Write An Essay Detailing A Selected Individual's Leadership

Write An Essay Detailing A Selected Individuals Leadership Style And

Write an essay detailing a selected individual's leadership style and approaches in relationship to his or her communication, using and applying various leadership methods and theories. By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria. Competency 1: Analyze business communication situations. Analyze a leader's methods of influence. Competency 2: Analyze the interrelationships of communication within organizational systems. Apply theories related to leadership styles to describe a leader's communication. Analyze a leader's communication from a situational leadership perspective. Describe a leader's use of power bases in relationship to a leader's communication. Competency 3: Communicate effectively. Write clearly to convey the intended content and follow APA rules for attributing sources.

Paper For Above instruction

Leadership is a dynamic and multifaceted phenomenon that profoundly influences organizational success and individual development. The communication style of a leader serves as a vital conduit for influencing followers, shaping organizational culture, and achieving strategic goals. To explore this intricate relationship, I have selected a regional manager from a mid-sized corporation, whom I have known personally and perceive as an effective leader. This essay analyzes his leadership style and communication approaches by applying relevant leadership theories and models, including Handy's six methods of influence, Goleman's leadership styles, Tannenbaum and Schmidt's continuum, the Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid, Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership theory, and French and Raven's power bases.

Firstly, Charles Handy's six methods of influence are instrumental in understanding how the selected leader influences his team. Handy categorizes influence into methods such as rational persuasion, inspirational appeals, consultation, personal appeals, ingratiation, and pressure. In this case, the leader predominantly utilizes rational persuasion and inspirational appeals. He transparently communicates organizational objectives, providing logical reasoning to motivate employees, and often shares a compelling vision that inspires enthusiasm and commitment. To enhance communication effectiveness, potential methods include increasing the use of consultation and personal appeals, fostering a participative environment where followers feel more involved and valued.

Applying Goleman's six leadership styles—coercive, authoritative, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, and coaching—the leader most closely aligns with the authoritative and democratic styles. The authoritative style is evident when he sets a clear vision and expects team members to follow with minimal micromanagement. His democratic tendencies emerge through soliciting employee input during decision-making processes, which boosts engagement and ownership. However, an over-reliance on authoritative style may lead to rigidity; thus, adopting a more balanced approach, incorporating coaching to develop individual strengths, could improve overall communication and organizational climate.

In terms of the Tannenbaum and Schmidt leadership continuum, which ranges from autocratic to participative, the leader operates primarily in the consultative zone, balancing directive authority with openness to input. By progressively shifting towards a more democratic stance—encouraging even greater participation—his communication could become more inclusive, fostering innovation and trust among team members. This shift aligns with contemporary best practices in leadership communication, emphasizing shared responsibility.

The Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid categorizes leadership behavior based on concern for people versus concern for production. The leader displays a high concern for people, often exemplified through empathetic communication and support. However, to optimize effectiveness, a more task-oriented approach in critical situations is necessary. Strategically adjusting his position along the grid—striving for a 'Team Management' style—would enhance team cohesion and performance, especially through clear, goal-oriented communication.

Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership theory emphasizes the importance of adapting leadership style according to followers' readiness levels. The leader usually adopts a supportive and participative style, suitable for followers with moderate to high competence and motivation. To further improve communication, he could tailor his approach for followers with varying needs by employing more directive behavior when motivation or competence is low, thus ensuring clarity and confidence.

French and Raven's power bases—referent, expert, legitimate, reward, and coercive—offer additional insights into the leader's communication strategies. The leader primarily relies on expert power, leveraging his knowledge and skills to influence others. He also utilizes referent power by building rapport and trust. To shift towards more effective communication, intentional use of reward power—recognizing and rewarding achievements—could foster motivation. Conversely, avoiding overuse of coercive power maintains a positive organizational climate and cultivates credibility.

In conclusion, analyzing the communication and leadership styles of the selected individual reveals a predominantly participative and supportive leader who effectively employs various influence strategies and adapts his approach based on situational factors. To maximize his leadership impact, the leader should intentionally incorporate more inclusive decision-making, tailor communication to followers' developmental levels, and balance task and people orientations. These adjustments, grounded in established leadership theories, can foster enhanced trust, engagement, and organizational performance.

References

• Hesselbein, F., Goldmith, M., & Beckhard, R. (Eds.). (1996). The leader of the future: New visions, strategies, and practice for the next era. Jossey-Bass.
• Farren, C., & Kaye, B. L. (1996). New skills for new leadership roles. In F. Hesselbein, M. Goldsmith, & R. Beckhard (Eds.), The leader of the future: New visions, strategies, and practice for the next era (pp. 187–191). Jossey-Bass.
• Hamel, G., & Prahalad, C. K. (1996). In F. Hesselbein, M. Goldsmith, & R. Beckhard (Eds.), The leader of the future: New visions, strategies, and practice for the next era (p. 186). Jossey-Bass.
• Goleman, D. (2000). Leadership that gets results. Harvard Business Review, 78(2), 78–90.
• Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (1988). Management of organizational behavior: Utilizing human resources (5th ed.). Prentice-Hall.
• Blake, R. R., & Mouton, J. S. (1985). The managerial grid: The key to leadership excellence. Gulf Publishing Company.
• French, J. R. P., & Raven, B. (1959). The bases of social power. In D. Cartwright (Ed.), Studies in social power (pp. 150–167). University of Michigan.
• Tannenbaum, R., & Schmidt, W. H. (1958). How to choose a leadership pattern. Harvard Business Review, 36(2), 95–101.
• Charles, H. (1992). Understanding organizations: Theories and concepts. Routledge.
• Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice (8th ed.). Sage Publications.