Leadership Philosophy
The leadership philosophy is as ancient as those who attempted to form organizations and manage others to achieve certain goals. The philosophy and leadership practice may be traced back to the dawn of human civilization, with many features (De Brún et al., 2019). Leadership is a widely talked about and observed concept; however, there is a lack of mutual agreement on what leadership strategy or style is seen to fit in a specific environment or culture. Past leadership research has led to a variety of leadership models and theories that may be used in a variety of circumstances and affect a variety of outcomes.
Leadership Models
Organizational leadership is a diverse discipline that piqued experts’ interest from many backgrounds. Many researchers defined the leadership concept in the past, but no uniform definition has been recognized (De Brún et al., 2019). Leadership is similar to beauty in that it is difficult to define, although when you encounter it, you feel it. A leadership interaction is an interpersonal connection in which authority and influence are unevenly dispersed, and one person leads and controls the actions of others. Leadership is a power dynamic between the followers and the leader. Though there are several leadership definitions, they all agree that leadership is an endeavor to influence.
Behavioral Theories in Leadership
The trait theories focus on the leaders’ specific personality features, while the behavioral theory focuses on the leaders’ conduct. Behavioral leadership theories focus more on analyzing the factors of a leader’s conduct. Task and connection behaviors are two categories of behaviors covered by behavioral theories (Sangwa, 2021). Job behaviors concern work completion, but relationship behaviors encourage followers to complete tasks. The behavioral leadership theory believes leadership behavior and pattern may be learned via training. Work is organized, tasks are defined, and leaders schedule required tasks. They foster an atmosphere of trust and respect among their followers.
The Trait Theory
In the early twentieth century, the trait theory on leadership sometimes referred to as the “Great Man theory,” was one of the earliest systematic attempts to explore the leadership concept (Reed et al., 2019). According to the thesis of great men, there are those exceptional people who have the power to revolutionize history or bring about meaningful change in society. Leadership trait ideas originated in the 1920s and 1930s (Reed et al., 2019). Leaders are distinguished from non-leaders by the characteristics ingrained in them. After the Great Man hypothesis was introduced, trait theory was the initial leadership theory. They neglected the contextual and situational aspects that influence a leader’s performance in a given setting.
Contingency Theories of Leadership
Contingency theories of leadership investigated leadership behavior in the 1960s and 1970s. They concentrated on researching leader behavior that fluctuates depending on the scenario (Gordon, 2022). A leader must identify one certain conduct or leadership style that may be applied in various scenarios. According to contingency theories, there is no ideal leadership style for every scenario (Gordon, 2022). Effective leaders use various leadership styles depending on the scenario and followers. The optimum fit between behavior, circumstance, and need is good governance. It is vital to comprehend the circumstances which result in completely comprehending a leader’s efficacy and performance.
Transactional and Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership encourages followers by concentrating on their beliefs and visualizing a promising roadmap for them. Transactional leadership is a social interchange that impacts employees’ performance around specified goals (McGiboney, 2018). Transformational leadership is only concerned with the leaders and their actions. It concentrates on the supporters and concludes that transactional and transformational leadership styles are not incompatible but interdependent or connected. When the goals are brief, transactional leadership is desirable. It needs to provide adequate support for long-term goals.
Leadership Outcomes
For several decades, scholars and practitioners have focused on organizational leadership. According to a study of the literature, most studies are focused on the link between styles of leadership and organizational results, as well as evaluating leadership styles in various organizational, regional, or cross-national contexts (Gordon, 2022). Nevertheless, studies on organizational leadership have been undertaken in Western Europe and Canada over the previous half-century. Furthermore, most research in the previous two decades focused on transactional and transformational leadership styles. The behavioral dimension of leadership is concerned with an individual’s observable activities.
Job Satisfaction
Job satisfaction refers to an individual’s view of work regarding job tasks and interpersonal relationships. Approval of these variables leads to job happiness, whereas a negative condition leads to job discontent. Job satisfaction is critical to an organization’s integrity, development, and success (McGiboney, 2018). On the other hand, work unhappiness can lead to various challenges, including staff turnover and, eventually, the company’s demise. Any organization’s leadership significantly influences employee work satisfaction as it is a crucial contributor to their effectiveness. Supervisors should model leadership actions that boost workers’ perceptions of job satisfaction.
Motivation
Another important result of leadership is motivation. An ancient adage is that one may lead a horse to the spring, but one cannot compel it to drink the water. As such, the horse only drinks the water if it is thirsty, which is true for the organization’s personnel (Gordon, 2022). They will be effective as they are inspired to perform. Employee motivation is the most important aspect of every organization’s success, particularly during the transition. Leadership that understands and improves employee motivation is required to deal with such difficulties better. Employee motivation is seen as a critical component of every leadership job.
Organizational Commitment
Organizational commitment is an individual’s attitude or thinking toward their specific organization. Employees more devoted to the company will work harder to attain organizational goals. Furthermore, individuals dedicated to their company will be willing to go above and beyond to ensure the firm’s productivity and growth (McGiboney, 2018). The individual’s psychological connection to the organization is called organizational commitment. It is described in various ways, and several frameworks of organizational commitment, such as the three-component concept of commitment, have been created. The components are affective commitment, normative commitment, and continuous commitment (McGiboney, 2018). Organizational commitment is influenced by job stress and employment instability. Effective managers have dedicated followers because commitment is a possible result of good leadership.
References
De Brún, A., O’Donovan, R., & McAuliffe, E. (2019). Interventions to develop collectivistic leadership in healthcare settings: a systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 19(1), 1-22.
Gordon, J. (2022). Contingency Approach or Situational Approach to Management – Explained. Thebusinessprofessor. Web.
McGiboney, G. (2018). Leadership theories and case studies: An epidemiological perspective. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Reed, B. N., Klutts, A. M., & Mattingly, T. J. (2019). A systematic review of leadership definitions, competencies, and assessment methods in pharmacy education. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 83(9).
Sangwa, S. (2021). Leadership and Management Theories and Contemporary Leaders and Organisations. A Critical Evaluation. GRIN Verlag, München.
