Leadership Styles, Situational Analysis, and Gandhi's Leadership

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership styles, including autocratic, bureaucratic, democratic, and situational leadership. The report includes an experimental exercise evaluating leadership approaches through twelve situational questions, followed by a scoring chart assessing flexibility and effectiveness. A style matrix is used to categorize the leadership behavior as directing, coaching, or supportive. The report then delves into an experimental exercise summarizing the movie 'Gandhi,' analyzing various instances where Gandhi's leadership was effective or ineffective, considering his non-violent approach to civil disobedience and his influence on India's independence. The report concludes with an effectiveness scale to show whether the leadership behavior is effective or ineffective.

Leadership

Introduction
Leadership is the art of encouraging group of people to achieve the shared goal. Leaders are the
one who help people to do things in the right manner. They show direction, build’s motivating
vision, and create something new. Leadership provides way or route to achieve the goals of the
organization and leader use managerial skills to guide team members for good results. Leaders
are imbibed with thinking ability and personal traits. Types of leadership styles are Autocratic
leadership, Bureaucratic leadership, Laissez-faire leadership, Innovative leadership,
Democratic/participate leadership, Situational leadership, Relationship-oriented leadership,
Transformational leadership, Servant leadership, Transactional leadership and Charismatic
leadership.
Autocratic leadership style provides controlling power to the leader. Autocratic leaders make
decisions according to their judgment and point of view, they do not like interference of other
people. Bureaucratic leadership involves strict rules and regulations in the hierarchy that has to
be followed by the people. Democratic/participate leadership ask people to participate in the
decision making process and to provide their suggestions. These type of leaders provide
opportunities to their team members to expose their talent. Laissez-faire leadership provide
freedom to team members to do work according to them. These type of leaders trust their
employees and provide a comfortable environment. Situational leadership explains that leaders
should react or take actions according to the situation. Decision and behavior of leader should
change according to the situation. This report is consist with twelve situations faced by the leader
and asked to select one of the option as an answer of the situation. Then all the selected options
will be filled in the chart of flexibility and effectiveness. Total numbers of the letters will be
added will be placed in the style matrix. Effectiveness scale is also used in the report to show
whether the result is ineffective or effective and explanation is given for style matrix. In the
second part of the report i.e. Experimental exercise 2 involves a summary of Gandhi movie and
explains different situations where Gandhi’s leadership was effective or not.
Experimental exercise 1
Situation 1

Option A is selected i.e. Reestablish the need for following program procedures and meeting the
expectations for task accomplishment.
Situation 2.
Option C is selected i.e. be supportive and provide clear feedback. Continue to make sure that
staff members are aware of performance expectations.
Situation 3
Option D is selected i.e. Encourage the staff to work on the problem, letting them know you are
available as a resource and for discussion if they need you.
Situation 4
Option A is selected i.e. Continue to involve the staff in the planning, but you direct the change.
Situation 5
Option C is selected i.e. Redefine goals and expectations and supervise carefully.
Situation 6
Option C is selected i.e. Get the staff involved in decision making and planning, but continue to
see that objectives are met and quality is maintained.
Situation 7
Option B is selected i.e. Reach consensus with the staff on the proposed changes and allow the
staff members to organize the implementation.
Situation 8
Option A is selected i.e. be careful not to hurt your relationship with the staff by becoming too
directive.
Situation 9
Option C is selected i.e. Redefine and clarify the goals, tasks and expectations and carefully
supervise progress toward task completion.
Situation 10

Option B is selected i.e. Solicit input from the staff on performance standards. Incorporate their
suggestions and monitor their progress toward meeting the standards.
Situation 11
Option A is selected i.e. Become active in directing the staff toward working in a clearly defined
manner.
Situation 12
Option C is selected i.e. Make yourself available for discussion, but do not jeopardize your
relationship with the staff by forcing the issue.
Scoring: Flexibility chart
Flexibility
Situation number
S1 S2 S3 S4
1 A C B D
2 B C A
3 C D B
4 B A D
5 B D A
6 B D A
7 A B D
8 D A C
9 B D A
10 A C D
11 A C D
12 D B A
A
C
C
C
B
C
D
A
C
C
B
B

