Theories and Research into Leadership and Management Styles Essay Example
Theories and Research into Leadership and Management Styles Essay Example

Theories and Research into Leadership and Management Styles Essay Example

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  • Pages: 12 (3264 words)
  • Published: September 7, 2017
  • Type: Research Paper
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Introduction

Leadership is the act of exerting influence on individuals in order to guide them in the right direction. This influence not only applies to businesses, but also extends to non-profit organizations, enabling them to succeed and accomplish their objectives. The significance of leadership goes beyond organizational settings as it plays a vital role in our personal lives too. Leaders serve as guides and have a substantial impact on our daily existence. The value of leadership becomes apparent when we exercise our voting rights and select our preferred leaders. In the absence of effective leadership, a group can easily descend into disagreements and conflicts due to varying perspectives and ideas among its members. Leaders offer solutions and steer us towards success by providing guidance. Leadership involves the aptitude for effectively communicating with others and persuading them towards

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a shared goal. Assuming a leadership position means taking responsibility for various aspects such as the future prospects of an organization or its members. It also entails making commitments to both the mission at hand and the people being led since leaders bear accountability for their team's well-being and overall purpose. To be an effective leader, one must be willing to take risks while accepting potential setbacks or failures that may arise along the way. Different fields have various types of leaders, including presidents or prime ministers who lead countries. This text explores how leadership functions within personal and professional contexts alike, highlighting that leaders are individuals who manage and guide organizations or households by setting goals and offering directionsThe text emphasizes the significance of effective leadership in both households and organizations, highlighting its crucial role

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in management, decision-making, and handling inputs and outputs. It acknowledges that strong leadership can turn a weak plan into success while weak leadership can ruin even a good plan. Leaders provide guidance and direction to address concerns. Bill Gates is cited as an example of a successful leader who led Microsoft to global recognition. On the other hand, poor leadership is exemplified by British oil president McClatchy who failed to recognize the true impact of an oil spill, causing financial consequences for BP. Leadership involves influencing others, guiding them towards objectives, and demonstrating appropriate behaviors and attitudes. A leader should be able to move forward with their followers and generate ideas for business development.

Background

Literature review

Leadership Theories Leadership Style Writers' perspectives on leadershipLeadership involves influencing the thoughts, behavior, and attitudes of others in order to effectively direct an organization (North houses 2007: P3). It is about guiding followers towards achieving goals and providing clear guidance for them to follow.The absence of leadership can lead to conflicts and differences.A leader has the ability to shape the thinking and behavior of their staff and control business management, according to Warren Bennie (1960). However, some authoritarian leaders only care about their own position, causing disgrace upon the business. Leadership is not just a job; it is a mindset. Historical examples like Hitler and Churchill show how leaders can be critically defeated. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester (1896) defines leadership as the process of influencing others' behavior towards group goals while respecting their freedom. A leader should have a clear vision and strategies for achieving goals. Failing in their mission harms both the community and

followers. John C Maxwell believes that leadership is primarily about influence, which cannot be given or assigned but must be earned through personal efforts. Leadership is similar to direction - leaders provide guidance while directors maintain the set path. One theory of leadership, Thomas Carlyle's Great Man theory, suggests that true leaders are born with innate qualities that make them effective leaders. These individuals emerge when needed and may come from humble backgrounds but are given opportunities to lead without acquiring specific skills; they naturally show the right way to the world.Mohammad (PBUH) and Jesus are examples of prophets in Islam and Christianity who demonstrate the principle of providing guidance and support to their people. In the business world, effective leadership is essential for progress. According to Robert II Smith, some individuals possess innate qualities that make them effective leaders, allowing them to influence others while also having control over management. However, there are those who claim to be leaders without possessing these traits. The contingency theory suggests that leadership involves more than just completing tasks; leaders must also be able to handle urgent or anxious situations and take necessary steps for the future. Support from team members is crucial for leaders, as their leadership would be ineffective without it. This type of leadership has a positive impact on management by ensuring task completion through strong and reliable leaders. Fred Fiedler's situational leadership theory by Hersey-Blanchard emphasizes self-analysis for leaders to determine if they can effectively fulfill their role. This theory focuses on the actions taken by leaders in different situations, requiring adaptability in teaching methods and effective communication with followers.The behavioral leadership theory states

that the behavior of leaders can either improve or harm the overall plan. Leaders must consistently and appropriately handle situations. This theory focuses on how leaders behave, while other theories focus on leader traits. It is important for leaders to always be understanding in their behavior. To be a good leader, one must understand the basic needs of subordinates or followers. In a multicultural environment, individuals have their own unique needs, although there are some shared necessities.

