Leadership Styles

Critical analysis of the contingency and situational theories

Situational and contingency models are used by leaders to develop strategic plans for leadership. The two models have several similarities and differences. The main similarity between these theories is that they focus on the nature of a situation to determine the responses required from leaders (Northouse 2013). The main difference between the two theories is that each model has different expectations on the part of the leaders. The contingency theory claims that leaders cannot develop a specific way of managing organisational processes; hence, they should focus on the internal and external situations in the organisation to develop a leadership style (Windham 2015). This means that the style of leadership should be dependent on the external and internal factors of the organisation (Tebeian 2012).

The situational leadership theory, on the other hand, dictates that a leader must develop a leadership style that best fits his followers, rather than influencing followers to fit in his leadership style. It would be appropriate to use the contingency model in a business setting with many internal and external constraints. The situational model is appropriate for an organisation that constantly changes its human asset base.

Effects of situational-specific factors on leadership

Situation-specific factors in an organisation force the leader to respond to the competence levels of the human assets by developing leadership styles that can accommodate their skills and knowledge (Anthony 2015). For instance, if a leader has a highly skilled team, he is likely to use a directive style of leadership. Conversely, if the team is not adequately skilled, the leader may choose to use a participative style of leadership to help the members in delivering the required results (Keskes 2014).

The influence of contingency factors on leadership styles

Contingency factors are categorised into internal and external elements that influence the style of leadership in an organisation. These factors influence the focus of the entire company, and the leader is forced to make different decisions based on the type of pressure facing the company. Contingency factors force the leadership function to develop regular changes to keep the company on track in the quest of the mutual organisational goals (Contingency and situational approaches 2013). These factors keep the leaders always prepared to make changes in their leadership styles because the contingency model reveals that the most important task of a leader is to adjust his or her leadership style to changing situations.

Strength and weaknesses of the theories

The contingency theory is a viable model for leadership because it influences leaders to make the appropriate organisational decisions with reference to different situations. The contingency theory is also feasible for organisations because it does not require the leaders and their followers to focus on perfection; rather, it dictates that efficiency in attaining organisational goals is dependent on the ability of the leader and his or her followers to adjust to internal and external pressures. This strategy motivates employees (Webb, 2015). One of the limitations of the contingency theory is that it assumes that the leadership styles assumed by the organisation are always compatible with the skills of the employees. The model also fails to explain why certain leadership styles are more effective than others. The situational model is effective in aligning the leadership style and the skills possessed by a leader (The Hersey-Blanchard situational leadership theory 2015).

Its main disadvantage is that it fails to challenge the employees to learn new skills in the organisation. The model limits the innovative quality of leadership because leaders have to adjust their ideas to the competencies available among the followers.

List of References

Anthony, L 2015, Define Situational Leadership. Web.

Contingency and situational approaches. 2013. Web.

Keskes, I 2014, ‘Relationship between leadership styles and dimensions of employee organizational commitment: A critical review and discussion of future directions’, Intangible Capital, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 26-51. Web.

Northouse, PG 2013, Leadership; theory and practice, 6^th edn, Sage, Thousand Oaks. Web.

Tebeian, AE 2012, ‘The impact of motivation through leadership on group performance’, Review of International Comparative Management, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 313-326. Web.

The Hersey-Blanchard situational leadership theory. 2015. Web.

Webb, RL 2015, Leadership styles versus motivation. Web.

Windham, C 2015, What are the differences between contingency models & path theories. Web.

Any organization requires a clear guideline on how day to day activities should be carried out. As such, there is always a person tasked with the responsibility of overseeing activities of the organization. The person can either have qualities of a manager or of a leader. In case of Richard Branson, he has been able to oversee the success of the Virgin Group. It should be noted that Richard Branson is more of a leader than a manager. To begin with, instead of imposing his ideas on people below him, Branson always supports the ideas of his staff members. This can be seen when he jubilantly accepts a proposal by one of his staff to have a wedding department and even goes ahead to dress himself like a bride when marketing the idea.

Another quality that identifies Branson as a leader is the fact that he usually encourages his staff to pursue their dreams. Unlike ordinary managers who want to control ideas that are to be implemented, Branson gives freedom to his staff to come up with various ideas that can work. On the same note, Branson works closely with his staff members to ensure that they become innovative. He avoids the bureaucracy such as boardroom meetings maintained by typical managers to ensure that people working under him are proficient. Moreover, Branson measures his success through the success of his staff. All these are the qualities of a leader, but not a manager.