S1 S2 S3 S4
Scoring: Effectiveness chart
* * * *
4 4 4 0
1 1 4 6
Effectiveness
Situation number
-2 -1 +1 +2
1 D B C
2 A B C
3 C B D
4 B A D
5 A D B
6 A D B
7 A D B
8 D A C
9 A D B
10 A D C
11 A C D
12 A B D
A
C
C
C
B
C
D
A
C
C
B
B

-2 -1 +1 +2
= = = =
+ + + =
Total
Style matrix: Discussion
Style matrix 1 represents High task low relationship
Style matrix 2 represents High task high relationship
Style matrix 3 represents High relationship low task
Style matrix 4 represents Low relationship low task
-2 -1 +4 +12 +13
Style 3
4
Style 2
4
Style 4
0
Style 1
4

Style matrix 1- In this matrix I received 4 as my score. That represents my leadership behavior is
more of directing. I provide suggestions and show them way to complete the task. I am more
concerned about employee’s performance for completing the task to achieve the objectives of the
company rather than my relations with my team members.
Style matrix 2- In this matrix I received 4 as my score. That represents my leadership behavior is
of coaching. This shows I am very enthusiastic towards achieving the goals with this I believe in
team work and want to maintain good relations with my team members by involving them in
decision making process.
Style matrix 3- In this matrix I received 4 as my score. That represents my leadership behavior is
supporting. I support my team members whenever they face problem by discussing the issues
faced by them. I do not pressurize my team members as it can affect my relations with my team
members.
Style matrix 4- I have not answered any of the question that can come under this head of low
relationship and low task.
Style matrix shows my leadership skills have equal of directing, coaching and supportive
behavior. This shows that I have all the potential flexibility to use all four leadership behavior.
Effectiveness scale
Effectiveness scale shows that the leadership behavior is effective or ineffective. The left side of
the scale shows negative scores and reflects ineffective leadership behavior. The right side of the
scale shows positive scores and reflects effective leadership behavior.
In the effectiveness chart, which is placed above calculated the score. +13 is the total score that
reflects my leadership behavior is effective and that can result in organization’s success.
Experimental exercise 2
‘Gandhi’
Summary of the movie
The movie starts with the assassination of Mohandas K. “Mahatma” Gandhi in India in 1948.
Then the movie shows the past life of Gandhi in the late 1800s in South Africa. In spite of having

a ticket he was thrown out from the first compartment of train for sitting there because of the
difference in the skin colors. Later he protest for eliminating the permit letters to be carried by
non-Afrikaners by burning the letters in front of police officers present there as it was unfair. For
this he was arrested by a police officer and the protest stopped. When Gandhi came out from jail
he meets a reporter of America to talk about the ill treatment by a bureaucrats. While walking
with the reporter one angry boy with his friends came in front of them and asked for money to
walk towards their street. Gandhi refused to give money. Gandhi and Walker continue walking
towards the street when young man’s mother asked him to come inside.
Gandhi went to India to his home country. When he reached there he met some members of the
press. They knew him because of his achievements in South Africa. They asked him whether he
will join political sources to oppose the British rule in India. Gandhi refused by saying he is here
to visit his home city Porbandar. He was accompanied by his wife. Gandhi’s main agenda of
coming India was to start a non-violent protest against British rule as he knew that many of
Indian citizens will follow him. British rules were getting very harsh day by day as compared to
before when he left for continuing his studies in law. British textile industry was the first target
of Gandhi to protest against. Gandhi asked his followers to knit their own cloths and boycott the
cloths provided by the British rulers by burning them. While protesting against the British rule
Crowd became more aggressive as they were attacked by the British cops. Gandhi’s message
was misinterpreted and that made him angry. Later he was arrested in the charge of encouraging
the crowd for violence. When Gandhi entered into the court judge stood up in the respect of
Gandhi but he has to do his duty so Gandhi was sent to jail for several years.
A group of Indian people gathered together in the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar to protest
peaceful. Reginald Dyer, a British general ordered his troops to take the firing position and start
firing. Thousands of people were killed including women and children. When Dyer was
confronted he confessed that he gave the order to his troops to fire the guns. The protest helped
to gain attention that pressurized Britain. Different official representatives of the India including
Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and people of different cultures met with British rulers. Gandhi told
them that India is not their country and he asked them to leave India forever. The British rulers
argued and said that without them India is nothing and they will face lots of problems. Gandhi
said that these problems are of India and India will handle all the problems they do not need to

