essays about leadership styles

Feb 15, 2023

Essays on Leadership for Students | 200 - 500 Word Essays

Are you writing an essay about leadership? Check out these examples!

Leadership is often defined as "the action of inspiring others to act in concert to achieve a particular goal." It signifies the harmony in actions that lead to a common objective. A genuine leader not only exudes confidence but also paves the way for their followers towards triumph. Over the years, various leadership styles have been identified and discussed by psychologists.

 Qualities such as intelligence, adaptability, extroversion, innate self-awareness, and social competence often emerge as the hallmarks of impactful leaders. There's a consensus that these traits mold an individual into an effective leader. Interestingly, some theories suggest that extraordinary situations can thrust an ordinary individual into the spotlight, bestowing upon them the mantle of leadership. It's also believed that leadership isn't a static trait but an evolving journey. It underscores the belief that with dedication and the right resources, anyone can hone their leadership abilities.

 True leadership goes beyond merely advocating for a cause. It involves taking responsibility, igniting motivation in others, and differentiating oneself from just being a 'boss'. A leader's essence lies in their ability to inspire and propel people towards grand visions, whereas a manager typically focuses on oversight and operational aspects.

What Is a Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay falls under the category of student application essays and serves to provide student admissions officers with insight into your past leadership experiences. Despite appearing to be very specific, this type of essay acknowledges that the nature and perception of leadership can vary significantly depending on the individual and the context.

 If you find yourself in need of further insights or a unique angle for your leadership essay, consider exploring an expert essay-writing tool designed to assist students in crafting compelling narratives by analyzing vast data and generating fresh ideas within minutes. In this article, we'll also delve into various leadership essay examples to offer a clearer understanding of the genre and inspire your writing journey.

4 Examples of Leadership Essays

Qualities of a good leader, introduction.

Confidence is the most important attribute first of all. One of the most important qualities in a leader is confidence in one's own abilities. A lack of self-assurance is fatal to a person's leadership potential. If you want others to follow you, you need to exude self-assurance. It's imperative for a leader to have faith in his own judgment and actions. How can people want to follow him if he doesn't even know what he's doing?

Every effective leader knows that they need to be an inspiration to their followers. A leader needs to set an example for his team. In addition, he ought to inspire them whenever feasible. A leader must also maintain optimism in trying times.

What qualities a good leader must have?

Leadership is the ability to influence and guide individuals or groups toward a common goal. A leader must possess several qualities to be effective, including:

Communication skills: A leader must be able to communicate their vision and goals clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing. This requires excellent listening skills, empathy, and the ability to adapt to different communication styles.

Emotional intelligence: A leader must be able to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as those of their team members. This includes being able to understand and respond to the emotions of others, and handling conflicts in a constructive manner.

Visionary: A leader must have a clear and inspiring vision of the future, and be able to articulate this vision in a way that motivates others to work towards it.

Strategic thinking: A leader must be able to think critically and creatively to identify and solve problems, make decisions, and develop plans and strategies to achieve their goals.

Flexibility: A leader must be able to adapt to changing circumstances and be open to new ideas and perspectives. This requires the ability to embrace change, be innovative, and continuously learn and grow.

Integrity: A leader must have strong ethics and values, and be willing to make difficult decisions that are consistent with their beliefs. This requires honesty, transparency, and accountability.

Decisiveness: A leader must be able to make tough decisions quickly, without undue hesitation or procrastination. This requires courage and the ability to take calculated risks.

Empowerment: A leader must be able to delegate responsibilities, give team members the resources they need to succeed, and foster a sense of ownership and accountability among their team.

Conclusion 

These qualities are essential for effective leadership, and when combined with hard work, determination, and a commitment to excellence, can help leaders to achieve great things.

How one can be a Great Leader?

Leadership is the act of performing the duties of a leader. In the business world, for instance, it is essential to have someone in charge of a team to ensure everything runs well. Effective leadership is essential for any group that wants to maximize its prospects of success.

Leadership Comes from Experience

As we've shown, leadership can be innate in some cases but is more often learned through practice and exposure. Sometimes the best traits of a leader must be learned over a lengthy period of time, so that one can become a notable one, proving that leadership is not always about a person's innate qualities. Leaders should continuously be on the lookout for opportunities to grow their leadership skills.

Nobody can disagree that experience is a key component of leadership. Numerous examples exist to back up this claim, such as:

Instance 1:

Our school's head boy or girl has traditionally been an older student who has been around for a while and thus has a better grasp of the ins and outs of school politics.

Instance 2:

When there is a vacancy for a team leader, it is common practice for the employee who has consistently put in the most effort and attention to the office job to receive a higher number of votes than their coworkers. 

“The best teacher for a leader is evaluated experience.” - John C. Maxwell

How one can be a Great Leader/Skills to be a Great Leader?

Effective leadership is a skill that develops through time. Developing into a leader with all the qualities that are needed takes a lot of hard work and potential. Being a prominent leader calls for a wide variety of traits. Some of these characteristics are addressed in further detail below:

One should be a Good Communicator

To be an effective leader, one must be able to convey his thoughts clearly to his/her/its subordinates.

Should have Confidence

The individual should have faith in what he says and does.

Give Credit to other Team Members too

A leader not only needs to impose his viewpoints and opinions instead he must also hear to the suggestions of other members of the team and offer them credit if their concept is appropriate.

Good Bond with the Team

A leader's ability to command respect from his team members depends on his ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with them.

Leads with Responsibility

A leader needs to be completely committed to his position. It's important that he takes on responsibility so that he can effectively deal with the various challenges he will inevitably face.

Any group or organization needs a leader above all else. Leadership development takes time and effort. One needs to have lived through a lot to be an effective leader. It's not enough to simply have years of experience in the field; one must also have the traits that make one an effective leader. You can't be a great leader unless you possess certain traits.

What makes a Good Leader?

Trying one's hand as a leader appears easy when viewed through this lens. Is that so tough? Of course not; leading is difficult, and not everyone aspires to be a leader. The vast majority of us have settled into well-established careers where we report to superiors and make a living. Still, not everyone is content to go along with the crowd. They become leaders in whatever field they pursue. A leader is an example to followers and will prioritize the needs of those around them.

Some Unique Qualities of a Leader

Many individuals resort to their leaders to vent their frustrations, therefore it's important for them to be good listeners.

A leader ought to be completely forthright; they can't play favorites or give anyone preferential treatment. One of the most essential qualities of a strong leader is the ability to make decisions with integrity.

They need to be aware of the bigger picture and understand what makes an individual stand out or become a leader. It's their expertise in addition to other distinguishing traits. Their awareness of current events and the results of recent studies is essential. In many ways, this is helpful, and it's the leader's responsibility to stay current.

Since some might not understand them, they should utilize straightforward, easily comprehended language. Leaders need to be able to communicate effectively at all times. In reality, what sets them apart is their exceptional communication skills. Adolf Hitler was such a gifted orator that his followers believed every word he said.

No matter how you're feeling or what's going on in the world, if you listen to a leader, they may make you feel energized. Since leaders are in charge of inspiring confidence in their followers, they can't afford to be wary or unsure of themselves. People tend to blindly follow their leaders.

Whether you're a leader or a doctor, you should devote yourself completely to your chosen field. Everything we do is for the benefit of others; engineers, for example, spend much of their time designing and constructing buildings for other people. So, take pride in what you do, and if you possess the aforementioned traits, you are also a leader who doesn't have to rely on others to succeed. No matter what you do, aspiring to leadership positions will always benefit others.

What is Leadership in Management and what are the weaknesses and strengths of a Leader?

Simply said, leadership is acting as a supervisor or manager of a group. Different mental pictures pop up when we hear the word "leadership" used in conversation. One might think of a political leader, team leader, corporate leader, school leader, etc. Leaders facilitate order and efficiency in the workplace. Teamwork and success are fundamental to effective leadership. Leaders utilize their managerial abilities to establish courses and guide their teams to success.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Leadership

Able to express oneself more clearly

Growth of character.

Self-awareness.

Possession of teamwork skills.

Gain assurance in yourself.

Weaknesses:

Acting favorably toward one's teammates.

Having no faith in the leader.