Among the accomplishments of Branson, there is the fact that he has been able to influence the members of staff to think like him. Notably, staff members of Virgin Group are free to suggest any idea and even try them. On the same note, people working under Branson have a friendly relationship among themselves and do not fear presenting their ideas to him. People work in teams and Branson is viewed as a team member. There is no bureaucracy regarding who is on top and who should give orders.

Everybody in the team is an equal player who can provide solutions to any situation. By going ahead and implementing ideas proposed by members of the staff, Branson boosts employees’ self confidence. As a result, Branson has been able to make his employees buy into his philosophy that creativity is the pillar of the business. Notably, the relationship between Branson and his subordinates, or rather followers, is that of equal team members.

While being at the helm of Virgin Group, Branson has been able to disapprove various myths that people have about leaders. Branson started his first business while he was at school and was able to make it successful. He had not managed any business to gain experience on the intrigues of business management. Moreover, he had not been a leader in any place to gain knowledge on how to be a good one. Nonetheless, he has built one of the most successful companies in the world.

This is against the myth that people have leadership learnt from experience. However, Branson gives his employees freedom to try and implement their dreams. This is despite the fact that he has a talent of leadership himself. He believes that each person can be a leader. This proves that leaders are not necessarily born, they can be made. Lastly, Branson does not assume anything. There is nothing common to him. He takes every idea as unique. This is against the common believe that leadership is all about common sense.

Introduction

Leadership refers to the process of influencing people in order to achieve certain goals, objectives, or desired outcomes (Tracy 22). Research has shown that effective leadership is characterized by an array of qualities such as integrity, honesty, vision, creativity, open-mindedness,, people building skills, integrity, job knowledge, effective communication, and the ability to interact with people. Leaders adopt various types of leadership styles based on their values, ideals, and organizational goals. Examples of leadership styles include visionary leadership, democratic leadership, transformational leadership, authoritarian leadership, and Laissez-faire leadership (Lussier 35). Characteristics of effective leaders include competency, ability to produce desired results, integrity, accountability, good planning, responsibility, and effective communication. Organizational success depends on many factors. However, the ability to lead employees in ways that foster strong relationships is the most important.

On leadership qualities

Integrity, job knowledge, and people building skills are traits that all effective leaders possess. An evaluation of these traits reveals that I possess various strengths and weaknesses that influence the quality of my leadership.

Integrity

My strengths include the ability to control emotions, readiness to make decisions based on personal ideals, and unwillingness to compromise good leadership. These strengths are founded on personal ideals that include honesty, accountability, and fairness. I always uphold these ideals in all situations without any compromise. I do not allow impulsive urges and emotions to control my decisions and behavior. For that reason, I reflect on the possible outcomes of all decisions before taking action. My weaknesses include poor anger management skills and a propensity to make irrational decisions. During certain situations, I allow anger to dominate my thinking to the extent that I yell at people and decline their propositions. On the other hand, I do not engage in an extensive analysis of situations in order to determine the possible outcomes of different approaches. Good leaders control their emotions, take time to make critical decisions, and act ethically regardless of the situation (Lussier 41).

Job knowledge

With regard to job knowledge, my strengths include the ability to master the knowledge and new skills quickly, a high level of competency, and curiosity that promotes personal and professional development. I learn something new every day and use it to improve my performance. My weaknesses include specialization and focus on problems. I focus so much on solving problems that I overlook opportunities that can make significant contributions to the organization. Specialization results in poor skills and little knowledge in disciplines that are outside my area of expertise. Good leaders possess knowledge in different fields outside their areas of expertise (Tracy 25).

People building skills

I am good at organizing people, engaging them in productive conversations, and directing them in ways that facilitate the achievement of common goals. These traits enable me to embrace feedback, regardless of whether it is positive or negative. My weaknesses include poor communication skills and an inability to motivate people. Effective communication and the ability to motivate employees are important traits that every leader should possess (Lussier 45). Poor communication skills affect my charisma and ability to motivate employees.

Managing strengths and weaknesses

In order to maintain my strengths, it is imperative to listen to people, maintain an open mind, learn from mistakes, make necessary changes, and participate in activities that encourage personal and professional development. On the other hand, it is important to attend a professional development program in order to improve my weaknesses. Seeking feedback from colleagues is also important.

On transformational leadership

Transformational leadership refers to a style of leadership that focuses on improving employee performance and productivity through increasing their motivation (Northhouse 52). Transformational leaders are passionate and visionary. They do not impose their values and ideals on people but give them the freedom to make decisions on matters that affect their jobs. In addition, they involve employees in the decision-making process because they value innovation and creativity. The late Steve Jobs is the leader that sets the benchmark for me as a transformational leader. Through his leadership, Jobs transformed Apple into one of the greatest brands in the world because he valued innovation and creativity. One of the common traits that transformational leaders possess is the ability to manage change (Adair, 76).