Fred Fiedler's participative leadership theory, also known as democratic leadership style, emphasizes the importance of leaders collaborating with employees to achieve success in a competitive business world. This style allows for employee involvement in decision-making and enhances performance.

James Macgregor Burns' transactional theory concentrates on supervision and defining leader roles and traits, while highlighting the mutual assistance between leaders and followers to accomplish ambitious goals.

Mary Uhl-Bien's analysis of leadership includes studying individual traits and interactions with others, as well as examining social interactions that create networks of leaders and followers. This approach presents a collaborative and less hierarchical perspective on leadership.According to Lawrence J. Bossy, the autocratic leadership style, although considered old-fashioned, is still used by many global leaders. It aims to give the leader complete control over followers, resulting in improved team performance and reduced stress for the leader. In this style, leaders have total power over employees with limited input from team members. The leader has full authority to accept or reject suggestions regardless of their benefit to the organization. Max Weber (1947) describes bureaucratic leadership as focusing on normative rules and lines of authority. Leaders enforce strict discipline and demand high performance based on their position rather

than electoral support. They enforce rules that followers must obey due to their authority. This type of leadership causes employee stress and is not successful in business settings. Bernard M. Bass (2008) states that laissez-faire leadership allows management flexibility and freedom. In this style, leaders take a passive approach and only intervene when objectives are not met or problems arise.
According to William M Pride, Robert J Hughes, Jack R Kapoor (2009), different leadership styles exist. An individualistic leader with an autocratic behavior believes in not interfering until issues become serious. On the other hand, a laissez-faire leader takes a passive approach and only addresses errors when they are brought to their attention.

Individualistic behaviors involve making independent decisions and relinquishing responsibility. This type of leader does not offer any feedback or support to followers because they believe that followers are inherently motivated and should be left alone to complete tasks.

In contrast, the democratic leadership style is widely used in team management. It encourages communication and open debate within the group, allowing ideas to freely flow. By simplifying conversations and motivating individuals to share their thoughts, this style combines all available information to make the best decision possible. Effective communication of this decision back to the group is crucial for creating unity.

The democratic leadership style leverages the skills and talents of an expert team by allowing them to express their perspectives instead of just expecting compliance. According to Theory Ten, Theory X assumes that average individuals dislike work and will try to avoid it. They have no goals, do not want blame, and prefer following orders rather than taking control.These individuals are self-centered and indifferent towards organizational

goals. According to McGregor (1960), Theory X states that individuals lose motivation once their needs are met. Companies using this approach rely on money and benefits for low-level desires, but motivation decreases after these desires are fulfilled. In contrast, Theory X management styles hinder the satisfaction of higher-level needs. Employees can only meet their higher level demands at work by seeking more compensation; it is unwise to assume they will solely focus on economic rewards. Under Theory X, people use work to satisfy minor needs and strive to fulfill higher needs in their free time.

Theory Y suggests that high-level needs for respect and fulfillment cannot be fully satisfied and are ongoing. Therefore, effectively motivating employees requires addressing these higher-level needs. Theory Y makes several general assumptions: work can be as enjoyable as play and rest; individuals will be self-motivated if dedicated to work goals; employees are committed to objectives if rewards meet higher needs such as self-fulfillment;Under certain conditions, people will actively seek responsibility, and most individuals have the potential to assume such responsibilities due to shared qualities like creativity and originality. McGregor's Theory Y suggests that employees can be motivated and effectively managed by aligning their personal goals with those of the organization, while also using their desire for personal fulfillment as a motivating factor. It is important to note that this management approach does not advocate for a lenient or soft approach; McGregor acknowledged that some individuals may initially require strict controls which can gradually be relaxed as they develop. Understanding the concept and nature of effective leadership might be easier than actually implementing it. Successful management involves possessing innate human qualities that

