Leadership Blog

Blog 1: Is there a single, ideal leadership and management styles and approaches that is most effective?

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Management versus Leadership

According to Henri Fayol’s management theory is a simple concept of how management interacts with employees. There are five primary strategies to govern and plan production which including planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling (Krenn, 2011).

Whereas for leadership, there are numerous definitions of leadership, as well as numerous viewpoints on what leaders do. Based on John Gardner in his book, on Leadership, defines leadership as “the process of persuasion or example by which an individual or team induces a group to act.”  (Baker, 2014).

Source: Azquotes.com

Most leaders are also managers, it’s important to distinguish between these two intertwined processes and there are four important elements to be consider in the processes which are Vision, Strategy, Operations & Tactics. Leaders must be adept at developing a shared vision and communicating it in a way that others can comprehend (Baker, 2014).

There are three main differences between managers and leaders. Firstly, managers counting on value while leaders creating on value which is leading by example and enabling others. Secondly, managers build circle of power and leaders create circles of influences. Finally, leaders and managers are distinguished by their ability to influence and inspire rather than by their power and control. Controlling a group to achieve a goal is what management entails and the ability to influence, motivate, and empower others to contribute to organizational achievement is referred to as leadership (Vineet, 2013).

Types of Leadership Styles

What is leadership stye? The way in which the functions of leadership are carried out is referred to as leadership style. The focus on leadership style is based on the belief that subordinates are more likely to work well for managers who use a specific leadership style than for managers who don’t (Mullins, 2010).

There are many various sorts of leadership styles used by leaders all around the world. Every leader, from politics to the workplace, has a set of executive characteristics and leadership styles. There is total 10 different types of leadership styles can be found in modern world (Garfinkle, 2014).

No	Types pf Leadership Style		Definition
1	Autocratic Leadership		One of the most extreme styles of leadership is autocratic leadership, in which the leader has complete power and control over his or her employees. Employees have a limited ability to express themselves and have their voices heard. This leadership style works well for low-skilled activities that only require a supervisor to communicate what needs to be done and supervise workers if used correctly.
2	Bureaucratic Leadership		Rules and regulations are everything to bureaucratic bosses. They make sure they obey the regulations themselves, and their employees do as well. This leadership style is most suited for working in a high-risk workplace, such as one that involves heavy machinery, poisonous chemicals, quality assurance, or huge financial transactions. It might not be the greatest technique for establishing a new product or redefining a brand that requires a unique perspective and creative thinking.
3	Charismatic Leadership		Leaders that are charismatic are the driving force behind their organizations. They inspire employees and help them stay engaged at work, generating a lot of energy in the team. The one danger of this method is that it provides too much inspiration without resulting in action. Instead of examining the team’s realistic capabilities to complete a project, charismatic leaders may succumb to overconfidence. However, if the leader maintains reasonable expectations, his or her team may be inspired to achieve previously unimaginable heights.
4	Democratic Leadership		Even though a democratic leader reserves the authority to make the final decision, he or she may seek the input of team members on important matters. Employees will be more satisfied at work because they will feel like they are a part of the decision-making process, and it will also help them build communication and interpersonal skills. Employee motivation rises when their ideas are valued. Because this procedure takes time and requires meetings and debates, it may diminish productivity, but it almost always improves quality.
5	Laissez-faire Leadership		Laissez-faire leaders, who derive their name from the French phrase “let it be,” offer their staff complete autonomy to operate on their own. When there is a clear line of communication between the leader and the team members, deadlines are met, and the project is on track, this can be effective. When staff have a lot of expertise, it can work, but micromanagement might really work against the team. This leadership style, however, may result in a failure to fulfil deadlines and a waste of time and resources due to a lack of communication and mismanagement.
6	Task-oriented Leadership		Task-oriented leaders only care about getting the job done. They devise action plans and keep an eye on their employees to ensure that they are on track. Task-oriented executives may establish scheduled lunchtimes, use a punch card time system, and show a lack of trust in their employees. This could lead to low employee motivation and job satisfaction, as well as people departing for another company. Task-oriented leaders, on the other hand, may often make better use of their time, meet deadlines, and keep their teams focused on completing a key task.
7	People-oriented Leadership		A people-oriented leader takes the opposite approach to task-oriented leadership, focusing on assisting the team and individual employees by providing support and flexibility, as well as addressing the team’s requirements. This management style focuses on team building skills and excellent work relationships, enhancing overall job satisfaction, and assisting in the retention of top performers. Competent leaders understand that mixing task-oriented and people-oriented leadership styles may be extremely effective.
8	Servant Leadership		A servant leader is someone who has no official title and is not formally acknowledged as a leader, but who leads a team simply because they seem to suit the team’s requirements. This leadership style is similar to democratic leadership, in which the entire team participates in decision-making. In a highly competitive scenario where other, more aggressive, styles are used, a servant-leader style is built on obtaining authority through ideas and beliefs, which may not work in a highly competitive situation where other, more assertive, styles are used.
9	Transactional Leadership		Transactional leadership is a management style that involves a “transaction” between the leader and the employee–getting paid in exchange for completing the task. If a worker’s work does not meet the standard discussed when the job was taken, the leader has the authority to reprimand them and act. Although this method may be efficient for completing short-term objectives and ensuring that routine work is completed reliably, it does not encourage individuals to take initiative, think creatively in the office, or love their jobs.
10	Transformational Leadership		The transformational leadership style is one of the most popular today, and it can be used to a variety of business situations. A transformational leader is one who has integrity, establishes clear goals, supports clear communication, articulates a vision coherently, and leads by example. Employees are encouraged, motivated, and supported by this type of leadership, which frequently recognizes and rewards good performance. A transformative leader motivates his or her team to achieve a unified goal. Transformational leaders are trusted leaders who can encourage people and get them to act by combining the best practices of most other leadership styles.

