number as small as possible. This implies that the number of corporate staff in the business will not generate excessive confusion down the line.

In addition, unlike other businesses, a business characterized with strong leadership usually has a tendency of putting a focus on just a few key business values as well as just a few business objectives (Peters & Robert 1982, p. 67).

Focusing on a few key business values is indispensable as it lets everyone realize what is weighty and what is not. As a result, there is simply less necessity for daily unending instructions, that is, daily short-term memory overload.

In many businesses where strong leadership has been adopted, paperwork is minimal (Rizzatti 2005, p. 10). Indeed, in these organizations, paper work is eliminated by using quick hit task forces.

In addition, these organizations sub optimize; they tend to overlook economies of scale put up with a fair and a considerable amount of internal overlap, mistakes, as well as duplication in an effort towards seeing that they will not have to coordinate each and every activity, which, given their size, these businesses could not do in anyway (Cockerell 2009, p. 69).

It is often argued that the most excellent and successful companies are way they stand since they are organized in such a manner which is necessary to obtain extraordinary efforts from ordinary individuals. Leadership represents a variety of things. Leadership is patience. According to Cangemie et al (2003, p. 33), it is usually a singularly frustrating coalition building.

He further asserts that it is the purposeful seeding of cabals that an individual perceives or hopes will eventually result in the appropriate ferment in the bowels of a business organization.

Further, leadership involves a meticulous shift of institutions attention through the use of mundane language of systems of management. In addition, leadership entails alteration of agendas in an effort towards seeing that the new policies get more attention.

Furthermore, leadership requires one to be visible whenever things go awry (Rizzatti 2005, p. 19). Further, it requires an individual to be invisible whenever things are working well. According to the findings of a research conducted by Savage (2012, p.36), leadership involves the process of establishing a loyal team at the top, which is responsible for speaking more or less in unison.

According to Rowbotham (2007, p. 76), leadership requires a person to listen in a careful manner in most of the times while frequently imparting encouragement messages through the power of speaking, and reinforcing words with actions that are not only realistic but believable as well.

At times, leadership necessitates a person to be tough whenever necessary. This implies that the person to whom the people in the organization look upon must be more than a leader. He must be a strong leader exhibiting strong leadership skills (Sherman n.d).

A strong leader acts as the mentor, the value shaper, an example, and the one who moulds meanings. Having a strong leader at the helm is indispensable since the strong leadership job is tougher than that of just a leader. He is usually the true artist, as well as the pathfinder.

In an organization, it is essential that the urge for transcendence that unites every employee in the organization is called forth and exemplified. Only a strong leader can see these through (Sherman n.d). A strong leader and his strong leadership are considered to be miles ahead of just leaders as he is able to exhibit consistency spread over long periods of time in support of his transcending values (Rowbotham 2007, p. 80).

A strong leadership holds that there is no opportunity deemed small and that there is no particular forum too insignificant. Further, a strong leader holds that there is no audience that can be regarded as too junior unlike other forms of leadership.

Strong leaders and leadership are always able to make their followers transcend the day-to-day affairs. Leadership that is not strong in its nature is usually preoccupied with power unlike the cases with strong leadership.

Attention to power blinds leaders and results into their inability to install correct purposes. Strong leadership is necessary since it promotes a situation where employees in a business organization interact with one another in a manner that the leaders as well as the employees raise one another together and, therefore, reach higher levels and extents of morality in addition to motivation (Sherman n.d).

Strong leadership is considered to be moral due to its tendency to raise the level of the employee conduct as well as raising the aspiration of not only the leader but the employee as well. This means that a strong leadership, unlike just leadership, has a transforming effect on both the leader and the employee.

An organization attributable to having a strong leadership is dynamic. To elaborate on this, such a leadership involves a leader throwing himself into a relationship with his employees. Subsequently, the employees will feel elevated, and as a result, they become more active. This activity on its part helps in the creation of new cadres of leaders among these employees.

