Various Leadership Styles in Different Organizations - Essay Example

LEADERSHIP STYLES IN DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS By Name Course Instructor Institution City/State Date Leadership Styles in Different Organizations 1.0 Introduction These days, diverse forms of leadership styles subsist in work settings, and each leadership style has a number of advantages and disadvantages. The organizational goals as well as culture establish which style of leadership is best for the organization (Bonnici, 2011, p.12). Several companies provide a number of leadership styles in the organization, reliant upon the needed undertakings to finish the needs of the organizational departments. Basically, motivation is something each person has in changeable levels as well as for varying motives. Motivation can be enthused by others, therefore comprehending motivation principles is imperative for individuals as well as businesses. 2.1.0 Leadership Styles 2.1 Authoritarian This form of leadership style enables managers to decide single-handedly devoid of other input, in other words, managers have complete authority and enforce their will on staff. In this case, no employee can challenge their decisions; for instance, nations like North Korea as well as Cuba work under the authoritarian leadership style. According to Dessler and Phillips (2007, p.387), this form of leadership style does well to workers who need close supervision. Innovative workers who succeed in team functions despise this leadership style. Autocratic styles of leadership regularly pursue the idea of those individuals in control such as mangers, who essentially are not in harmony with their followers. Examples of autocratic form of leadership includes a traffic police officer who always direct traffic and drivers follow their command without questioning, other examples include a manager instructing an employee to perform a certain task. Each of such position needs a different set of attributes that offer the leader the ability to perform their roles effectively or communicate efficiently. Traits of authoritarian leaders include setting goals independently, engaging mostly in downward and one-way communication, controlling meetings, and taking part in organizational interaction. A number of studies have validated an association between harassment, on the one hand, as well as an authoritarian leadership style as well as an oppressive method of solving conflicts or handling differences, on the other hand. An autocratic leadership style can generate an environment of panic, where there is no or little room for negotiation and where whining could be deemed useless. This form of leadership style is well applied in areas where control is essential, especially in the military industry. When circumstances are treacherous, inflexible rules can protect the public from danger. Persistently, most soldiers are unfamiliar and inexperienced with the form of work and so require heavy supervision is needed. Well-known authoritarian leaders in business world include Leona Helmsley, Howell Raines as well as Martha Stewart. Rigid firms often make use of this leadership style given that it is recognized to be extremely paternalistic, and in teams that are independent minded as well as highly-professional, it can result in strained morale and bitterness. 2.2 Laissez-Faire Laissez-faire leaders do not have direct staff supervision and cannot offer regular response to employees under his care. Workers who are highly trained and experienced, and need little supervision fall under this style of leadership. Still not every worker has such attributes. This style of leadership obstructs the generation of workers requiring supervision. According to Exantus (2012, p.64), the laissez-faire style generates no supervision or direction efforts from executives, which may result in lack of control, poor production, as well as escalating expenditure. Leaders using Laissez-faire let their followers to have absolute autonomy in making decisions relating to their work achievement. It gives the followers a high level of independence as well as autonomy, whilst simultaneously providing support and direction when demanded. Using guided freedom, the laissez-faire leader offers the followers with all needed materials to achieve their set goals; however, they do not directly take part in making decisions except if the followers ask for their help. This style of leadership can be used in the law enforcement for instance when a detective is promoted to a high rank, they do not require much leadership as a recently recruited detective would require. Still, they would require some leadership, but at smallest level for the reason that they may begin their job with no commanding power and still be contented. The form of leadership they may get could be a normal briefing and informed the fundamental obligations of what they must fulfill and after that they may be left unaided to finish the assignment prior to the set schedule. Therefore, it would be needless for a skilled detective to be monitored for the reason that they understand the jobs roles. 