Perfect_Position

As a valued and veteran employee one is presented with a unique opportunity to determine the leadership position that best suits him or her. As an experienced employee, one is familiar with the vision and goals of the organization. By identifying one’s strengths and weaknesses in leadership attributes, can help define a perfect position that best fits the employee and the organization. Also, by comparing and contrasting leadership theories and applying personal leadership style can gain insight to finding the perfect position. Leadership is defined as the ability to influence a group towards the achievement of a vision or set of goals (Robbins & Judge, 2007). For an organization to be successful there must be an effective leader and management team in place. There are several theories of leadership that facilitate in defining the traits of a leader. The first of the theories is trait theories of leadership. This theory focuses on personal qualities and characteristics such as, being charismatic, enthusiastic and courageous (Robbins & Judge, 2007). Another trait that is being used to support this theory is emotional intelligence. Being aware of other people’s needs motivates people to follow that leader. Having a high emotional intelligence has recently been proven as an effective leadership trait, and traits are good at predicting leaders. Behavioral theories propose that specific behaviors differentiate leaders (Robbins & Judge, 2007). The behavioral theory indicates that once these behaviors are identified, they can be taught. There is an opposing perspective that an effective leader is more than intricate than a few traits and behaviors. The contingency theory model states that the performance of the group is dependent on the proper leadership style, and the degree to which the situation gives control to the leader. The theory uses leadership styles appropriate to the needs created by organizational situations. Therefore, there is no one leadership style that is most effective. The earliest research in this theory defines situations as leader-member relations, task structure, and position power. A leader-member relation is the amount of confidence and trust members have in their leader. Task structure is the level at which the job assignments are procedurized. Position power is the influence the leader has over hiring, firing, discipline, and promotion (Robbins & Judge 2007). Situational leadership theory is a contingency theory that focuses on the followers (Robbins & Judge, 2007). For a leader to be successful the followers have to accept the individual as their leader, and effectiveness also depends on the actions of the followers. By leaders acknowledging the importance of the followers this can increase motivation and performance. Perhaps the most positive element is this theory teaches leaders flexibility, and that one style cannot fit all situations. For a leader to be purposeful in their direction the theory states, they need to evaluate the follower’s readiness level (Robbins & Judge, 2007). The path-goal theory of leadership explains how the behavior of a leader influences job satisfaction and performance. The leader is to provide the followers with information and support to help the followers achieve the goal. Path-goal theory continues to describe the behaviors of leaders and groups them as, supportive, directive, participative and achievement-oriented leadership (Yuki, 2006). The leader-member-exchange theory states that a leader will categorize its follower’s. There will be the in-group who is closest to the leader, and is most trusted by the leader. The other followers are the out-group, and they receive the least amount of the leader’s time and with formal interactions. The key point to note in this theory is the leader is choosing to categorize, but it is the follower’s characteristics that driving the leaders decision (Robbins & Judge, 2007). It is important to look within ones’ self to determine what leadership qualities exist, and become aware of the strengths and weaknesses. Using self-assessments is an excellent tool. Knowing your leadership style will give the opportunity to put you in situations for success. Determining leadership style centers on task or people oriented. Task oriented focuses on getting the job done, and people-oriented concentrates on the needs of the individual. A good leader is a balance between the two because if a leader is too task oriented, they tend to be too dominant, and if a leader is too people oriented productivity may suffer because the environment is too relaxed. The trait leadership theory uses charisma as one of the characteristics demonstrated by leaders. Charismatic leaders are identified as heroic, self confident and extraordinary leaders. For a leader to rise in success, the followers must perceive the leader as trustworthy (Self Assessments Prentice Hall). The assessments are designed to give a better understanding on your personal leadership style. After taking prentice hall self assessments, it concluded that my leadership style is well balanced. My score was high for the concern of the people and for the concern of the task. The assessments also revealed that I am charismatic, and I feel very strong about my convictions and beliefs. I am also trusted by others. Great leaders have trusting relationships with those they lead. My weakness is in disciplining others. The assessment showed some deficiencies in how I would discipline employees. The areas of improvement were to give ample warning, set a serious tone and keep the process impersonal. To be a successful leader, I should be able to connect and understand the emotional needs and behavior of individuals within the team. By doing this, I will be able to encourage and create a friendly environment for individuals to complete assigned tasks. This is similar to Hersey’s and Blanchard’s Situational Theory (Robin & Judge, 2007). My employer has a variety of positions that are suitable for my style. I currently work in marketing, and my leadership style indicates that I would be a good fit for management and other leadership type roles. I would like to be a team leader for a highly visible project in China. Now that I have identified my strengths and weaknesses, I can convey these findings to promote my skills. References Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2007). Organizational behavior (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Yuki, G. (2006). Leadership in organizations (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.