go beyond traditional notions of authority. In today's world, effective leaders play a crucial role in motivating individuals and organizations towards achieving their objectives and growth. This necessitates finding a delicate balance between individual needs and organizational goals. Although technical skills and intellectual capabilities can be beneficial, they are not essential for effective leadership. In the modern era, good leadership primarily revolves around thoughtfulness and actions that define our humanity. Ultimately, leadership is fundamentally concerned with people.Leadership decisions encompass various aspects and are uniquely responsible for the state, making them particularly significant in assessment. The success of leadership can be observed by examining followers in different situations. Acquiring skills and knowledge and consistently applying them is crucial for many capabilities in life.

Leadership is a diverse field that requires adaptable strengths and behavioral qualities which deeply resonate with a leader's intellectual and spiritual reserves. The main idea is that leadership involves understanding people's needs and challenges in modern life. It is a complex concept influenced by the increasingly complicated and rapidly changing world.

Leadership should not be mistaken for management, although they are often considered to be the same thing. Confusion also arises from equating leadership with providing direction, giving instructions, and making important decisions on behalf of an organization.

On the other hand, management is a systematic discipline that includes planning, organizing, regulating, overseeing, and managing resources. Leadership serves as support and motivation for managing people. It entails guiding followers and providing direction while managers have control over their subordinates.

Both managers and leaders need managerial power and leadership skills to control, direct, and lead others in different areas.According to Fayol (1916), management involves calculating, planning, organizing, coordinating,

commanding, and controlling. Managers plan, organize,and control people in their domain of work.

Cole (1996) states that leadership goes beyond personality, chance factors, or simply being assigned a position. It is closely tied to behavior and is essentially a human process in organizations.

Chiu and Stembridge (1998) suggest that managers possess more managerial abilities while leaders possess more leadership skills. However, there is a distinct difference in how they achieve results despite some similarities in tasks performed by managers and leaders. These methods have become significant topics in management literature.

Effective leaders and managers adapt their skills to the developmental level of the individuals they manage according to Stiles (2009). It is argued against the belief that there is one best way to manage human resources as emphasized by The Office of the Auditor General of Canada (2006).

Whether as a leader or manager, it is important to encourage collaboration among team members for better results according to Mather (2009). Wickramasinghe (2007) asserts that leadership and managerial traits are often determined by position rather than an individual's specification.

Both leadership and management play crucial roles in guiding individuals through various channels.The terms "leadership" and "management" are often used interchangeably as they involve similar tasks. Both leadership and management can be learned, and it is sometimes necessary to supervise individuals using both sets of skills simultaneously. According to Cole (1998), the core of any managerial position lies in the ability to gain people's commitment towards organizational objectives, which can also be described as exercising appropriate leadership. Leadership theory follows management thought, as it focuses on how one person influences follower behavior without coercion. The distinction between a manager and a leader

is often minimal and difficult to discern, with many leaders advancing from managerial positions within organizations.

Research Objectives

In line with my PGDBM requirements, my study aims to explore the impact of leadership on people management, including both positive and negative effects. My thesis has three main objectives: understanding the importance of leadership in enhancing performance within organizations; examining how leadership affects people management; and exploring various theories, models, and styles of leadership.

Research Methodology

2.1

Primary Research

Primary research involves acquiring unique data directly about the product and market.The primary research collects previously unavailable information to address specific questions of interest, such as customer perception of customer service or a new product version. Field research gathers primary data through methods like face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews, online surveys, and mailed questionnaires. Online surveys are preferred due to their cost-effectiveness. However, it may not always be possible to ask all customers the desired questions; therefore, primary research relies on surveys and sampling for valid results. Primary research provides advantages such as up-to-date and tailored information that no other business would have access to. Online studies and telephone interviews offer quick data acquisition but can be complicated, time-consuming in collection, and expensive. In contrast, secondary research gathers information from various sources like creators, publishers, books, journals magazines with already compiled data. This approach often involves accessing third-party outlets such as marketing research reports, company websites magazine articles among others.Nonetheless, any data obtained from external or internal sources such as past market research, sales reports, and accounting records falls under the category of secondary research. The accessibility of secondary research is a significant advantage as it can be easily accessed through mediums