2.3 Democratic Democratic leaders’ values the input of peers as well as team members, but the task of decision making rests squarely on their shoulders. Democratic leadership enhances the morale of the worker for the reason that workers contribute to the process of decision-making. This makes the workers feel appreciated and that their opinions matter. For companies desiring to make changes in the organization, the democratic style of leadership assists workers acknowledges changes without difficulty since they play a crucial part in the process of change. What is more, this leadership style overcomes challenges when organizations desire to make critical decision hastily. Research has established that this style of leadership is very efficient and generates higher effectiveness, improved team members’ contributions as well as heightened team morale. Besides that, democratic leadership may result in enhanced ideas as well as more innovative resolutions to setbacks for the reason that team members are supported to share their ideas and thoughts (Dessler & Phillips, 2007, p.387). Whereas democratic leadership remains to be one of the most successful styles of leadership, it possesses a number of possible drawbacks. In circumstances where responsibilities are uncertain, democratic leadership may result in unfinished project as well as communication failures. Furthermore, democratic leadership function perfectly in circumstances where members of the team are experienced and ready to share their skills. Additionally, it is imperative to let employees make their contribution, create a plan and afterwards choose the most excellent route to follow. This style of leadership can be applied in diverse fields that include service like health care as well as nursing, innovative fields wherein brainstorming is vital to generate valuable outcomes as well as consultancy fields. This style of leadership promotes the process of getting solutions for reducing the cost, improving the quality of product or making better the customer service quality, in any organization. This style of leadership may as well be valid in the education industry in some cases. Carlos Ghosn is a prominent and well-known business leader who used principles democratic leadership and is recognised for the 2000 astonishing Nissan turnaround. 2.4 Transactional Managers making use of the transactional style of leadership are offered with certain functions to carry out and offer punishments or rewards to members of the team based on the results of performance. In this case, team members together with managers set predetermined goals mutually, and workers accept to follow the leadership as well as direction of the manager in order to achieve such goals. What is more, the manager has authority to analyze performance results as well as correct or train workers when members of the team are unsuccessful in meeting the set goals. Workers get rewards, like bonuses, after realizing the goals. Transactional leader recognizes his/her followers’ needs and offers rewards to meet those needs so as to achieve a certain performance level. Besides that, transactional leaders concentrate on boosting the effectiveness of well-known procedures and routines, and also they are more interested with pursuing available rules as compared to making organizational. Transactional leaders, as per Exantus (2012, p.65), standardize and establish practices that will facilitate the firm to attain: maturity, operation efficiency, goal-setting, and increased productivity. These days, transactional leadership is a widespread leadership style, but it is by and large applicable in middle-managers instead of firms CEOs. Importantly, the majority of leaders who use the mode of transactional leadership do so in tandem with other methods of leadership. 2.5 Transformational The transformational style of leadership relies on high communication levels from management so as to realize the set goals. In this regard, leaders motivate workers and improve efficiency as well as productivity by means of high visibility and communication. This leadership style needs the participation of management to realize the organizational goals, and so leaders concentrate on the big picture in the organization as well as delegate less important functions to the team to achieve the set goals. According to Dessler and Phillips (2007, p.387), transformational leader have three identified attributes: first, transformational leadership has a self-promoting traits, great/high level of energy, as well as ready to take and make use of unequal strategies to motivate their workers/followers to think by themselves. The other two identified attributes include intellectual stimulation and personalized consideration. Basically, transformational leadership can be applied in situations wherein radical organizational change is needed, perhaps in reaction to a crisis, competitive action, or a continued market share decline. Furthermore, transformational works perfectly with new organisations where the organization needs to motivate loyalty of their workers as well as bring about high productivity. Some of well-known transformational leaders include Sam Walton, the Wal-Mart founder, Apple’s Steve Jobs, as well as General Electric’s Jack Welch. 