Leadership Development: A Reflective Journal Analysis and Insights

This reflective journal explores the multifaceted aspects of leadership, focusing on the vital role it plays in organizational success. The student discusses the importance of effective leadership in guiding, motivating, and directing employees toward achieving organizational goals. The journal highlights key leadership actions such as communication, motivation, guidance, and fostering a positive work environment. It emphasizes the importance of personal contact, coordination, and the development of essential skills like inspiration, integrity, problem-solving, communication, and relationship building. The journal further delves into leadership theories, including trait theory, behavioral theory, and Lewin's leadership styles (autocratic, democratic, and Laissez-Faire), as well as Likert's leadership styles. The student expresses a preference for democratic and transformational leadership styles, emphasizing their effectiveness in creating a productive, satisfied, and committed workforce. The journal concludes with references to relevant literature supporting the discussed concepts.

Running head: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ON LEADERSHIP
REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ON LEADERSHIP
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ON LEADERSHIP
Leadership is one of the main vital functions of management as it helps in maximizing efficiency
of the employees in an organization and thereby helps to achieve different organizational goals. I
have realized that by effective leadership, an individual in the managerial position can provide
direction and at the same time guide and manipulate different behavior and work of the team
members of the employees (Renz 2016)These would help them to accomplish specific goals in a
given situation. I have also understood that leadership is the ability of a manger to induce the
employees under him to work with zeal and with confidence. By proper leadership, the managers
can influence the behaviors of the others. It can be defined as the capacity to persuade the
employees to recognize and acknowledge the company’s goals and objectives and help them to
develop future visions so that they remain motivated and achieve the goals (Nahavandi 2016).
According to Keith Davis, “Leadership is the ability to persuade others to seek defined
objectives enthusiastically. It is the human factor which binds a group together and motivates it
towards goals.”
In order to discuss the importance of leadership in a concern, the following actions can be
discussed which if conducted properly by the managers will help in overall betterment of the
organization. A leader is an individual who should start the work by the means of
communicating the policies a well as the plans to the subordinates from the work is initiated.
Moreover the best action taken by a managerial leader according to me is to motivate the
employees (Grohar-Murray 2016). I have found that motivation of the workers by economic as
well as non economic rewards help the leader to get the best work from the subordinates.
Moreover the guidance provided by the leaders help the subordinates to achieve their goals
effectively and also help them strategically adapt to techniques which help them to accomplish
the work faster. Moreover building a proper work environment by the managers by keeping

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human relationships in mind will help in achieving sound and stable growth of the organization.
Moreover he should establish personal contact with the employees and hear their voices and
concerns so that they feel respected and cared by the organization. I believe that coordination
should be achieved by managers with the help of merging personal interests with organizational
aims. This harmonization can be achieved with the help of proper and efficient coordination
which should be the key motive of a leader (Finkelman 2015). I should also try to keep these
points in my mind so that I get the chance to serve in the position; I can utilize this
characteristics to engage my managerial and leadership skills and give the best production to the
organization.
I have understood the fact that in order to be effective, a managerial leader has to honor certain
skills which will help them to master the actions mentioned in the previous paragraph. The
important skills that I need to portray to be an effective leader is that I should be inspirational
and continuously motivate others. At the same time, I will make sure that I should display high
integrity as well as honesty as honesty which are the very important foundations for being a good
human being (Goestch and Davis 2014). I will take every initiative to solve any problems or
barriers faced by the employees so that they feel that there is someone who is guiding them and
do not feel alone in the organization. This will develop their job satisfaction and will prevent
development of stress. I will also take an extra initiative to develop proper communication skills
to handle the important mediums of communication so that transparency in working procedures
are maintained and there remain very little scope of miscommunications and mistrust among
each other, one to one conversation, team meetings, email messages, blog post, Skype call
should also e mastered by me. Another very important skill is building of relationships between
the workers as this is very important for a smooth uninterrupted workplace (Hayton 2015).

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REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ON LEADERSHIP
Developing mutual trust among the employees is extremely important as coordination and
collaboration results in high productivity and makes the workplace friendly and harmonious.
This will prevent ob stress and increase satisfaction. Other important kills that also need to be
mastered by me are developing technical as well as professional practices such as selling or
accounting or designing software so that I can become experts in the field and thereby guide
employees successfully. I should also master the skill of developing a strategic perspective and
help in developing employees with enhancement of their skills and knowledge so that they can
become the organizations’ next generation leaders.
Some of the important theories which have influenced my view and have helped me to develop a
strategic approach to prepare myself are the trait theory, Behavioral theory, Likert theory and
others. According to trait theory, individuals are born with different characteristics and some of
the trait is appropriate to engage in leadership (Avolio and Yanmariono 2013). An efficient
leader would be that individual who would have the right combination of traits. Some of the
traits according to the skills which I need to develop in myself would be adaptable to situations,
show alertness to social environment, being decisive, assertive, dependable, energetic,
determined, self confident, understanding to tress and willing to assume responsibility. However
the trait mentioned here which is dominant is not accepted by me as I believe that being
dominant will have negative impact of the work and mentality of the employees (Fischer et al.
2016). According to the trait theory important skills that need to be developed are being clever,
diplomatic and tactful, conceptually skilled, creative, persuasive, socially skilled and many
others. It also stated that four important criteria that should be present are emotional stability and
composure, intellectual breadth, admitting error and also developing good interpersonal skills.

