Main Body

Discuss about the Role of Strategic Leadership Styles.

Leadership indicates a process including tangible and intangible skills. These skills include wisdom, integrity and presence. The leadership can be developed through personal evaluation, insight and desire to go. The leadership’s concept indicates the emerging discipline that continues to progress very moment (Burt et al., 2013). Without implementing proper leadership style in the business, the organization would not be able to enhance the business opportunity in an appropriate manner. In this particular assignment, I will illustrate the definition of the leadership in an efficient manner (Yeung et al., 2012). Throughout this assignment, I will structure the reflective essay based on four categories. This particular reflective essay will discuss how my definition of leader has evolved from week one to week nine. Besides this, the particular reflective essay will highlight my learning and understanding on this particular subject. Fourthly, I will critically discuss the about the leadership development opportunities in the future. On the other hand, I will shed lights on the opportunities for developing the leadership skills throughout my working life.

In this paragraph, I will examine what I have learned about the definition of leadership from week 1 to week 9. At the initial stage, my opinion on the leadership was that the leadership is one of the key factors for executing the business in a systematic manner. Besides this, the leadership facilitates the organization to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization. In Week 1 from, Christison & Murray et al. (2012), I have learned that the leadership is an organized process that enhances the business opportunities in an effectual manner. Moreover, on that particular week, I was able to learn about the leadership triangle that consists of three individual elements including the leader, followers, and the organizational settings. I have learned from Chuang (2013), the difference between manager and leaders. The managers are responsible for the business execution process, budgeting, and organizing. Moreover, the managers are responsible for the staffing and controlling in the business. On the other hand, the leaders are responsible for establishing the direction in the business. Most of the time, the leaders facilitates the organization to enhance the productivity by simply motivating the employees in the business. According to Ciulla (2013), without motivating the employees, the organizations would not be able to improve their business enhancement process within a short timeframe. Hence, it can be assessed that the leaders play an integral role in improving the workability of the employees. However, initially, I had a belief that the leaders and managers play the same role in the business, and they both are responsible for the enhancement of the business. On the contrary, Drennan, & Richey (2012) have argued that the managers and leaders are not the different people, as many managers have the potentiality to become the great leaders. In an organization, both leaders and managers play an integral role in enhancing the business opportunities in an effectual manner. Sometimes, they are dependent on each other. For instances, the leaders convey the messages of the employees or staffs to the higher management. Moreover, Franke & Felfe (2012) have highlighted the fact that the leaders can understand the employee’s requirements in the business. Without understanding the demands of the employee, the organizations would not be able to enhance the workability in an effective manner. On the other hand, the leaders often provide the emotional security to the employees during a hard time in business. Hence, it can be assessed that at the end of a ninth week of study on the leadership, I was able to enhance my knowledge about the particular study. Moreover, it facilitates me to clear my understanding on the different job role of leaders and managers.