Thinks they're better than everyone else, but act hypocritically.

Not living up to the promised standard.

Insufficient morals.

Leadership and Management

Management and leadership are inextricably linked to one another. Leadership and management are both vital to the efficient operation of an organization; but, they accomplish very different things in the process. Leadership is a necessary skill for anyone aspiring to be an effective manager. The terms management and leadership are synonymous with one another. In this manner, we are able to draw the conclusion that a manager who demonstrates the traits of a successful leader is, in fact, a manager who is effective.

Leadership in School

Leadership is essential in nearly every group, as we've seen above. That group includes one's educational institution. Every school needs an outstanding figure to serve as its head of school. Class monitor, assembly captain, cultural leader, etc. are all examples of leadership roles that can be taken on at school, but this raises the question of what makes a person a successful school leader.

Any student hoping to be chosen as a student body leader will need to demonstrate a wide range of competencies. He or she needs to be a consistent student who pays attention in class and does well in extracurricular activities. For the simple reason that no intelligent and hardworking kid would ever be considered for leadership. Student leaders are most often selected from among those who participate fully in all activities.

Leadership in Organization

Leadership in an organization, also known as organizational leadership, is the process of establishing long-term objectives that further the company's mission and help it reach its ultimate destination. This is a classic illustration of how Bill Gates often works with his team: they agree on a strategy, and Gates implements it. To the same extent, it is the responsibility of the leader in each given organization to determine what it is that the group is trying to accomplish.

Leadership in Politics

Leadership in politics, also known as political leadership, is the process of becoming actively involved in a political party in the role of a party leader. Knowledge of political processes, their outcomes, and the political agenda is central to the idea of political leadership.

An effective leader can be developed in anyone who has the determination and drives to do so. Both the strengths and the areas for improvement should be nurtured. Whether in the classroom, the workplace, or the political arena, leadership is always necessary. Therefore, one can exercise leadership anywhere they like inside their own organization.

What are the types of Leadership?

The ability to lead is a rare trait that not everyone possesses. The ability to do so is a gift, so count your blessings if you possess it. It's recommended that you hone it even more so that you can propel your career forward and serve as an example to people around you. However, it is crucial to grasp the various leadership styles before you go ahead and polish your skills.

Types of Leadership Styles

Democratic Leadership

In this style of management, subordinates are given a voice in decision-making. Although the subordinates' efforts are highlighted, the leader is ultimately held responsible for the group's actions. Many people find this type of leadership to be effective.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders motivate and inspire others to adopt new behaviors and ways of thinking in order to improve their own performance and that of their teams and organizations. A transformational leader is someone who encourages their team to strive for greater things and works to boost morale and output.

Team Leadership

A good leader fully incorporates his team into the task at hand. Members of the team are motivated to reach their goals and advance in their careers thanks to the leadership of the group.

Strategic Leadership

It requires a chief executive who doesn't restrict himself to brainstorming sessions with his superiors. He contributes on every level of the team. He is well-liked for his ability to unite the need for fresh ideas with the necessity of grounding them in reality.

Autocratic Leadership

The leader in a command and control structure is the center of attention. The chief executive has absolute power in this setting. He decides things on his own, without polling his staff. He relays this information to his staff and stresses the importance of swift action. The buck stops with him, and he alone must answer for his actions. Not much room for negotiation exists. It's no secret that this method of leading has its detractors.

Visionary Leadership

This kind of leader appreciates the abilities and requirements of his team members. He describes his ideal outcome and the teamwork that will be necessary to attain it.

Coaching Leadership

Leaders who coach their teams do so regularly in an effort to raise output. He inspires his employees to do better and works to keep them motivated. This approach to leadership has been much praised.

Facilitative Leadership

With occasional guidance, a facilitative leader ensures that the process runs smoothly for his team. As a precaution in case his team is ineffective. If the team is highly effective, the leader will take a hands-off approach.

Cross-Cultural Leadership

The leadership of this type is necessary when interacting with people from various cultural backgrounds. Because of the wide variety of cultures represented in the workforce across the United States, many managers and executives hold cross-cultural positions.

Laissez-Faire Leadership

The members of the team are given responsibility in this style of management. They are free to choose how they spend their time at work, with minimal oversight from the boss. It's not a good way to lead, according to experts.

Transactional Leadership

An interactive approach is integral to this kind of leadership. When team members successfully implement their leader's ideas and choices, they are rewarded with immediate, material benefits.

Charismatic Leadership

In order to bring out the best in his followers, this kind of leader makes the effort to change their attitudes, values, and actions.

This article should dispel the notion that leadership qualities can't be further subdivided. It should also assist you in pinpointing your own personal brand of leadership so you can perfect it over time.

Final Words

In conclusion, leadership is a complex and multifaceted concept that involves various qualities and skills. Effective leaders possess traits such as integrity, vision, empathy, decisiveness, and the ability to inspire and motivate others. They are able to navigate challenges, make difficult decisions, and lead their team toward success. Leadership also involves continuous learning and self-improvement, as leaders must adapt to changing circumstances and remain relevant. Effective leadership can have a positive impact on both individuals and organizations, fostering growth and creating a culture of success.

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• Volume 4, Issue 4
• Your leadership style: why understanding yourself matters
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• http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0110-2378 Clare Felicity Jane Price-Dowd
• People Directorate , NHS England and Improvement , Leeds , West Yorkshire , UK
• Correspondence to Dr Clare Felicity Jane Price-Dowd, People Directorate, NHS Improvement, Leeds LS1 4HG, West Yorkshire, UK; clare.price-dowd{at}improvement.nhs.uk

Understanding of personal leadership style has been shown to be a key part of effective leadership practice. It has been a topic of interest for many decades as we have tried to understand, and replicate, what makes those considered to be ‘great leaders’ so successful. This article gives a brief introduction to different leadership ‘theories’, leadership ‘styles’ and the effect they have on the ‘climate’ in organisations. Having an understanding of the different approaches can help leaders be more effective through comprehending how and why they do what they do, as well as helping them identify where and when they need to adapt their style. By considering how our understanding of leadership has evolved, it is possible to show how effective leadership is not linked to one approach. It is a combination of knowledge, attitudes and behaviours with a focus on both the task in hand and concern for those undertaking that task. Furthermore this understanding supports impactful personal development, which creates positive climates in organisations where compassionate and inclusive leadership behaviours can, and do result in better outcomes for staff and patients.

• effectiveness
• leadership assessment
• role modeling

https://doi.org/10.1136/leader-2020-000218

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Introduction

Who, when flipping through a publication has not been tempted by the ‘personality quiz’, hoping to get the ‘mostly A, B or C’ that indicates we have the attributes for long and successful careers or lots of friends? While this level of ‘knowing how we are’ could be dismissed as flippant, when it comes to leadership, understanding our personal approach can be invaluable. If you asked people around you ‘what sort of leader do you think you are?’ they would most likely answer in the singular ‘I lead by example,’ ‘I build relationships with people,’ or ‘I don't tolerate underperformance’. They are unlikely to say ‘I do this here, and that on other occasions’ yet the most effective leaders are those who attune to their context, consciously adapt their practice and have an awareness of how their own style effects others. This article introduces the different theories and styles of leadership and how they can be used to create positive work climates. The key terms are given in table 1 .

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Evolution of leadership theory and understanding of style

A desire to understand what makes a successful leader is not new. For centuries there has been debate about what differentiated leaders from non-leaders, and leaders from followers. In a comprehensive review of leadership theories by Stogdill, 1 a number of categories were identified and in the 80+ years since Lewin et al 2 published their theory on patterns of behaviour in 1939, we have seen an evolution from trying to identify ‘common traits’ based on inherent characteristics of ‘great men and women’ through to the what we now understand to be the successful combination of person, place and approach. Looking further into this evolution, although this is not a comprehensive list, it is possible to group the stages of development as follows:

Trait theory—for example as seen in the work of Carlyle 3 and Stodgill 1 is concerned with the type of person that makes a good leader and the innate qualities and associated leadership traits they have. A meta-study by the Centre for Excellence in Management and Leadership 4 identified over 1000 leadership traits in the literature, which they distilled to 83 more or less distinct attributes. While no specific trait or combination was found to guarantee success, trait theory did help in identifying qualities that are helpful when leading others such as integrity and empathy.

