Leadership Styles in Practice: CEO and Construction Supervisor Roles

This essay provides a comparative analysis of two distinct leadership styles: paternalistic and participative. It examines the application of these styles in different contexts, specifically focusing on a CEO of a multinational firm and a supervisor on a construction site. The essay explores how a CEO might effectively employ a paternalistic approach, emphasizing the importance of communication, employee loyalty, and motivation to achieve high performance. Conversely, it highlights the benefits of a participative leadership style for a construction supervisor, stressing employee involvement, health and safety management, and collaborative decision-making. The analysis delves into the contextual factors influencing the effectiveness of each style, considering elements such as employee needs, organizational goals, and the nature of the work environment. The essay concludes by emphasizing the significance of adopting appropriate leadership approaches to manage tasks and achieve organizational success, highlighting the importance of both paternalistic and participative styles in different settings.

Running head: LEADERSHIP
Leadership
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Introduction
The essay throws light on the analysis of the different leaders who have huge
experience in various fields. The two types of leaders who will be analyzed and identified in
the essay are inclusive of the following: Supervisor on Construction Site and the CEO of
the multinational firm. The essay will be analysing the paternalistic style of the leadership
approach that can be followed by the CEO of the multinational company. On the contrary,
participative leadership is followed by the supervisor on the construction site.
Chief Executive Officer of Multinational Firm
The major aim and purpose of the essay are to understand the role of the CEO in the
multinational organization in which the different kinds of activities related to the leadership
aspects along with the contextual factors are required to be identified appropriately. The
paternalistic leadership is one of the essential trends among the CEO of the multinational
firms, and it is helpful in the creation of the high performance of the different employees as
well as the organisation in an ineffective manner.
Moreover, the role of the chief executive officer in the different global companies is
to take the different corporate decisions, management of the operations along with managing
the different types of resources of the company appropriately. As commented by Vance
(2016), the CEO acts as the point of communication between the employer and employees in
the company and he/she is considered as the person who assists in settling the various types
of the activities effectively.
Besides, Rosenbach (2018), has opined that the paternalistic kind of leadership that is
adopted by the CEO of the firms assists them in managing the different operations and it will
help increase the loyalty among the employees working in the organisation wherein the

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excellent type of behaviour is rewarded as well. Furthermore, Rosenbach (2018), has
commented that the paternalistic kind of leadership style which is followed by the CEOs
helps in motivating the different individuals and it helps reduce the overall absenteeism of
employees working in the organizations. Due to the respective kind of leadership, the CEO of
the different companies help in motivating employees, and the employees become creative in
performing various tasks.
Additionally, Rosenbach (2018), has commented that there will be the inclusion of the
open line communication that improves the morale of employees in performing the tasks and
it assists in making the employees feel better in the different functions which are being
implemented by them. The paternalistic leadership approach is the contextual factors which
makes the leaders most effective while performing the various operations successfully. As
opined by Price (2018), the respective style of leadership helps in solving the different issues
which are faced by the employees and the organization, and they do not blame someone for
the different issues that have led to a negative working environment in the organizations.
As commented by Learmonth & Morrell (2017), the CEOs of the company are treated
as the role model for the different employees working in the various organizations, and it
helps in raising of trust factor among the different employees towards their leaders as well.
The CEOs of the company tries to focus on the various social needs of the employees to
improve their morale and gain more competitiveness in comparison to the other competitors
present in the market. Moreover, Lumbasi, K’Aol & Ouma (2016), the CEO should become
the helping hand for the employees who will guide the employees to perform the activities
and reward them as per the tasks which are being conducted by them.
Lastly, Mulki, Caemmerer and Heggde (2015), have hypothesised that the CEOs are
involved in the personal lives of the different individuals which help in making the

