Effectiveness Of Leadership Depends On Their Leadership Style

Leadership is one of the most studied phenomena yet it has been interpreted and understood variously by various researchers. In today’s dynamic world, organizations need strong leadership and strong management for optimum effectiveness.

“Leadership is the ability to influence a group towards the achievement of goals” – Date

Leadership style appropriate to a situation is termed as ‘effective’ and inappropriate to a given situation is termed as ’ineffective’. Thus one leadership style will not be suitable to all situations.

Hersey and Blanchard have developed a leadership model called as ‘Situational Leadership Theory’, which focuses on the followers. They identified two dimensions of leadership which are task and relationship behaviour. Each of the dimensions could be either high or low and they put forward four specific leadership styles which are:

• Telling (High task – low relationship):

The leader defines roles and tells people what, how, when, and where to do various tasks.

• Selling (High Task – High Relationship):

The leader provides both directive behaviour and supportive behaviour.

• Participating (Low Task – High Relationship) :

The leader and follower share in decision making with the leader facilitating and communicating

• Delegating (Low Task – Low Relationship) :

The leader provides little direction or support

Different Styles of Leadership: Effective leaders don’t use any single style. They adjust their style to the situation. The important leadership styles are as follows:

Autocratic Leadership: It is also known as authoritarian or directive style of leadership. The autocratic leader gives orders which must be obeyed by the subordinates. He centralizes decision-making power in himself. Some examples include Adolf Hitler, Stalin & Mussolini

Democratic Leadership: A Democratic leader is one who gives after consulting the group. His decisions are not unilateral because they arise from consultation with followers and participation by them.

Lassez Faire Leadership: A Lassez Faire leader does not lead, but leaves the group entirely to itself. He avoids using power and largely depends upon the group to establish its own goals and work out its own problems. Some examples include Abraham Lincoln, Ronal Reagan etc.,

Charismatic Leadership: The followers make attributions of heroic or extraordinary leadership abilities when they observe certain behaviours. Some examples include Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines and Mary Kay Ash of Mary Kay Cosmetics.

Transformational Leadership: Transformational leaders are more visionary and inspirational in approach. They communicate a clear and acceptable vision and goals. Some examples include Jack Welch at General Electric and Richard Branson of Virgin Group.

Visionary Leadership: Visionary Leadership is the ability to create and articulate a realistic, credible, attractive vision of the future for an organization which grows out of and improves upon the present. Some examples include Rupert Murdoch of News Corporation, Michael Dell of Dell Computers and Hasso Plattner of SAP. 

                                                                                                                     

As Leroy Eimes says “A leader is one who sees more than others see who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others see”. Not all leaders are managers; and not all managers are leaders. Effective leaders have a vision beyond the immediate work of the group.