Later, behavioural theory identified what good leaders do—effectively how they ‘lead well’. Examples include the Tannenbaum and Schmidt continuum 5 —seven stages of reducing control namely Tells, Sells, Suggests, Consults, Joins, Delegates and Abdicates; the Action-Centred Leadership Model of Adair 6 which sets out the three responsibilities of the leader—‘achieving the task, managing the team and managing individuals’ and the Blake Mouton Managerial Grid 7 also referred to as ‘The Power to Change’ which outlines two behavioural dimensions: Concern for Results and Concern for People.

Situational and contingency theory: looks at the leader in the context of where they lead. By considering how the leader’s success is directly influenced by their environment, it became possible to identify the conditions that support or constrain leaders as seen in work including Feidler 8 Vroom and Yetton 9 Yukl 10 ; Hersey and Blanchard 11 ; Thompson and Vecchio. 12

Transactional theories—as seen in the work of Weber 13 and later by Bass, 14 focuses on the leader getting results by using process and structures while applying reward and penalty in response. Within this are power and influence theory, exchange and path-goal theory by House 15 16 which concentrate on the relationship between leader and led as a series of trades or ‘leader-member exchanges’.

In more recent years, while the transactional and positive view of hero leadership has never entirely gone away, the notion of ‘Hero to Host’ 17 which describes the move to transformational and ‘new wave’ styles outlined by Burns 18 Bass 14 and Kouzes and Posner 19 among others. Transformational leadership not only serves to enhance the motivation, morale, satisfaction and performance of followers, but also sees the leader role model compassionate and inclusive behaviours, which are valued. In ‘Good to Great’ by Collins, 20 the Level 5 leader is described as possessing both indomitable will, but also humility and is often self effacing and shy, the opposite of what we might have previously described as leadership traits!

Relevance for leaders

Every day, leaders in healthcare must constantly analyse complex situations, engage, motivate, empower and delegate. Many leaders now operate within complex adaptive systems—organisations that are an interconnected whole of many parts, which may and may not function effectively together depending on changing circumstances. This calls for leadership skills and behaviours that can move between each required activity with seemingly effortless ease and without loss of effectiveness.

Having an appreciation of different theories and styles also helps us identify our reaction to these changing situations. In considering the global COVID-19 pandemic, the leadership behaviours required, and experienced, may be different to anything encountered before. The effect of leadership in this situation is profound and will have a lasting impact. Displaying command behaviours may be necessary but uncomfortable, while teams may not be used to being directed with minimal consultation. Sustained pressure may have a negative effect, but it does not follow that leadership behaviours slide into being disrespectful or non-inclusive—it is about the leaders focusing on the task and ensuring individuals and teams are clearly instructed on the part they have to play; consulted where possible and informed of when and when they need to do as instructed.

However, knowing about ‘how we are’ is only part of the picture, equally important is understanding the effect we have on other. Goleman 21 found that the one of the biggest mistakes leaders make was to default to a style of personal choice rather than responding with the most appropriate in the situation, while Blanchard 22 suggests that 54% of leaders only ever apply one preferred leadership style regardless of the situation. The result is that almost half of the time, leaders are using the wrong style to meet their current objective or lead the people around them well.

The danger here is trying to be the most popular leader and everyone’s favourite, rather than developing an authentic repertoire of skills. If you have never considered your leadership style or the types of leadership behaviours you have there are a number of tools to help such as the National health Service Healthcare Leadership Model. Based on research of the behaviours of effective leaders, Storey and Holti 23 defined nine domains (Inspiring shared purpose: leading with care: evaluating information: connecting our service: sharing the vision: engaging the team: holding to account: developing capability and influencing for results) against which can leaders can self assess and gain pointers on how to strengthen their style.

Relevance for the work environment

Research by KornFerry Hay Group 24 shows an up to 70% of variance in climate and an up to 30% increase business performance can be directly attributable to the climate leaders create through their style of leadership. This includes feeling included, supported and having a role that is meaningful. To help leaders create a positive climate, Goleman 21 defined six leadership styles—see table 2 —which he then correlated with the type of climate each created for those around them. Those able to deploy the styles in the left column have been shown to create high performing teams in positive climates.

Leadership Styles and the climate they support (adapted from Goleman 21 )

These are not the only leadership styles: others include Autocratic leadership where leaders/managers make the decisions and employees follow orders as previously stated; laissez-faire leadership where the manager empowers employees but gives them few rules to follow with little oversight or direction: bureaucratic leadership where hierarchies and job titles to determine responsibilities and rules and servant leadership which focuses on the needs of employees, seeing them as the organisation’s most important resources and often treating them as clients, but only the six here were included by Goleman.

The effects of the leadership styles displayed and the effects they have on the climate within organisations has far reaching impact for team members. The ability to flex your leadership style and create a positive climate has been shown to create greater job satisfaction and pride in work, greater collaboration and creativity. Having an awareness of the effects of personal style, is therefore an essential part of a leaders toolkit and something every leader should have awareness of

In practice

Delivering health and care is highly complex and effective leadership calls for a match of style and approach to context and presenting challenge. Leadership styles is not a neat category of things, the increasingly interconnected world with ever-evolving technology has dictated a need for leaders who can adapt effortlessly as the situation dictates. Daniel Goleman 21 likens leading to being a golfer—one game but choosing the right club, at the right moment, for the next shot. Lets think about what this could look like: again, thinking about the COVID-19 pandemic the deteriorating clinical condition requires a leader who draws on all their experience, interprets the situation, takes control and ‘tells’ in order to get the best outcome for the patient—transactional and it’s wholly appropriate. At other times, that same leader will need to take time to build relationships and coach others in order to give the best care possible.

We all have a natural tendency towards our preferred style and when under pressure, there is evidence that we ‘revert to type’, relying on the most comfortable part of our personality to see us though. Unfortunately this means using fewer of the leadership skills that usually provide balance. Skilful, mature leadership is about leading ourselves as much as leading others. This level of understanding our style helps us recognise triggers that support adopting the right style for the given situation.

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Different situations require different leadership style and each style can be considered a tool in itself. How we lead needs to be a combination of concern for the task in hand and also the people undertaking it, as both individuals and collectively as teams. We have looked briefly at small number of the plethora theories and styles that can help us understand how we lead. Leaders who understand themselves and can move effortlessly between a range of styles in response to changing situations have been found to have more positive outcomes for their teams and patients.

• Stogdill RM
• Lippitt R ,
• Carlyle T ,
• Tannenbaum R ,
• Blanchard K
• Thompson G ,
• Wheatley M ,
• KornFerry Hay Group
• Newstrom JW ,
• Griffin MA ,

Twitter @clarepricedowd

Contributors CFJP-D completed all part of this paper:

Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Competing interests None declared.

Patient consent for publication Not required.

Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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3 More Leadership Styles—and When to Use Them

Yesterday we listed three of the most common leadership styles and when to use them. Here are three more styles to add to your toolbox. Affiliative leadership, which centers on building emotional bonds. This style builds connections and creates a positive company culture, but it shouldn’t be used in isolation. It may not provide sufficient […]

Yesterday we listed three of the most common leadership styles and when to use them. Here are three more styles to add to your toolbox.

Source: This tip is adapted from “6 Common Leadership Styles—and How to Decide Which to Use When,” by Rebecca Knight

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Essay on leadership styles.

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This sample comparative essay discusses effective leaders, and how they are able to get their team members to accomplish tasks and achieve goals.

Differences between directive and supportive leadership styles

According to Baldwin (2008), leaders must be able to take their followers towards a direction they may not have pursued without the influence of the leader (pg. 236). However the ways in which these goals are achieved vary from leader to leader. 

Leadership styles are often adopted based on what individuals in management positions believe is needed for team members to achieve their goals. Individuals in leadership positions must be able to determine what will motivate their employees as this is what they will need to provide in order to reach the company’s goals. Directive and supportive leadership styles are very different from each other. The style which a leader may use reflects what these leaders believe about their employees inherent qualities.