They always find ways to challenge the status quo. Jobs was inspirational, trustworthy, and charismatic. These traits facilitated the transformation of Apple because Jobs used them to evaluate employees and determine their strengths and weaknesses. His level of commitment made him a role model for his employees. He engaged them in developing common goals that characterized the mission and vision of the corporation. Setting high goals and developing ways to achieve them is another trait of transformational leaders. The four most common traits of these leaders include a consideration, motivation, influence, and stimulation (Adair 76).

Job’s character and commitment encouraged loyalty and trust among employees. The main leadership trait that enhanced Job’s effective leadership was a vision. This trait made positive changes in employees and the corporation. Setting high goals encouraged creativity and innovation among employees. However, it had negative outcomes too. Jobs ensured that employees were working to achieve high goals that put them under a lot of pressure. High goals had the effect of reducing effectiveness and productivity among employees. The trait transformed the organization because it facilitated the development of products that have dominated the technology industry. For instance, the development of the iPod, iPhone, and iTunes introduced change and new experiences to consumers. Transformational leaders are visionary and passionate (Northhouse, 57).

The main cause of Apple’s success is Job’s transformational leadership. His vision and passion led to the development of products that revolutionalized the technology industry. Finally, Jobs was a role model for employees. This source of motivation and inspiration catapulted Apple to the top in the technology industry. Despite the absence of Jobs at Apple, the corporation continues to perform well because of its focus on innovation.

On leadership effectiveness

Effective leaders produce results because of their competency. Competency results from traits such as adequate job knowledge focus on opportunities rather than problems, responsibility for communication and decisions, development of action plans, and involvement of employees in organizational decision-making processes (Northhouse 61). Effective leaders engage in personal and professional development. They always search for knowledge that their organizations need in order to improve their operations (Adair 79).

With regard to competency, my strengths include ability to solve problems and make good decisions, excellent skills in developing organizational strategies, high self-awareness, and ability to manage teams. My greatest strength is the ability to make good decisions and solve problems. I possess great capability with regard to making decisions that achieve desired outcomes. Before making decisions, I analyze situations based on available data, explore available alternatives, and act based on the analysis. This strength is founded on patience. Even though I make rush decisions at times, I am always careful when making decisions that affect not only me but also other people.

On the other hand, I brainstorm and engage other people in the decision-making process. Through seeking feedback, ideas, and opinions from other people, the process of making decisions becomes easier and more effective. I refrain from making decisions that are based on personal opinions and ideals. Another approach I apply is delegation of responsibilities to employees. Delegation bolsters creativity because employees develop effective decision-making strategies that fit their jobs. Effective leaders delegate responsibilities to juniors in order to improve their creativity and commitment. I apply the same approach to solving problems. Brainstorming is an effective method that many leaders apply. Brainstorming generates ideas, opinions, and new perspectives from different people (Northhouse 63).

Involving employees in problem solving processes exercises their creativity and makes them feel valued by the organization. In addition, it takes into account the various needs of employees with regard to their personal and professional ideals, goals, and values.

My weaknesses include fear of taking risks, aversion to organizational change, and unwillingness to innovate. Among these, the greatest weakness is unwillingness to innovate. As a leader, I am risk averse and often refrain from making decisions that could affect the performance and productivity of employees. Unwillingness to innovate results from risk aversion. This weakness has severe effects on the output of the organization.

For instance, it does not challenge the status quo, which is important for exceptional results. Effective leaders embrace risks and implement change because they are effective approaches to achieve exceptional organizational outcomes. Every organization needs to change often in order to adjust to the modern business environment that is characterized by stiff competition and volatility (Adair 83). The effects of my unwillingness to innovate include poor performance, inability to compete effectively, and low employee productivity. Inability to manage change also affects the quality of my leadership significantly. Innovation is one of the most important aspects of organizations in the 21^st century. In order for an organization to compete effectively with other organizations and achieve exceptional outcomes, innovation is imperative (Adair 86).

I will exploit my strengths by making more decisions and developing more ways of solving problems. This might require additional training on ways to improve my skills with regard to making decisions and solving problems. I will repair the weaknesses by delegating roles that require innovation to employees. In addition, I will start to implement little changes in the organization.