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employees feel connected at workplace wherein they are performing the various activities. As
per the paternalistic approach related to leadership, there is a proper understanding wherein
the managers want everyone to succeed in the company, and it is beneficial for the overall
positive productivity of the organization in an accurate manner. The rate of absenteeism
along with turnover of the employees are reduced to a large extent as the primary emphasis is
on the needs of the different employees in an accurate manner (Lumbasi, K’Aol & Ouma,
2016). Most of the decisions are taken into consideration by bringing into the welfare of the
employees, and it will be beneficial for the overall growth of the firm. Moreover, the
feedback is invited as well as encouraged that improves the morale of employees and makes
the employees feel that they are essential and they need to be invited in the different
discussions which take place in the organization.
Supervisor on Construction Site
In the respective section, the participative style of leadership is required to be
followed by the different supervisors in the construction site. Due to the inclusion of the
participative kind of leadership, it helps in increasing the stake or ownership of the different
employees, and it includes the various other aspects such as improving the morale of the
workers under him. The supervisors require to maintain the different elements such as
managing the health and safety of the various employees which will be beneficial for the
overall growth of the company.
Moreover, as commented by Li, Liu and Luo (2018), the planning, organizing and
controlling related projects are the different aspects that can be analyzed which will be
beneficial for the supervising the different contractors along with supervisors and gain the
competitive advantage in comparison to the other competitors which are present in the
market. While working as a supervisor in the construction site, it is required that the

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supervisor tries to hear the different voices of the employees which will be essential in the
process of decision-making (Learmonth & Morrell, 2017). The other perspective which can
be analysed and adopted by the supervisor of the construction site is the diverse opinions of
the different employees which will be helpful for the overall growth of the company and
become more competitive.
In addition, the participative kind of leadership is the ideal kind of style which can be
handled and managed by the supervisors of the construction site which will be helpful in
grooming the employees and analysing the safety needs which are required to be taken care
by the supervisor as to improve the scenario (Griffin, 2016). Due to the participative style of
leadership, the supervisors will be helpful in gaining and increasing the productivity as it will
boost the morale of the employees and decentralized decision-making aspects are followed
and maintained that will improve the quality and it will be beneficial for the overall
performance of the company along with the employees in an appropriate manner.
As commented by Chou et al. (2015), in the construction site, the different employees
or the workers have different opinions relating to the different kinds of approaches or the
tasks which are performed by them. As the construction site requires proper understanding on
the overall decision-making approaches in which the participative style of leadership is the
most significant aspect which will be successful, and it is the most appropriate contextual
factor that can be included in the respective process. Moreover, Burnes, Hughes and By
(2018), have opined that in the business related to construction, the different kinds of
operations can have a significant impact on the performance of the organisation. It is the
essential aspect which should be followed at the construction sites wherein the workers can
provide with their opinions, and it will be easier for the supervisor to understand the overall
scenario appropriately.

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Additionally, Chou et al. (2015), have commented that in the construction sites, there
are different harsh working conditions which can affect the health and wellbeing of the
various workers working in the respective site. In such cases, the supervisors need to
understand the problems which are being faced by them as it will provide them with different
ideas that will be helpful and assisting in positively managing the overall scenario. Both
employer and employees play a significant role in performing various tasks in a collaborative
aspect (Antonakis, 2017). In such situations, the participative leadership is one of the most
essential elements which should be managed by the different employees as it will be
beneficial in commencing and, and there will be no such difficulties which can be faced by
the employer and employees, and it will be helpful in solving the different problems in an
appropriate manner (Amanchukwu, Stanley & Ololube, 2017).
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above, it can be concluded that the style of leadership is essential
in managing the different tasks in the organization in an appropriate manner. There are
different roles such as CEO of the multinational firm or the supervisor in the construction
site, wherein there are different kinds of approaches of leadership which should be followed
as it will be beneficial in commencing and accurately finishing the tasks and there will be no
such difficulties faced by the employer and employees as well. Both participative and
paternalistic approaches of leadership are the two most significant approaches which will be
beneficial and helpful in performing the tasks as per the different guidelines provided by
CEO and supervisors. Proper adoption of the participative leadership style will help manage
the tasks and gain competitive advantage.

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