Leaders and Leadership Essay Example

two factors: leadership style and situational favorableness (Fiedler Contingency Model, 2011). To assess a leader's style, Fiedler created the least preferred co-worker (LPC) scale. This scale requires leaders to think of all the people they have worked with and rate the person they have worked with least well on a scale of 1 to 8.

Fiedler's contingency theory suggests that effective leaders have a leadership orientation that fits the situation. The theory predicts that the characteristics of the situation determine its favorableness for leadership effectiveness. Three components determine situational control: leader-member relations, task structure, and leader position power. Leader-Member relations measure mutual trust, respect, and confidence between the leader and subordinates. Task Structure measures the clarity and structure of group tasks. Leader position power refers to the inherent power in the leader's position (Fiedler Contingency Model, 2011).

Contemporary perspectives on leadership propose newer approaches based on a contingency approach that considers both the leader's characteristics and the situational context they are leading in.

Some of the theories mentioned in the text include Path-goal theory, the Vroom and Yetton model, and leader-member exchange theory. The Path-Goal Theory of Leadership aims to explain how leaders assist and support their followers in accomplishing their set goals by providing a clear and accessible path. Leaders in this theory clarify the directions for subordinates, remove any obstacles hindering their progress, and increase the rewards along the way (Path-Goal Theory of Leadership, 2011). This theory defines four types of leadership: directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented leadership. Supportive leadership takes into consideration the needs of followers, demonstrates concern for their well-being, and fosters a friendly work environment.

The text explores various leadership styles and their advantages.

One style focuses on enhancing the follower's self-confidence and making the job more engaging, which is especially beneficial in challenging, monotonous, or risky work settings. Conversely, directive leadership entails informing followers about the necessary tasks and offering guidance throughout the process. This may involve assigning specific tasks with set deadlines, as well as increasing incentives and minimizing uncertainty regarding roles. Participative leadership involves seeking input from followers and taking their ideas into account when making decisions or initiating actions.

This approach is most effective when the followers are knowledgeable and their input is necessary and anticipated. Furthermore, achievement-oriented leadership involves establishing ambitious goals for both work and personal development. It entails demonstrating and expecting high standards, as well as exhibiting confidence in the followers' ability to succeed. This leadership style is particularly suitable for complex tasks, according to the Path-Goal Theory of Leadership (2011). It also aligns with the Vroom and Yetton Model.

The Vroom-Yetton-Jago Decision-making Model of Leadership centers around decision making and its impact on successful leadership. Factors that influence a decision include the quality of the decision, the commitment of the group or organization members, and time constraints. Leadership styles can range from authoritarian to highly participatory. In 1988, Vroom and Jago developed a mathematical expert system for decision making in their book Leadership and Decision Making (The Vroom and Yetton Model, 2010).

The Vroom-Yetton-Jago Decision-making Model of Leadership focuses on understanding how the group, leader, and situation influence the level of involvement of the group in decision-making. It uses a flowchart-style procedure to determine the decision-making style, which can be autocratic, consultative, or group-based. The autocratic style resembles a dictator, following the principles of

Transactional Leadership where the leader instructs the group to "obey".

The consultative approach involves the leader seeking suggestions from the group to determine the best way to complete tasks. According to The Vroom and Yetton Model (2010), the "group" method of decision making is highly democratic, as it allows the group to ultimately make the decision. Another theory known as Leader-Member Exchange Theory, LMX or Vertical Dyad Linkage Theory, explains how leaders within groups maintain their position by forming implicit exchange agreements with their members.

Leaders often establish a special connection with a specific set of people whom they have faith in and depend on. These individuals are given significant responsibilities, involvement in decision-making processes, and access to valuable resources. In exchange, this close-knit group takes on certain duties. They display higher levels of dedication, possess a stronger commitment towards achieving objectives, and assume extra administrative tasks. Additionally, they are anticipated to exhibit unbreakable loyalty and steadfast devotion to their leader.

The out-group has limited choice and influence, which restricts the leader's power. The leader must maintain a relationship with their inner circle while preventing them from acting independently (Leader-Member Exchange Theory, 2011). New ideas and theories in leadership research continually propose effective leadership approaches such as transformational and charismatic leadership, leader mood, and ethical leadership. Transformational leadership is a style that induces change in individuals and social systems.

Ideal transformational leadership brings about valuable and positive change in followers, aiming to develop them into leaders. When practiced authentically, it enhances motivation, morale, and performance through various means. These include establishing a connection between followers' identity and the organization's mission and collective identity, serving as an inspiring role model,

encouraging followers to take ownership of their work, and understanding their strengths and weaknesses to assign tasks that optimize performance (Transformational Leadership, 2011). Charismatic leadership involves theatrical behavior, with charismatic leaders being persuasive speakers and adept at body language.

