Phil
New member
Even though most of the world of business within US uses standard leadership doctrine consistent with the long study available at ExploringYourMind.com, I want to talk about servant leadership (2018). I apologize in advance for all of the weird adds they have, that in my opinion, are more of a nuisance. Either way, the site does identify five types of leadership:
1. Laissez-faire: Upper management assigns tasks (delegation). This style is ideal for when the team or group under the leader consists of experienced members. The disadvantage is that even though the team may not always need a leader to guide them, odds are the leader would not be there when the team does need him or her.
2. Autocratic: This style is better known as micro-management. This style would be effective if the team members were all new or inexperienced. However, on the down side, team members who are self-motivated or independent would resent the over-the-shoulder presence of the leader.
3. Democratic: The democratic leader would actually listen to feedback, which is suitable if everyone on the team has a A-type (active) personality. Again, similar to autocratic, everyone on the team having a similar personality is extremely unlikely (closer to impossible). While the members with a-type of mebers would not mind voicing their opinions, those with B-type (passive) personalities would likely just stay mum.
4. Transactional: Involves implementing a balance of reward and punishment* based on the team member's effectiveness but not necessarily the job itself *(a.k.a., carrot and stick). The disadvantage here is that if the leader does not keep an eye out for it, the spirit of competitiveness may disable the team members' relationship with each other as well as with the leader.
5. Transformational: Similar to transactional, except that the focus for reward verses reprimand would focus on the work the team members have competed.
6. (1-5): (ExploringYourMind.com, 2018).
Strange... The most important, successful and inspiring leadership style was not listed. For that style, one would need to jump over to Greenleaf.org (n.d.). Servant leadership is a style that focuses on the phases of team building (form, storm, norm, perform, leave a legacy). The style focuses on bettering the members, the team, the community and future generations. Servant leadership includes the most effective form of member development, which is known as the EDGE concept (Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable). Here, leaders use the spirit of competitiveness in an encouraging manner so that all members have an opportunity to do better while helping others do better. The term 'selfless service' is, indeed, an important characteristic. Servant leadership is most common in nonprofit organizations, like the Boy Scouts of America.
One might ask, "If servant leadership sounds so good, makes sense, is so successful and is already in existence, why have so many organizations not tried it yet?"
Well, I can try to answer that, You see, the common aspect among all of the leadership styles is setting the example. Meanwhile, upper management like results, especially good results. So, until leaders start setting the example by using servant leadership (for a small group or team), the desire for change across the rest of the organization remains pending. Furthermore, organizations usually do not like change because they fail to manage it appropriately. "Find a good leadership team that can encourage change and you will find a good team under them" (Phil, 2018).
So, here are my questions to the audience...
What type of leadership style is present where you work?
What type of leadership style do you think the US Military uses?
What leadership style seems most effective and why?
Challenge: Is there another leadership style that I have not listed here? If so, what is it and how would you describe it?
If you wanted to practice servant leadership in your place of work, would your organization permit you to do so?
#Be the positive change that you want to see in your world
Respectfully yours,
Phil
Resources:
ExploringYourMind.com (201). Retrieved from: https://exploringyourmind.com/5-types-leaders/
Greenleaf.org (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://www.greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/
Editing notes; Corrected a few typos.
1. Laissez-faire: Upper management assigns tasks (delegation). This style is ideal for when the team or group under the leader consists of experienced members. The disadvantage is that even though the team may not always need a leader to guide them, odds are the leader would not be there when the team does need him or her.
2. Autocratic: This style is better known as micro-management. This style would be effective if the team members were all new or inexperienced. However, on the down side, team members who are self-motivated or independent would resent the over-the-shoulder presence of the leader.
3. Democratic: The democratic leader would actually listen to feedback, which is suitable if everyone on the team has a A-type (active) personality. Again, similar to autocratic, everyone on the team having a similar personality is extremely unlikely (closer to impossible). While the members with a-type of mebers would not mind voicing their opinions, those with B-type (passive) personalities would likely just stay mum.
4. Transactional: Involves implementing a balance of reward and punishment* based on the team member's effectiveness but not necessarily the job itself *(a.k.a., carrot and stick). The disadvantage here is that if the leader does not keep an eye out for it, the spirit of competitiveness may disable the team members' relationship with each other as well as with the leader.
5. Transformational: Similar to transactional, except that the focus for reward verses reprimand would focus on the work the team members have competed.
6. (1-5): (ExploringYourMind.com, 2018).
Strange... The most important, successful and inspiring leadership style was not listed. For that style, one would need to jump over to Greenleaf.org (n.d.). Servant leadership is a style that focuses on the phases of team building (form, storm, norm, perform, leave a legacy). The style focuses on bettering the members, the team, the community and future generations. Servant leadership includes the most effective form of member development, which is known as the EDGE concept (Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable). Here, leaders use the spirit of competitiveness in an encouraging manner so that all members have an opportunity to do better while helping others do better. The term 'selfless service' is, indeed, an important characteristic. Servant leadership is most common in nonprofit organizations, like the Boy Scouts of America.
One might ask, "If servant leadership sounds so good, makes sense, is so successful and is already in existence, why have so many organizations not tried it yet?"
Well, I can try to answer that, You see, the common aspect among all of the leadership styles is setting the example. Meanwhile, upper management like results, especially good results. So, until leaders start setting the example by using servant leadership (for a small group or team), the desire for change across the rest of the organization remains pending. Furthermore, organizations usually do not like change because they fail to manage it appropriately. "Find a good leadership team that can encourage change and you will find a good team under them" (Phil, 2018).
So, here are my questions to the audience...
What type of leadership style is present where you work?
What type of leadership style do you think the US Military uses?
What leadership style seems most effective and why?
Challenge: Is there another leadership style that I have not listed here? If so, what is it and how would you describe it?
If you wanted to practice servant leadership in your place of work, would your organization permit you to do so?
#Be the positive change that you want to see in your world
Respectfully yours,
Phil
Resources:
ExploringYourMind.com (201). Retrieved from: https://exploringyourmind.com/5-types-leaders/
Greenleaf.org (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://www.greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/
Editing notes; Corrected a few typos.
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