Leadership Theories free essay sample

Northouse (2007, p3) defines leadership as a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. A person’s ability to influence others to accomplish an objective and direction are key processes in leadership. There are many great leaders and leadership styles that can be easily discussed. Twenty-first century leadership has developed useful and simplistic ways to determine and exercise their leadership styles on their way to developing and understanding their leadership styles based on the situation and the organization. Leadership is a very dynamic and diverse process, as communicated to readers in Transformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead (Wren, 1995) clear and concise perspectives on leadership are presented throughout the ages and throughout the world. This literature selection by selection, as introduced by the editor, presents enlightening thoughts on a different aspect of leadership. Over the years many researchers have developed various leadership theories, notably great scholars such as, Plato, Aristotle, Lao-tzu and others. Scholarly researchers like Machiavelli, Tolstoy, Ghandi, and W. E. B. Du Bois discuss the flip to the other side of leadership thought process. These scholars addressed from their perspectives a range of insights into the eternal practice and problems of leadership providing a wide range of insights into the eternal practice and problems of leadership. Leaders of the modern era of leadership such as James MacGregor Burns, John Kotter, and Warren Bennis teamed with great leading practitioners as Max De Pree and Roger B. Smith in their discussion of contemporary Leadership Theories 3 issues in leadership theory and practice. This essay compares and contrasts what has been identified over the last 80 years as possibly the four main generations of leadership theories. The essay’s intent is to further explore the transition; the characteristics and behaviors of successful leaders to the role of followers and the leadership thought and leader impact during two contrasting work environments will be explored. These four leadership theories are: Trait, Behavioral, Contingency, and Transformational. John van Maurik (2001: 2-3) has pointed out, to recognize that none of the four ‘generations’ is mutually exclusive or totally time-bound. Trait Theory Individual characteristics of leaders are different than those of nonleaders. Early in the trait research process it was perceived that the research lacked significant findings. The insignificant factors included, measurement theory at the time was not highly sophisticated, and very little was known about the psychometric properties of the measures used to operationalize traits. The end result, various studies were used to perform different measures to assess the same construct, which made it very difficult to replicate findings. Behavioral Theory The Behavioral Theory focuses on how leaders behave. Kurt Lewin (1930) developed a leadership framework based on a leaders decision-making behavior. His argument was that there are three types of leaders: autocratic, democratic, and laissez-fair. It was clearly realized and determined by researchers that leadership behaviors are appropriate at different times. Therefore, the best leaders are those who can use many different behavioral styles and use the right style for each situation. Leadership Theories 4 Contingency Theory The Contingency Theory applied to factors unique to each situation to determine whether specific leader characteristics and behaviors will be effective. Researched findings credit Fiedlers contingency theory as the first to specify how situational factors interact with leader traits and behavior to influence leadership effectiveness. This theory suggests high interest in the situation determines the effectiveness of task- and person-oriented leader behavior. Transformational Theory The 1970s brought a number of emerging leadership theories, these theories focused on the importance of a leaders charisma to leadership effectiveness. Many of these theories and models were the same. Transformational leadership theory separated itself between the transactional and the transformational leader. This leadership theory focuses on role and task requirements and utilizes rewards contingent on performance. Research shows that in contrast, transformational leadership focuses on developing mutual trust, fostering the leadership abilities of others, and setting goals that go beyond the short-term needs of the work group. A large amount of credit is given to Basss transformational leadership theory identifies four aspects of effective leadership, which include charisma, inspiration, intellectual stimulation, and consideration. This theory allows a leader to exhibits those qualities that inspire subordinates to be high achievers and put the long-term interest of the organization ahead of their own short-term interest, according to the theory. Kouzes amp; Posner (2007) talks about people following the leader first and then the plan the leader has developed. Leaders can look at building trust with their employees, and entrusting them with what they need to succeed. Kouzes amp; Posner (2007) posits that trust is the foundation of authentic leadership and the more people trust their leader, Leadership Theories 5 and the people they work with, the more they are willing to take risks, make changes, and keep organizations and movements alive. Conclusion The four leadership theories identified in this essay trait, behavioral, contingency, and transformational can be represented as an effective and efficient pathway in leadership to reach the transformational style of leadership. One trait that is more apt to be utilized and combined due to its ability to be task and relationship driven is the Contingency theory. Lastly, leaders find that transformational and transactional go hand-in-hand as well as, back and forth depending on the situation. Many leaders recognize and incorporate Transformational leadership as a critical part of their new leadership paradigm. Leaders and scholarly researchers no longer just focus on the individual leader, but on the entire organization, and how the leader and organization will affect one other within their culture and environment. The author is attracted to the diversity and flexibility of the Transformational theory, and eempirical research provides support of this theorys propositions. leadership theories and models are constantly changing, yet the traits and qualities associated with the theories and models clearly define good leadership are timeless. Research and literature pertaining to leadership often reflect on the past for to support a specific theory and model. There are common threads that provide a nexus between all models of leadership theory therefore, a vast array of research literature about leadership theory to supports and provide contrasting views of the information to support this essay. It’s noted there are disagreements and contrasting opinions pertaining to these four theories and  models identified in this essay. This Leadership Theories 6 essay briefly compared and contrasted the leadership theories selected for this essay: trait, behavioral, contingency, and transformational. Each of these leadership theories are used to analyze, evaluate, and compare how these four particular leadership theories have a common thread that provides a nexus between all the leadership theories. The author’s opinion is a leader does not have to possess no single list of traits. McCrae and Costa (1995) discussed traits and behaviors on a psychological level in which they describe a trait as a pattern of observable behaviors in its simplest form. The researchers clearly explain traits and behaviors can be learned; for example: people that are not generally risk takers can be trained in how to be a risk taker; people that are introverted can be trained to be extroverted; people can be trained how to be charismatic and motivational; and people can be trained to be more personable and understand emotional intelligence.