18BSP321: Contemporary Leadership Perspectives and Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of contemporary leadership, with a specific focus on the leadership style of Steve Jobs and its impact on organizational success. The report delves into various leadership styles, including transactional, strategic, and coach styles, and examines how these styles were exemplified by Jobs. It explores the impact of these leadership styles on organizational culture and performance, emphasizing innovation and customer-centricity. Furthermore, the report examines the purview of cross-cultural leadership, considering how Jobs' leadership influenced Apple's success in diverse global markets. Ethical leadership is also discussed, including a case study on ethical dilemmas in a confectionary company. Finally, the report analyzes the impact of leadership training programs and highlights self-development tools and techniques for leaders, offering a well-rounded perspective on contemporary leadership practices and principles.

Running head: CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVE ON LEADERSHIP
CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVE ON LEADERSHIP
Name of Student
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Executive Summary

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..................................................................................................................................3
Leadership Styles...................................................................................................................3
Impact of Leadership styles on the Organization...................................................................5
The purview of Cross-Cultural Leadership............................................................................6
Leadership ethics....................................................................................................................8
Impact of Leadership Training Program..............................................................................10
Self-development Tools and Techniques for Leaders..........................................................11
Conclusion................................................................................................................................13
References................................................................................................................................14

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Introduction
Leadership in general is a quality that is either instilled within a person or is
developed with great ardor and zeal. Any kind of assignment or task requires the leader to
deal with the duties and responsibilities of the groups in order to attain the goals previously
set by the team or the organization. The significance of a leader in every sector of the society,
be it a teacher, business person, political leader or such other types, is immensely pivotal for
the progress of the concerned groups (Probert and Turnbull James 2011). In this global age,
leadership has evolved in accordance with the choices and preferences of the common people
and the organizations. Contemporary leadership can be closely related to transformational
leadership. J.V. Downtown in Rebel Leadership Commitment and Charisma in a
Revolutionary Process first distinguished the term “Transformational Leadership” in 1973
(Diaz-Saenz 2011). A perspective on this contemporary leadership can be gained with the
analysis of a very contemporary leader. The purpose of this report hence is to analyze the
leadership style of Steve Jobs, the mastermind behind Apple.
Discussion
Leadership Styles
Steve Jobs, the unconventional leader, was not renowned for his consultative building
approach, but was known as the genius leader who demanded nothing less than excellence.
His thirst for challenging the limits of his employees and setting an impossible vision and
making his team achieve it, made him one of the ideal leaders of the contemporary world.
The American business magnate and an inspiration for the millennium, Steve Jobs not only
revolutionized the microcomputers but also gave rise to a contemporary perspective of
leadership that is appropriate for the ways in which the modern employees and organizations
function (Issacson 2012).

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The styles of leadership that can be closely associated with the leadership style of
Steve Jobs are transactional leadership, strategic leadership, coach style leadership and in
certain specific cases laissez faire leadership. The concept of transactional leadership entails
within its purview such leaders who utilize recognition, ratings, appreciation as well as
negative markings in order to track the performance levels of the employees (Jung 2001). The
leadership of Steve Jobs was charismatic in nature and had a vision that consisted of
innovations unknown to the common people. In order to attain such high levels of innovation,
he needed to provide his employees with the drive to achieve more than their capabilities.
Hence, traits of transactional leadership can be found in the leadership style of Steve Jobs.
The course of success for Steve Jobs was not facile, and thus he had to apply
strategies at crucial moments in order to achieve his visions. Having exhausted his resource
in the creation of Macintosh, Jobs required a strategy to pull off the renovation of Apple,
which he did with colossal success (Finkle and Mallin 2010). However, this process brought
out in him the strategic leader who has the appetite for innovative excellence and the ability
to arrange small teams with extreme talents. Strategic leadership requires the leaders to have
a vision that is of utmost significance and means for persuading and motivating the followers
to attain far more than calculated (Vera and Crossan 2004). Jobs focused on the vision of the
company more than the returns and hence could incorporate the thirst for perfection.
The coach style leadership incorporates a relatively new idea of leadership, wherein
the leader guides the individuals of a team to improve and develop their individual
performance and thereby contribute to the team performance (Harper 2012). The process of
innovation followed by Steve Jobs in Apple particularly involved his charismatic nature that
provided the enthusiasm and clarity, which the employees imbibed within themselves to
achieve the vision proclaimed by Jobs. With the methods of dynamic interaction, open

