Leadership, its Types and their Role in Peace Keeping

Leadership, its Types and their Role in Peace Keeping

Introduction

Many individuals work together in groups, teams and communities for the achievement of many aims in different areas and in different fields. The fate of these groups may solely be dependent of the hard work and dedication of each individual. However, all these groups or teams will need a certain individual, who will have the authority to create a balance between rights and wrong, reward and punishment and right and responsibility. Therefore, the individual will basically deal with all the performance and ethics related aspects of the group. Moreover, the monitoring of every such individual is necessary for the stability and progress of the group. Such an individual is known as the leader of the group and the phenomenon of leading a group of people in any activity or organization by an individual is known as Leadership (Owen, 1999).

Discussion

The term leadership can be classified into various different categories by scholars throughout. Two of them include Situational Leadership and Participation Leadership.

Definition, Similarities and Differences between the Two Theories of Leadership

Situational theories basically offers a leadership in which the leader adapts the methodology of choosing the best and most appropriate option or course of action in accordance with the situational constants and variables. Various other styles of leadership, therefore, may be declared more accurate when it comes to decision making. For example, cases where the group leader happens to the most experienced, professional and knowledgeable of the group or team, this type of authoritative approach is most suited. The most obvious would therefore be to serve the aim of leading all the group members or team mates in the right direction and right approach with the help of his expertise (Hersey, 1985).

On the other hand, the theories of Participative Leadership focus on the idea of a style of leadership that includes the taking into account of the opinion of other team mates in the act of decision making. In this category of leadership, contributions, participations and involvement of each and every group member is appreciated, motivated and encouraged by the group leader. Moreover, in this type of leadership, the group members are made to realize that there opinion plays an essential and effective role in decision making. However, the authority still rests with the leader to allow others to put forward their opinion (Bell, 2010).

Therefore, the basic similarity both the styles of leadership share includes the fact that in both cases the authority to allow the team members to share their opinions, ideas and perspectives rests with the group leader. However, in participative leadership, it is supposed that the team members have sufficient knowledge to be able to put forth their ideas. Therefore, the decision making in Participative leadership is dependent on the opinions of the group members. In contrast, the situation leadership includes the leader being the only authority in decision making unlike Participation Leadership.

Roles of the Two Styles of Leadership ...