Although leadership has always been a popular topic in academic and press studies, the complexity of its nature has presented a challenge to researchers and practitioners. Through the years, various classifications and concepts of leadership have been conceptualized.
Emergent leadership is about what one does and how one obtains support from their followers. Power comes from followers, including those who believe in leaders. Followers often value it as a resource that they can use to their advantage. Treating it as a shared resource helps avoid misunderstandings about the concept of power. While individuals in charge often use coercion, it should not be considered an ideal leadership style. Coercion is a process that does not involve working with followers to achieve goals. This concept argues that leadership is a process that can be used for good and bad ends. Others say that it is amoral and can be used to treat others with respect. Others contend that leadership is an act of moral influence that involves influencing others to reach a common good. This perspective would not apply to Hitler. Some researchers argue that managers are more concerned with creating order than leading, while others say that leaders are more emotionally involved and more likely to act independently.
The Skills Approach
This approach is based on a leader not having innate characteristics that earn them the name “the great” but acquiring skills and knowledge over time that are useful in managing a leadership position. It is based on three skills; technical skills necessary for lower or supervisory management were a leader with technical skills in a specialized area. The human skill emphasizes the ability to work with people, and the leader’s conceptual ability enables him or her to work with ideas and thoughts. to develop a strategy to achieve a common goal.
This approach aims to help individuals develop and improve their skills. This method is also used to create plans and programs for leadership development. Aside from the positive features, the skills approach has some negative aspects. For instance, the model seems too broad and does not consider various theories and methods related to leadership.
I am of the notion that leaders are only once established once they avail themselves to lead. The skills approach shows that having the necessary skills or specialized skills allows the leader to connect with the follower in a common ground where they can relate. We go to school to learn skills that will enable us to become our better selves. The skills approach advocates that leadership is heavily informed when leaders learn on the job and draw from their experience, which is invaluable.
Situational Approach
The Situational Approach provides a framework for leaders to become effective in different types of settings. It suggests how they should conduct themselves in response to the needs of a specific circumstances. The model demonstrates how each style affects subscribers at various stages of growth. An excellent leader can easily recognize the group of followers who are most suited to a certain objective circumstance. The situational assessments help leaders develop their capabilities and improve their effectiveness. They can also help them identify areas of their leadership style that they can improve. This approach is a practical and easy-to-use method that explains how to improve a leader’s effectiveness. It also sets out rules and procedures that a leader should follow to enhance their effectiveness. The situational approach is criticized due to its lack of robust research findings.
These are some uncertain times with global challenges. The situational method is useful because it forces the leader to adjust his leadership approach to his followers’ effort and intelligence. It also allows the leader to adapt to the times and seasons.
The Behavioral Approach
The behavioral approach is different from the other leadership development theories. Instead of being identified as a leader, it focuses on what leaders do and how they do it. The concept of the behavioral approach emerged from multiple studies. The initial step in developing the framework was the creation of the leader behavior description questionnaire (LBDQ). The two studies referenced above provided similar findings but differed in their approach. They used the same tools to study team member orientation and production orientation. Researchers have been trying to identify a type of leadership style that works well for them. The model developed by Mouton and Blake shows that leaders can use a grid with two axes to focus on the concerns of others and the authority of their actions.
The behavioral approach has several advantages and disadvantages. One of these is that it broadened the scope of research on leadership by studying the behaviors of leaders instead of just their traits. The approach emphasizes the significance of the goal and the partnership as two elements of leadership conduct. It provides a conceptual map that can be used to study our leadership behaviors. Contrary to the commonly held belief, the behavioral approach does not identify a set of leadership behaviors that are effective and consistent.
Servant Leadership
I have been identified as a servant leader for several years now. I have applied the leadership approach I am advocating different aspects of my life. The goal is not about being a leader of anyone or anything; it is more about becoming the best individual you can be through your actions. I believe that every decision made affects everyone around us, for good or bad. The more we put into this world as a positive contribution, the better off we are as a whole. Just as the ripples of a stone thrown into the water causes bigger and bigger waves across a lake, how we decide to use our time and learn from our experiences can rippling through time and touching those around us. In simplest terms, servant leadership is about making choices that benefit you, your organization, and everyone around you. This concept is about selflessness.
Selflessness can be a powerful leadership tool, one that will lead you to serve others. When you are serving others, you are looking for ways to help them achieve their goals. If someone is in pain or crying out for help, your first reaction should be to help them in any way possible. It goes for anyone (not just close friends and family). Selfless leaders make the world a better place through their actions and empathy towards others in need. When you are in service to others, you will learn how to be a better leader in the future. You will identify areas in your personal life that require improvement and address them. If you are serving others, you will appreciate what it involves to be a leader.
Most important is that people begin to trust and respect them more than anyone else they know through their actions. When someone sees that you are willing to put yourself out there for others, it sends them the message, “I can trust this person.”
Followership
Leadership needs a following. Followership is a process in which one person or group embraces the authority of another to achieve a shared objective. This is a relational process. Early study on followership identified a set of typologies that describe the many roles that followers might take. The functions that followers can do are determined by these typologies. A thorough review created a wide theory of followership, which includes the traits and actions of leaders and followers. They also proposed two ways to approach this concept: 1) reversing the lens and 2) co-creating the process.
Instead of serving leaders, followers serve a common purpose, according to Chaleff. He argues that followers need to become more proactive in their roles to influence the leaders who are closest to them. Chaleff believes that followers must have the courage to act according to their leader’s expectations. According to Chaleff, followers should do the right thing when they encounter a leader’s challenges. This concept is based on the belief that followers should have the courage to stand up and challenge their leaders.
Chaleff is a style that I subscribe to, which is a type of leadership style that allows me to follow others and lead when needed. The follower-leader style is a type of leadership style that I tend to relate to. It is best suited for individuals who do not have the necessary attributes to be a leader. Leaders and followers should set clear, mutually agreed-on goals. It will help avoid frustration, and it will allow both parties to communicate clearly.
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