Directive leadership style

Leaders who choose a more directive leadership style believe that their employees need to be told what to do and are working more towards earning a paycheck rather than the benefit of completing good work. Directive leaders can be considered micro managers as they tell their employees what to do, when to do it, how to do it and where to complete their work. These leaders are very structured and may be unwilling to be flexible to meet their employee’s needs. 

They are focused on achieving deadlines rather than how their employee is feeling about the work. Directive leaders are also more likely to control their employees by supervising every aspect of their employee’s duties. A directive leader is happy when the tasks are completed by their deadlines. The flaws with this type of leadership are that the leader may be too focused on policies and procedures rather than on what their employees need. These leaders will not have a secure relationship with their employees as they do not take the time to build morale or a relationship with them.

Supportive leadership style

Leaders who choose a more supportive role believe that their employees are motivated by more than just a paycheck . These leaders believe that their employees want to achieve high quality work. They also believe that an employee is able to achieve this high quality work on their own with encouragement rather than direct supervision. A supportive leader engages in two way communication with their employee rather than just telling them what to do.

They are unlikely to micromanage an employee's tasks rather they will act as a facilitator only providing assistance when the employee needs it. A supportive leader provides consistent praise and encouragement in order to motivate their employees. These types of leaders are also more concerned with how their employees are doing rather than just focusing on tasks. These leaders understand that employees who are stressed out may not be functional in the workplace.

Supportive leaders want to be able to build a positive and encouraging relationship with their employees which they believe will lead to high quality work and minimal stress in the workplace setting. The flaws with this type of leadership are that a supportive leader may be too lax with their employees. These employees may not be getting work done as they will not have to face repercussions for not completing their work.

Versatility: A leadership middleground

Versatility is also an important component to good leadership . According to Howell (2001), effective leaders do not solely choose one style over the other (pg. 41). The leader who is able to blend the two styles can be the more successful. A leader needs to be able to be directive when needed or supportive when it is needed in alternative situations. This is due to the fact that not all employees are alike.

Some employees may require more of a directive approach especially when they are having difficulty achieving a task by its required deadline, while other employees may become stressed when working with a leader who is micromanaging them. These employees may need a leader who is more supportive. By being able to switch from these styles an effective leader can work with all type of employees in various situations.

Like what you read? Check out our essay on Richard Branson , the successful leader of Virgin Group.

Baldwin, T. T., Bommer, W. H., & Rubin, R. S. (2008). Developing management skills: What 

great managers know and do. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Howell, J. P., & Costley, D. L. (2001). Understanding behaviors for effective leadership. 

Prentice Hall.

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Management — Leadership

Leadership Essay Examples

Prompt examples for leadership essays, leadership styles.

Discuss different leadership styles, such as autocratic, democratic, transformational, and servant leadership. What are the characteristics and benefits of each style, and when is each style most effective?

Leadership and Communication

Analyze the importance of communication in effective leadership. How does effective communication contribute to a leader's ability to inspire, motivate, and guide a team or organization?

Leadership Challenges and Adversity

Discuss how effective leaders navigate challenges and adversity. How do they handle crises, setbacks, and conflicts, and what strategies do they employ to overcome obstacles?

Leadership and Ethical Decision-Making

Examine the role of ethics in leadership. How do ethical principles guide a leader's decision-making process, and why is ethical leadership crucial for building trust and integrity?

Leadership in the Workplace

Discuss leadership within the context of the workplace. How do effective leaders motivate employees, foster teamwork, and create a positive organizational culture?

Leadership and Change Management

Explore how leaders manage change and innovation within organizations. What strategies do they employ to lead teams through transitions and adapt to evolving circumstances?

How Gandhi Used Perseverance to Achieve Change

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The Importance of Leadership and Influencing Qualities

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The Role of Leadership in Everyday Life

Why emotional intelligence is important in leadership, my experience of different styles of leadership, the role of management styles in teams, analysis of the importance of management and leadership in healthcare, the leadership role of a manager in an organization focusing on social islami bank limited, building of my personal leadership plan, examination of my personal leadership style, observation leaders and leadership theories, analysis of my personal leadership strengths and weaknesses, my leadership experience and its importance, the role of leadership in the workplace, the importance of leadership and professional development for teamwork, leading with analogies: insights on leadership role, elon musk and his leadership, discussion on the leadership transformation and development, the leader's shadows: casting light instead of shadows, basic leader course - the most important lessons, the importance of analysis of strengths and weaknesses to become a better leader, a dream for independence: the story of canada's first leader.

Leadership is the ability of an individual or a group of individuals to influence and guide followers or other members of an organization.

There are seven primary leadership styles: autocratic, authoritative, pacesetting, democratic, coaching, affiliative, Laissez-Faire.

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Essay on Leadership: Samples in 100, 200, 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Oct 7, 2023

The concept of leadership has been known to us since ancient times, from Ashoka: The Great to modern-day democratic leaders. Whether it’s politics or business, sports or entertainment, leadership is an essential part of human society, Leadership is the art of inspiring and guiding people towards a common goal. 

Critics might argue that being a leader is just about holding a prestigious position and living a fancy life. That might be 1 in 1000 cases, as leaders across the globe work for the welfare and development of their people and country. Below we have discussed some essays on leadership where the multifaceted roles of this position are highlighted. 

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Leadership in 100 Words
• 2 Essay on Leadership in 200 Words
• 3 Essay on Leadership in 300 Words

Also Read – Essay on Summer Vacation

Essay on Leadership in 100 Words

Leadership involves a set of qualities, values and actions, which are focused on the benefit of people and their country. A person holding the position of a leader plays a pivotal role in every facet of life, influencing the direction and success of organizations, communities, and nations. To become a leader, one must have a clear vision to understand a future state that is better than the present and communicate that vision to their team or followers.

A leader’s actions should be aligned with their words, and they must demonstrate their honesty, transparency and ethical behaviour. Trust is the foundation for any successful leadership, and it is built through consistent ethical conduct. 

Essay on Leadership in 200 Words

Leadership is a complex and multifaceted concept and is an essential part of developing a society or organisation. Leadership can involve various positions and types, from democratic to autocratic, where the leaders inspire and empower their teams, fostering an environment where individuals can thrive and achieve their fullest potential.

Effective leadership involves skilled communicators to can convey ideas, expectations, and feedback clearly and persuasively. They also listen actively to their team’s input and concerns. A great leader empowers a team of professionals by entrusting them with responsibilities and decision-making authority. With the formation of delegates, the power of leadership is divided among different authorities who are responsible for fostering growth and development among team members, making the organization more robust.

Some of the fundamentals of leadership are authenticity, integrity, ethical behaviour, a clear vision and other vital traits. Trust is the bedrock of leadership, and it is built through honesty, transparency, and consistency in actions and decisions. A leader who understands and cares about the needs and concerns of their team fosters strong relationships, promoting collaboration and cohesion.

At last, leadership is more than a title; it’s the embodiment of vision, integrity, empathy, communication and resilience. Effective leaders work to bring positive changes, inspire people around them and create a sense of purpose and direction in their terms and organizations.

Also Read – Essay on Cricket

Essay on Leadership in 300 Words

Leadership is a vital concept for the welfare of a society, community or country, depending on what the leadership is about. A leader transcends boundaries and is fundamental to human endeavours in various domains. Their job involves the ability to influence and guide a group of individuals toward achieving a common objective. Effective leadership is characterized by a combination of qualities, skills, and behaviours that inspire, motivate, and empower a team.

The first and most important aspect of a successful leader is having a clear vision. A clear vision works as a guiding light, outlining the desired future and providing a sense of purpose and direction for the team. Leaders with a compelling vision can inspire and rally their followers, creating a shared sense of purpose. 

The other cornerstone of leadership is integrity. Leaders must demonstrate honesty, transparency, and ethical behaviour. Trust, which is essential in any team or organization, is built on the foundation of integrity. When people believe that their leader acts with integrity, they are more likely to follow willingly and commit to the cause. 

Another trait that is essential for effective leadership is empathy. Leaders with empathy understand and connect with the emotions, needs, and perspectives of their team members. By showing compassion and actively listening, they create a supportive and inclusive environment that fosters trust and collaboration.

Apart from these traits, other important qualities for effective leadership include effective communication and interpersonal skills. A leader must be able to articulate their vision, goals, and expectations clearly and persuasively. 

