Description: For This Assignment, You Will Pretend You Are ✓ Solved

Description: For this assignment, you will pretend you are leading

For this assignment, you will pretend you are leading a small group or team, and work to create a presentation on leadership styles. Imagine you are an employee in the place you live, work, or worship, for example, and are asked to share what you learned in your communication course on small group communication and leadership to produce a needed or positive change at your organization. Be specific on how your training proposal serves your specific organization.

1. At least 5 distinct types of leaders.

2. At least 5 examples (one each) of those types of leaders, from your experience, from the media, or from television series, movies, books, or theater.

3. At least 1 suggested leadership style that would work well in where you live, work, or worship.

4. Connect your observations and experiences to a scholarly source like our textbook.

5. Use complete, correct APA references.

Paper For Above Instructions

Leadership is an essential component of any team or group, serving as the backbone for organization, motivation, and change. This paper discusses various leadership styles, providing specific examples and suggesting an ideal leadership style applicable to my current workplace. The exploration of leadership principles aims to enhance understanding and foster positive changes within the organization.

Distinct Types of Leaders

1. Autocratic Leaders: These leaders maintain strict control over their teams and make decisions unilaterally. They often do not solicit input from team members. An example of an autocratic leader is Miranda Priestly from "The Devil Wears Prada." She epitomizes this style as she dictates decisions without much regard for her employees' opinions.

2. Democratic Leaders: This leadership style encourages participation from team members in decision-making. Democratic leaders prioritize input and collaboration, thus building a cohesive team. An example can be found in the character of Coach Taylor in the TV series "Friday Night Lights," who values his team's input, leading to enhanced performance and morale.

3. Transformational Leaders: These leaders inspire and motivate their teams to innovate and create change. They focus on high-level goals and encourage personal and professional growth among team members. Nelson Mandela serves as a historical example of transformational leadership, uniting South Africa towards change through his vision and inspiration.

4. Transactional Leaders: This style is based on a system of rewards and punishments. Leaders who adopt this approach focus on maintaining the normal flow of operations and administering rewards for meeting specific objectives. An example is the character of Michael Scott from "The Office," who often uses humorous incentives to motivate his team.

5. Servant Leaders: Servant leadership focuses on meeting the needs of others first, putting the well-being of team members ahead of the leader’s own interests. A well-known example is Oprah Winfrey, who has used her platform to uplift and support individuals and communities, demonstrating servant leadership principles.

Suggested Leadership Style

In my workplace, a transformational leadership style would be particularly effective. Given the nature of our work environment, which thrives on creativity and employee engagement, this style would foster an atmosphere of innovation and collaboration. Transformational leaders can articulate a compelling vision of the future, encouraging team members to work toward common goals. By empowering employees and promoting a culture of growth, transformation can lead to enhanced productivity and satisfaction.

Connecting Observations to Scholarly Sources

According to Northouse (2018), effective leadership engages followers to move toward a common vision, aligning their interests with those of the organization. This aligns with the notion of transformational leadership, which not only focuses on organizational goals but also on the personal development of team members. My observations from workplace interactions suggest that when employees feel valued and encouraged by their leader, they are more motivated to contribute positively to the organization's success.

Additionally, research underscores the value of democratic leadership in fostering employee engagement and satisfaction (Bartlett & Ghoshal, 1997). The inclusion of team members in decision-making creates a sense of ownership and accountability. By blending traits from democratic and transformational leaders, I can create a positive impact within my organization.

In implementing a leadership training proposal, I would recommend workshops that focus on the principles of transformational leadership, emphasizing communication skills, collaboration, and vision articulation. These workshops can encourage existing leaders to adopt a more inclusive style, benefitting both the team's dynamics and the overall organizational culture.

Conclusion

Leadership styles significantly impact group dynamics and organizational success. By examining various leadership types and proposing the transformational leadership style for implementation, this paper underscores the importance of leadership in fostering a positive work environment. The blending of insights from personal experiences and scholarly sources creates a robust framework for enhancing leadership practices within the organization.

References

• Bartlett, C. A., & Ghoshal, S. (1997). The myth of the generic manager: New personal competencies for new management roles. MIT Sloan Management Review, 38(1), 3-11.
• Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice (8th ed.). SAGE Publications.
• Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. Harper & Row.
• Kirkpatrick, S. A., & Locke, E. A. (1991). Leadership: Do traits matter? Academy of Management Perspectives, 5(2), 48-60.
• Robinson, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2017). Organizational behavior (17th ed.). Pearson.
• Zenger, J. H., & Folkman, J. (2009). The extraordinary leader: Turning good managers into great leaders. McGraw Hill.
• Wren, J. T. (1995). The leader’s companion: Insights on leadership through the ages. The Free Press.
• Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2017). The leadership challenge: How to make extraordinary things happen in organizations (6th ed.). Wiley.
• Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership (4th ed.). Wiley.
• Heifetz, R. A., & Laurie, D. L. (1997). The work of leadership. Harvard Business Review, 75(1), 124-134.