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criticism and guidance, Jobs assisted his subordinates to conquer the goals of the company,
thereby following the coach style leadership.
However, it must be mentioned that Jobs often followed the laissez faire leadership
style to align the teams of his organization with his ambitious visions. The concept of laissez
faire leadership in of non-authoritative type wherein the leaders attempt to make the
individuals work with the least possible guidance so that they excel on their own, in
accordance with their obligations and responsibilities (Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt and Van
Engen 2003). Steve Jobs is recognized for his unabashed criticism that often raised certain
controversies, however also made individuals attain their goals independently. This method
also develops individuals on the basis of their capabilities and helps them excel beyond their
conceptions.
Impact of Leadership styles on the Organization
Steve Jobs primarily portrays a mixture of three styles of leadership; charismatic,
influential and transformational, that have been researched and studied by scholars and
academicians since the advent of Apple. With the inception of Apple (1976), Jobs and his
unique ambition came to limelight. The reason for the unimaginable success of Apple was
Jobs’ focus on the innovative process and trend setting abilities of the company in order to
achieve and maintain huge customer base. The aim of putting the consumer first and creating
products that would not only simplify the life of the customers but also would project the
motto of Apple “Think Different”, could only be achieved by the leadership abilities of Steve
Jobs (Sharma and Grant 2011).
The prime objective of Steve jobs was to revolutionize innovations in the world of
computers and information technology. (Steinwart and Ziegler 2014) The traits of
transformational leadership can be found with respect to this thirst for innovation that Jobs

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not only aimed for but also inculcated within the employees at Apple as well as in such other
organizations like Pixel and NeXT. The course of success of Apple has been a testimony to
the leadership capabilities of Steve Jobs. The transformational attributes in the leadership of
Steve Jobs has helped in upgrading the innovation culture at Apple. He not only creates this
strive for innovation but also implemented innovative management techniques to improve
and promote the performance at Apple. By introducing challenges, Jobs created new
opportunities for the employees to enhance their individual skills and thereby proliferate the
production levels at the organization.
Steve Jobs is recognized as one of the most influential and charismatic leaders of the
contemporary world (Gallo 2010). The statement is not only factual but also proven by the
success achieved at Apple. Apple stayed at a technological lag in the absence of Jobs;
however, with the return of Steve Jobs to Apple, the change was distinctly visible. The vision
he had previously imagined was now transformed into a reality with Apple being one of the
most demanded premium brands globally. This change could be justified with the leadership
skills of Jobs that enhanced the production and innovation process at the organization.
Being the charismatic leader, focus and simplification of his products were the two
attributes ingrained in Steve Job’s personality. He trained and actively advised his
subordinates to create products that would simplify the lives of the customers rather than
challenge them with new technologies. The leadership stance of Jobs often intimidated the
employees of Apple, however, with the correct approach at the right time he made Apple
achieve the market position that it currently holds. The prime aspect of Job’s leadership was
the resurgence from failures. The Macintosh was considered as a failure in accordance with
the company’s views, however, this led to the renovation of Apple, a company that boasts a
global market share of nearly twenty percent (Young and Simon 2006). His mindset, instinct

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to innovate and disrupt, in order to attain perfection has influenced the organizational culture
to grow exponentially.
The purview of Cross-Cultural Leadership
Apple occupies a large portion of the global market, hence interacts with varied
cultures and economies. In this purview, the cross-cultural leadership abilities of Steve Jobs
have influenced the performance of the performance of the company. The concept of cross-
cultural leadership adheres with the cross-cultural psychology, wherein endeavors are made
to understand the interactions between individuals from diverse cultures (Alves et al. 2006).
The cross-cultural leadership has enhanced the understanding of the leaders working in this
globalized market. The international organizations require their leaders to adjust to distinct
cultural environments in order to work with employees, partners and even shareholders
belonging to diverse cultural backgrounds. In this aspect, the marketing strategies of the
organizations are directly influenced by the efficiency of the cross-cultural leaders. The
presence of Apple in the markets of varied countries have been steered and heavily
influenced by the cross-cultural leadership qualities of Steve Jobs.
(Source: Hofstede-insights.com, 2019)

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Utilizing the varied aspects of the Hofstede model of cultural dimensions it can be
understood how the cross-cultural leadership of Steve Jobs has been successful in countries
like United Kingdom, Australia and the United States of America (Hofstede 2011). Firstly,
the dimension power distance in all the three countries is quite low stating the fact that
equality in work cultures is preferred in these countries. Jobs with his transactional leadership
attributes has been able to treat the employees with equal rewards and criticism and hence has
adored to the preferences of the countries concerned. Secondly, individualism is highly
prioritized in the concerned countries and this has been enhanced by the work culture
followed in Apple, which adheres to the clan culture and is immensely influenced by the head
of the company. Thirdly, the countries follow a competitive environment and Apple has
utilized this facet to a huge extent. The employees of these countries are goal oriented and
focus on the profit margins and better performance levels. Steve Jobs has enhanced this
process by aligning his ambitious visions with the diverse sectors of the organization.
Fourthly, ambiguous situations and uncertainties are welcomed as challenges in these
countries. This aspect contributes to the risk management skills of the leader and given the
success Apple has achieved in the global market, Jobs has been highly efficient in managing
the uncertainties in course of Apple’s history. Fifthly, the long-term orientation in both USA
and Australia follows a normative culture while in UK has a more pragmatic approach. The
varied types of strategic approaches taken by the leader of Apple have influenced the type of
outcomes the production units of these countries provided. Sixthly, indulgence refers to the
extent to which the masses of these countries attempt to control their impulses and desires,
which influences the work culture consequently. Steve Jobs with his transactional and
strategic leadership qualities have aligned the people having diverse responses to a single
goal of achieving the visions of the company.