Charismatic leaders possess the ability to effectively gauge the situation and adapt their behavior accordingly. They are also willing to take personal risks and make sacrifices, which helps establish their credibility and trustworthiness among their followers. Once their leadership is established, they strive to establish a unique identity for their group of followers and cultivate an image of superiority. Moreover, these leaders strongly identify themselves with the group, to the point where the group and the leader become virtually indistinguishable (Charismatic Leadership, 1996). Additionally, a leader plays a significant role in shaping the office environment which directly influences people's moods and subsequently impacts their productivity and engagement levels.

Experience the countless times you may have driven home with a sense of inner satisfaction, replaying a positive interaction with a positive and supportive manager, perhaps cherishing a clever remark about your performance that he or she shared with you on a Friday afternoon. The immense joy it brought you and the eagerness it sparked within you to wake up on Monday morning and return to the workplace, ready to give your very best to that individual. That's the enduring "afterglow" that persists and rejuvenates your determination to be more productive, to utilize your exceptional abilities at work (Leader Mood, 2007). Ethical Leadership.

Ethical leadership involves leading in a way that respects the rights and dignity of others. Leaders, who are in a position of social power, should use their

power ethically in their decision-making, actions, and influence on others. Ethical leaders display integrity and trustworthiness, which are essential for followers to accept the leader's vision. Demonstrating character and integrity forms the foundation for the leader's ethical beliefs, values, and decisions.

The ethical decisions made by leaders are influenced by their personal values and beliefs. Ethical leaders prioritize people and recognize the effects of their choices on others. They employ their social power to benefit the greater good rather than their own self-interests. Considering the impact on others is crucial in ethical leadership. Encouraging followers to prioritize the needs and interests of the group is another characteristic of ethical leaders.

Motivating involves engaging others in an intellectual and emotional commitment between leaders and followers that makes both parties equally responsible in the pursuit of a common goal. These characteristics of ethical leaders are similar to inspirational motivation, which is a style component of transformational leadership. Inspirational motivation "involves inspiring others to work towards the leader's vision for the group and to be committed to the group." Similarly, ethical leadership "falls within the nexus of inspiring, stimulating, and visionary leader behaviors that make up transformational and charismatic leadership."

Ethical Leadership (2011) states that leaders who exhibit ethical behavior offer assistance and motivation to their followers, enabling them to develop self-sufficiency. Apple Inc is a US-based multinational corporation that focuses on designing and selling consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. Their primary hardware offerings include Macintosh computers, iPods, iPhones, and iPads.

Apple, originally known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in Cupertino, California on April 1, 1976 and officially incorporated on January 3, 1977. However, the company underwent a name

change on January 9, 2007 to reflect its expansion into consumer electronics while still maintaining its focus on personal computers.

As of September 2010[update], Apple had a global workforce consisting of 46,600 full-time employees and an additional 2,800 temporary full-time employees. Additionally, the company's annual sales revenue reached $65.23 billion worldwide (Wozniak, 2004).

Established on April 1, 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple aimed to sell the Apple I personal computer kit. These kits were hand-built by Wozniak and initially showcased at the Homebrew Computer Club. The Apple I functioned as a motherboard equipped with CPU, RAM, and basic textual-video chips - not quite a complete personal computer by today's standards. It became available for purchase in July 1976 at a market price of $666.6 (Apple Inc, 2011). Notably, Steve Jobs possessed an unconventional leadership style.

Steve Jobs had an unorthodox management style. He was not known for being consultative or consensus-building, instead expecting excellence from his staff and providing direct criticism. However, it was his combination of genius and ability to effectively communicate his vision that allowed him to inspire and motivate staff, investors, and customers alike. Despite a significant setback in his career, Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 with renewed determination. The impact of his leadership is undeniable, often earning him the title of visionary. In Joe Nocera's article "Unconventional Leader" (2011) published in The New York Times, it is noted that Jobs disregarded conventional management rules during his time at Apple.

He lacked the ability to build consensus and instead operated as a dictator, relying mostly on his own intuition. He possessed an exceptional aesthetic sense, a quality that is typically

absent among businesspeople. In meetings, he could be merciless, readily tearing apart staff members and their foolish ideas.

" . . . He never softened, never gave up on Apple employees, and never stopped relying on his unique instincts in making decisions about the appearance and functionality of Apple products" (Leadership Rules, 2011). Similarly, Adam Lashinsky recounted in Fortune a few months ago the incident in 2008 when Jobs summoned the team responsible for developing the MobileMe e-mail system and questioned, "Can anyone explain the purpose of MobileMe?" After receiving a satisfactory answer, he continued, "Then why doesn't it fulfill that purpose? " Jobs proceeded to admonish the group for the next thirty minutes.

