SYNTHESIS THINKING

Synthesis Thinking

Synthesis Thinking

Goleman's Article

In the article 'leadership that gets results' Daniel Goleman identified five traits and six styles of good leadership in connection with his theory of emotional intelligence. This model of leadership styles is all-encompassing and is popular for its simplicity. According to Goleman, an effective leader must have two classes of qualities: 1. Self management skills that include self-awareness, self-regulation and motivation, and 2. the ability to relate to others, that includes empathy and social skills (Goleman, 2000). Both classes of qualities are indispensable for contemporary leadership. One needs to recognize his strengths so that he can count on them when desired. A leader must also be able to adapt to various situations and have the best leadership style for maximum effectiveness.

The leadership styles recognized by Goleman include the authoritative style, the coercive style, the coaching style, the affiliate style, the democratic style, and the pace setting style. Goleman stresses practicing each of these styles to get maximum organizational outcomes. Goleman's theory was further expanded by Ken Blanchard and Paul Hersey. Both classes of qualities are indispensable for contemporary leadership. One needs to recognize his strengths so that he can count on them when desired. A leader must also be able to adapt to various situations and have the best leadership style for maximum effectiveness (Apps 2004). In all, Goleman stresses that leaders should not choose a style. Rather, they should evaluate and practice different styles as per the needs of a particular situation (Goleman, 2000). In Goleman's view, therefore, managers need to incorporate the organizational climate in their choice of a particular leadership style.

A Classical Article on Leadership

A principal study titled 'Patterns of aggressive behavior in experimentally created social climates' was done on the subject of leadership by Lewin, Lippitt & White in 1939. The most famous group was inspired by Lewin social climate research group conducted in 1938 and 1939 in the Iowa City by R. Lippitt and R. White. They set up several groups of children playing under adult leadership styles. The study compared outcomes between autocratic and democratic patterns of leadership (Lewin, Lippitt & White 1939). A second block included the two styles the "laissez-faire", a type of leadership is not directly comparable to the leader-centered style (autocratic) and the group-centered (democratic). The experiment led to carry out detailed records of observations of the actions and the impact on each type of ...