Conclusion

Leadership refers to the process of influencing people in order to achieve certain goals and desired outcomes. Three of the most important traits that leaders possess include integrity, job knowledge, and people building skills. With regard to these traits, I posses several weaknesses and strengths that affect my style of leadership. Examples of my weaknesses include inability to control my anger under certain circumstances, pr communication skills, and focus on problems rather than opportunities. My role model in regards to transformational leadership is Steve Jobs. His vision and creativity transformed Apple and made it one of the leading technology companies in the world. However, setting high standards for employees was unproductive at certain times because it exerted great pressure on them to produce desired results. Competency is an important trait of effective leaders. Effective leaders possess sufficient knowledge and skills regarding their jobs.

Works Cited

Adair, John. Effective Leadership: How to be a Successful Leader. New York: Pan Macmillan, 2011. Print.

Lussier, Robert, and Acha Christopher. Leadership: Theory, Application, & Skill Development. New York: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.

Northhouse, Peter. Leadership: Theory and Practice. New York: SAGE, 2001. Print.

Tracy, Brian. Effective Leadership. New York: Jaico Publishing House, 2008. Print.

Abstract

One of the main goals of organizational leadership is managing human resources in an effective and efficient manner. Effective and efficient organizational leadership should focus on turning human resource departments into production centers by motivating employees to give their maximum output towards achieving organizational goals. One of the most common elements found in successful organizational leaders is charisma. Charismatic leadership is very important because it motivates employees to give their best output towards achieving organizational goals. There are certain unique characteristics embodied by charismatic leaders that are rare to find in ordinary leaders. Studies have established that charismatic leaders are also creative, convincing, risk-takers, inspirational, and highly confident.

Introduction

Leadership plays a crucial role in organizational success. Organizational leadership focuses on managing available resources in an effective manner in order to achieve shared goals and influence change (Bass & Bass, 2009). One of the main goals of organizational leadership is managing human resources in an effective and efficient manner. Employees are valuable organizational assets, which should be handled with a lot of professionalism. The value of employees to an organization keeps improving as the concept of human resource management continues to develop.

In the 20^th Century, employees had less value because they were considered as liabilities because they did not generate any income (Dessler, 2010). However, human resource management in the 21^st Century focuses a lot on promoting the value of an organization’s human resources, as they play a crucial role in achieving success. Effective and efficient organizational leadership should focus on turning human resource departments into production centers by motivating employees to give their maximum output towards achieving organizational goals. To achieve this feat, organizations should ensure that the employees have good leaders who will understand their needs, aspirations, and the best way to achieve them (Dessler, 2010).

Leadership in successful organizations focuses on promoting an inclusive human resource management approach that encourages employees to participate in organizational processes such as the decision-making process. Ensuring employee participation and engagement is a sign of good organizational leadership. Studies have shown that one of the most common elements found in successful organizational leaders is charisma. A charismatic leader is an individual who is visionary, reliable, and has a reliable personality that enables him or her to influence change through people (Bass & Bass, 2009).

Discussion

Charismatic leadership is very important because it motivates employees to give their best output towards achieving organizational goals. Experts argue that organizational leadership applies in three dimensions that also influence the process of decision-making (McMahon, 2008). The three dimensions are vision, strategy, and people. Leaders focus on achieving organizational goals and a competitive advantage in the market by focusing on the three elements. First, it is important for organizational leaders to identify the direction of an organization and their attitude towards success that is defined through a vision. An organization develops its vision by setting specific and attainable goals that dictate the planning process (McMahon, 2008).

A vision should guide a leader on the things that should be done to achieve success. These things include identifying the right market for a product, new products that can be featured, the kind of technology required for production, and the right people to hire as employees, among others. Second, organizational leadership focuses on developing and implementing the right strategies for achieving the vision (McMahon, 2008). A good leader should be able to identify the various needs within an organization and develop an effective plan for meeting them. Strategic leadership entails assessing the performance of an organization, its employees, and pinpointing areas that need to be improved (Dessler, 2010).

An effective leader should demonstrate a good knowledge of the organization by reorienting its structure and corporate culture to focus on filling any gaps identified (Bass & Bass, 2009). This element mainly focuses on the organizational ability to manage change in an effective manner. Third, organizational leadership focuses on identifying and motivating people that will help in implementing the strategies developed. This element of organizational leadership defines the path of success that an organization takes. It involves the ability of organizational leaders to make the most out of the decision-making, as well as the recruitment and selection processes (Dessler, 2010). It is important for leaders to ensure that they recruit the right people in terms of job experience, attitude, and competencies. A highly skilled, motivated, and supportive workforce helps to make leaders and their organization to be successful.

Human resources are the most valuable assets for an organization, and leaders should use them effectively to achieve success. Successful organizational leadership also entails the promotion of ethical principles. Leaders should ensure that the structure and corporate culture of an organization embodies the principles of right and wrong. Ethical principles are relative to every organization based on the things they do (Bass & Bass, 2009). Both organizational leaders and employees have an ethical responsibility to promote the principles of morality through their work. Organizational ethics should focus on ensuring every stakeholder remains impartial and engaged towards achieving prolonged success (Winkler, 2010).

