President Barack Obama
President Barrack Obama was the 44th president of the United States. His leadership and program remain great several years after his exit. Since many leadership theories can be demonstrated using this leader as an example, he is suited for this paper’s analysis. The leader will be evaluated from different leadership perspectives, including; transformational leadership, contingency leadership, and shared leadership. The three theories will be expanded and significant examples drawn from the performance of President Barack Obama.
Barack Obama was known before he became PresidentPresident because of his role in politics. The leader served as a senator, and through his unique leadership character, he was got a drive to vie for the high office. Since Barack Obama received significant publicity when he became PresidentPresident, most examples in this essay will be limited to his term as the PresidentPresident of the United States.
There are fundamental leadership behaviors that a leader must demonstrate to earn respect and praise. Some of these traits include; building trust, acting with integrity, and inspiring others. President Barack Obama made respect as a leader who was not involved in unethical practices, and throughout his eight-year term, no scandal was associated with him. A leader of integrity must live above board and not be associated with immoral acts. Secondly, a reputable leader has to demonstrate the ability to build trust among his/her subjects. President Barack Obama managed to attract both young and old to support him, and this was shown in the two elections where he won with a significant margin. While leaders are transitional, leadership is eternal, and leaders must inspire others. Barack Obama is known to support your leaders through different initiatives. Young people worldwide have had to meet and share their experiences and innovations through the Obama Foundation. President Obama also endorsed women’s initiatives, demonstrating his consciousness for balanced leadership where gender discrimination is not tolerated.
Shared Leadership
Shared leadership is a theory that advances innovation and commitment among team members. When practicing this form of leadership, leaders allow their team members to take significant roles through delegation (Chiu et al., 2016). President Barack Obama formed a government which was inclusive, and where other leaders were allowed adequate opportunity to share innovative programs for the wellbeing of the citizens. When President Obama engaged with other global leaders, he fostered bilateral relationship. These associations were critical in ensuring that Americans got the opportunity to do business with the rest of the world without tension or feeling of insecurity. Through these efforts, many people were empowered, and access was increased. When a country has a leader practicing shared leadership, it finds an opportunity to develop strong interdependence bonds, which is essential for effectiveness. Shared leadership also allows freedom of expression before and during execution. Critics in a government provide critical feedback that helps a leader to improve their performance. During President Obama’s reign, critics were equal opportunity to express their views as supporters.
Transformational Leadership
A transformational leader works with teams to develop and implement their plan. Through this form of leadership, visions are created together, and the change process is guided by dialogue. Each of the team members is allowed to focus on the goal and demonstrate their commitment through action. In the transformational leadership model, the team leader influences others through their behavior and policies (Keskes et al., 2018). There were significant initiatives that were introduced by President Obama that transformed how Americans received health care, conducted business, or interacted with citizens from other nations. As a leader, President Obama created a significant impact on the lives of Americans. Since the PresidentPresident came from a background where most people had taken a back seat in leadership politics, Obama’s slogans like “Yes We Can” excited them to exercise their potential. Though President Obama’s speeches and programs, many people were inspired to become leaders.
Contingency Approaches
A contingent leader believes that different situations require different management skills. Leaders who are not conscious of this strategy assume a single solution for every leadership issue. This assumption causes significant failure because there are situations that require specific leadership interventions (Kulkarni, 2017). Particular groups require treatment that is not common among other entities. In President Obama’s reign, he allowed minority groups, including LGBT, to recognize and respect. Instead of pursuing a robust religious approach, President Obama permitted the negotiation and care of people with special needs and other challenges. Global issues like climate change and security concerns were also addressed on a case-by-case basis. The essence of Contingency leadership is that there can never be the best way to manage every situation.
Similarly, in leadership, no leader is best suited for every situation. President Obama believed that leaders are offered the opportunity to deliver services to people within a stipulated time. When that time elapses, the leader must give way to another person. This notion lacks in some world leaders who assume they are the best and are unwilling to hand over leadership to others.
References
Chiu, C. Y. C., Owens, B. P., & Tesluk, P. E. (2016). Initiating and utilizing shared leadership in teams: The role of leader humility, proactive team personality, and team performance capability. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(12), 1705.
Keskes, I., Sallan, J. M., Simo, P., & Fernandez, V. (2018). Transformational leadership and organizational commitment. Journal of Management Development.
Kulkarni, V. (2017). Contingency Theory. The International Encyclopaedia of Organizational Communication, 1-6.