In conclusion, leadership is a multifaceted concept that plays a pivotal role towards the positive growth and development of organizations, communities, and societies. Effective leaders inspire their teams, create a sense of purpose, and drive positive change. Leadership is not merely a position; it is a journey of personal growth and a commitment to serving the greater good.

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Some of the synonyms for a leader are: Coach, Captain, Principal, Chairman, Kingpin, Boss, CEO, etc.

What makes a good leader is their ability to persuade people using their effective communication skills, having a clear vision working towards the welfare of society, and taking responsibility for their actions.

Writing an essay on leadership in 200 words must include the fundamental aspects of leadership and the qualities they must possess. Effective leaders around the world create a supportive and inclusive environment where people can thrive and contribute their best efforts. They inspire a shared sense of purpose, foster collaboration, and guide their teams toward achieving collective goals.

For more information about such informative articles, visit our essay writing page and make sure to follow Leverage Edu .

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Essay about Leadership Styles

Introduction.

Leadership is all about influencing other people in the organization to accomplish a task. It involves directing an organization in that it becomes more coherent and cohesive. Leadership style can therefore be defined as approach for providing direction. It includes motivation.

There are various leadership styles that exist in management. They include authoritarian or autocratic, participative or democratic, delegative or free reign leadership. (Newstrom, 1997)Leadership is also described as directing people to do specific duties by influencing their personal behaviour through incentives and motivation, teamwork, individual dynamics and discipline. The core purpose of leadership is to channel all the employees’ behavior towards attaining the company’s objectives.

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Leadership is thus essential in creating and maintaining a healthy organizational culture within any business organization. Leading does not necessarily come from that in power but from any individual who provides information and suggestions on the way forward.Decision making within organizations rests on the shoulders of the managers and leaders in the institution who usually take risks whenever an issue that requires to be addressed arises. Leading aims at bringing change in an organization.

It also involves giving inspiration to people. In leadership there is a lot of motivation that is carried out. In any job, there comes a time when one feels like giving up, the drive to work is not there. At such moments employees need to be motivated to work. Leading is quite interpersonal in nature. It is not just the manager in an organization that is supposed to lead. It can even exist between employees. It has to do with mutual influence.

All these are normally based on different theories and assumptions. Any style that is incorporated in management can be based on combination of preferences, values and beliefs. Organizational culture also plays a big role in influencing the leadership style used by management. Leadership style used by management plays a big role in affecting the success of the organization.

A leader has to clearly understand the different types of leadership styles and their impacts on the organization. Good leadership always includes incorporation of all the leadership styles. Bad leadership just sticks to one style.

Authoritarian (Autocratic)

This is also called formal type of leadership. In this type of leadership, the leader simply tells employees how he or she wants the work done and what he wants employees to do without getting their views. This type of leadership is effective when the leader has all the information that is important or necessary to solve the problem. This style of leadership is not all about threatening employees or using abusive power.

It does not also involve the use of demeaning language. When this is done, it can be termed as bossing around. Leaders’ repertoire need not include this. (Newstrom, 1997)This style should just be used on rare occasions because when it dominates, the results are normally not the best.

When the leadership style has command and control, it always drains off the employees’ ambition. They simply become less motivated. This makes employees perceive manager as being bossy. This leadership style is used when managers in an organization want to have full power in decision making.

This leadership style is very essential especially when the time at hand is very minimal to incorporate employees’ views. Authoritarian leadership also includes leaders making all decisions. This means that it includes dominance on the part of the leader. Sometimes the leader gives detailed orders.

The followers or employees in this case are simply required to obey. (Newstrom, 1997)In autocratic leadership, there is high level of supervision. It follows polices very strictly and is characterized with authority motivation. There is instilling of fear in employees when this type of leadership is used.

This also creates a culture of dependency on the leader. According to research, when this leadership style is used, there is very low efficiency. There are various instances when autocratic leadership can be used in an organization. For example, it can be used on an employee who is new in an organization and is still learning more about the job.

In this case the leader has got more experience than the employee and therefore can make the best decision. On the other hand the employee has the desire to learn more and therefore can carry out all the instructions given by the leader. In such a situation, authoritarian leadership works very well. In the survey carried out, Mr. Grant applies authoritative kind of leadership.This is very evident from his answer given to question as to whether he allows the group to share his leadership power.

His answer was that he is only willing to share a small amount of his leadership power. This shows that most of the decisions are made Mr. Grant who was former Fleet manager. When asked how he would allow group members to decide what needs to be done, his answer shows his leadership style. He says that he is a decider. That he has learned over the years that one cannot go kick himself for decisions made.

He makes his decision based on information he has at the time.In case he makes a decision and then finds out that there was a better choice, he is willing to change his mind. This shows that his leadership style is quite autocratic in nature. This is because he makes decisions first and then later on he can seek for the second opinion.

The research shows that Mr. Grant scored thirty four points for being authoritative in his leadership. According to the survey Mr. Larry Davis scored twenty points in authoritarian. This shows that he can incorporate some minimal authoritarian leadership. For instance, he is comfortable allowing employees making decisions depending on their competency. This shows that he is not so much of an authoritarian but incorporates it on minimal basis. This can lead to positive results in the school or the organization.

Participative (Democratic)

Participative leadership involves other people on the decision making process. The leader in this case can include one of the employees when making decisions for the organization. (Newstrom, 1997)This involves making decisions concerning what should be done and how the tasks should be done in the organization.

This does not mean that the employees make the final decision. It means that the leader considers the contributions of the employees but comes up with a final decision. Research shows that using this style doesn’t mean that the manager or leader is weak. In most cases employees respect this kind of leadership.

This type of leadership is very essential when the leader or the manager doesn’t know everything concerning the situation. In most cases actually the manager doesn’t know everything. He or she may know part of the information and the employees have the other part. . (Newstrom, 1997)

Research shows that this leadership style always has better results or effects on an organization.  This style of leadership normally comes along with mutual benefits.  This is because it allows the employees in an organization to actually be part of the team. On the other hand the leader or the manager is in a position to make better decisions.

In such a case the leader feels he did the best at hand having had employees’ contributions and hence there is little room for regrets. (Kotter, 2000)In participative leadership, there is involves stakeholders like investors, superiors, peers and even subordinates. This mostly depends on the manager concerning who to consult in the specific decision making. (Newstrom, 1997)Different people can be consulted at different times.

The degree of influence on the decision making is mostly influenced by the leader himself. Sometimes a leader can give the employees full delegation of decision making depending on the situation at hand.Participative leadership can involve the leader simply selling the idea to the employees in the management. For instance the goals of an organization can be elaborated to the employees.

They in return help in giving tentative solutions on how the goals can be implemented. Participative leadership has got very many benefits as compared to the autocratic leadership. When leaders ask for views from employees they should not just do it for the sake of it, then fail to work upon it.

This is because it can lead to cynism. It can also perpetrate feelings of betrayal on the employees’ side. This type of leadership has its own disadvantages. This is very evident when there is wide range of opinions to be considered.

In this case coming up with the final decision becomes quite hard. (Sparrow and Hilltop, 1998)According to the survey carried out, all the respondents incorporate participative leadership. One of the respondents- Dr. Phyllis Luciano a Social Studies Content Leader showed her leadership style is highly participative.

For instance, when asked whether she can allow the group to share her leadership power, her answer reveals this. She answers that she can allow others in the group to share her leadership power.  The answer shows that she can allow group members to come with a solution for the situation but she evaluates the decision and in case she is not satisfied with it then she carries out the decision making on her own. Dr. Phyllis Luciano allows group members to decide what needs to be done. This statement clearly shows that she includes participative leadership.

Her answers show that she allows group members to decide how to accomplish a task. This she explains helps or provides the group members with the ownership of the task. She uses this type of leadership because it gives the group members a sense of self worth. This according to her helps employees to also feel respected and valued as part of the organization.

Table below shows the relationship between participation in an organization and decision making. Autocratic decision by leaderLeader proposes decision, listens to feedback, then decidesTeam proposes decision, leader has final decisionJoint decision with team as equalsFull delegation of decision to teamLeadership styles; retrieved from; personality100.com; accessed on 20-08-07.