Strong leaders, unlike managers, have the ability to understand other peoples emotions (Peters & Robert 1982, p. 77). It is commonly stated that managers prefer working with people. By contrast, strong leaders prefer stirring emotions. Whenever employees of an organization are exposed to a strong charismatic leadership style, they are not only strengthened but uplifted by the experience, as well.

Such employees feel more powerful unlike other forms of leadership where they feel less powerful and submissive. A system where strong leadership has been adopted does not force the employees to submit and follow the leader by sheer overwhelming magic pertaining to his personality, in addition to his persuasive powers.

Instead, he tends to be influential by way of not only strengthening but inspiriting his employees (Rowbotham 2007, p. 80). Therefore, a strong leadership business environment arouses confidence in the employees. As a result, the employees feel better and are able to accomplish the organizational goals (Powell 2011, p. 1).

Strong leadership in a business crops up a symbiotic effect on the part of the leader and the followers. Usually, the striking attributes of this symbiotic effect are excitement, as well as believability, which are two characteristics of herculean importance if at all an organization want to realize its goals in an effective manner (Solich 2007, p. 55).

Taking believability into account, top performing business organizations are in most cases led by an individual who grew up with the core of the business. A compelling example is HP. Concerning the second attribute, a strong leaders explicit criterion of choosing managers represents his unique ability to engender excitement (Powell 2011, p. 8).

Strong leadership is a must for any business since the in building of purpose is a challenge to creativity and a leader must have to possess more than just leadership skills. If a strong leadership is not in place, there is a herculean possibility that the business will not achieve its targeted goals (Solich 2007, p. 57).

Perhaps, it may end up deviating from the intended course of action, a clear indication that it is heading to a fall. In building of purpose involves the act of transforming men, as well as groups, from being neutral and technical units into participants with a particular stamp, in addition to sensitivity and commitment.

This implies that this process is indeed educational. According to Hansen (2010, p. 104), a strong and effective leader ought to be aware of the meaning, in addition to mastering the technique of the educator. Mullins (2010, p. 44) asserts that the art of a strong and creative leader is the art or building an organization.

Further, it is the art of reworking of humans, as well as technological materials in an effort towards fashioning an organism, which is supposed to embody new, as well as enduring values.

Zaleznik (2007, p. 67) made a worthwhile note when he indicated that the act of institutionalizing involves infusing values beyond a tasks technical requirements, which is at hand. Only a strong leader can do this. Without the aspect of strong leadership, this motive cannot be realized, and this spells out the essentiality of a strong leadership.

The awarding of the social machinery in a way beyond its technical role, according to Cangemie et al (2004, p. 46), doubly reflects the unique way in which it fulfills both group and personal needs. It does not matter whether people become attached to a business organization.

All that matters is prizing or awarding. Taking the standpoint of a committed employee into consideration, there is prodigious likelihood that the business organization will be transformed from being an expandable tool into a source of personal satisfaction, which is largely valuable.

This can not come if a strong leader is not at the helm. This is an implication that a business leader serves as the primary expert in an effort towards promoting and protecting the values (Mullins 2010, p. 46).

Conclusion

From this analysis, it is clear that a strong leadership in a business is a vigorous and positive thing (Blazek 2011, p. 41). A business organization with strong leadership results in a better relative performance, unlike an organization where strong leadership is not advocated (Pedler 2010, p. 32).

In addition to this, it leads to a situation where the level of contribution from the average man is induced. This analysis also established that for both the business organization and society in which the business is build around, a business with strong leadership creates an environment in which people can blossom (Zaleznik 2007, p. 70). In addition, it creates an environment where people can develop self-esteem.

The essence of this is that people will be excited and motivated to participate in the business organization as well as in the society as a whole. Unlike strong leadership, a business organization where strong leadership has not been adopted ends up in creating groups of non excellent performers (Peters and Robert 1982, p. 80).

