Leadership Theory | Useful Information and Unique Article

Theory of leadership theory

During the past three decades, social scientists, for the theoretical formulations of the leadership concept, had been shifting their attention from one aspect to the another. Some sought unitary leadership traits capable of characterizing leaders whenever found; others looked for a constellation of traits constituting general leadership. However, studies guided by this assumption failed to establish the existence of universal leadership traits and no such general list has ever been successfully derived. The inadequacies of the trait approach led some social scientist to search for other variables. The emphasis, therefore, swung away from the leader as an entity complete up to himself, and leadership came to be viewed as a function of the situation. The situations did not abandon the search for significant personality characteristics but they attempted to look for them in situations containing common elements. Soon it was realized that no conception of leadership would be complete unless it considered the structure of the group in which the inter-actions among the members of a group under various conditions.

Research conducted within this orientation did not attempt to find certain universal personality traits; rather it sought to discover what actions were required by groups under varying conditions. Assuming that the organization is not as hard as concrete but is organic, growing and developing or contracting according to the situation, your organizing ability will be constantly in play introducing changes or modifications in the system or ways of doing things. From time to time it is advisable to carry out a survey of the structure of the organization - its bony skeleton. You do not want to make changes in this basic structure too often, for no organization ( like the individual person ) can stand too much change all at once. if you make a major organizational change, and get it wrong, you are struck with the consequences for the next five years - longer, maybe, if it is a very big organization. So it is important to get it right. Here management consultants can be useful. Just as building surveyors help you to assess what needs to be done when you buy a new house, so a good management consultant can cast a professional eye ever your organization and suggest the necessary changes.

We can see, then, that organizational research into leadership can give us some useful insights into the qualities required for successful leadership. Different leadership theory have focused on different aspects of leadership - some of interpersonal interactions, some on motivation, some on expectations and some on change. Each of these leadership theory can contribute to our general understanding of what is going on within organizations - they may not give the whole picture, but they can put another piece into the jigsaw puzzle. But they are not all equally helpful in understanding successful leadership, as opposed to organizational management. If they were to achieve their objectives and in what ways different group-members took part in these group actions. In fact, group-members were considered a major variable in leadership research.

Situational leadership theory was born from the notion that the leaders who will be beneficial to adapt and be flexible to the changing needs of the followers must. "International Journal of Public Administration in January 2003 issue," according to state leader’s leadership theory allows him to work that is required by followers. In other words, situational leaders directed their followers if they adapt or supportive leadership strategies that may warrant such styles. Followers, who may need more direction, the position of leader, leadership can use a directive style. Determines if a leader of followers with a supportive leadership theory can work better, leaders will focus on building relationships with subordinates. Early leadership research focused on the leader himself to the virtual exclusion of other variables. The gradually took the form of a leadership theory, "The great man leadership theory".