The above table shows how participative leadership allows delegation of decision making to the group. In this table it is clearly illustrated that leadership can be highly participative or not participative at all. When it is highly participative the decision making is fully delegated to the group which can consist of employees in the organization. .

An analysis of Dr. Luciano’s leadership shows that it is highly participative. Participatory leadership is highly determined by the maturity of the group or the employees. When the employees are mature and experienced, participatory leadership can be highly incorporated by the management.

In participative leadership, the manager’s role is more of facilitative than directive in nature. Another positive effect of using this type of leadership is that it leads to cohesiveness in the team. The whole group works together rather than as individuals.Just like explained, different leadership styles can be incorporated in an organization.

From the results of the survey, it is very clear that all the respondents use various leadership styles in the organizations. (Newstrom, 1997) The degree to which Phyllis uses participatory leadership is higher than areas she uses authoritarian leadership. In this case the chances of coming up with better results is very high.This leadership style is also used by Dr. Victoria Pettis.

When asked whether she would allow group members to decide what needs to be done, she says that she uses a mixture of both. This is because, she explains that some decisions are best made at administrative level while there are others that she would need the employees’ perspective. In this case this answer shows that there instances when employees are consulted by Dr. Victoria Pettis.

Delegative (Free Reign)

This is also another leadership style that is always used by managers and leaders in organizations. This involves allowing employees to make the decisions at the work place. Decisions that are normally made are usually very diverse. They could include arrival time at the work place etc. This method is highly used when employees are in a position to analyze the situation at hand. (Kotter, 2000)This does not mean that the manager is not responsible for the decisions made.

He or she is actually responsible for decisions carried out even if the delegative style of leadership is used. Employees in this case are also able to solve the situation and they have the experience to carry out the decision making. In most of the instances, one finds that the employees are very skilled and quite qualified. Such employees could have worked in the organization for a good period of time.

They have the experience with the situations at hand. (Newstrom, 1997)In most of the instances where delegative or free reign leadership is used, the employees have gone through organizational learning and training and therefore they are fully equipped in handling most of the issues arising. Research shows that this method is very effective when the task is delegated to a specific group of people. This creates accountability than if it is so open to everyone.

This is because research shows that a manager or a leader in an organization cannot do everything by him or herself. (Newstrom, 1997)It is very clear that this leadership style is not incorporated for reasons of shifting blame for instance on the employees when things go wrong. On the other hand, it is a leadership style that is incorporated when there is confidence in the employees. This is whereby the manager or a leader for that case has trust that whatever responsibility will be handled to   the best of ability by the stakeholders.

Any leader who uses this type of leadership however has to use it very wisely since there are cases when it is really misused. When used to a large extent could lead to failure in an organization. (Newstrom, 1997) In delegation style of leadership, there is self motivation in employees. It allows much creativity on employees’ side because it actually gives opportunity to try out new ventures or solutions in accomplishing the tasks assignedResearch shows that this leadership functions well when incorporated with other leadership styles.

This leadership style acknowledges that the leader is never an expert in all areas or all fields. There are always employees who are more qualified in an area or so. (Kotter, 2000) In situations where manager is not exerting sufficient control, then it can also be referred to free reign leadership style. This leadership style is also referred to as Laissez fair leadership.

This is a French term that means leave it be. This implies that a leader lets the employees or the team to work on their own. This is without supervision etc. This type of leadership works when a leader in an organization has many duties and he or she is not always in the organization.

This also plays a major role in allowing employees to take ownership of the job. Employees in this case will always feel that they are part of the organization where they are working unlike when the vice versa is carried out.The graph below shows the relationship between leadership styles and management control. It also includes the relationship between leadership styles and employee control.

(Newstrom, 1997)This graph helps to clearly explain these relationships in a visual manner. Leadership styles; retrieved from; www.leadershipletters.com Accessed on 20-08-07The graph shows that when the autocratic style of leadership is used, there is used, there is high management control compared to employee control.

In the participative leadership, the employee control takes half the percentage while management control also takes half of the control. In the free reign style of leadership, there is high employee control in decision making. On the other hand, there is no management control or if it exists it is normally on a very minimal basis. This graph therefore gives a clear picture of the relationships between these leadership styles and employee and management control.

There is also the paternalistic style of leadership that is illustrated though this paper is not tackling this style of leadership. (Newstrom, 1997)According to the survey carried out, Dr Victoria Pettis uses delegative style of leadership. This is used in Hillsman Middle school. When asked whether she entrusts tasks to other members or she does it herself, she says that she entrusts tasks to other members in the school.

This shows that she incorporates delegation type of leadership. The survey research shows that Terry Grant also uses delegative type of leadership. This is evident from the answers given by this fleet manager. (Newstrom, 1997)  She understands that one delegates then it doesn’t mean that he or she has given up control.

She concurs that in order to enhance time management then delegating tasks and responsibilities is very important. She understands the importance of teaching employees how to do various tasks in an organization. This fleet manager understands that delegation is a long term investment. (Newstrom, 1997)

Leadership is a very important aspect in any organization. This is because it greatly determines the success therein. There are various leadership styles that can be incorporated in overall running of an organization. There is authoritarian leadership which involves telling the employees what needs to be done and how the task should be done.

This is very effective when employees are still new in an organization and they have no experience. In participative leadership, employees or other stakeholders are incorporated in the decision making process. It is normally very effective and makes employees to feel important in an organization. In delegative style of leadership, a leader entrusts decision making to employees.

This is effective when employees have experience and are qualified. Good leadership always incorporates some authoritarian, participative and delegative style of leadership.

• Davis, L. ; Head Counsellor; Hilsman Middle School; 706 548 7281
• Grant, T.; Former Fleet Manager; 404 516 0525
• Leadership styles; retrieved from; www.leadershipletters.com Accessed on 20-08-07
• Leadership styles; retrieved from; personality100. com; accessed on 20-08-07
• Luciano, P.; Social Studies Content Leader; Bethune Middle School770 354 3352
• Maundy, L. (2001): An Introduction to Human to Human Resource Management: TheoryAnd Practice: Macmillan, Palgrave
• Newstrom, W. (1997): Organizational Behavior; Human Behavior at Work; New York: McGraw-Hill
• Pettis, V. ; Assistant Principal; Hilsman Middle School; 706 548 7281 ext. 29202
• Sparrow, P. and Hilltop, J. (1998): European Human Resource Management inTransition: Prentice Hall, New York
• Thomson, C. and Rampton, L. (2003): Human Resource Management. Melbourne press, NewYork
• Kotter, J. (2000):  A Force for Change; How Leadership Differs From Management

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Abstract This report explains how the leadership styles suit individual member of a team. It also disuses the advantages and disadvantages of leadership styles and offers suggestions in what situation the company managers should choose to alter their leadership styles. This report concentrated on Goleman .D. 2002 leadership styles.

INTRODUCTION Leadership styles is said to be the providing of direction, plans and also motivating people. It is important in a firm and does not matter if you manage a company of 150 employees or even if you are the only employee. It is enough to have only one way of leading, different circumstances requires separate method of management styles. This report, I will give the various ways of leadership styles that will suit and individual in a firm or company. This leadership styles also has his advantages and disadvantages, but it is also important to know that some of them damages organizations in long-term by reducing flexibility and dedication of employees. This primary aim of this report is to enable you know how all these leadership styles works in our life as we plan leading someday. Some of these leadership styles are directive leadership style which is known to be the oldest, participative, laissez faire and also adaptive, this one works into the environment and individual being. An article Grown co conference of February 2012 talks about this leadership styles and states: ‘Adapting our approach to consider the context and individual we are working with is important in developing and leading a staff.’ Another article in my research by (Goleman.D.2002) created a six leadership styles and also discovered that leaders used one of these styles at anytime. Though they have their own description, when to use them and also their weakness. They are commanding/coercive, visionary/Authoritative, affricative, Democratic, Pacesetting and also coaching system of leadership style. Goleman, D. Six leadership styles The Coercive Leadership styles: This is a system of doing what is said, and this is only use when there is urgency or crisis, the Weakness in this style is that members do not feel free as they are treated like workers, and their opinion is not needed. When a firm needs complete turnover this style is always use since there will be no time for group discussion. Example are crisis or under performance employee or the enforcement of health and safety regulations. In order words short term purpose is what this style needed just for the job to be done, since the impact can be negative. The Authoritative or visionary Leadership style: This style of leadership encourages people towards a vision. It should be best used when a new vision and direction is needed. The weakness of this style is that it lacks the ability to help members of a team understand when the goal or vision is gotten from. It is known to be the expert in the firm since it sees the way forward, directing the company to success, they lead the team to achieve their goal and this can be effective when there is a new direction. The Afflictive Style of Leadership: this leadership style focuses on emotional needs over work, and is known to be used for getting through stressful conditions. This leadership styles helps in building a team in the firm, they put the employees first in the agenda in the aspect of encouragement and also feedback, and they also have a good relationship with the team. This style is mostly implemented when there is low morale or poor team work. Encouraging this method will help in providing good team performance. Though the negative aspect can be poor performance going without feedback. In this situation, you must be mindful to adjust this style to get the required or positive feedback when necessary. The Democratic style of leadership: This style of leadership deals with the pattern of listening to both bad and good news, this helps in getting the required result from employees. The weakness can be, doing a lot of listening and very little action that is effective. It takes team vote to making decisions thereby causing improvement. The key to this is communicating and it can only be done when opinions are listened by group. It is only when the firm is ready for this style that working environment for employees will be good and the level of morale will be heightened. Workers always believe that their suggestions count, due to this thought they are committed in achieving the goals and aims of the organization. Moreover decisions are still to be made effectively and also in a timely manner. The pacesetting leadership style: this is a method that brings out challenges and also exciting goals for people. This can be used when the team is totally motivated and reliable. It can only be used when the employees are self motivated and skilled. The setup a high level of performance for themselves and also the group as a perfect example of behaviour they seek from other members of the group. The coaching leadership style: the styles helps people to find their strength and weakness and could be used when individual need to build longer term strengths. This style of leadership helps in focusing in their individual or personal development, and also achieving a goal in their job, this style helps in developing the unskilled members of the team to be successful working closely and also coaching them. This can only be achieved when employees acknowledge their weakness and be ready to improve on it by seeking for more ideas.

METHODOLOGY This report was conducted with the help of articles found on the Internet, Books, Journal found in the Birmingham university electronic library, it has proven to be academically reliable website. Yahoo UK is also said to be a reliable source as it is a British newspaper. The primary source of information was the internet because of the amount of information or resources such as news, report and can provide up to date information which are important. Most of the information from this report is got from other website where people can openly post their articles, Articles are being referred to but not included in the report, as it is not from a reliable source like Wikipedia have be avoided.

FINDINGS As explained by grown co Conference of 2010 leaders are expected to treat their employees as part of them, rather than making them feel like they are mere workers in the firm. Several benefits of these leadership styles are: Coercive leadership style ‘

Democratic leadership styles ‘ It helps to develop peoples skills ‘ It encourages creativity ‘ Members have high job satisfaction which is productive because the team are involve in decisions. Also in my finding, I discovered that though the leadership styles mention in this report is all helpful if implemented at the appropriate time, they also have demerit which are: Coercive Leadership: ‘ It kills employees motivation and morale ‘ It can lead to a high level of employees’ turnover.

Authoritative Leadership ‘ Employees are not given opportunity to provide feedback.

Democratic leadership ‘ It is time consuming ‘ There is a delay in decision making ‘ There is a fall if skills and communication are not strong enough. ‘ It leads to hinder situation where speed or affiance is necessary ‘ It does not have direction since different people have different perspective, and could lead to ineffective style of leadership.

Coaching leadership style ‘ This style is said to be disadvantageous when the employees does not acknowledge their weakness. ‘ It does not have immediate result.

Afflictive leadership style ‘ There is a negative feedback from the employees when the leader does not take charge of affair and allows the member to take decision in goals and objective.

Pacesetting leadership styles ‘ In this leadership, leaders’ takes too much work for themselves and resist the issue of giving tasks to other member of their team, making it difficult to finish.

RECOMMENDATION In my research I discovered that caching leadership style works best because it helps in improving individual performance and also achieving their goals to the goals of the organization. This works well when the employees acknowledge their weakness and wants more development. So my recommendation will go for the coaching leadership styles.

CONCLUSION The coercive and pacesetting have their uses, it is also important to know that this style damages organizations in long-term by reducing flexibility and dedication of employee. So you must note that it should be in short term frame. In comparison the other four leadership styles has shown to be positive impact on our working environment. An effective leader is someone that will be able to understand properly at least four out of the six mention leadership styles by Goleman and also can implement this style to suit the situation. The coercive and pacesetting roles have to be use when the situation called for it.

REFERENCING Bickerstaff, G. (2012) Grow co conference, leadership styles to master, v012. (Accessed 26th February 2014) Schultz, Duane p. Schultz, Sydney Ellen (2010). (Accessed on 26th February 2014) Psychology and work today: an introduction to individual and organization psychology (10th edition). (accessed on 26th February 2014) Upper saddle river, N.J: pretence hall.p.201 (Accessed on 26th February 2014) 1SBN978-0205683581. (Accesses on 26th February 2014) Benincasa, R. (2012) how winning works: 8 essential leadership lessons from the toughest team on earth. (7th edition) New York. (Accessed on 26th February 2014) Murray, A. (2010) six leadership styles that works best. Volume12 (issue1) page2. (Accessed on 26th February 2014) http://www.scribd.com/doc/78981417/Leadership-Styles (Accessed on 28th February 2014) http://voices.yahoo.com/the-advantages-coaching-leadership-style-2439790.html (Accessed on 28th February 2014) http://www.ehow.com/info_8245794_disadvantages-leadership-style.html (Accessed on 28th February 2014)

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Transformational Leadership Essay

Introduction.

In any organization, the focus is based on yielding high profits. The key to this lies in the leader, who in turn inspires the staff. Leadership in an organization is usually classified into different categories based on the style the leader uses.

Different leadership styles are used to attain desired goals, but Bass (2006) pointed out in his work that the secret to an organization that is effective in achieving its goals lies in the use of transformational leadership. A leader usually uses power and influence to exercise authority. In transformational leadership, however, the idea is to emphasize influence to manage the teams and bring them aboard to understand the leader’s vision.

What Is a Transformational Leader?

Transformational leadership can be defined as implementing new ideas through adopting a more flexible and universal method of influencing and continually ameliorating those around them. This type of leadership calls for the leader and the staff to improve one another’s motivation levels.

Motivational leaders bravely work towards making the staff realize the need for higher ideas and their vision for the organization’s future. Transformational leaders naturally role model their followers and pass their enthusiasm by clearly letting them visualize their ideas and what he is doing, and by outlining their genuine personal beliefs, he shows the followers that he has these values. Transformational leaders can achieve these results by possessing certain qualities and characteristics.

Transformational leaders understand their abilities and confidently stand firm on their beliefs. Confidence in their abilities keeps them motivated and helps them connect emotionally to the organization. They have high levels of self-determination, which helps them attain a sense of direction for the organization and, in turn, influence the followers, and together they propel the organization in the right course.

They possess self-drive, which helps them to visualize themselves as achievers who do not have to rely on luck to achieve good results. It is this understanding of self that helps them to transform those around them (Chammas, 2010).

Another characteristic of effective transformational leaders is seen in their ability to understand those around them and particularly those under them. Transformational leaders carefully understand and purposefully influence and motivate the staff to understand the goals. Together, they are working toward attaining that goal since he assists them in realizing its intended worth.

This requires the transformational leader to have the right communication skills to relay their vision to the point of winning the willingness of the followers such that they, too, are excited and have the drive to achieve the desired change. Transformational leader fully understands what they hope to achieve, and the process of carefully relaying the intent to the followers requires idealized influence, which ensures the followers are not resistant to the idea.

To do so, the leader must also be willing to actively involve them in chatting the way forward towards attaining the goal. After they agree on the right course of action, the transformational leader again provides inspirational motivation to keep them going and excite their minds to have the urge to achieve the task.