be concerned about it. Though, Gandhi continues his efforts towards civil disobedience and
violence was increasing. Gandhi used different ways to protest against British rulers. Later
Gandhi started his very famous protest known as Dandi march. To oppose British rules Gandhi
marched 240 miles from his ashram to the ocean to make salt. The march was the huge success
for India and effected the British rulers. Gandhi continued his negotiation from all the people of
India to confirm that when India will get its Independence then all the people of different cast of
the country mainly Hindu and Muslim will live together peacefully.
Finally, India succeeded in receiving its independence from the British rulers after World war 2.
Indians celebrated their success but they have to go far away as there were many problems that
were waiting for them. After some time religion divided the country. Northwest region and the
eastern region both the regions were having Muslims as majorities a decision was taken that a
new country will be formed and will be named as Pakistan as it will result in decrease in the
violence. Gandhi opposed this decision and wanted to allow Muhammad Ali Jinnah as the Prime
minister of India but partition took place. Hindu and Muslim religions became a reason of
tension as it was creating violence in the country. This results in hunger strike announced by
Gandhi in the Calcutta. He refused to eat anything until the fight between both the religions
stops, this action of Gandhi stopped fights. Gandhi became very weak but he met a Hindu man
and confronted him Hindu man confessed that he killed a young Muslim boy because his son
was killed by one of the Muslim. Gandhi told Hindu man to learn how to forgive, he asked him
to find a Muslim young boy whose parents have been killed and raise the boy. In the last stages
of Gandhi’s life he tried to bring both the nations together. For this he shown his anger many
times on the protestors who were against the friendship of both the nations. Godse was one of the
protestor who was also involved in the conspiracy of Gandhi’s assassination. As Godse shoots
Gandhi is the scene that reminds the starting of the film. Gandhi’s last words were “Oh, God’.
The film ends by showing scattered ashes of Gandhi in the holy Ganga.
Situations reflecting Gandhi’s leadership.
Gandhi came India and fought for all the Indians against British. He started a non-violence
protest against British and gave up his all comforts and job. He went to jail in the charge of
creating violence in the country but he did not give up. He continued his independence
movement and fought for the rights of Indians. This situation shows that Gandhi’s leadership

was effective and it is teaches that leadership is about sacrifices. This shows that leaders are
generous. They are available for everyone and support all the religions.
In 1922, Gandhi became a national leader. He provided Indians a vision of free India from the
rule of British. This situation shows that Gandhi’s leadership was effective as he provided a
future vision of freedom to Indians.
Gandhi started a hunger strike in reaction to Indians creating violence against British troops
although he was against the British rulers and wanted them to be out of India. This shows that
Gandhi was a great leader because he use to value the life of human and always supported
justice.
Gandhi was against the partition of India and was not in the favor of making Pakistan for
minority like Muslims. He wanted all the religions to live together in India. For that he offered
Jinnah to become the prime minister of India.
When India received its independence from British. Gandhi did not expected any role or
designation in the Indian government. But he was named as “Mahatma” and he was called as the
father of the nation. This situation teaches the lesson that Leaders like Gandhi inspire people by
their work and not with their designation.
Conclusion
In the conclusion it can be said that Leader should be effective to lead a group of people and to
motivate them. Leadership is categories into different styles such as Autocratic leadership,
Democratic/participate leadership, Bureaucratic leadership, Laissez-faire leadership, Innovative
leadership, Situational leadership, Relationship-oriented leadership, Servant leadership,
Transformational leadership, Charismatic leadership and Transactional leadership. Report was
consist of twelve different situations with four options and one of the options was chosen to
answer the situation to show my leadership is effective or not. Then selected options were circled
into the flexibility and effectiveness chart. Flexibility chart was labelled with S1, S2, S3 and S4
and the options were circled under these heads. Effectiveness chart was labeled with -2, -1, +1
and +2 and options were circled under these heads. The total of different heads of flexibility