3.0 Motivational Theories 3.1 Instinct Theory of Motivation Instinct theories argue that individuals are motivated to act in certain ways for the reason that they are programmed evolutionarily to do so. William James generated a list of human instincts, which includes things like play, disgrace, fury, panic, shyness, love as well as modesty. The key setback with instinct theory is that it failed to enlighten us about behavior, rather it only defined it. Instinct theories, by 1920s were disregarded in support of other motivational theories; however, modern evolutionary psychologists are still studying the effects of heredity as well as genetics on the behavior of humans (Khatoon, 2011, p.261). 3.2 Incentive Theory of Motivation This theory suggests that individuals are motivated to perform things due to external rewards; for instance, an employee may be motivated to be present at work daily for the financial reward being paid (Khatoon, 2011, p.261). In this theory of motivation, concepts of behavioral learning like reinforcement and association play a critical part.  3.3 Drive Theory of Motivation Drive theory of motivation affirms that persons are motivated to take particular actions so as to lessen the internal pressure that is brought about by unmet demands. This theory, as per Rathus (2006, p.360) is of use in making clear behaviors that possess a strong biological element, like thirst or hunger. The issue with this motivation theory is that workers behaviors are not at all times motivated only by physiological needs. 3.4 Arousal Theory of Motivation This theory suggests that certain actions are taken by managers to either increase or decrease arousal levels in the organization. For example, when levels of arousal get too low, an employee may be given permission to watch an exciting movie so as to get motivated. On the other hand, when levels of arousal get exceedingly high, a person would most likely search for relaxing ways like reading a book or meditating. This theory suggests that people are motivated so as to keep a most favorable level of arousal, even though this arousal level can differ because of the situation or the individual. 3.5 Humanistic Theory of Motivation This theory is founded on the idea that individuals as well have strong cognitive reasons to carry out a range of actions. According to Khatoon (2011, p.261), this is notably exemplified in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which offers distinct motivations at distinct levels. Foremost, persons are motivated to accomplish essential biological needs for shelter as well as food, and those of esteem, love, and safety. Immediately the needs at the lower level have been met, the main motivator turns out to be the self-actualization need, or the need to accomplish one's personal potential. 4.0 Usefulness of Motivation Theories for Managers in the Workplace Any leader understands that leading by example is the best way for motivating workers, and such leaders this is usually treated with fairness as well as respect. Notably, leaders who are disciplined as well as self motivated often lead by example with easiness. They comprehend what organizational goals have to be achieved as well as how to achieve them. According to Lauby (2005, p.8), motivation is a vital tool, which is repeatedly less used by managers in modern place of work. Managers can make use of motivation theories in to motivate workers to work, both in groups and individually, so as to increase productivity. On one occasion, managers thought that motivation had to be created from the external environment, but at the moment, they understand that all people have their own set of motivating forces. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the manager to cautiously recognize and handle these motivating forces. Managers could lack understanding on how to successfully implement motivational theories in the workplace so as to increase productivity as well as generate an inspiring work setting. Even though there are various forms of motivation, managers with their workers have to identify the best motivation program that best suit the organization. The objective of all managers is to boost production as well as effectiveness to get to highest organizational results. Therefore, motivation for improved performance relies on achievement, job satisfaction, acknowledgment, as well as professional development. Offering an encouraging motivational work setting is a difficult managerial undertaking. Hence, through motivational theories, managers can understand workers together with their professional needs. Few managers understand that motivation can be appropriately or inappropriately attained and can either obstruct or enhance productivity. Managers therefore must make use of the suitable incentives to realize the needed results, and this can be achieved by using appropriate motivational theory in the workplace. References Bonnici, C.A., 2011. Creating a Successful Leadership Style: Principles of Personal Strategic Planning. Maryland, New York : R&L Education. Dessler, G. & Phillips, J., 2007. Managing Now. New York: Cengage Learning. Exantus, R., 2012. Pastoral Burnout and Leadership Styles: Factors Contributing to Stress and Ministerial Turnover. London: Author House. Khatoon, N., 2011. General Psychology. Delhi: Pearson Education India. Lauby, S.J., 2005. Motivating Employees. New York : American Society for Training and Development. Rathus, S.A., 2006. Psychology: Concepts and Connections, Brief Version. New York: Cengage Learning. Read More