Critical Analysis Of Leadership Theories And Assessing Their Links Essay Example

role in developing effective employee motivational strategies to ensure their satisfaction, thereby fostering positive attitudes for long-term organizational success.

Role Of Leadership In Organizational Success

The everyday work environment of an organization presents numerous challenges and issues that require intelligence and determination to address. The complexity of organizational structure, combined with diverse employees, underscores the significance of leadership in maintaining a positive and constructive workplace (Hamlin 2002).

The most important aspect of a leader's personality is their understanding of duties and willingness to address challenges and problems. Not all directors are effective leaders (Knight, Durham and Locke 2001, p. 335) due to the complexities of organizational structure and diversity of employees. These factors make it difficult to recognize the key motivating factors that enhance organizational productivity. Today's globalized work environment consists of organizations with employees from various backgrounds, speaking different languages, and possessing a diverse range of skills. As a result, leaders must not only focus on task accomplishment but also address employee expectations by involving them as valuable contributors to the organization. Employees view their organizational leaders as managers who enable them to understand and perform their tasks correctly (Hamlin 2002).

Employees expect their leaders to effectively communicate and guide them to overcome work-related issues and obstacles through motivational skills. The concept of leadership is based on a combination of personality, beliefs, intelligence, motivation, and trust (Balain and Sparrow 2009, p. 228). Organizations aim for financial growth and productivity by empowering employees under the guidance of an influential leader. For organizational leaders, it is essential to attract as many followers as possible. They can achieve this by utilizing their charisma, beliefs, and intelligence to establish trust with employees

and motivate them towards achieving organizational goals (Kaplan and Norton 2004, p. 37).

The motivation and leadership of employees are crucial for the long-term success of an organization. Studies have indicated that leaders must establish trust and motivate their employees to achieve this success (Baldoni, 2005, p. 175). Successful leaders possess qualities such as exceptional performance and management skills. They are magnetic when they can envision, understand, and empower others. Demonstrating behavior that others can visualize inspires a desire to succeed, while showing empathy fosters strong connections based on shared ideologies (Choi, 2006, p. ).

41).

Analyzing Theories Of Leadership

The concepts of leadership symbolize political orientations that are followed by others, and organizations achieve immense growth and success by incorporating charismatic leadership within their work environment. The interaction between leaders and followers tends to create a positive and highly motivated work environment, ultimately leading to organizational success (Pratti et al, 2003, p. 27). In this study, the six primary theories of leadership have been critically analyzed in order to understand the reasons behind elevated performance levels that enhance economic and organizational strength.

Great Man Theory

The theoretical model of the Great Man theory was based on the belief that leadership is confined only to individuals who are destined to guide the rest.

In the past, individuals from the upper-class were treated differently and admired by others for their specific qualities or luxurious lifestyle. There was a belief that only a select few possessed unique talents and characteristics that enabled them to become leaders, while the rest were meant to follow. The Great Man theory placed great emphasis on the

idea that leaders were innately superior and that leadership traits could never be inherited, developed, learned, or acquired.

The range of leading was limited by Theory X (179). The Great Man theory itself is limited because it mainly focuses on males, the military, and the western perspective. While examining the dominance of the Great Man theory, it is true that some men possess an innate power to influence others and assert their leadership rights. However, it is unjust to restrict leadership to a privileged group (Choi 2006, p. 42). Applying the Great Man model to modern organizational structures could have negative consequences because the diversity of employees' backgrounds, languages, skills, and individual circumstances has created a complex work environment. In this environment, the privileged aspect of the Great Man theory would breed pessimism among employees. The globalized work environment has led to employees who are more aware, educated, skilled, and competent (Hamlin 2002).

Employees in today's workforce no longer solely prioritize a competitive salary. They also value opportunities for professional growth and advancement. However, the traditional Great Man model of leadership fails to address the expectations and potential of current employees, as it only focuses on offering leadership positions to select individuals. As a result, Trait Theory emerged as an alternative approach, which analyzes the exceptional qualities and characteristics of leaders based on their perceived innate superiority.

Trait Theories

The purpose of Trait Theories is to identify the fundamental traits that contribute to the success of leaders within organizations. These theories aim to help organizations identify and appoint individuals with the necessary traits, qualities, and attributes for effective leadership roles. Several studies have identified various leadership traits such

as adaptability, decision-making skills, cooperation, dependability, assertiveness, determination, and self-confidence (Wheatley 2001).

