Ldr 531
Leadership Theory and Style Paper
Songkran Walker
University of Phoenix
LDR/531 Organizational Leadership
Aug 18, 2010
Ryan Lueders
Determining Your Perfect Position
Leadership can be defined as a process by which one individual influences others toward the attainment of group or organizational goals. There are three points about leadership that should be emphasized. First, leadership is a social influence process. Leadership cannot exist without a leader and one or more followers. Second, leadership elicits voluntary action on the part of followers. The voluntary nature of compliance separates leadership from other types of influence based on formal authority. Finally, leadership results in followers ' behavior that is purposeful and goal-directed in some sort of organized setting. Many although not all, studies of leadership focus on the nature of leadership in the workplace (Advameg Inc., 2010). Leadership should be distinguished from management. Management involves planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling, and a manager is someone who performs these functions. A manager has formal authority by virtue of his or her position or office. Leadership, by contrast, primarily deals with influence. A manager may or may not be an effective leader. A leader 's ability to influence others may be based on a variety of factors other than his or her formal authority or position (Advameg Inc., 2010). To be an effective leader one must know what his or her personal leadership style is. For example, I took the personal leadership assessment and my results are as follows: What’s My Leadership Style? I scored a 9 on concern for other people and a 17 for task. This assessment taps the degree to which you are task or people-oriented. This explains if a person can get the job done and how a person interacts with people and group members. I learned based on my scores that not only that I can get the job done, but my
Songkran Walker
University of Phoenix
LDR/531 Organizational Leadership
Aug 18, 2010
Ryan Lueders
Determining Your Perfect Position
Leadership can be defined as a process by which one individual influences others toward the attainment of group or organizational goals. There are three points about leadership that should be emphasized. First, leadership is a social influence process. Leadership cannot exist without a leader and one or more followers. Second, leadership elicits voluntary action on the part of followers. The voluntary nature of compliance separates leadership from other types of influence based on formal authority. Finally, leadership results in followers ' behavior that is purposeful and goal-directed in some sort of organized setting. Many although not all, studies of leadership focus on the nature of leadership in the workplace (Advameg Inc., 2010). Leadership should be distinguished from management. Management involves planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling, and a manager is someone who performs these functions. A manager has formal authority by virtue of his or her position or office. Leadership, by contrast, primarily deals with influence. A manager may or may not be an effective leader. A leader 's ability to influence others may be based on a variety of factors other than his or her formal authority or position (Advameg Inc., 2010). To be an effective leader one must know what his or her personal leadership style is. For example, I took the personal leadership assessment and my results are as follows: What’s My Leadership Style? I scored a 9 on concern for other people and a 17 for task. This assessment taps the degree to which you are task or people-oriented. This explains if a person can get the job done and how a person interacts with people and group members. I learned based on my scores that not only that I can get the job done, but my
References: Pearson Education Ltd., (2007). Self Assessment Library. Retrieved on Aug 17, 2010 from online website at https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/sas/robbins_sal3v3/sal3v3web.html Fred E. Fiedler, (2010). Compare and Contrast Leadership Theory. Retrieved on Aug 17, 2010 from online website at http://www.leadershipstyle.net/compare-contrast.htm Advameg Inc., (2010). Leadership Theories and Studies. Retrieved on Aug 17, 2010 from online website at http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Int-Loc/Leadership-Theories-and- Studies.html Pagewise, (2002). Styles of Leadership. Retrieved on Aug 17, 2010 from online website at http://www.essortment.com/all/leadershipstyle_rrnq.htm 1