Source: (Garfinkle, 2014)

In my opinion, there is no perfect nor most effective leadership styles. I strongly believe that leadership can make through experiences and competencies provided. In today’s complex and with Covid-19 impact has placed extraordinary demand on leaders in business and beyond. Leaders need to be able to change based on situational and hence there is no such thing as most effective leadership styles. It is important to strike the balance in leadership styles and to embrace a broader sense of purpose and humanity (Feehan, 2019).

To ensure sustainable success both professional and personally, it is important to achieve a balance in leadership style. There are three methods being identified to achieve a balanced leadership style. The foundation of balanced leadership must begin with a vision and in any business, clear and honest communication is essential for getting things done. Understanding the expectations of subordinates is the key to success and how they could get to the finishing line. Besides that, you need to show your trust toward team member when you delegate the task among them, and do not forget to reward them when they able to achieve the goals. Lastly, it is important to engage the team with encourage. Hence, it is crucial to be the mentor and not the “boss” towards the team (India Today Web Desk, 2021).

Real Life Business Leaders

There are two real-life reputable business leaders that I really admire, they are Bill Gates and Michelle Obama. Bill Gates is both entrepreneur and businessman and he has founded the world’s largest software business, Microsoft. Whereas Michelle Obama, she is an American attorney and author who served as the first African-American first lady of the United States, she is also the wife of President Barack Obama.

Bill Gates

Bill Gates was born on 28 October 1955 in Seattle, Washington. As a child, Gates was a fervent reader where he spending many hours poring reference books. Things that we might do not know about Bill Gates was he has dropped out of Harvard College in year 1975 to pursue his business, Microsoft (Biography, 2018).

Source: http://www.copper.com

Bill Gates’ leadership style was also being recognized as autocratic where his passion and vision help him to move towards achieving his goals and this diligence has made him as one of the most successful people in the world. Therefore, this trait influenced his leadership style (The Global Hues, 2020).

Being one of the world’s most successful leader, Bill Gates has once been stated “was notorious for sending out “sarcastic” emails to his employee. There were also former Microsoft employees describes the Bill Gates being “demanding” at a very confrontation office environment. These are being just one side of the story, Gates knew better than anyone as an inspiring entrepreneur to motivate his staff to achieve a shared goal, while also providing them leeway to build on creativity.  Bill Gates’ leadership transformation is an excellent reminder that persons in position of power are respected only if they have good confrontation skill to get job done (Rainer Zitelmann, 2020).

John Rampton (2016) has described Bill Gates’s leadership style as transformational leadership and he has provided a fantastic model of how transformational qualities can help to create a successful leader, but he also proves that the individual human spirit that all makes us unique, and the influence of family and mentors also play a crucial role in creating the legends.

Nevertheless, there will always be controversies with any successful or great people. Some may not agree with Gates’ means for achieving what he has, but one would find it difficult to ignore his contributions to the IT industry. Both history and posterity, on the other hand, will most likely remember him for what he chose to do with the rest of his life at such a young age. Bill Gates is without a doubt the best role model in this regard ((Bill Gates: Entrepreneur, Manager, and Leader, 2008).

Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama was born on 17 January 1964 in Chicago, Illinois. Also known as the wife of the 44^th U.S President Barack Obama. She is an Ivy League graduate, had a successful career, first as a lawyer and then in the private sector which she maintained throughout her husband’s early political career (History.com Editors, 2009).

Source: http://www.goalcast.com

Michelle Obama is a well-known figure in society for her transformational leadership style. Vision, rhetorical skills, image and trust building, and personalized leadership were all attributes she possessed as a transformational leader. In her latest documentary she has empowering young women to become leaders and emphasizing the need of education for both herself and them. Michelle was able to portray the vision trait, which is defined as the ability to “recognize the issue of current system and give a vision to solve these problem (Hamel, 2021)” among leaders. (csp5295, 2021).