92) The concept of a genuine leader lacks clear criteria and consistent qualities (Baldoni, 2005, p. 212). Humans possess various positive and negative traits that shape their personality. While all leaders have the inherent capacity to influence others, the specific combination of traits that enables them to surpass their peers may differ (Pratti et al, 2003, p. 37).

According to studies, the qualities typically associated with leaders, such as charisma, sociability, and intelligence, are not limited to those who hold leadership positions. These traits can be found among a diverse range of individuals who may never become leaders themselves. However, the absence of these generic traits does not diminish one's ability to be an effective leader. There are certain consistent qualities that leaders tend to possess, including organizational skills, decision-making abilities, responsiveness, and astuteness. These qualities contribute to the overall productivity of an organization. While some exceptional leaders may exhibit common traits, it is unlikely that all leaders share a collective set of characteristics. This inability to identify a universal set of traits has led to the decline in popularity of Trait Theory. It is important to note that possessing important traits does not guarantee someone's position as a leader and leadership cannot solely be acquired through possessing these identified traits (Pratti et al., 2003, p.39; Gosling and Mintzberg 2003).

Behavioral Theories

The Trait Theories of leadership are contradictory in nature, leading researchers to focus on the behavioral aspect of organizational leaders. This led to the formulation of the Behavioral Theories, which primarily analyze changing leadership styles. One widely publicized theory is

McGregor's X ; Y Managers Theory, which states that a leader's assumptions about human nature greatly influence their overall leadership strategy. According to McGregor's theoretical model, Theory X managers believe that humans inherently dislike responsibilities and duties, and therefore must be constantly directed and controlled to achieve organizational objectives. On the other hand, Theory Y managers believe that creating the right work environment and fostering employee commitment allows people to exercise autonomy and self-discipline, ultimately helping achieve organizational goals.

The McGregor's theoretical model suggests that the Ten theory supports a domineering leadership style, while the Yttrium theory supports a participative approach. Domineering leaders have strict control and make decisions, whereas participative leaders are more considerate and develop a sense of association and trust with employees (Pratti et al, 2003, p. 40). Comparing these two behaviors, domineering leaders are rigorous and disciplined, leading to better financial growth. On the other hand, participative leaders are preferred by employees but may have reduced performance due to their considerate behavior. Another behavioral theory, the Blake and Mouton's Managerial Grid, focuses on organizational production and employee orientations by analyzing combinations of concerns. It measures the leader's concerns for production horizontally and concerns for people vertically, identifying five key leadership styles.

Blake and Mouton's Managerial Grid analysis reveals that valuing collaborative teamwork is the key to achieving long-term organizational success.

Situational and Contingency Theories

In order to address the underlying organizational issues, it is crucial for leadership styles to be flexible and adaptable, considering the evolving work environment and unpredictable circumstances. After identifying the behavioral aspects of leadership, it becomes imperative to utilize them in different situations to assess their effectiveness. Fiedler's Contingency Model

is proposed as a solution for workplace challenges that heavily rely on situational factors. This model suggests that a controlling leadership style may be suitable for a mechanistic organizational environment, whereas a participative approach is more appropriate for a dynamic work setting that requires flexibility (Heslin, VandeWalle, Latham 2006, p. 882).

The Fiedler Contingency Model classifies directors into two distinct groups: task-oriented and relationship-oriented, while also considering the environment as either favorable or unfavorable. This model allows leaders to manipulate the environmental variables to align with their leadership styles. According to the contingency model, the relationship and power dynamics between a leader and their team members significantly impact the task structure (Baum and Locke 2004, p. 587). It has been observed that a favorable work environment characterized by a positive leader-member relationship tends to result in a high task structure, where the leader has the authority to reward or punish employees with complete autonomy. Conversely, both task-motivated and relationship-motivated leadership styles have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Task-motivated leaders can achieve financial growth by surpassing their main competitors (Kaplan and Norton 2004, p.

42) The relationship-driven leaders achieve client satisfaction which helps create a positive image for the administration. This contributes to long-term organizational success. The Hersey-Blanchard Model of Leadership measures the developmental capacity of employees to determine the appropriate leadership style for a specific situation. The model combines task behavior and relationship behavior of a leader based on the maturity of their subordinates in the workplace. There are four categories of leadership styles based on situational variables, with directing behavior and supportive behaviors being the most important. In directing behavior, leaders use one-way communication

to decide, communicate, and closely supervise the performance of their subordinates to achieve organizational objectives (Perren and Burgoyne 2001).

