Leadership Studies

Question

“In your view, which leadership theory has the greatest practical application? Why?” (Look back at all the leaders you have encountered and consider which to be the most successful; utilize this in relationship to the concepts you have studied.) Your meaningful feedback should reflect all four categories: Reflect, Inquire, Suggest, and Elevate (RISE Model)
Discipline: Organizational Behavior and Development Wk 7 Prompt 

Answer

Leadership Theory: Transformational Leadership

Leaders are charged with the responsibility of guiding their followers towards a common objective. The form of leadership a leader employs in implementing goals may vary depending on the followers as well as the situation. However, it is important that the leaders also involve the input of the team in achieving the goals for greater success and improved teamwork. In my perspective, transformational leadership is the most applicable theory today since it draws a lot on principles of team involvement.           

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            According to McGuire, & Hutchings, (2007), transformational leaders work under four main elements: influence, motivation, stimulation and consideration. They enable team members to improve themselves and to achieve better results. I agree with this view it encourages team involvement. In my experience, leaders work better when they listen to opinions of their team members in a variety of setups. This is particularly important because in any work environment, some tasks must be delegated.

            Meanwhile, one may wonder whether transformational leadership leads to greater success in all circumstances compared to other theories. Situations vary and tactics employed in handling the situations cannot be the same throughout. In many instances leaders may be troubled by self-doubt, like it happened in the case of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. an American civil rights leader (McGuire & Hutchings, 2007). Self- doubt may hinder the effectiveness of the team since the leader is responsible for the members’ motivation and drive. Incidentally, transformational leadership addresses this problem by prioritizing the need to inspire followers.

            Moreover, self- awareness is vital in improving the effectiveness of transformational leaders. They will work best when they are aware of their inefficiencies as this encourages further delegation of roles in practical contexts, simultaneously developing the spirit of teamwork. Lastly, the application of the theory can also be improved by applying it in a variety of contexts and organizational circumstances especially those ones where other forms of leadership has been used with unsatisfactory results. These efforts will give transformational leaders a great opportunity to put their leadership skills in practice to achieve excellent results.

References

McGuire, D. & Hutchings, K. (2007). Portrait of a transformational leader: The legacy of Dr.

            Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 28(2), 154-

            166.