Characteristics of charismatic leaders

To succeed as a leader, one needs to have certain qualities that enable them to assess and identify the needs of their followers. One of the essential elements that organizational leaders ought to have is charisma. Studies have established that charismatic leaders are people with great confidence, style, and strong personality (McMahon, 2008). In addition, these types of leaders are believed to have the ability to attract people towards them because of their ability to motivate them towards fulfilling their potential. People tend to follow, and like individuals who inspire them to believe in their abilities and develop a huge desire for success.

People desire to be successful but lack the ability to move from one point to another. However, certain people appear along the way and provide a new perspective on approaching things (Winkler, 2010). Charismatic leaders are also associated with change, as they have an innate desire to transform things from a poor to a desired state. This explains the reason why charismatic people make good organizational leaders. Organizational leadership entails a lot of change management, as the dynamics of the workplace environment keep changing every now and then (Dessler, 2010). However, there are certain unique characteristics embodied by charismatic leaders that are rare to find in ordinary leaders.

First, charismatic leaders are very mature. According to leadership experts, the true measure of a leader’s personality and maturity level is their ability to influence change and attract followers (McMahon, 2008). A mature leader understands the value of wisdom and the best way to apply it in order to get the best out of situations. Organizational leadership encompasses more than just the power of authority but includes the ability of a leader to make a better analysis of situations and make reliable decisions that will not compromise the interest of others. A charismatic leader should make decisions that help an organization to survive tough times, make a quick recovery, and achieve a competitive advantage in the market (Winkler, 2010).

Second, charismatic leaders are good communicators. Good interpersonal and communication skills are essential for any individual to succeed as an organizational leader. Employees are motivated towards achieving organizational goals by good communication skills because their attitudes depend on the way information is delivered (McMahon, 2008). Charismatic leaders understand the effect that engaging employees one on one has on their motivation to work. When employees get to engage freely with their leaders, they often develop an attachment towards organizational goals. Employees also develop a sense of responsibility, thus ensuring effective and efficient attainment of organizational goals. Good communication within the workforce helps to strengthen the spirit of teamwork, cohesion and believing in each other (Dessler, 2010).

Another characteristic feature of charismatic leaders is humility (Bass & Bass, 2009). Experts argue that charisma and pride cannot coexist. Studies have shown that people are attracted to charismatic leaders, mainly because of their disposition to be humble and willing to listen to the concerns of others. Organizational leadership entails dealing with a diverse workforce where people have different experiences, needs, interests, and abilities (Winkler, 2010). Effective management of diverse workplaces requires a humble leader who will have time and desire to help people deal with their problems and make the best out of their abilities.

Humble organizational leaders find it easy to convince employees to support them in promoting any kind of initiative geared towards achieving organizational goals. Research has shown that employee retention strategies are very effective under charismatic and humble leaders because they are able to promote the value of loyalty (Winkler, 2010). Charismatic leaders are also conscious of the impact of their actions. Organizational leadership involves a culture where people will follow the examples of their leaders and do whatever they instruct them to.

It is important for leaders to ensure that they observe the value of the elements they pass on to their followers (Winkler, 2010). Charismatic leaders understand the importance of providing substance to their followers by ensuring quality, longevity, and an overall attractive image. A leader who values substance will motive his or her followers to strive towards achieving prolonged success and competitive advantage in the market (McMahon, 2008). These two elements help in ensuring that an organization remains relevant for a long time and attract many customers who seek to be associated with a brand.

Charismatic leaders are very considerate people. Although charisma is not the only important quality for an individual to succeed in organizational leadership, other complimentary values also play a crucial role (Winkler, 2010). Charismatic leaders should be considerate of the kind of influence they have towards organizational success. They should prioritize the needs of the organization and its stakeholders before their individual interests. Charismatic leaders should always demonstrate high emotional intelligence because of their feelings and thoughts about something can have a negative influence on others.

Experts argue that people are attracted to leaders who can control their emotions, show compassion, and act in a civilized manner (Winkler, 2010). In the context of organizational leadership, civilization refers to the ability of a leader to establish meaning by identifying with the people he or she leads. People will find meaning in something if their leaders can associate and identify with it. Experts argue that charismatic leaders ensure that people find the importance of having them around (Bass & Bass, 2009).