229) The supportive behavior of a leader involves bipartisan communication where leaders involve their subordinates in the decision-making process, listen to their perspectives, provide support, and encourage their contributions to performance improvement. The Hersey-Blanchard Model allows leaders to assess the maturity level of their subordinates and adjust their behaviors accordingly, which is its key aspect. This theory focuses on enhancing the maturity level of subordinates through effective coaching techniques, increased support, and motivational strategies. This not only benefits the leaders but also the organization in the long run. The Tannenbaum-Schmidt's Continuum model extends contingency theories by suggesting four main leadership behaviors along a continuum: authoritarian or telling style, persuasive or selling style, consultative or consulting style, and democratic or participative style.The continuum theoretical account categorizes and applies different leadership styles to various situations. For example, in an emergency, the directive style is deemed most effective for developing a team, while in a competitive work environment, the selling style is suitable, as it values both a decisive leader and the enthusiastic involvement of subordinates.

The consulting and joining leading approach is akin to a similar situation where both leaders and subordinates contribute to increased productivity in the organization (Heslin, VandeWalle, Latham 2006, p. 886). Another significant situational or contingency model is Adair's Action-Centred leading, which features a three-circle diagram. The situational and contingent factors influence the leader's response in addressing organizational issues and achieving desired goals.

Leaderships and Followings

The concepts of leading and following have traditionally focused on the idealized figure of a solo leader

who contributes to organizational goals. However, the theories of Leaderships and Followings aim to emphasize the importance of mutual collaboration between leaders and their subordinates within a team-oriented work environment. The theory of Servant Leadership promotes the idea of prioritizing serving others and then leading by fostering teamwork, foresight, and trust within the organizational structure. This theory empowers all individuals and treats them fairly. Another theoretical approach, Team Leadership, proposed by Meredith Belbin, emphasizes balanced team efforts by suggesting a network of individuals working together towards a shared organizational goal while considering both individual strengths and weaknesses. In the complex globalized work environment, team work is most suitable as leaders are less controlling and believe in actively involving their subordinates as participating members of the organization (Goleman, McKee, & Boyatzis, 2002, p.).

22). In order to adapt to the volatile organizational structure of today, it is necessary to establish collaborative working relationships. The diverse nature of the organizational structure requires a holistic approach, where the leader's decision-making and problem-solving abilities are supported by the entire team. Additionally, James MacGregor Burns introduced the Transactional and Transformational Leadership Model, which provides insight into the financial and ethical needs of an organization as perceived by a leader. The transactional leadership aspect of this model is based on a business-oriented perspective, seeking short-term financial gains to maximize efficiency within the organization. It emphasizes tactical issues and relies on data-driven decision-making, supporting existing structures and systems. This type of leadership is heavily influenced by power dynamics, politics, and additional benefits (Baum and Locke 2004, p. 589).

On the other hand, transformational leadership is founded on high moral and ethical values and

is based on pre-defined purposes. The importance of transformational leadership lies in its ability to distribute responsibilities and duties among the team, providing meaningful and challenging job roles for subordinates in order to cultivate a sense of dignity by recognizing their potential (Drach-Zahavy and Erez 2002, p. 668). Transformational leaders strive for long-term organizational success by strategically aligning internal structure and systems without compromising core values and principles.

Dispersed Leadership

Dispersed Leadership is an informal leadership style that is significantly different from the organizational hierarchical model. It is the most contemporary theoretical model that encourages all individuals within an organization to contribute their leadership skills without any restrictions of hierarchy, positively influencing their colleagues to maximize organizational productivity.

It has been found that organizations can become more progressive by developing a "leaderful" civilization and work environment. This can be achieved through the use of a synchronized, concerted, and empathetic leadership model (Raelin 2003, p. 62). This approach allows for the leader's duty and commitment to be deeply rooted throughout the entire organization, without the limitations of formal chain of command. The leadership qualities of an individual are influenced by their relationships and social behavior. Moreover, a leader's intrinsic characteristics and traits have the ability to influence others and generate followers (James and Burgoyne 2001). Therefore, implementing shared responsibilities within small groups of like-minded individuals, also known as distributed leadership, can also benefit the organization by creating a modern work environment.

