Contents

• Introduction
• Changes in Leadership Style from General to Situational and some live examples
• Autocratic style
• Democratic style
• How can you implement changing leadership style in your Organization
• Empowerment through Leadership
• Effectiveness of Leadership
• Conclusion
• References

Description

Let us have a look at a few famous definitions of Leadership by some Management Gurus and authors and then try and understand its meaning.
Leadership:
"Leadership occurs when one person induces others to work toward some predetermined objectives." — Massie
"Leadership is the ability of a superior to influence the behavior of a subordinate or group and persuade them to follow a particular course of action." — Chester Bernard
"The ultimate test of practical leadership is the realization of intended, real change that meets people’s enduring needs." — James MacGregor Burns (Source: Legacee, 2009)
Many times, Leadership is confused with Management. There are many attempts made by many Scholars and Management Gurus explaining the difference between the two. Leadership is different from Management. Management is more about managing or handling complicated situations whereas leadership is more about bringing and coping with change. Leaders have a clear vision for the future and based on their vision, they develop direction. This vision of the leader is then communicated by him to people and they are motivated to overcome hurdles and attain the vision. Leadership definition is also influenced by whether we are talking of a leader of a company or a team or section. Organizational leader plays a vital role in developing vision of the entire organization. (Robbins S.P, Millett B., Cacioppe R. & Waters-Marsh T., 1998)
The concept of Situational Leadership was developed by Paul Hersey. According to him, a leader has to adjust his leadership style according to situation in order to be successful and persuade his men to follow him. There is no single style of leadership that ensures success. Change of leadership style with changing situation is all about Situational Leadership. (Paul Hersey and Kenneth H. Blanchard, 1988)