Studies have established that charismatic leaders are also creative, convincing, risk-takers, inspirational, and highly confident. Creativity plays a crucial role in helping leaders to be charismatic because they are able to solve problems easily and develop effective strategies for organizational development (McMahon, 2008). Charismatic leaders are very good at creating new approaches to various things and always encourage employees to be innovative.

Apart from being good communicators, charismatic leaders are good at convincing. They have the ability to win over their followers by making them understand and realize the truth about something. They apply this ability to motivate employees and make them realize their real potential, which they can achieve if they believe in themselves (McMahon, 2008). The ability to convince relates closely to risk-taking. Charismatic leaders are good at taking risks because they believe in themselves and are never afraid of testing an idea. The ability to take risks is a sure sign of someone who is confident enough.

Conclusion

Good leadership is essential for organizational success. Effective human resource planning and management is a sign of good leadership. Creating a highly-skilled, motivated, and valued workforce helps organizations to achieve their goals in an effective and efficient manner. It is important for organizational leaders to be charismatic because their ability to influence the decisions made by employees is crucial for reducing the turnover rate. A high employee turnover rate negatively influences the ability of an organization to achieve success and remain competitive. Charismatic leadership is the best approach to achieve prolonged organizational success.

References

Bass, B. M., & Bass, R. (2009). The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Managerial Applications. San Francisco: Simon & Schuster. Web.

Dessler, G. (2010). A Framework for Human Resource Management (6^th ed.). New York: Paper Back. Web.

McMahon, T. P. (2008). Social Construction of Charismatic Leadership: A Case Study. New York: Pro Quest. Web.

Winkler, I. (2010). Contemporary Leadership Theories: Enhancing the Understanding of the Complexity, Subjectivity, and Dynamic of Leadership. New York: Springer. Web.

Introduction

Emotional intelligence is a discipline that describes a person’s self-awareness, self-confidence, self-control, commitment and integrity, as well as a person’s ability to communicate, influence, initiate and accept change. From previous studies, it is evident that emotional intelligence shapes a leader’s ability to be efficient and effective. The ability of a leader to possess emotional intelligence revolves around important aspects that include self-awareness, communication and influence, commitment and integrity. These aspects are crucial for every leader’s ability to make effective decisions and timely judgments. Managers who do not develop their emotional intelligence have difficulty in building good relationships with peers, subordinates, superiors and clients (Goleman 1998).

Emotional intelligence in organizations

In an organizational set up, emotional intelligence refers mainly to the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions of employees. Emotional intelligence is a natural/inborn trait while other researchers suggest that it is possible to perceive it through learning and strengthening. Emotional intelligence combines a number of competencies. It brings out the skills, which contribute to a person’s ability in managing and monitoring their own emotions, to try and exactly gauge the emotional condition of others in the view of influencing their opinions (Goleman 1995).

In another perspective, emotional intelligence is a subset of social intelligence that involves the ability of monitoring one’s personal and others’ feelings as well as their emotions for the purpose of not discriminating among them but using this information in guiding one’s thinking and actions. Emotional intelligence is applicable in four different branches in organizational management. The first branch perceives emotions. This is the first step in understanding accurate perception of emotions. In most cases, it might involve understanding nonverbal signals such as facial expressions and body languages (Ryback 1998).

The second branch is reasoning with emotions, which involves using emotions to enhance thinking and cognitive activity. Emotions are helpful in prioritizing our attention and reaction. We always respond emotionally to things garnering our attention. The third branch involves understanding emotions. Emotions we perceive can carry a wide range of meanings. If a person is expressing angry emotions, the observer should interpret the cause of anger and its meaning.

The last branch is managing emotions. This is the last branch dealing with the ability to manage emotions effectively as a key part of emotional intelligence. To regulate emotions, respond appropriately and responding to the emotions of others are all-important aspect of emotional management (Perrella 1999).

Relevance of emotional intelligence to modern organizations

Managing modern organizations is a challenging task. Organizations have changed drastically in the way that they carry out their work in the last 20 years. Because of this, management levels have reduced in number and management styles have become less autocratic than they used to be. However, at the lower levels in modern organizations there is a dedicated move towards knowledge sharing and team-based tasks. In addition, assigning employees client-oriented jobs helps them in having autonomy on their duties and responsibilities (Sosik & Megerian 1999).

The aim of modern organizations has always been improving on the performance of employees. Managers recognize this objective and are able to quantify the measurable benefits that inculcates from a good emotional intelligence capability of leaders. In example, the benefits that can be attributable to emotional intelligence in modern organizations include increased sales, better employee recruitment and retention, and an efficient and effective leadership (Miller 1999).

