Leadership Style That Changed Over The Years - 1716 Words

Leadership is often an ambiguous term used to describe those individuals who are managing people and processes. There are as many styles of leadership as there are industries who utilize them. Most often, the culture of an industry creates a particular type of leader or manager, and individuals who wish to become leaders must change their style to reflect that of the culture. However, I believe that everyone has a leadership style that reflects who they are, and if provided the opportunity to utilize their natural tendencies toward leadership, can create a style that is uniquely theirs. This paper will reflect on the leadership style that I feel is closer to the unique style I possess. I will also discuss the style in which I feel less†¦show more content†¦In order to become a more effective leader, we must look for a style, or combination of styles, that best reflects who we are within. Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Theory According to Hersey and Blanchard (Daft, 2015, p. 68), the Situational Theory’s emphasis is on the followers. This theory relies on the followers’ readiness level to determine the style of the leadership required. This theory demands that the leader takes into account the knowledge, skill level and learning capacity of each of their subordinates and alter their leadership style to accommodate for each followers’ level. There are four types of leadership styles according to Hersey and Blanchard. (Daft, 2015, p. 69) Directing, coaching, supporting and entrusting. Each of these styles reflects where the individual team members are positioned on a readiness scale and can change dependent upon individual needs and goals. Under the Hersey-Blanchard theory, if the follower has a low readiness level, then the leader would utilize the directing style of leadership. This requires a more task-oriented, pro-active approach by the leader. This style is generally used for new employees and allows the leader to provide detailed instruction for how to complete a process with explicit timelines for completion. The leader frequently follows up with the employee to ensure understanding and competency during the learning process. This method of leadership ensures that the employee is provided