Leadership Styles

Using the Yalom and Leszcz exercise, I found out that that the therapist must possess a democratic leadership style. On the other hand, during the discussion I learned that leadership is not just important to an organization, but is an important component in everyday human life. Anderson stated: “Leadership is the core of our humanness”, and that “how we manage ourselves shapes our lives and our world” (Anderson, 2001). Leadership skills help humans to reach out to one another or to confront events that challenge our flexibility, integrity, expressiveness and critical thinking skills.

I believe that a democratic leadership is rather complex to define in a single sentence. In a glimpse, however, it has four main functions which include: planning, organizing, directing and controlling. Managing means to interact with another person, to interact with oneself, or to reason with or evaluate self. Group management, on the other hand, is defined as the process of interacting with a limited number of others, work to share information, develop ideas, make decisions, solve problems, offer support, or have fun (Anderson, 2001).

Democratic leadership also involves communicating to a large number of people using media (television, newspaper, internet, radio), and finally, online or machine assisted communication deals with communicating through the use of online software that are programmed to interact with browsers or users.

I believe that democratic leadership is important in business because a business environment is a place where many interactions are needed, and much information should be acquired. It always involves openly competitive activity, in which working professionals debate issues, defend positions, and evaluate the arguments of others (Bridges, 2003).

Most working professionals, particularly those in middle and upper management, routinely produce a variety of messages, many of which are in the written form of memoranda, electronic mail, letters, reports, performance reviews, instructions, procedures, and proposals. It is also argued that a fuller understanding of organizations is a vital ingredient at every forward step of the career process, and that management is a primary element for understanding how organizations function and how members of the organization should, even must, behave in organizations if they are to advance their careers.

I believe that the practice of effective democratic leadership within the organization is also linked with the development of a healthy corporate culture, job satisfaction of employees, and the happiness and productivity of employees. Management skills are also important to organization leaders because it helps them manage the company more effectively. Companies recognize the importance of democratic leadership that is why it is a barometer in hiring or measuring employee performance.

Stallings found that companies want their employees to maintain confidentiality, write persuasively, write routine letters, use proper placement and format, compose at the keyboard, and write special types of letters. Furthermore, interpersonal and oral skills were rated as very important (Cameron, 2004). Also, basic English as well as abilities dealing with ethics, morals, values, and sensitivity were rated either important or very important.

Although there were proven studies that democratic leadership promotes positive improvement in organizations, specifically motivation and performance improvements of employees, studies often fail to compare the level of importance of democratic leadership in terms of firm industry types. Firms of today can either belong to the manufacturing or service industry.

Each industry has different traits and characteristic from the other. Service industries sell and produce intangible services, while manufacturing companies sell tangible manufactured products. The management of the service firm is basically different the manufacturing firm because they have different organizational structures, services and products being provided, and working systems.

Qualities of the Therapist

Planning

Nothing in this world can be forecasted. Everything looks like it will tread a path of its own. People maybe correct in saying that planning is important all the time, but there also exists a false claim that planning does not produce good outcomes all the time. Planning plays a very critical responsibility in applying democratic leadership. It is a basic fact to consider that each development that needs to be applied is planned. Planning is normally known as the procedure of establishing in advance as systematized initiative or effort.

While there is some truth that individuals do not organize their efforts all the time, it is always imperative for companies to plan (Carr, 1995). Nevertheless, whether talking about the context by which planning is happening, may it be on the personal or company stage, the procedure happens based on the existing behaviors, perspectives and missions of companies. Planned development is normally development by the inability of individuals to establish a consistently coping organization.

Organizing

In organizing and managing democratic leadership at the organization, they must use a very helpful organizational structure for thinking regarding the development procedure, one which is based on finding solutions to the various problems of the company.

Finding solutions to the dilemmas of the company through the utilization of organizational developments are deliberate. Intensive organization is followed by initiatives to get buy-in, help, and dedication. The total impact is a change from one level to another, in a planned, organized way. Organizing is the main and probably the most basic way in applying developments within the company.

References

1. Anderson, D, 2001. Beyond Change Management: Advanced Strategies for Today’s Transformational Leaders.  Pfeiffer
2. Bridges, W, 2003. Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change.  Perseus Books Group; 2nd edition
3. Cameron, E, 2004. Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models, Tools ; Techniques of Organizational Change.  Kogan Page
4. Carr, D, 1995. Managing the Change Process: A Field Book for Change Agents, Team Leaders, and Reengineering Managers.  McGraw-Hill; 1st edition
5. Evard, B, 2001. Managing Business Change for Dummies.  For Dummies
6. Hiatt, J, 2003. Change Management.  Prosci Research
7. December 4, 2004, from www.mhhe.com/business/management/buildyourmanagementskills/menu.html

I have chosen the leader of a local foundation in our community who had been in the public eye due to his tireless efforts and initiative in addressing the homeless problem that are common even in suburban America.

The person exhibits all three characteristics which include firstly, charm and grace, a primary characteristic of charismatic type of leadership. Secondly, the leader has the ability to command respect because he has immense self-belief that he can accomplish a lot for the homeless people. Thirdly, this person or leader has been influential as well because he can draw people in the upper echelon of society to support in many aspects of their program.

People, both within the volunteer and paid staff, the homeless themselves and the supporters respect, abide by and pursue this leader’s vision and plans because they see firsthand his transparency and personally admire or have a high regard for his manner of dealing with the staff. This is what is called intense “attraction” to a leader because of his/her ability to command respect, conduct with such verve and energy (“Charismatic Leadership, 2007).

When they hold meetings or when this leader speaks to people, he sees everyone in the room, and seems to convey at a level of “closeness.” The leader picks at the moods and behavior of the moment and then tailors what he is going to do next based on those observations. The leader employs different methods or strategies to get the attention of the followers, is very persuasive and very effective in using gestures and body language (“Charismatic Leadership, 2007).

When this person leads his team, he tries to create a distinction about his group in contrast with that of others. He builds the uniqueness of the group in the eyes of members and makes efforts to solidify the group’s adherence to the leader but the members expect as well of their leader’s loyalty towards them. He exhibits leadership skills coupled with a positive outlook and is other –oriented which results to changes for the good of the team usually (“Charismatic Leadership, 2007).

Reference:

_________ “Charismatic Leadership”. 2007. Changing minds.org. Accessed March 24, 2008 <http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/styles/leadership_styles.htm