Leadership Theories and Their Applications

LEADERSHIP

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................1
Importance of leadership.............................................................................................................1
Working of leadership.................................................................................................................2
Strengths and weaknesses...........................................................................................................2
Fits with other theories................................................................................................................4
Behavioural theory assists managers..........................................................................................5
Why I have chosen this theory....................................................................................................5
Empirical evidence......................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Leadership can be defined as a role which is played by an individual to drive organization
towards success. Leader is the person who guide individual so that employees in the venture can
achieve their personal and professional objectives. In presence of effective leadership, venture
grows faster and also at rapid pace. Further, leaders apply various principles and theories of
leadership which help business enterprise to achieve their mission and vision and also help them
to have smooth flowing of their business activities (Neck and Manz, 2010).
Leadership is also considered as an activity of leading a group of employees and plays an
important role more than a manager in the venture. Leadership also include establishment of
clear vision and sharing that particular vision with workers so that they will focus on the same.
Leaders have different traits which makes them unique as compared to other people because they
have a unique concept and style to perform a particular task or duty.
LITERATURE REVIEW
According to Crevani, Lindgren and Packendorff (2010) leaders are the people who do
the right things and managers are the people who do the things right. They act as a morale
booster for employees and direct them to achieve their individual as well as organizational goals
and objectives. Leaders has an effective role to play and they contribute their best in the
development of employees and organization (Crevani, Lindgren and Packendorff, 2010).
Therefore, all the successful ventures has effective leadership body who give their best so that
organization mission and vision is accomplished within desired time period. However,
Lunenburg and Ornstein (2011) argued that leaders are those who create the change and
implement the same in the business venture. They also take the responsibility of work and
accomplish the same with their talented workforce.
Importance of leadership
It is crucial as it helps individuals to move forward in order to achieve both individual as
well as organizational goals. Leadership is essential to be developed by every individual in order
to manage the people effectively and efficiently. Leaders play a significant role in guiding the
individual to follow proper mission and vision and attain desired targets.
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Working of leadership
Leadership works effectively within organization through considering important skills
and abilities and thus attain successful results. Leaders or managers of firm need to improve their
capabilities to create a change within firm so that employees can be trained to achieve
organizational goals. Leaders are much important than the managers and they implement the
ideas, develop teams, take responsibility of work and give power to employees so that they can
accomplish the task with best of their efficiency and capability.
Moreover, managers and leaders has different roles to play and their working style and
attitude differs from one another. Gill (2011) stated that managers are those who has good ideas,
direct groups, take credit of work, exercise power on employees, etc. They frame the plans and
polices and employees within the venture need to give their best to achieve their goals and
objectives. On the other side, Keskin and Metcalf (2011) argued that leaders are much important
than the managers and they implement the ideas, develop teams, take responsibility of work and
give power to employees so that they can accomplish the task with best of their efficiency and
capability.
Strengths and weaknesses
Leaders possess effective strengths such as encouraging people to work towards common
goals. They also helps in achieving the mission and vision of firm. Leaders are also required to
develop their communication and interpersonal skills in order to develop best relationship with
each other. Leaders also possess the ability to delegate the tasks to others so that best work can
be carried out as per the ability of subordinates. While, the weaknesses of the leaders is that
sometimes they become autocratic and takes crucial decisions by themselves. Also, they are not
able to deliver good results in proper timely manner.
Furthermore, leaders are the role model or mentor for many people as they consider them
as their idol and follows their path in order to get successful. Further, leaders have the long term
perspective and they direct the workforce to achieve them without any problem or pressure. They
eventually focus on people and consider their needs and wants so that they will be able to
contribute their best. Leaders further challenges the tough situation and are dedicated towards
that and focus on solving them. They further act as an innovator and focuses on making certain
changes within the passage of time (Pellegrini, Scandura and Jayaraman, 2010). Different
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