According to Leadership Rules (2011), Steve Jobs criticized them, saying that they have tarnished Apple's reputation and should hold resentment towards each other for failing each other. Jobs is known for his talent in delivering impactful speeches that captivate the attention of the audience. He possesses the ability to captivate both his employees and audience alike, like an evangelist.

The text highlights that Steve Jobs possesses the charismatic abilities that Dubrin requires. He effectively communicates his ideas using metaphors, analogies, and storytelling. Jobs' speaking skills are exceptional and he has the ability to captivate his employees and the public with his almost evangelistic delivery. While Jobs may not have the same technical knowledge as his engineers, he co-founded Apple with Wozniak and contributed to the development of the very first hardware. His deep understanding of technology plays a significant role in his charisma. Jobs' visionary talent, combined with his knowledge of what is technologically possible, enables him to develop his visions and effectively convey

them to his employees for execution.

Steve Jobs possesses a charismatic personality which allows him to generate enthusiasm among his employees and motivate them to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. Moreover, his charm enables him to persuade customers into buying Apple products. Jobs' charisma can be classified as personalized, meaning that he primarily serves his own interests and exercises limited restraints on his use of power. In Jobs' case, this implies that he motivates not only through storytelling but also through force. Some critics describe Jobs as manipulative, dishonest, and rude (Steve Jobs Leadership Behavior, 2010). This is evident when he states, for example: "My job is to not be easy on people."

My role is to improve and enhance the company. I am responsible for bringing different departments together, removing obstacles, and securing resources for important projects. Additionally, I strive to motivate and elevate our talented team members, encouraging more ambitious visions for the future. It is evident that he expects loyalty and obedience from his followers, driven by his personal interest in the valuable goal of working at "Apple." In summary, he possesses a visionary nature and effectively communicates through storytelling. This ability to convey his vision is what primarily makes Jobs appear charismatic (Steve Jobs Leadership Behavior, 2010).

Due to his manipulative behavior, some of his employees consider him autocratic. In meetings, he is described as rude, authoritative, and obnoxious. Jobs appears to engage in micromanagement at Apple and acknowledges that up to 100 individuals directly report to him.

Regarding his leadership style, it can be said that he is viewed as autocratic. The fact that numerous individuals directly report to him reflects his desire and determination

to have complete control. Undoubtedly, this leadership is built upon having total control. It is believed that Jobs' level of participative leadership is minimal. There are anecdotes suggesting that he tends to be impolite and extremely impatient during meetings. Such behavior surely discourages people from expressing their opinions and participating.

According to a source titled "Steve Jobs Leadership Behavior" (2010), some character traits of Steve Jobs include intimidatingly high self-confidence, low trustworthiness, true authenticity, extraversion, assertiveness, and enthusiasm. Overall, Steve Jobs' personality traits are not typically seen as those of an effective leader. However, his charisma, self-confidence, and passion for work greatly outweigh his negative characteristics and have led to his success as one of the most successful CEOs of the decade. Reference: Apple Inc (2011) Wikipedia.

Information about Apple Inc. can be found on the website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc, which was retrieved on October 12, 2011.

Charismatic Leadership. (1996) Leadership-expert.co.uk. Retrieved on January 15, 1996 from website: http://www.leadership-expert.

Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethical_leadership

(1965). "Dual leadership in complex organizations." American sociological review, 30, 688-698. "Fiedler contingency model." (2011) Wikipedia.

org. Retrieved on July 17, 2011 from website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiedler_contingency_model Leadership Behaviors and Attitudes of Steve Jobs (2010). Davidkramer.wordpress.

"Leadership behaviours and attitudes of Steve Jobs" is an article retrieved from the website http://davidkramer.wordpress.com/2010/02/15. The Yoyobrain website also provides information on the leader-behavior approach in 2011.

The information below was retrieved from the website http://www.yoyobrain.com/flashcards/42851 on March 20, 2011. The information comes from Changingminds.org and is about the Leader-Member Exchange Theory.The text below is aand unification of the original text, preserving the and their contents.

Retrieved on September 2, 2011 from website: http://changingminds.org/explanations/theories/leader_member_exchange.htm Leader Mood. (2007) Smallbusinesssuccess.

The website Small Business Success (http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz/articles_week/leaders_mood_and_performance.htm) published an article on December

5, 2007 titled "Leadership Trait Theory." Another source, Leadershiptheories, also provides information on this topic.

WordPress.com. Retrieved on September 6, 2007 from the website: