Leadership
Introduction
Leadership refers to the act of guiding and influencing a group of people to work towards achieving the set goals of that group. It is an interpersonal relationship that requires the effective use of communication tools within a structured environment where the followers are willing to work together to satisfy the leader’s desires. A leader has to have a particular set of skills to stand out in a group of people. This set of skills sets one apart from others who are often referred to as followers or subordinates. Good leadership is judged based on the response to that influence by the followers. Several leadership styles, models, and theories have been established in an attempt to define and understand leadership. Examples of leadership theories include contingency, trait, behavioral, and integrated leadership theories (Nawaz & Khan, 2016). In this essay, I will discuss in great detail, my leadership philosophy based on the appropriate leadership style, model, and theory.
The contingency leadership theory best describes me as a leader. According to this theory, there is no specific set of traits or behaviors that make a great leader. Instead, effective leadership is a result of the interaction between personality traits and the given situation (Nawaz & Khan, 2016). A great leader is one whose characteristics suit the current situation. It implies that the same person may not be suited to be a leader if the situation changed. Under this theory, there is an approach known as the path-goal approach. This approach is what I usually take whenever I am in a leadership position.
In this approach, a leader has to identify the most appropriate leadership style that will give the highest result and satisfaction among subordinates (Famakin & Abiduga, 2016). As a leader, I have to find ways to increase my subordinates’ desire to achieve set goals. Some of the means of boosting their morale include rewards and path clarification. I give my followers rewards for an excellent performance. An appropriate reward is usually something that they desire the most, which makes it satisfying. Moreover, I ensure that I clarify the path to getting the bonus mentioned above. I guide them in what to do to complete the task and, therefore, achieve the set objectives.
Situational and environmental factors characterize the path-goal approach. Situational factors include authoritarianism, ability, and locus of control. Authoritarianism refers to how much power I, as a leader, can have on my subordinates before they start revolting. Ability is the capacity of my subordinates to perform a given task well enough. In contrast, locus of control refers to the subordinates’ perception of how much power they have in accomplishing the set goals.
On the other hand, environmental factors include the task structure, the job group, and authority. Task structure refers to how repetitive the given job is. The job group refers to the interaction among the subordinates working under my leadership. I have to ensure that they have a proper working relationship to accomplish the task. Lastly, authority refers to how much control I as a leader have over my subordinates. The path-goal approach is contingent on these factors.
A trait is defined as an individual’s inborn characteristic that is difficult to change. They are inherent. Most leadership theories in the past were defined using leadership traits (Nawaz & Khan, 2016). Some of my leadership traits include dominance, integrity, self-esteem, and high energy. My dominance is demonstrated through my need to take control of all situations. I always find myself taking charge of people automatically. For instance, whenever a group assignment is given, and no one is preselected to be the leader, I tend to take up the role on my own. I control the group by organizing members and subdividing tasks accordingly. I also have integrity, which is the tendency to be honest and trustworthy. I strongly believe in ethical behavior, and therefore, I always act in a manner that satisfies those ethics. I make my decisions based on what is right and wrong. I cannot tolerate fraudulent activities. For instance, I am firmly against cheating in an exam and would quickly report anyone that cheats.
Furthermore, I have high self-esteem. This means that I have a lot of confidence in my capabilities and my decisions. I hardly doubt my judgments once I make them. I can tell the degree of my confidence through the response of others around me. This is because people tend to follow those who are more confident than themselves. I have always had others looking up to me and respecting my decisions. Also, I am a high energy individual. This means that I have a high drive to work towards achieving set objectives and pushing others to do the same. High energy also means high stamina. As a result, I can withstand high levels of stress whenever I encounter them.
There are a few leadership traits that I would like to develop. I believe that I will become a better leader if I acquired these traits. They include flexibility and sensitivity to others. Flexibility refers to the ability to change to suit the current situation. One should be able to change rapidly and accordingly. I have been told in the past that I can be somewhat rigid. This is because I like routines. I would like to become more flexible in the future. Another leadership trait that I would like to acquire is empathy. This is the ability to be sensitive to other people’s needs, feelings, and opinions. By developing this trait, I will be able to have healthier relationships and better communication with others.
As a follower, I prefer the situational approach from my leader. This approach involves determining which of four leadership styles is appropriate for the given situation. Situation, in this case, refers to the subordinates’ ability to complete a task. The first style is telling. Here, the leader has to give highly detailed rules for performing the task. However, he/she has to oversee the progress closely. This style is for subordinates who cannot complete the task without instructions. The second style is selling, whereby the leader supports the followers in addition to instructing them. Some minor decisions may be left to the subordinates. This style is most suitable for low to moderately capable workers. The third style is participating, whereby the leader puts more effort into supporting the subordinates and less in instructing them. This is because the workers, in this case, have moderate to high capability of completing the task unaided. The last style, delegating, is for highly capable workers. The leader gives little to no instructions because the subordinates can be trusted to make the right decisions and give good results.
I prefer this approach from my leader because it can be structured to suit the needs of followers. Some followers need more directions, while others need more delegation. I would prefer a leader that delegates tasks to me whenever I am well trained to handle them on my own. In this case, I would feel like the leader has faith in my capability, which would inspire self-confidence in taking up more responsibilities in the future.
Contingency leadership theory best describes how I influence others (Nawaz & Khan, 2016). This is the theory that best describes me as a leader. I believe that leadership has to change to match the situation. There are situations where my personality trait would make me the most suited to be a leader, whereas there are others that would make me the least suitable leader. I respect both situations. One of my traits is dominance, which means that I like to control my followers. This trait would make me unsuitable for managing an IT department. This is because IT specialists prefer to be given a task and left alone. They prefer more delegation and less supervision. My dominance would make it difficult for me to leave the job up to them simply. Instead, I would find myself needing to direct them continually. This would result in a tense working relationship.
Upon self-reflection and analysis of my current leadership, I realize that I need to improve my leadership and motivational skills. The following are my objectives for strengthening my leadership skills. The first is to solicit feedback from my followers (Owen, 2017). I would like to know their opinions regarding my leadership. Is it excellent, or lacking? I would also like to know how they think I could improve on my weak areas. Soliciting feedback is just as important as giving feedback. This goal can be achieved by developing excellent interpersonal communication. This implies that information should be able to flow freely and clearly from me as a leader to my subordinates and back.
Moreover, I would place suggestion boxes in strategic places for anonymous feedback. The second goal is to encourage others (Owen, 2017). I would like to learn how to offer more support to my followers. This is because they may need encouragement regarding a given situation that is difficult for them. Followers tend to appreciate a leader that advises in addition to instructions. This goal can be achieved by establishing better relationships with my followers. As a result, they can approach me freely whenever they need my help. This strategy involves demystifying my position of power. For instance, I could offer to buy the group coffee when they have a long day of work ahead of them. This form of support is meant to bring some positive energy in the workplace. It is even more profound when it comes to a leader.
My third leadership goal is to be accountable for my mistakes. I would like to learn how to be fully responsible for my errors instead of ignoring them or passing the blame onto others. A good leader should not be ashamed of making mistakes or admitting to them (Owen, 2017). I will achieve this goal by making amends the minute I realize my error. Also, I will analyze my losses for opportunities for further growth. Accountability will make me a better leader by learning from my mistakes and gaining the respect of my followers.
As a leader, I want to work with a team that is sufficiently motivated towards accomplishing organizational goals. Therefore, I have put in place some goals towards improving my motivational skills. The first goal is to provide exciting work according to the needs of the employees. People want job descriptions that are challenging enough for them. They find satisfaction in a job that has been designed in a way that suits their skill set and interests. This goal can be achieved through job enrichment. I will ensure that my followers’ work is stimulating enough by allowing the use of a variety of skills to complete a task and giving them the freedom to make more decisions regarding the job on their own.
The other goal is to provide work incentives through recognition and rewards that are tailored towards each individual. I will accomplish this goal by having quarterly reviews at work where I analyze everyone’s performance during that period. Those with high returns will receive rewards such as a bonus and an official recognition for their efforts. Letting employees know that their work is appreciated is a handy motivational tool.
Conclusion
Effective leadership is essential in accomplishing organizational goals. A good leader should have a personal leadership philosophy that will guide him of her in influencing others. A leadership philosophy can be developed by analyzing the existing leadership theories, models, and styles. Great leadership requires identifying one’s weaknesses and setting goals to improve them.
References
Famakin, I. O., & Abisuga, A. O. (2016). Effect of path-goal leadership styles on the commitment of employees on construction projects. International Journal of Construction Management, 16(1), 67-76.
Nawaz, Z. A. K. D. A., & Khan_, Ph.D., I. (2016). Leadership theories and styles: A literature review. Leadership, 16(1), 1-7.
Owen, J. (2017). The leadership skills handbook: 90 essential skills you need to be a leader. Kogan Page Publishers.