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REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ON LEADERSHIP
Another theory which opposes the mentioned trait theory is the behavioral their which says that
leaders are made but not born. Leadership capability is learned with development of proper
behaviors and actions rather than being inherent. This theory says that successful leadership is
dependent on definable and learnable behavior. I also believe that no man is born with all good
traits but need to develop them with experiences and theoretical knowledge.
According to Lewin’s theory, there are three types of leadership styles like the autocratic,
democratic and Laissez Faire. Autocratic leaders take decisions without consulting with others
which often leads t high level of discontents, dissatisfaction and turnovers. Employees are not
allowed in decision making and their suggestions are not welcomed. Democratic leadership
involve the workers in decision making although the process for the final decisions vary on the
leaders as he would have the final say (Fernandez et al. 2014). However, such suggestion when
taken from workers make them feels happy and content as they feel appreciated and respected in
the organization. This increases their zeal to work towards achieving the best outcomes. The next
style is the Laissez-Faire style which reduces the leader’s contribution in decision making as they
allow the workers to take their personal decisions. This is helpful only when workers are capable
of making their own; decisions and there is no need for inner coordination. However I have
found that it has a negative effect. It may not develop coordination among people working
together and many may take decisions which may become harmful for their career or affect the
organization as all may not have the capability of effective leadership. This will also delay the
working pace. I will be mainly following the democratic leadership styles as evidences show it to
be most effective.
Likert on the other hand has also proposed a theory called the Likert’s leadership styles. This
involve exploitive leadership where the leader shows low concern for the people and also uses

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methods such as intimidation and fear based procedures to achieve conformance.
Communication in such style is mainly seen to be downwards and mental distant concerns of the
employees are also ignored. I believe that this kind of leadership will make the employees
develop negative feelings and they will not be able to out in their best efforts. These would feel
disrespected and as a result it would increase turnover and increased job dissatisfaction. A tensed
environment can never bring in the best skills of workers (Fernandez et al. 2014). Another
leadership style mentioned by him is the benevolent authoritative styles where the leaders shows
concerns to people and also utilizes a reward system to encourage appropriate performance.
However although communication take place effectively, but the feedback and suggestions are
rose tinted that is their communication I limited to the topic or decisions which the leaders wants
to hear. Although delegation of decisions may occur, in most cases decisions are ultimately made
by leaders centrally (Shattock 2013). I personally do not like this leadership style as the
suggestions are sugar coated by the employees to make their boss happy and does not reflect
their own concern. This affects the transparency and open mindedness in the workplace. In
consultative leadership, upward flow of information occurs but they employees are still cautious
and rose tinted to some degree. Leaders make genuine efforts but decisions are largely centrally
made. Participants are the best style of leadership as this involves all the members in decision
making procedure (Schumann et al. 2014). I thereby like the method as it helps in adopting
innovative ideas for achieving goals.
Bass' Transformational Leadership Theory praises a transformational leader follow idealized
include on the workers with inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualize
consideration in the teams (Tourish 2013). They have ethical values which make the workers
happy and committed towards organization’s vision and mission.

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REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ON LEADERSHIP
Therefore reflecting in my knowledge, I feel that I need to develop proper skills of leadership
and develop leadership style like democratic or transformational leadership styles. This would
help me as manger to effectively maintain a workforce who will not only be productive but
would be happy, satisfied and committed towards organizations goals and objectives.

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References:
Avolio, B.J. and Yammarino, F.J. eds., 2013. Introduction to, and overview of, transformational
and charismatic leadership. In Transformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead
10th Anniversary Edition (pp. xxvii-xxxiii). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Fernández-Muñiz, B., Montes-Peón, J.M. and Vázquez-Ordás, C.J., 2014. Safety leadership, risk
management and safety performance in Spanish firms. Safety science, 70, pp.295-307.
Finkelman, A., 2015. Leadership and Management in Nursing: Core Competencies for Quality
Care. Pearson.
Fischer, M.D., Dopson, S., Fitzgerald, L., Bennett, C., Ferlie, E., Ledger, J. and McGivern, G.,
2016. Knowledge leadership: mobilizing management research by becoming the knowledge
object. human relations, 69(7), pp.1563-1585.
Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014. Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: pearson.
Grohar-Murray, M.E., DiCroce, H.R. and Langan, J.C., 2016. Leadership and management in
nursing. Pearson.
Hayton, J., 2015. Leadership and Management Skills in SMEs. Warwick Business School.
Nahavandi, A., 2016. The Art and Science of Leadership -Global Edition. Pearson.

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Renz, D.O., 2016. The Jossey-Bass handbook of nonprofit leadership and management. John
Wiley & Sons.
Schuhmann, R.J., Magarian, J.N. and Huttner-Loan, E., 2014. A method for assessing
engineering leadership content in the engineering curriculum: A first look at civil engineering
project management courses. In 2014 ASEE Conference, June.
Shattock, M., 2013. University governance, leadership and management in a decade of
diversification and uncertainty. Higher Education Quarterly, 67(3), pp.217-233.
Tourish, D., 2013. The dark side of transformational leadership: A critical
perspective. Development and Learning in Organizations, 28(1).