Naturally, modern organizations have various criteria for quantifying their success rate at which employees deliver at work. The existence of emotional intelligence in modern organizations makes it possible for employee judgment through new yardsticks like the dignity with which they handle themselves and others. This differs from past ideologies where employee’s judgment is by how smart they are; the level of training and expertise they have attained. Modern organizations that inculcate emotional intelligence are strongly influenced by employees’ personal qualities such as perseverance, self-control, and people handling skills (Mayer et al. 2001).

Increasingly, these new yardsticks are applicable while choosing who is to be hired, the employees to be relieved of their duties and employees to be retained, and employees to be promoted. The discipline of emotional intelligence is vital, because it links conventional abilities of job performance determinants with dispositional determinants. Modern organizational leaders create and manage a working environment that combines flexibility, responsibility, standards and commitment (Luthans 1998).

Good leadership comprises of certain leadership traits that are debatable and all leaders share common traits in the way they carry out their duties. The first common trait among all the leaders is having a guiding vision or purpose. A good leader sets his or her goals on what he or she expects to achieve professionally and has the urge to pursue their choices regardless of existing setbacks. Through the advent of emotional intelligence, a good leader is passionate or enthusiastic and possesses the ability to communicate with others passionately (Mayer et al. 2001).

Another benefit that emotional intelligence brings to an organization is integrity, which consists of three basic ingredients: self-knowledge, candor, and maturity. Self-knowledge is the ability to know one’s strengths and weaknesses. Candor is an ingredient in integrity that describes one’s honesty with him or herself. The last ingredient of integrity is maturity, which results from lessons learned through observation of other employees, dedicating one to learning, and working as a team. Modern organizational leaders want to continue learning as much as possible in order to be at par with the ever-changing technologies and are risk takers who are willing to go an extra mile (Goleman 1995).

Conclusion

In conclusion, a good leader in an organization is required to possess emotional intelligence as it helps him or her in aligning personal and subordinate goals in accomplishing the overall organizational goals. Modern organizations at all levels have specific important responsibilities that a leader has to implement in managing an organization. A leader has to give ownership to the workers who carry out the various tasks. Secondly, a leader needs to cultivate an environment that appeals to the employees so that they enjoy taking responsibilities for their actions and performances.

The next important attribute that a leader should inculcate in an organization is enabling the employees with opportunities that they can use to develop on their abilities and skills. Lastly, a good leader should create a culture that demands improvement in work output of everyone in the organization him or her inclusive. This will eventually pose a challenge to the employees to learn new skills and ideas on a daily basis. Through these four principles, a leader will be able to uplift the organization to a higher level and align company goals to the employees’ individual goals (Copper 1997).

Reference List

Copper, RK 1997, ‘Applying Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace’, Training & Development, vol. 51, no. 12, pp. 31-38.

Goleman, D 1995, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, Bantam Books, New York.

Goleman, D 1998, Working with Emotional Intelligence, Bantam Books, New York.

Luthans, F 1998, Organizational Behavior, McGraw-Hill, Boston.

Mayer, JD, Salovey, P, Caruso, DL & Sitarenios, G 2001, ‘Emotional intelligence as a standard intelligence’, Emotion, vol. 1, pp. 232-242.

Miller, M 1999, ‘Emotional Intelligence Helps Managers Succeed’, Credit Union Magazine, vol. 56, no. 7, pp. 25-26.

Perrella, JE 1999, The Importance of Working Together: Individuals add; team players multiply. Vital Speeches of the Day, City News Publishing Company, New York.

Ryback, D 1998, Putting Emotional Intelligence to Work: Successful Leadership is More Than IQ, Butterwork-Heinemann, Boston.

Sosik, JJ & Megerian, LE 1999, ‘Understanding Leader Emotional Intelligence and Performance’, Group & Organization Management, vol. 24, no.3, pp. 367-390.

Role of Leadership

Leadership is a role charged with the development of visionary decisions. There are many skills, traits, and styles associated with leadership. Some of the skills associated with a leader include being good in the development of relationships with the human entities around a leader and being inspirational to followers (Mumford et al. 2000).

A good leader must possess skills in effective communication with the stakeholders of the decisions he or she makes. Leaders have the role to drive the business forward through confidence in making decisions, and leading by example (Northouse 2013). The integration of these skills, traits and styles results in success for a leader (Birk 2010).

Traits, skills and styles of leaders I have experienced as a follower

As a follower, I have experienced a leader with efficient delegating skills, and remarkable communication skills. The leader used a coercive leadership style, and his traits revealed a man who did not care about developing interpersonal relationships with the members of the team.

Personal experience

I have served as a group leader severally in the past, and one of the most memorable cases was when I served as a team leader for a school project. The project entailed the development of research focusing on a societal problem, and the team needed to collect data, analyse it, and develop a detailed report to present to the teacher.