This has displayed her rhetorical abilities as a transformative leader as she was able to communicate her vision to a diverse group of people. Additionally, Michelle also continues her work as leadership which the lesson commentary describes as transformational leaders who “share strong, personal ties with followers” and “are sensitive to followers” emotional states and excellent at picking up social signs (csp5295, 2021).

My Preferred Leadership Style

From the selection of leaders that I have chosen, the leadership style that I would prefer is transformational leadership style. Transformational leadership is a management style that encourages, inspires, and motivates people to innovate and generate change to help the organization grow and influence its future success. Transformational leaders inspire and motivate their teams without micromanaging; instead, they trust their staff to make decisions in their areas of responsibility (White, 2018).

Another study also has shown that a motivated workforce increases the organizational outcome where transformational leader is the most effective in increasing staff satisfaction whether from both mental and psychological health. Another strength of transformational leader assists the employee to accept and adapt change positively through engagement and improving of relationship (Konsyse Staff, 2019).

Nothing is perfect as mentioned earlier, there are also limitations of transformational leadership style. One of the weakness is this style is not suitable for those that perform in emergencies or situation that require quick decision-making. However, this could be resolve by practicing new mental models. The leaders must utilize thinking, feeling, and sensing to overcome this by questioning what the guide in your mind is asking you to do and pay full attention to what you need to be focus on (David & Christian, 2021).

Another weakness of transformational leadership approach distributes the responsibility across the group by giving them the accountability over their task, this can make some employee may feel the additional collaboration and roles and responsibilities is too heavy and demanding on them. Suggestion to overcome this could be through questioning and giving encouragement to the stakeholders you communicate with by applying positive psychology. Which this shows them that the leader is open to their ideas and empower them instead of giving pressure to the employees (David & Christian, 2021).

Conclusion

As an individual of team, I would like to be led by a leader that have self-respect and respect for others, without self-respect, giving respect to others is quite difficult and vice versa. A leader could be relatable to his or her team will connect easier with them by providing better feedback and foster a more effective personal relationship. Leading by a great leader that are honest and dedicated about their expectations is an important skill that knowing when to admit you’re wrong. Lastly, leading by an inspiring and motivational leader is the most rewarding experience which able to learn and make impact to both my professional and personal journey in life.

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References

Baker, E. L. (2014). Leadership and Management—Guiding Principles, Best Practices, and Core Attributes. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 20(3), 356–357. https://doi.org/10.1097/phh.0000000000000063

Bill Gates: Entrepreneur, Manager, and Leader. (2008, June 27). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2008/06/bill-gates-entrepreneur-manage.html

csp5295. (2021, April 19). Transformative Leadership Characteristics of Michelle Obama. Psu.edu. https://sites.psu.edu/leadership/2021/04/19/transformative-leadership-characteristics-of-michelle-obama/

David, L., & Christian, R. (2021, May 5). 4 Actions Transformational Leaders Take. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/05/4-actions-transformational-leaders-take

Feehan, E. (2019). Finding the balance in leadership styles. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/the-organization-blog/finding-the-balance-in-leadership-styles

Garfinkle, J. (2014). Leadership Style Articles – What’s your Leadership Style? Garfinkleexecutivecoaching.com. https://garfinkleexecutivecoaching.com/articles/leadership-styles-articles

History.com Editors. (2009, November 6). Michelle Obama. HISTORY; HISTORY. https://www.history.com/topics/first-ladies/michelle-obama

India Today Web Desk. (2021, May 3). India Today. https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/featurephilia/story/significant-ways-to-balance-leadership-styles-1798341-2021-05-03

Krenn, J. (2011, July 2). Management Theory of Henri Fayol. Business.com; business.com. https://www.business.com/articles/management-theory-of-henri-fayol/

Konsyse Staff. (2019, January 12). Transformational Leadership: Strengths and Weaknesses – Konsyse. Konsyse. https://www.konsyse.com/articles/transformational-leadership-strengths-and-weaknesses/

Mullins, L. (2010). Management & Organisational Behavior, 9th ed. (9th ed.) Pearson Education

Rainer Zitelmann. (2020, February 24). Bill Gates was an angry, difficult boss in early Microsoft days—here’s why employees still liked him. CNBC; CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/24/bill-gates-was-difficult-boss-in-early-microsoft-days-but-employees-still-liked-him.html

Rampton, J. (2016, September 9). How Bill Gates Became a Leadership Legend. Entrepreneur; Entrepreneur Asia Pacific. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/250607

The Global Hues. (2020, September 26). The Global Hues | World Meets Media. https://theglobalhues.com/bill-gates-leadership-style/

Vineet, N. (2013, August 2). Three Differences Between Managers and Leaders. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2013/08/tests-of-a-leadership-transiti?registration=success

White, S. K. (2018, February 21). What is transformational leadership? A model for sparking innovation. CIO. https://www.cio.com/article/3257184/what-is-transformational-leadership-a-model-for-motivating-innovation.html

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