Assessing The Linkage Between Leadership ; Employee Motivation

The connection between leadership and employee motivation is crucial for maximizing efficiency and overcoming obstacles in an organization. Effective leaders utilize communication, problem-solving, people management, decision-making, and

motivation to develop a strong bond with their team members and achieve outstanding organizational performance (James and Burgoyne 2001). By exhibiting enthusiasm and drive, leaders establish associations with their employees suited to various situations and contexts to attain desired goals. To enhance the efficiency of their team members, leaders must motivate them using incentives, growth opportunities, and rewards (Rodgers, Frearson, Holden and Gold 2003). Combining leadership theories with appropriate motivational strategies can significantly improve organizational productivity.

Leaderships should understand the psychology of individuals as it significantly impacts the performance of the organization (Heslin, VandeWalle, Latham 2006, p. 882). It is crucial to consider the needs of individuals while setting organizational goals as the workforce consists mostly of people who have specific job roles to fulfill their basic needs. In addition to financial benefits, individuals may also have various psychological and social needs that shape their personality and beliefs (Raelin 2003, p. 65). By addressing the psycho-social needs of employees through monetary and symbolic rewards, an organization can effectively develop a high-performing workforce that feels a sense of dignity and contributes to achieving organizational objectives (Renn 2003, p.

572). Effective leaders recognize and address the primary human needs and psychosocial requirements, motivating their subordinates by directly stimulating the appropriate individual motivations (Wegge and Haslam 2005, p. 404). In today's workforce, employees have significantly advanced in terms of education qualifications and thrive in knowledge-based work environments. They expect to be respected for their beliefs and acknowledged for their contributions and efforts that benefit the organization. Leaders serve as the primary and crucial link between the workforce and the organization, allowing employees to freely express their perspectives and recognize their

organizational contributions (Goleman, McKee, and Boyatzis 2002, p.).

22). Traditional methods of managing subsidiaries through leaders have been replaced by modern techniques that use personnel-centric strategies within the organization to greatly motivate employees and gain a competitive advantage in the market. Motivating employees and earning their utmost loyalty and dedication is now the responsibility of managers, who must inspire them through effective leadership styles. The contemporary nature of organizations supports the idea of empowering employees, and leaders are expected to generate followers by adopting a flexible approach and well-known leadership style. Today, it is not just the products and services offered by organizations that compete in the market, but also the ability of an organization to retain a highly competitive, loyal, and productive workforce that determines its market dominance (Drach-Zahavy and Erez 2002, p. 669).

The connection between effective leadership and motivational strategies has been heavily emphasized by organizations. It has been observed that leaders play an integral role in maximizing organizational productivity through their motivational tactics. Traditional hierarchical structures with authoritative leadership styles have become less prevalent in today's globalized work environment. Instead, employees prefer democratic leaders who respect their psycho-social goals and acknowledge their individual contributions to overall organizational success. Modern-day workers appreciate persuasive and non-coercive leaders. They have shifted towards professional pragmatism and challenging job roles instead of prioritizing short-term benefits like status and position (Goleman, McKee, and Boyatzis, 2002, p. 39). Consequently, organizations have recognized the strong connection between effective leadership and motivational strategies. They have presented adaptable leaders who are willing to adjust their leadership skills to meet the psycho-social needs of today's workforce.

The long-term success of an organization heavily relies on

its imperfect and dedicated workforce (Hamlin 2002). This can be achieved by implementing appropriate motivational schemes and effective leadership styles. Administrations are fortunate to select leaders who have the ability to understand the employees' psychological and social needs and improve their understanding of the organizational environment (Wegge and Haslam 2005, p. 401). The leader's openness to adapt to evolving situations and their capability to address employees' unexpected expectations determines the long-term success of the organization.

Conclusion

People's attitudes towards their work have significantly changed due to the transition from manual to knowledge-based work environments in modern globalized organizational structures.

The fast-paced work environment and the highly responsive behavior of employees have improved life standards and employee perspectives. As a result, effective and integrated leadership has become crucial for motivating the workforce in today's organizations. Depending on the changing circumstances, organizations appoint their best leaders to motivate their subordinates using the most appropriate leadership techniques to maintain employee loyalty and commitment, leading to maximum organizational productivity. In conclusion, there is a strong connection between effective leadership and employee motivation strategies that not only generate financial benefits through enhanced organizational productivity but also contribute to long-term organizational success.