Learning and Future Opportunities

This paragraph will consist of my learning about the particular subject that would be beneficial for my future work and me. Through the engagement of this study, I have learned about the different beneficial aspects of the particular study. Moreover, it will facilitate me to understand my key area for development. Throughout the classes, I have learned that the leadership not only relies upon a set of skills but also depends on the individual personalities including integrity, courage, enthusiasm and humanity. In the 2^nd and 3^rd week, I have understood the different leadership approaches including behavioral approach, trait approach, etc. The effective leadership must consist of these approaches so that the outcome of the business can be productive. Besides the effective leadership, I have also learned about the impacts of situational leadership on the business. According to Hancock, Dyk & Jones (2012), the leaders have different personal traits including intelligence, honesty, trustiness, self-confidence, appearance, etc. These personal traits indeed distinguish a leader from others in the organization. () have discussed the five different types of leadership styles including Laissez-Faire, Autocratic, and Participative, transactional and transformational. The autocratic leadership allows the managers to implement some decision in the organization for executing the business in an effective manner. With the involvement of this particular leadership style, the organization would be able to make a close observation on the employees so that they could enhance their individual performance. Johansen (2012) has discussed that the participative leadership style indicates a democratic style of managing a team in the business. In this particular leadership style, the leaders value the decisions of team members. On the other hand, Kalargyrou, Pescosolido & Kalargiros (2012) have explained five different sources of power including legitimate power, reward power, coercion or punishment power, and personal power. The transformational leadership style depends on the high level of communication from the management, and this particular style facilitates the organization to meet the goals and objectives of the business (Storey, 2016). Neumann & Neumann, E. F. (2013) have identified the fact that the leaders motivate the employees for delivering the high-class performance in the business. Without delivering the enhanced performance, the employees would not be able to enhance the business opportunity of the organization. Hence, in the 5^th week, I have learned that the implementation of the leadership style in an organization depends on the goal and objectives of the business. By analyzing the Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Theory, I have learned that the leader can adopt any one from four leadership styles including telling, selling, participating and delegating. However, the adoption of the leadership style is based on the combination of relationship and task behavior. In the 5^th week, I was able to understand the core values and ethical conduct of a leader. The impact of the leaders can be identified through organizational performance. Finally, during the week 7 and week 9, I have learned about the transactional and Laissez-Faire leadership style and its impact on the business performance. Rosenberg, Heimler & Morote (2012) have argued that the Laissez-faire leaders often lack the direct supervision of employees. Consequently, it fails to deliver the regular feedbacks to the employees. On the other hand, the managers employing transactional leadership style into the business often receive certain tasks to perform and provide rewards or punishments to the team members based on the individual performance result (Smith & Lewis, 2012).  After the accomplishment of week 9, I was also able to identify the impact of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions explaining the power of distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism or collectivism, masculinity or femininity and time and relationship. Hence, it can be assessed that the knowledge acquired by me through week 1 to 9 is quite important for me to build my leadership career in future. 

Application of Leadership Concepts in Work Experiences

The particular paragraph will discuss how the class reading, activities, discussion, films and other observations have facilitated me to understand and the leadership concepts into my work experiences. During the 1^st week, I have learned the true background of leaders from one of the YouTube videos called Qualities of leadership (2008). According to the video, “Leaders do not force people to follow,” they invite them on a journey.” This particular subject has facilitated to understand the relationship between a leader and his followers. On the other hand, during the discussion at 9^th week, I had to analyze the appropriate or existing leadership styles engaging into developed, developing and under-developed country. It was a quite amazing experience for me, as I was able to understand the global leadership process and its background. Moreover, the particular subject has facilitated me in identifying the different factors of the global leadership. By analyzing the particular video, I have understood the fact that paternalistic or the directorial leadership strategies are more applicable to under-developed countries, whereas the directive strategies are applicable for the developing countries. Besides this, the developed countries employ the innovative, creative, participative, entrepreneurial and the charismatic leadership style (Siewiorek et al., 2012). I have understood that the leaders are required to have powerful communication for managing the team in an effectual manner. Without having the enhanced communication skills, the leaders would not be able to make employee understand about their individual job role. Another video of Adolf Hitler (2 012), a powerful leader with strong communication ability has facilitated me in understanding the need of the strong communication skills. Strong communication skills can form both constructive and destructive leadership.

In this paragraph, I will discuss where I would be able to access the leadership development opportunities in the future. Moreover, I will discuss that how my study would facilitate me to improve my leadership skills throughout the entire working life. By acquiring the knowledge on the leadership skills and its impacts on the business, I have enhanced my opportunity to develop the future in an effective manner. On the other hand, I have come across through different learning sessions that facilitate in improving my knowledge on the particular subject. First, I will take the leadership training from a professional and experienced individual for developing my leadership skills in an effectual manner. Without taking the professional’s advice on the leadership skills, I would not be able to identify my flaws in this particular subject. On the other hand, the mentor plays an integral role in the enhancement of the individual performance (Schoemaker, Krupp & Howland, 2013). There are several benefits of hiring a leader. For instance, by involving a mentor, I would be able to understand the process of motivating team members in an effectual manner. On the other hand, the mentor would provide me the enhanced knowledge about gaining negotiate complex contracts benefiting all aspects of the business. I need to set out an annual professional budget for enhancing my leadership career. Although the initial cost will be high, it will provide adequate opportunities to improve my leadership skill in an efficient manner. On the other hand, I would like to take participate in the organizational leadership training programs so that I could improve my knowledge on the leadership. By improving my flaws and learning new things, I would try to be a leader, who would be responsible for taking any challenges at any point in time. Hence, I can assess that my learning experiences would facilitate me in being an effective leader in the business.

