Analysis of Contemporary and Traditional Leadership Styles Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership styles, focusing on the Asia World Group, a supermarket company. It begins by identifying the challenges leaders face within organizations, such as pressure, cultural issues, maintaining motivation, and managing diverse teams. The report then evaluates traditional leadership practices, including authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire styles, outlining their advantages and disadvantages. A key aspect of the report is the comparison between contemporary and traditional leadership styles, specifically exploring transformational and transactional leadership. The analysis highlights how these different styles impact employee engagement, decision-making, and overall organizational performance. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of leaders understanding employee needs and motivating them to achieve organizational goals. The report aims to provide a clear understanding of how various leadership styles function and contribute to organizational effectiveness.

Contemporary
Leadership Themes

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Challenges of leaders during working in an organisation......................................................3
Evaluation of traditional leadership practises and traits along with the advantages and
disadvantages of each of them................................................................................................4
Compare Contemporary and traditional leadership styles......................................................6
CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES:.............................................................................................................................11
Books and Journals...............................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Organisations involved in leadership so that they can manage and influence all the members
in an effective manner. It helps in enhancement of the productivity of overall organisation so that
organisation can achieve their goals (Clifton, Schnurr and Van De Mieroop, 2019). This report is
based on Asia world group which is a supermarket company. It was founded in 5 June 1992 and
headquartered in Yangon, Myanmar. This report involves various challenges of leaders during
working in organisational settings. Leadership practises and traits are evaluated along with their
disadvantages and advantages and impact of them on performance. Comparison of different
contemporary leadership styles are mentioned in this report.
MAIN BODY
Challenges of leaders during working in an organisation
Leaders have to focus on various operations of their employees so that they can maintain
effective productivity. Leaders of an organisation should understand the behaviour and nature of
their employees so that they can influence them in desired manner (Irving and Strauss, 2019).
Sometimes the leaders of Asia world face various challenges in their day to day operations
which can be discussed as follows:
Pressure: Organisations involved diversify the activities and operations of which to be
managed by leaders and desired manner which become difficult in some of the situations.
Multitasking becomes tedious for some of the leaders of Asia world as it results in pressure and
stress on their mind.
Cultural issues: Every organisation possesses different work culture which influence the
behaviour of individual in positive and negative manner. Leaders face challenges in managing
operation due to diversified culture which includes gossips, communication issues and
undermining team members. All these factors negatively affect the productivity of individual as
well as overall organisation.
Staying motivated: Sometimes leaders face situations which become critical for them to
handle which results in demotivation (Chon and Zoltan, 2019). Staying motivated is very
important to motivate other staff members so that achievement of goals and object as can be

achieved in effective manner. For example, leaders of Asia world try to fix problems with the
help of various alternative options so that they can maintain their level of motivation.
Managing different people: Organisations hire diversified people so that they can form
and develop effective team for accomplishment of their goals. Managing different behaviours at
same time become difficult for leaders as every individual have their different perspectives. It is
important to handle the situation with kindness and grace which helps in maintaining balance
between negative and positive behaviours of employees.
Evaluation of traditional leadership practises and traits along with the advantages and
disadvantages of each of them
Leadership involves different combinations of the traits, personality of individual,
situations and behaviours which affect the operations. Every organisation follows different
leadership styles according to their business environment so that they can influence their
employs in desired manner (Shoup and Hinrichs, 2019). Traditional leadership styles involve
implementation of plans, directing them in prescribed direction and motivating people so that
goals can be achieved in effective and efficient manner. Asia world also follows various
traditional leadership styles which can be discussed as follows:
Authoritarian or autocratic leadership: In this type of leadership managers do not
involve their subordinates or employees in decision making and plannings. Some of the leaders
of Asia world formulate all the plans and delegate them among their employs in order to
complete the operations accordingly. Close supervision is maintained by the leaders so that
performance can be tracked on regular basis. This helps organisation in enhancing their
performance by eliminating mistakes and errors of the employees.
Advantages:
 Faster decision making: This leadership style helps leaders in making decisions faster
and more accurate so that operations can be completed in limited time duration. It
eliminates delays in operation so that organisation can effectively achieve their
objectives.
 Better communication: Systematic process can be maintained with the help of
autocratic leadership style. Asia world can maintain originality in their instruction
because leaders are responsible for communication of authority.
Disadvantages