like internet platforms, journals, books, magazines, etc., which provide secondary information. Secondary research proves to be an effective method for obtaining accurate and useful data due to its incorporation of various perspectives and critiques. Researchers are attracted to secondary information because it is cost-effective compared to conducting primary research on their own. Moreover, secondary research is often used before larger-scale primary investigations to help formulate research questions and lay the foundation for further exploration. It saves time by providing researchers with specific data that may already be available from secondary sources while also offering precise and persuasive information. Detailed information on how the data was collected often accompanies secondary research, enhancing its credibility. However, the quality of secondary research should be carefully analyzed as its background may be debatable. Organizations relying on this information must critically assess how it was collected, examined, and presented in order to evaluate its justification and reliability.In fast-changing markets, caution must be exercised when using outdated secondary data as it may have little relevance. Furthermore, secondary research is not tailored to individual needs and may contain incomplete information. It is also important to note that many people have access to secondary research, limiting its value for those who rely on it. Today's effective leadership requires more than just authority; it demands profound human abilities. Competent leaders play a vital role in facilitating progress and growth for individuals and organizations in the modern era. To establish a complex partnership between people's desires and organizational goals, it is necessary to acknowledge that the traditional view of a leader as an authoritative figure at the top of a hierarchy is flawed. True leadership

transcends exceptional scientific or intellectual abilities, although these qualities can be advantageous. In today's world, effective leadership entails attitudes and behaviors that exemplify ethics and resonate with others. Respected and followed leaders earn trust based on their character rather than solely relying on their skills. While management primarily focuses on procedures, leadership primarily prioritizes behavior. Management heavily relies on tangible abilities such as strategic planning, utilizing organizational systems, and employing effective communication strategies.
The importance of leadership is often overshadowed by management skills, but it primarily relies on intangible traits such as trust, motivation, decision-making, and interpersonal qualities. These inherent qualities are shaped by a leader's character and personal reserves. While some individuals naturally have a inclination towards leadership, others can develop these skills over time. Leadership is not limited to privileged or educated individuals; it is a matter of personal perspective and belief in a cause. It is crucial for leaders to be relatable to their followers and represent their age group. Anyone can become a leader if they are determined about a specific cause. Understanding the role of leadership brings benefits like confidence and personal growth. Even those with initially modest leadership abilities have the potential to become exceptional leaders.Different leadership styles exist, some appropriate for specific situations while others may not be suitable. The ability to adapt and demonstrate flexibility in leadership style is increasingly important in our complex and self-motivated world. Directors, managers, employees, customers, suppliers, stakeholders, and others rely on strong guiding principles to shape their expectations, outcomes, and actions.

The BBC's leadership includes the BBC Trust, Executive Board, and corporate structure. The president appointed by the BBC Trust manages the governance

of the BBC. The president's responsibilities include promoting citizenship and civil society, advancing education and learning processes, managing staff business skills, handling business impacts, and managing financial issues.

Leading a large organization like the BBC can be challenging due to its size, diversity of operations,and political/public interest involved. This complexity is further compounded by conflicting ideologies within the organization's confusing structure. Despite these challenges,the BBC operates various divisions simultaneously includingBBC Health,BBC Food,CBBC,BBC Radio,BBC Travel,BBC Games,BBC Weather,BBC Cricket ,andBBC Schools among others.The company has also discontinued channels like BBC Urdu.Managing all these operations concurrently presents difficulties buttheBBC remains one ofthe world's top broadcasting companies.The management's leadership responsibilities include finding ways to increase profitability and provide quality services across platforms. Currently with a turnover of ?89.4m, the company has successfully doubled profit through revenue enhancement, showcasing effective leadership by consistently delivering high-quality services. The BBC serves as an example of how organizations, regardless of their size, often encounter conflicting or unclear objectives. In order for effective leadership in strategy, management, and motivation, it is crucial to have ideas or reinforce purpose.

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