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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 subject’s 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 follower’s 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 follower’s 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 partisan’s 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.
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