 Lower employee morale: Exercising autocratic leadership style results in lower down
employee morale due to lack of involvement (Salah, 2020). This may affect their
profitability because leaders do not recognise efforts and value of their employees.
 Increase dependence: According to this leadership style employees highly create
dependence on their leaders for all the operations. It may result in delay of operations
which affect the performance of employees.
Democratic leadership style: Leaders involves their employees in participating various
operations like planning implementation of procedures and decision making process. Some of
the leaders of Asia world follows this type of leadership style because they possess excellent
listening skills which allow them in involving all the employees (Alvesson, 2020). Leaders
maintain positive working environment in an organisation so that employees can perform in best
possible manner. Organisations can increase their profitability by contributing efforts of every
employee in effective manner. Positive outcomes can be seen in an organisation which results in
higher growth and development of individuals as well as all over organisation.
Advantages
 Strengthen relationships: Supportive bond of leaders with their employees results in
maintaining healthy relation at workplace. This helps Asia world in enhancing their
productivity and performance.
 Encourages creativity: Involvement of each and every employee in an organisation
encourages individualised creativity. Leaders can enjoy enhanced productivity in an
organisation.
Disadvantages
 Delay in decision making: Due to involvement of all employees in planning and
decision making, organisations face delay in their procedures which affect the
profitability and performance of overall organisation.
 Lack of guaranteed positive outcomes: Diversified feedbacks and opinions hampers
the productivity of decision making process. Different opinions may result in conflicts
and chaos which affect the performance of individual.
Laissez-Faire or Delegative: This type of leadership style suggest that leaders allow their
employees in taking decisions and implementing them according to their choices. Presence of
leaders are mostly eliminated in this type of leadership (Takos, Murray and O’Boyle, 2018).

Some of the leaders of Asian world adopts this type of leadership style in their operations which
suggest group discussions.
Advantages
 Personal growth: Employees who are involved in a free rein leadership style can
enhance their personal growth and motivation because of increased involvement.
 Freedom: Employees enjoy freedom in various functions and operations which increase
their innovative skills. Freedom help employees in completion of a task and operation
and desired manner.
Disadvantages
 Confusion: Due to the lack of guidance, employees may get confused regarding their
activities. Asian world faces various problems due to clarity of their job and role which
affect their performance.
 No accountability: Organisations face problems because of negligence of leaders and
incompetent leaders do not take responsibility. This results in negative productivity
which results in lower growth of an organisation.
Compare Contemporary and traditional leadership styles
This leadership style helps organisation in working on complex nature so that they can
enhance the ability of employees. Changing environment can be easily managed with
contemporary leadership is style so that commencement of operations can be carried out in a
smooth manner. Leaders of Asian world adopts various contemporary leadership styles which
can be discussed as follows:
Transformational leadership: This leadership style majorly focuses on transforming the
operations of an organisation in innovative manner (Nayak, 2018). Leaders of Asian world focus
on improving creative and innovative skills of their employees so that they can achieve higher
profitability. It helps in motivating employees and increase their sense of commitment towards
operations which are highly required for achievement of growth and success.
Advantages
 Encourages change: Organisations can easily adapt changes which helps in achievement
of positive outcomes. In order to achieve a higher profitability it is important to alter
some of the operations which are not contributing in higher productivity.

 Increase employee engagement: This leadership style helps in enhancement of
productivity level so that all the employees get engaged in an organisation. Leaders can
understand the requirements and needs of their employees so that they can provide
benefits for their satisfaction.
Disadvantages
 Increased complexity: It becomes complex ideas for employees as it involves various
personality traits (Schwarzmüller, Brosi, Duman and Welpe, 2018). The position of
leaders is unchallenged which increase the risk in an organisation.
 Lead to employee’s burnout: Employees feel increased pressure on themselves due to
the transformational leadership style as it puts much emphasis on authenticity. Some of
the employees of Asian world get demotivated because the authentic values and culture
of companies get lost due to the transformation.
Transactional leadership style: This style suggest that managers and leaders of an
organisation uses punishments and rewards for motivating their employees. Performance of
organisation can be organised by directing followers with enhancing their self interest with the
assistance of different benefits. This leadership style helps organisation in focusing on their
short-term and long-term goals in efficient manner.
Advantages
 Involves sense of fairness: Leaders in this type of leadership style do not follow any
partiality and behave equally with each and every employee according to their
performance. Performances are measured based on metrics which helps employees in
motivation so that they can perform in desired manner.
 Easy to understand: Punishment and reward system becomes very easier for employees
to understand as it does not involve any mis understandings (Yoo, Jang, Byun and Park,
2019). Goals and objectives can be achieved by employees in appropriate manner due to
the motivating factors provided by their leaders.
Disadvantages
 Difficult to analyse best suitable rewards: Different employees requires different
motivating factors such as money, promotion, incentives and other benefits. Leaders
of Asia world Face difficulties in evaluating best suitable motivating factors for their
employee.