Further, the employees are almost perverse and always at odd taking every variable into account. In these organizations, it is a norm to lose rather than win. Further, the reinforcement is usually negative unlike strong leadership organizations where reinforcement is positive (Blazek 2011, p. 47).

Guidance in these organizations tends to be arranged by the rule book instead of tapestries or even myths (Mullins 2010, p. 49). In addition, a business organization without strong leadership as its strongholds adopts a method where constraint and control are dominant.

By contrast, in a business organization where strong leadership has been adopted, there is soaring of meaning and there is always a chance to sally forward (Hansen 2010, p. 110). Another shortcoming of an organization where strong leadership is not evident is that there is always politics  a thing that hampers development in addition to sustainability.

In an organization with strong leadership, leading is usually guided by moral and this plays a key role in the achievement of an excellent companys status (Peters & Robert 1982, p. 85). Overall, strong leadership is a key to the effective running of any organization, and as such, any organization must ensure that it embarks on strategies that will put in place a strong leadership.

References

Blazek, C 2011, Ineffective leadership is costly, Cengage Learning, Belmont

Cangemie, P, Hewwet, L, McQuade T & Jairus, F 2004, The journal of successful management development: Successful leadership practices in turbulent times, Bradford, Vol. 33 no. 1, pp. 30

Cockerell, L 2009, Creating Magic: 10 common sense leadership strategies from a life at Disney, Doubleday, New York.

Hansen, M 2010, The Best-Performing CEOs in the world, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 4 no. 7, pp. 104-113.

Mullins, J 2010, Management and organizational behavior, Prentice Hall, Essex.

Pedler, M.A 2010, Managers Guide to Leadership: An Action Learning Approach, McGrow Hill, Berkshire.

Peters, T & Waterman, R 1982, Ch3 Man waiting for motivation, The wall Street Journal, Vol. 5 no. 2, pp. 55-86.

Powell, G 2011, The Gender and Leadership Wars, Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 40 no. 5, pp. 1-9.

Rizzatti, I 2005, Electronic Business, Highlands Ranch, Vol. 31 no. 10, pp. 10-25.

Robbins, S &Timothy, J 2007, Organizational Behavior, Prentice Hall, London, UK.

Rowbotham, F 2007, Operations Management in Context, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford.

Savage, N 2012, Director: What makes a good leader, London, Vol. 65 no.5, pp. 36

Sherman, T n.d. The differences between effective and ineffective leadership skills, <www.helium.com/items/1086365-good-bad-leadership>

Solich, H 2007, Tips for effective leadership, Thomson Learning, South Melbourne, Victoria.

Zaleznik, A 2007, Managers and leaders: Are they different?, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 7 no. 3, pp. 67-78.

Article Summary

The article on Leadership Style Emotion has broadly explored the impact of negative and positive organizational behaviors. According to the authors, all leaders aim at maximizing the ultimate performance of their workers in regards to achieving their organizational goals (McColl-Kennedy & Anderson, 2002).

The leadership style administered is therefore very crucial for reaching and achieving the set goals. The authors assert that the transformational approach in leadership is more yielding compared to the transaction approach (McColl-Kennedy & Anderson, 2002).

They argue that the style of leadership used contributes greatly in the performance of the subordinate.

Links Between Performance and Leadership

Nonetheless, McColl-Kennedy & Anderson (2002) are careful to note that leadership style cannot be the sole determinant factor in regards to workers performance. Factors such as workers perception of their leaders style in leadership greatly affect their performance (McColl-Kennedy & Anderson, 2002).

Workers feelings about their ability to perform with the type of leadership provided has a great influence on their willingness to perform their duties as the authors assert (McColl-Kennedy & Anderson, 2002). The article shows the links between performance and leadership styles as well as the implications of an imbalance between the two.

Organizational behavior is greatly influenced by the leadership in an organization. Workers respond positively or negatively in their performance due to the organizational leadership structure.

