Leadership Perspectives

Compare and contrast Leader-Member Exchange Theory and Social Network Theory in terms of relationships and networks. Discover how these theories can be merged to create a unified leadership theory. Explore the application of this theory in the public health sector.

Leadership Perspectives
If we compare between the two leadership perspectives, which are Leader-Member exchange
theory and Social Network theory, we find few similarities and differences as well. The one
significant similarity between both of them is that both our relationship and network-based. It
leads to a few other similarities like in both cases, individuals and organizations act as nodes and
the bonding and link between them act as edges.
The main difference between them is the nature and characteristics of relationships. While
leader-member exchange theory is more focused on trust and respect between leaders and
followers, social network theory deals with the relationships between individuals and
organizations in a general way. The main motive of leader-member exchange theory is to
promote and influence a subordinate's performance and through that increase the effectiveness of
the organization. While social network theory graphically represents the bonding and
relationship between individuals and groups to analyze it in a broader view.
We can form a unified leadership theory by merging both the leadership ideas and applying them
together. The relationship model between leaders and followers can be organized by following
leader-member exchange theory and the relationship and interactions between followers and
employees can support Social Network theory.
Also, the relationship between leaders of different organizations modelled by Social Network
theory; By applying these critical points of each leadership techniques to their right position
effectively, we can get a unified leadership theory which named as "Leader-Member Social
Network Exchange Theory". According to this theory, there will be a strong bonding of respect

and trust between leaders and the employees with the best performance. And those best
employees will create a well-connected bonding with other employees to accelerate the
efficiency of the organization.
The proposed unified theory named as "Leader-Member Social Network Exchange Theory", can
be instrumental and fruitful in case of-of public health sector, especially it will be beneficial to
control highly sensitive public health scenarios. For example, in 2006, an outbreak of the H5N1
virus, commonly named as Bard Flu virus, has severely destroyed the poultry industry of India as
well as taking a lot of lives. Mainly to control such a threatful scenario, the public health leader
can implement "Leader-Member Social Network Exchange Theory". He might evolve a strong
bonding of trust and respect among some of his best follower and employees by motivating them
to fight against the epidemic together. And those followers may then transmit his thought to
other followers by nurturing a good relationship between themselves.
Leader-Member Social Network Exchange Theory is a useful theory that can be implied in the
public health sector because it helps to develop a strong bond of trust among the colleagues and
the employees helping them to stand together and cope up with the problem that they are facing.
The approach of this leadership is a relationship-based approach which focuses on leaders and
followers.

References:
Graen, G. B., &Uhl-Bien, M. (1995). Relationship-based approach to leadership: Development
of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: Applying a multi-level
multi-domain perspective. The leadership quarterly, 6(2), 219-247.
Indian Red Cross Society news story - Avian Flu. (2019). Retrieved 21 July 2019, from
https://www.indianredcross.org/newsstories0.htm