Conclusion:

It can be concluded that the particular reflective essay highlights my knowledge enhancement process on the leadership skills. In this particular assignment, I have provided the detailed discussion on how I accumulate knowledge on the leadership skills throughout 9 weeks of learning session. On the other hand, the particular section has highlighted my understanding on the differentiation between leaders and managers. Besides, this particular reflective essay has discussed about different aspects of the leadership trait. After the accomplishment of the particular study, I was able to identify the challenges of the leaders in the organizations. Moreover, the particular study has provided me adequate knowledge on the different characteristics of the leaders. While studying the different forms of leadership approaches, I identify the democratic or participative leadership approach as one of the best possible solution for achieving organizational goals and objectives. However, other leadership approaches including Autocratic leadership, transformational and transactional leadership also play integral role in the enhancement process of the business. The implementation of the leadership approaches into the business may differ depending on the objectives of the business. Aside this, I was able to understand the cross-cultural leadership through analyzing Hofstede five dimensions model. Moreover, the particular study has facilitated me in understanding the roles and responsibilities of the leaders belonging to the different culture and geographical location. Finally, it can be assessed that I have acquired adequate knowledge on leadership at the end of the ninth week of my study.

References:

Burt, I., Patel, S. H., Butler, S. K., & Gonzalez, T. (2013). Integrating leadership skills into anger management groups to reduce aggressive behaviors: The LIT model. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 35(2), 124.

Christison, M., & Murray, D. E. (Eds.). (2012). Leadership in English language education: Theoretical foundations and practical skills for changing times. Routledge.

Chuang, S. F. (2013). Essential skills for leadership effectiveness in diverse workplace development. Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development, 6(1), 5.

Ciulla, J. B. (2013). Leadership ethics. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Drennan, F. S., & Richey, D. (2012). Skills-based leadership. Professional safety, 57(2), 59.

Franke, F., & Felfe, J. (2012). Transfer of leadership skills. Journal of Personnel Psychology.

Hancock, D., Dyk, P. H., & Jones, K. (2012). Adolescent involvement in extracurricular activities: Influences on leadership skills. Journal of Leadership Education, 11(1), 84-101.

Johansen, R. (2012). Leaders make the future: Ten new leadership skills for an uncertain world. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Kalargyrou, V., Pescosolido, A. T., & Kalargiros, E. A. (2012). Leadership skills in management education. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 16(4), 39.

Neumann, Y., & Neumann, E. F. (2013). The president and the college bottom line: The role of strategic leadership styles. Library Consortium Management: An International Journal.

Rosenberg, S., Heimler, R., & Morote, E. S. (2012). Basic employability skills: a triangular design approach. Education+ Training, 54(1), 7-20.

Schoemaker, P. J., Krupp, S., & Howland, S. (2013). Strategic leadership: The essential skills. Harvard business review, 91(1), 131-134.

Siewiorek, A., Saarinen, E., Lainema, T., & Lehtinen, E. (2012). Learning leadership skills in a simulated business environment. Computers & Education, 58(1), 121-135.

Smith, W. K., & Lewis, M. W. (2012). Leadership skills for managing paradoxes. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 5(2), 227-231.

Storey, J. (Ed.). (2016). Leadership in Organizations: Current Issues and Key Trends. Routledge.

Yeung, J. H., Ong, G. J., Davies, R. P., Gao, F., & Perkins, G. D. (2012). Factors affecting team leadership skills and their relationship with quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Critical care medicine, 40(9), 2617-2621.