 Discourage creativity: Sometimes employees can unintentionally make mistakes
and errors which may results in punishment. This factor can demotivate employees
which reduces their performance and creativity.
Difference between contemporary and traditional leadership style
Contemporary leadership style Traditional leadership style
It is not strict form of leadership which do not
follow rigid rules and regulations in an
organisation. It can be said as modern
approach of leadership which maintain healthy
relationship with their employees.
Majorly higher management follows this style
of style which follows from upwards to
downwards. Proper rules and regulations are
followed so that achievement of goals become
more easier.
Strict hierarchy is followed in this type of
leadership and power possess with higher
position member. Employees can become
leader because of their skills and traits. Leaders
treat other employees like leaders as they does
not behave like leaders which maintain
positive working environment.
Proper hierarchy should be followed so that
communication procedure can be maintained
in better manner (Xu, Stienmetz and Ashton,
2020). Top level managers formulate decisions
which should be delegated among the
employees.
Remote working can be managed in better manner with the help of combination of
different leadership styles according to the business environment. Different complex situations
can be managed with the assistance of leadership traits so that employees can increase their
productivity. Both the leadership styles assist in managing the behaviour of employees in best
possible manner. It encourages creative skills and innovative thinking of the employees which is
essential for the growth and success of an organisation.

CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that leaders are necessary for managing the
functions of an organisation so that goals can be achieved in better manner. There are various
leadership styles which organisation adopts according to their suitability so that they can
influence the behaviour ofc employees. It is essential that leaders should understand the
requirements and needs of employees and motivate them with the help of different motivating
factors. This report included challenges of leaders during the operations in an organisation.
Different leadership traits and practices are discussed in this report. Contemporary and
traditional leadership styles are compared in this report.

REFERENCES:
Books and Journals
Alvesson, M., 2020. Upbeat leadership: A recipe for–or against–“successful” leadership
studies. The Leadership Quarterly, 31(6), p.101439.
Chon, K.K.S. and Zoltan, J., 2019. Role of servant leadership in contemporary
hospitality. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
Clifton, J., Schnurr, S. and Van De Mieroop, D., 2019. The language of leadership narratives: A
social practice perspective. Routledge.
Irving, J.A. and Strauss, M.L., 2019. Leadership in Christian perspective: Biblical foundations
and contemporary practices for servant leaders. Baker Academic.
Nayak, A.K., 2018. Effective leadership traits from Bhagavad Gita. International Journal of
Indian Culture and Business Management, 16(1), pp.1-18.
Salah, N., 2020. Emerging Themes in the Visionary Leadership of Milton Hershey, Walt Disney,
and Steve Jobs. Dallas Baptist University.
Schwarzmüller, T., Brosi, P., Duman, D. and Welpe, I.M., 2018. How does the digital
transformation affect organizations? Key themes of change in work design and
leadership. Management Revue, 29(2), pp.114-138.
Shoup, J.R. and Hinrichs, T.W., 2019. Literature and leadership: The role of the narrative in
organizational sensemaking. Routledge.
Takos, N., Murray, D. and O’Boyle, I., 2018. Authentic leadership in nonprofit sport
organization boards. Journal of Sport Management, 32(2), pp.109-122.
Xu, S., Stienmetz, J. and Ashton, M., 2020. How will service robots redefine leadership in hotel
management? A Delphi approach. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
Management.
Yoo, S., Jang, S., Byun, S.W. and Park, S., 2019. Exploring human resource development
research themes: A keyword network analysis. Human Resource Development
Quarterly, 30(2), pp.155-174.