Theories of Leadership

Leadership in a company has never emerged tremendously as it is emerging today; more and more people are getting into the loop of following a particular leadership for the betterment of their organization. It was not until the early twentieth century that leadership started gaining interest.

The early leadership mainly focused on two prospects that focused between the leaders and the followers. Today leadership is much more than these two, there are other variables involved with factors like skill levels, situational factors, etc.

What is Leadership

Leadership is the process of guiding and directing the activities of a group of people in order to achieve a common goal or objective. A leader is an individual who has the ability to influence and motivate others to work towards a shared vision or goal.

Leadership can take many different forms, and can be exercised by individuals in a variety of roles, such as managers, supervisors, team leaders, and executives. Effective leadership involves a combination of qualities such as vision, communication, emotional intelligence, and the ability to inspire and motivate others.

What is Leadership Role

A leadership role is a position in which an individual has the responsibility and authority to guide and direct the activities of a group of people in order to achieve a common goal or objective. Leadership roles can exist in a variety of settings, including businesses, organizations, schools, and government agencies.

Some examples of leadership roles include managers, supervisors, team leaders, and executives. In a leadership role, an individual is responsible for setting goals and objectives, providing guidance and support to their team, making decisions and solving problems, and inspiring and motivating others to achieve their best.

Leadership Theories

There are many theories of leadership, which are frameworks and approaches for understanding and explaining the process of leadership.

Let's take a deeper look at some of the theories of leadership which will help us distinguish among the styles:

1. The Trait Theory

As the term goes, this type of leadership assumes that people inherit certain qualities of being a leader. The Trait theory helps identify leaders with particular personalities or characteristics that they might possess.

2. The Great Man Theory

This theory assumes that the fact that leaders are born and not made, they are inherent. According to this theory, great leaders spot examples of heroes, mythical characters, etc.

3. The Contingency Theory

This theory relates to particular variables in an environment that determines the type of leadership that is best suited for the given situation. There are many success variables and this leadership just helps in dealing with them.

4. The Situational Theory

This theory comes into action when a particular situation demands it. It’s the instant decision-based theoretical concept.

5. Behavioral Theory

Behavioral theory believes in the concept of the root behavior of an individual. According to this theory, the behavior of being a leader is made and not born. This theory encourages people to become leaders through teachings and keen observation techniques.

6. The Participative Theory

This theory takes into account the inputs given by others in decision-making. The leadership encourages people to participate and contribute to the good of the organization.

7. The Management Theory

Helps you focus on the role of supervision and group performance. This theory is based on the reward system and punishment for defaulters.

8. The Relationship Theory

This theory exclusively follows and focuses on the relationship between leaders and their followers. The leaders motivate and also inspire people to achieve the goals of the organization.

9. Transformational Theory

This theory focuses on the relationship between leaders and followers, and suggests that effective leaders inspire and motivate their followers to achieve their full potential.

10. Charismatic Theory

This theory focuses on the role of charisma in leadership, and suggests that effective leaders are able to inspire and influence others through their personal charm and magnetism.

Leaders are the foundation structures of an organization, they are the ones who people follow. Each organization has different theories of leadership that they adhere to. The leadership traits can already be seen in an individual or they can be developed over time, organizations have a keen eye on people who have the zest to build a great leadership future.

Every born leader can generate interest amongst his people depending on the theories of leadership used in their organizations. The ultimate goal of a leader is to motivate people and set rules for disciplined working.