BH3319 Theory and Practice of Leadership assign

Leadership is, and always has been, a vital aspect of social and economic constructs. It is essential to the survival of societies, industries, organizations, and virtually any group of individuals that come together for a common purpose. However, leadership is difficult to define in a single, definitive sense. As such, theories of leadership, what constitutes a great leader, and how leaders are made have evolved constantly throughout history, and still continue to change today in hopes of improving upon our understanding of leadership, its importance, and how it can be most effective in modern organizational cultures.

Leadership can been described as a process of social influence in which a person can enlist the aid and support of others in the

Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task”...

Leadership is and has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task”[1]. A definition more

According to North house (2012), “for some people, leadership is a trait or an ability, for others it is a skill or a behavior, and for still others it is a relationship or process” (p. 7). What truly defines leadership is at times difficult to grasp, because many see leadership in various ways. Being a leader requires a mix of all of the complexities of leadership, and the views on which leadership qualities are important are shaped by personal experiences. The text suggests we think about

Leadership lacks a universal definition, there are too many variables that make each situation unique and different. Kouzes and Posner’s book, the Truth About Leadership, takes an alternative approach, stating ten actualities that exemplify proper leadership. By staying constant to these truths, there is opportunity for individual customization of a leadership definition or style best suited to oneself.

In literature, there are various definitions of leadership with many concentrating on influence processes used in pursuing a goal or set of goals (Sashkin, 1988; Yukl, 2002). Rauch and Behling (1984) provides additional insight into the definition of leadership as a “process

Sampling of thinking about leadership from different perspectives as well as from various time periods and cultures will be given.

Answer - leadership can be defined as an art of motivating a group of people to act towards attaining a same goal. In other words, the process of encouraging and promoting others

For decade’s individuals, companies, and organizations have spent an unprecedented amount of money on researching, molding, modeling and working to define what a leader is and what characteristics make successful leaders. With all the research, there is not a quick answer or even full agreement as to what makes an individual an effective leader. The definition of a leader is “someone who can influence others and who has managerial authority.” (Robbins, Decenzo, Coulter, 2015. P.370)

What traits make a good leader? There are many views on what actually makes a good leader. In this paper, I will describe five leadership theories, identify and explain the traits that are exemplified in each theory and provide a scenario, and choose one leadership theory that I believe would be most effective in an organization of my choice and explain why. The following theories will be described in the information to follow: Great Man theory, Contingency theory, Participative leadership theory, Transactional leadership theory, and Transformational leadership theory.

On leader’s traits, scholars assert leaders’ personal characteristics can affect the success of organisation. Lord, De Vader, Alliger (1986) and Mann (1959) both consider the characteristic of leader should include intelligence, extrovert, dominance, masculinity, conservatism and adjustability. Moreover, Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991) and Zaccaro, Kemp and Bader (2004) both consider leader should also have motivation and cognitive ability in their characteristics.

Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.”

“Being a leader is a complex fate. Although contradictions and clashing expectations are part of life, they are especially present in the exercise of leadership” (Cronin and Genovese 2012, 1).

For decade’s individuals, companies, and organizations have spent an unprecedented amount of money on researching, molding, modeling and working to define what a leader is and what characteristics make successful leaders. Despite all the research, there is not a quick answer or even full agreement as to what makes an individual an effective leader. The definition of a leader is “someone who can influence others and who has managerial authority.” (Robbins, Decenzo, Coulter, 2015. P.370)