Leadership structures may cause the workers to feel more closely attached to the organization or it can create a social distance that can be detrimental to the success of the organization. There are a number of models of organizational behavior, which include, Autocrat, custodial, supportive, and collegial models.

Leadership Models

In the models mentioned above, each meets a certain need. For instance, the autocrat model meets the subsistence needs of the employees. The custodial model on the other hand provides the employer with security and benefits. These two models according to research have been proven to have a minimal performance response.

The supportive model as well as the collegiate model both focuses on encouraging the workers hence enhancing their performance.

However, with the four models above, not many organizations operate with one exclusively without engaging at least an extra model. Managerial leadership that supports teamwork encourages employees to be responsible and demonstrate friendly relations will fellow colleagues (Roman & Boyce, 2001).

This positive organizational behavior can contribute greatly in achieving organizational goals. If for instance the management could consider investing in their employees through training, the performance of the organization would increase.

Case Study, Hypothesis

The management in a particular company decided to hold a training program aimed at improving workers knowledge on the market needs. They decided to offer training free of charge to their employees. Other employees also attended the seminar from different organization but they had to pay.

Almost 90% of the employees of the organizing company attended the seminar, which was designed to improve their skills and productivity in the industry (Gilbreath & Harris, 2002).

A few months later after the conference, there were notable changes in the organization in terms of workers interaction as well as financial growth. The performance of the company went up.

The companys workforce became more free and interacted more efficiently with each other and a friendly culture was developed within the organization. The training helped the workers to have closer relations and work as a team.

Best Leadership Models

Leadership that focuses on the employees is more often successful compared to one that does not (Geller, 2001). Applying such leadership models that focus on the employees welfare such as the supportive and the collegial models, workers performance improves.

This is partly due to a feeling of belonging and being part of the company. A company that supports and pays more attention to employees prerequisites benefits from greater loyalty compared to one that does not. With workers feeling as part of the company, their performance will definitely improve positively.

Quality of Work Life, QWL and Its Effects

For best performance among the workers, a leader must be keen to address the organizations Quality of Work Life, QWL from time to time (Abernathy, 2001). Quality of Work Life refers to the favorable or the unfavorable working conditions in an organization.

Leaders are tasked with the responsibility to ensure that the working environment is perfect and that it can allow effective and maximum productivity. According to McColl-Kennedy & Anderson (2002), working conditions greatly influence the emotional buildup of workers.

The authors indicate that both the leaders and the subordinates may have some negative or positive feelings depending on the working conditions they are subjected to (McColl-Kennedy & Anderson, 2002).

Conclusion

The article therefore has outlined the ways through which leadership in organizations can influence the organizational behavior. According to the authors, subordinates respond positively or negatively to the leadership style that is in place.

This means that before engaging a leadership model it is critical to analyze its impact on the organizational culture. A leadership style that contradicts workers culture will be rejected hence escalate negative emotions. As the authors have indicated, I agree that leadership styles have great impacts on organizational behavior.

References

Abernathy, B. (2001). Focused vs. Consolidated Measures in Performance Pay Systems. The Behavior Analyst Today, 3 (1), 712.

Geller, S. (2001). Behavioral Safety: Meeting the Challenge of Making a Large-Scale Difference. The Behavior Analyst Today, 2 (2), 6475.

Gilbreath & Harris (2002) Performance-Based Pay in the Workplace: Magic Potion or Malevolent Poison? The Behavior Analyst Today, 3 (3), 311316.

McColl-Kennedya, J., & Anderson, R. (2002). Impact of leadership style and emotions On subordinate performance. The Leadership Quarterly, 1 (1) 545559.

Roman, H.R. & Boyce, T.E. (2001). Institutionalizing Behavior-Based Safety: Theories, Concepts, and Practical Suggestions. The Behavior Analyst Today, 3 (1), 7682.