Leadership Style

Leadership Style

Leadership Styles

Introduction

A large number of theories have been carried out in the past that takes into account different leadership theories and analyse them in different perspectives. The past literature on the leadership theories shows that these theories do not agree on a single characteristic important for the leaders in their operations. Instead they see number of characteristics important for the leaders. This paper distinguishes between five different leadership styles which are transformational leadership, transactional leadership, autocratic leadership, shared leadership and servant leadership.

Discussion

Transformational leadership

It can be regarded as a leadership style or a theory, which helps leaders to enhance the level of motivation, performance, and morale of his followers. The most basic approach that this theory uses to enhance the performance and motivation level of followers is that it gives them the sense of identity in relation with the organization (Northouse, 2009). Following such a theory, a leader has to be a role model for followers/employees, who is able to inspire and motivate them by setting own examples and is able to make his followers comfortably perform in certain challenging situations. Leaders who follow such style are able to make their followers understand their work and responsibilities at a greater level, and are able to determine their strengths and weaknesses (Martineau & Hannum, 2004).

The dimension of identifying and articulating a vision encompasses seeking out new opportunities for the school and staff and jointly creating, articulating, and inspiring all educational stakeholders in achieving the vision. Intellectual stimulation, which encompasses leadership practices that challenge staff to re-examine their attitudes and pedagogy, may take the forms of professional development programs, the sharing of research information, and in-depth group debates and discussions.

Pros and Cons

Transformational leaders provide individualized support and maintain respect for individual staff and concern for their personal feelings and needs by providing resources to aid professional learning and teaching through the provision of funding, books, equipment, materials, and collaboration time. After determining strengths and weaknesses of his followers the leaders is able to generate the optimal level of output from his followers. The major components of this theory include individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence.

Transactional Style

Transactional style of leadership is said to be the straightest style of leadership. These kinds of leaders do not possess an authoritarian personality rather they reward their subordinates for achieving certain targets or for better performance. In this kind of leadership followers and the leaders survive in a shared contract in which both sides are loyal to their responsibilities.

This type of leadership theory has to do a lot with the leadership qualities that are possessed by the leaders. The Transactional leadership has not been found in the leaders and is considered to be very rare. The leaders that possess this quality are usually enthusiastic and highly devoted to their profession. Moreover the Transactional leaders have charm in their personality. This quality is possessed by the leaders that have a clear vision towards their goal and strictly follow their mission in order to ...