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It must also be noted that Apple’s production units in China required a strategic
approach that could align the diverse cultures of the two countries within the purview of
Apple Inc. Steve Jobs with his Zen training could put aside the cultural differences of the
companies and focus on the aim to achieve perfection in the production process of the
company. The efficient labor obtained from China has also been influenced by the
charismatic leadership traits of Jobs to a considerable extent. Therefore, it can be inferred that
the leadership of Steve Jobs is successful in multiple cultural backgrounds due to its
adherence to the cross-cultural leadership attributes.
Leadership ethics
In accordance with the views of Brown and Treviño, the concept of ethical leadership
can be explained with respect to the dignity, rights and moral values that should be adhered
by the leader in order to set an example for the employees of the organization as well as the
brand image (Brown and Treviño 2006). The study incorporates concepts of ethical
leadership as well as compares with related theories that share common interests with respect
to spiritual, transformational and authentic leadership. The leadership of Steve Jobs have
mixed reviews in the context of ethics that a leader should follow. Being highly successful
and a visionary leader, he pushed Apple to the greatest levels of entrepreneurship. However,
beneath his charismatic nature there lies certain obsessive controlling facets that often led to a
display of poor leadership. Leaders must not only focus on the visions of the organization but
should also promote the overall development of the employees in order to make them better
individuals.
Ethical leadership has immense influences on the job satisfaction of the followers and
effective commitment to the organization. The moral behaviour of the leader is essential for
setting up an ideal that shall be followed by the employees. If an organization promotes
ethical leadership then the partners and stakeholders shall also be able to rely on the

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perceptions and decisions of the company, thereby promoting harmony within the operation
of the varied functions of the organization (Neubert et al. 2009). Ethical leadership also keeps
the prospects of justice and equality within the structure of the organization intact. Moreover,
interactional justice is considered to be strengthening the leadership aspects and thereby
promote an ethical climate within the organization.
The renowned Apple CEO has also been enlisted in certain controversies regarding
the work culture within the organization. He has been known for being a high maintenance
co-worker. It has been identified in certain situations that the leadership traits followed by
Steve Jobs have been autocratic in nature. The leadership ethics in turn cannot be associated
with the qualities pertaining to the autocratic leadership as the latter constricts the views and
development of the employees. Ethical leadership entails the practice of honesty by adhering
to the obligations and responsibilities so as to set a standard that is to be followed by the
employees in order to maintain a healthy and just work environment (Brown, Treviño and
Harrison 2005).
Scholars have often criticized the morality of the transformational leaders, as
leadership in ethical terms must be rooted in moral foundations (Price 2003). In accordance
with Confucian and Socratic typologies, leadership must be based on the moral and virtuous
nature of the leader so as to address the Western agendas of ethical behaviour, which can be
defined in terms of utility, liberty, distributive justice and such others. Therefore, it can be
inferred that the charismatic leadership of Steve Jobs might prove to be effective in securing
advanced growth of the company, however, is not always advisable to follow based on the
ethical terms of his leadership.

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Impact of Leadership Training Program
Leadership training programs enhance the motivation and scope of the employees
who aspire to become successful leaders. By providing leadership training to the employees
of an organization, the companies shall be able to retain high potentials and performers who
shall be equipped to deal with challenges that are encountered at every level of leadership
(Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick 2006). There are certain aspects that a leadership training
program must entail in order to create efficient leaders. The first aspect in this context is
proper coaching that incorporates valuable learning ordeals that can be provided by the
already successful leaders to the individual employees of an organization.
The other aspect involves accountability, a feature that must be steadily followed by
an individual that desires to become a successful leader. With proper leadership training
programs, the future leaders shall be capable of holding themselves accountable to the
commitments previously promised to the stakeholders or customers or employees of an
organization. The leaders are also to be imbibed with the appropriate and fluent
communication skills to influence negotiations and lead their subordinates. The concept of
change management should also be an integral aspect of a leadership training program to
ensure that the future leaders can harness vision and capitalize on transitional situations in
order to improve the productivity of the organization as a whole.
I myself had undertaken a leadership training program under the organization that I
currently work for. The experience was not only enriching but also has influenced my role
and performance levels within the structure of the organization. The lessons learnt from the
leadership training program has enhanced my production and has subsequently developed my
emotional intelligence by making me understand the ways to effectively utilize empathy to
empower my fellow employees. These training programs also helps nurture quality leadership