After the transformational leader purposefully develops the ideas and effectively influences the staff to yearn to attain the goal, it only marks the beginning of the process. The work of the transformational leader is to keep the staff focused on the vision continually, help them stick to the agreed course of action to attain the vision, and continually be actively involved in influencing more and more colleagues to support the vision.

The importance here is to make sure that the staff clearly understands the vision the leader has for the organization’s future and make sure that they will support the course and keep abreast with the importance of the task even in years to come. The staff should not just be involved in doing their assigned job but engage in the job because they realize the importance of the outcome of the job.

The last characteristic of transformation leadership is a combination of three qualities requiring the transformational leader to think outside the box. According to Chammas (2010), a transformational leader is not afraid to evaluate the organization’s traditions and make changes without interfering with its core business.

This requires that they come up with innovative and creative ways that align with their vision for the organization. In their pursuit of change, they are seen as ignoring the present and yearning for a better future. A factor that works with this is their willingness to embrace innovations and ideas.

The transformational leader encourages others to develop new methodologies and innovations that align with attaining the vision. They do so as to keep abreast with the changing times and to demonstrate that they understand that new challenges in the future need new solutions.

Therefore, they encourage suggestions and offer appraisals for the best ideas. The third point on the same is that the transformational leader takes up their role as the advisor and the guide of the team. Their role here is to assist the whole team through the operations. This requires that they understand that each individual has their own personal strengths and weaknesses in given areas.

The leader also considers the individual’s level and will to adjust to new ideas. By understanding the readiness levels, the leader can establish the right timing for implementing the new ideas so that the resistance is minimal. The ability to forge ahead and achieve a new, transformed organization depends on the transformational leader’s influence levels on the staff and developing them in the areas needed to achieve a new organization.

Transformational leadership has proven effective by far compared to other leadership styles. This is due to its influential nature that seeks to have both the leader and the follower develop each other, and together they work towards attaining a vision and, in turn, a new organization.

The benefits of adopting transformation leadership are clearly felt in the outcomes. Transformation leadership increases the influence at the topmost leadership level. This, according to Cox (2010), is because transformational leaders act as role models to other employees in the organization and hence are obeyed, and their method of dealing with people is respected. The result is an organization where there is solid unity between the leader and the employees, giving rise to an atmosphere of mutual trust and effective communication.

This means that the executive is given a hearing by other staff. Therefore the implementation of ideas is fast, and the environment at the workplace is not tense or hierarchical. This is because more emphasis is placed on developing each other instead of arguing about bureaucracy. The leader concentrates on guiding the staff through the vision instead of spending most of the time trying to unite opposing groups in an organization. Results are achieved quickly once all the staff are on board and working passionately.

Another benefit of transformational leadership is seen in how the leader oozes the charisma and excitement they have to perform their duty. The rest of the staff can read clearly the leader’s aspirations, and consequently, they follow in trying to achieve the vision too. The energy possessed by transformational leaders is said to be a major contributor to the other staff’s willingness to join in because they are inspired by their leader’s genuine vision of taking the organization to a whole new level.

A successful and effective organization is able to be realized through two important aspects; a leader who has a clearly defined vision for the organization and staff who have the will to assist and work together towards the realization of that goal. Transformational leaders are enthusiastic about their vision and through their ability to bring other staff on board, realizing the vision becomes very easy and hence a successful and effective organization (Cox, 2010).

A major benefit of transformational leadership is how it can guide the employees bit by bit in achieving a change in the organization. They do this by gradually explaining and influencing the employees and taking them through the step-by-step process of attaining the desired change.

They can visualize the changes the organization should hope to achieve, e.g., introducing a new product, new operating methods, new technology adjustments, etc. They then embark on a mission to carefully engage the employees to understand their feelings toward the desired change. According to Xenitelis (2010), they do this by employing tactical approaches to reveal their thoughts on the same and involve them directly in defining the desired change.

They then attempt to make that necessary adjustment to make the employees clearly understand why the change is important and what it hopes to achieve. After the necessary change is made to propel the vision, the transformational leader then guides the process and ensures that everyone is on board. The leader keeps a constant check by evaluating the process as it continues and hence makes the necessary changes.

This step-by-step engagement of the process proves very successful and is the most effective way for the organization to realize changes. It is also an effective way of avoiding resistance to change which is usually a major hindrance to organizational progress. Its effectiveness is seen especially when the organization wishes to launch a new product or desires to make a complete change in its operating processes (Xenitelis, 2010).

Employees in an organization led by a transformational leader always feel the challenge to keep their energies going because they are inspired by the leader. This fosters a feeling of taking one’s duties and responsibilities personally and yearning to perform one’s tasks to the best of their abilities. This sort of inspiration by the transformational leader encourages the employees to come up with new ways of doing things.

Creativity and innovativeness amongst the employees are encouraged, which, in turn, brings out the individual’s full potential while still addressing the issue of self-development. The benefits of such a working environment trickle down to the organization, which has employees with self-fulfillment and give their best, and their creative input is enjoyed; hence the organization’s effectiveness is realized (Stewart, 2006).

Bass, one of the pioneers of transformational leadership, pointed out that the application of this style of leadership helps the employees push their abilities to levels they never thought they could reach. In addition to transformational leadership uniting and ensuring people agree Bass pointed out that it fosters a working culture where moral force flourishes, and therefore the level of employee turnover is kept at a minimum.

Employees who understand that the organization they are working for encourages them to give their creativity and allows them to develop to levels they never thought they could achieve are likely to stick with the organization for long. The benefits of such a working culture are realized in the organization’s success in achieving its vision since the costs associated with employee turnover and retention are cut, as well as the benefits of developed and satisfied employees (Bass, 2006).

Transformational leadership brings forth culture and climate in an organization whereby success is bound to prosper. When a transformational leader takes into consideration the abilities and needs of each employee individually and shares their genuine vision clearly and elaborately, it brings forth a culture of honesty and receptiveness.

The employees feel that their input is respected and credit awarded for their ideas. This, in turn, gives rise to a working environment where there is job satisfaction, and consequently, due to the absence of commotion, the environment is stress-free.

The employees are always in high spirits, and their motivation to work hard is on top; hence they freely express their abilities to improve in certain areas, and the areas where they are strong are emphasized. An organization’s success is bound to be realized in such a stress-free working culture with high motivation levels. Job satisfaction is high and personal abilities are given consideration.

Transformational leadership is beneficial in that it can help an organization cut costs. Through the transformational leader’s ability to connect with the employees and give them a chance to understand the task at hand, including allowing their ideas and creativity, job satisfaction is achieved, which means employees do not feel the need to leave the organization hence the reduced employee turnover. This, in a major way, saves the organization high costs associated with losing employees and having to employ new ones.

In a transformational leadership organization, the employees are given a chance to concentrate on areas they are strong in; hence, the unnecessary costs of training the employees in unfamiliar areas are reduced. This also goes for the fact that the employees are given a chance to develop, and as they work harmoniously, they teach each other by sharing ideas. Hence, in-training employees is unnecessary in most cases (Stewart, 2006).

Transformational Leadership: Conclusion

In conclusion, effectiveness in an organization highly depends on the leader’s ability to have a vision, build consensus with the employees, and adjust his leadership style to fit the vision and guide the whole team toward the desired direction.

Transformational leadership considers all this by having the leader clearly understand the direction he wants to propel the organization, influencing the employees, and making them understand how important the change is. Then together, they engage in the process.

Transformational leadership combines the right employees and the right motives. It inspires creativity and motivation in achieving a smooth flow of processes which, in the long run, ensures an effective organization that delivers its results and is consistent in achieving the desired changes.

Reference List

Bass, M. and Riggio, E. (2006) Transformational Leadership. New York, Routledge.

Chammas, A. (2010) Leadership Characteristics for Organizational Transformation Success, Transformational Leadership , vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 16-27.

Cox, R. (2010) The Benefits of Transformational Leadership . Web.

Stewart, J. (2006) Transformational Leadership: An Evolving Concept Examined through the Works of Burns, Bass, Avolio, and Leithwood , Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy. vol. 27, no. 56, pp. 1-19.

Xenitelis, M. (2010) Transformational Leadership , Management. vol. 43, no. 12, pp. 11 -17.

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Bibliography

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