The project was a competition between seven groups in the class and the reward was a trophy and a fully paid trip for the winners. I was actively involved in helping the members of the different sub-groups to deliver the required results. The group took the first position in the competition, and the members were happy that I portrayed some qualities associated with good leaders.

Traits, skills, and styles I have exhibited

This experience gave me a chance to develop a leadership style that entailed being actively involved in helping the team members to attain the set goals. I was able to delegate and compel the members of the group to achieve the desired goals. The experience also revealed that I need to develop better skills in developing interpersonal relationships with my followers.

Approaches in a different situation

If I was a leader in a situation of crisis, I would have used a different leadership style. During the project, the role of the leader was motivating the team members to work harder and efficiently, but in a situation of crisis, the leader has to be innovative in the development of solutions. Times of crisis are very challenging for leaders because they need to portray confidence in their decision-making to inspire followers to fight the challenges (Northouse 2013).

Faced with a situation of crisis, I would probably need to brainstorm with the members of the team to ensure the decisions made are viable. I would engage in a participative style of leadership to ensure the members of the group are motivated to face the crisis. I need to enhance my skills in decision-making and the development of interpersonal relationships with followers (Groves 2005).

Role of a leader and its relationship with traits, skills, and styles

The role of a leader is to provide the followers with a direction in the quest for mutual objectives. A leader must possess good communication skills, and he or she must portray traits of confidence and competence (Birk 2010). The leadership style chosen by a leader is vital in influencing success for his or her team; hence, a leader should develop a leading style that appeals to followers.

List of References

Birk, S. 2010, The 10 most common myths about leadership. Web.

Groves, K. S. 2005, ‘Linking leader skills, follower attitudes, and contextual variables via an integrated model of charismatic leadership’, Journal of Management, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 255-277.

Mumford, M. D., Zaccaro, S. J., Harding, F. D., Jacobs, T. O. & Fleishman, E. A. 2000, ‘Leadership skills for a changing world: Solving complex social problems’, The Leadership Quarterly, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 11-35.

Northouse, P. G. 2013, Leadership: theory and practice, 6^th edn, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.

It is true that the style of leadership is unique for every individual – but it should not depend on their personality. In fact, style is the strategy a leader chooses to adjust the organizational climate and handle failures just as well as success. The styles and emotional intelligence are intertwined, with each of the six leadership styles requiring this or that emotional capability; the organizational climate is influenced by the style as well.

The coercive leadership style might prove efficient in an emergency since it is mainly achievement-oriented and uses self-control as a catalyst of action. However, this style should be deployed cautiously: when no pressing factors persist, it can stifle the establishment and demotivate its employees.

An authoritative leader allocates the goal their workers have to achieve and uses empathy to encourage them to make decisions on their own. In case of stagnation and confusion, such style is an ideal performance booster. On the other hand, to make the most of this style, a leader and their team should have an approximately equal level of expertise.

If a leader is primarily concerned with internal team relationships, affiliative style is the most optimal choice; this style requires empathy and social skill to make the best of it. However, too much accomplishment showcasing can leave poorer results overlooked. At the same time, lack of constructive critique and advice from the leader leaves the team nonplussed and floundering.

Democratic leadership style can enhance the corporate environment and make everyone feel valued and cared for since it is driven by the leader’s self-awareness and social skill. The one serious drawback of this style is that the employees’ feeling of unguardedness can result in their inability to promptly come to a unanimous decision.

The pacesetting style suits best for leaders that can provide an example of strong performance themselves. The competencies it requires are the leader’s conscientiousness and result-orientedness. Such style is highly motivating for those who already have been motivated and skillful in the first place. Those who do not show such results, however, might feel the leader is overly demanding and be displeased with such severity.

The coaching style is a wrong move with those workers who are persistent in their old habits and ways. As for those who have acknowledged their weak points and seek personal development, this style is the best, provided that short-term goal achievement is not the ultimate priority. To succeed in this style, the leader has to be able to empathize and aware of themselves as well; through self-awareness and self-development, such leader can figure how to develop the others most efficiently.

In fact, a successful leader should be able to use as many styles as possible – at least four of them – and be comfortable with switching from one to another. Emotional intelligence in leaders makes them sensitive to the slightest changes in the environment due to this or that style and enables them to act accordingly. In a nutshell, an effective leader should be fluid and capable of adopting the styles, as necessary. For that sake, the leaders are to learn which style requires which emotional capabilities and what is the connection between the style and performance. The results would be the best indicator of whether a leader is successful at that or not.