Entry 1: Leadership Theories

Leadership is a complex phenomenon that has assumed a diverse set of perspectives and meanings. While some define leadership as a set of traits, others look at it as “excellence management” or “scientific management” or even “whole-soul(spiritual) endeavor”(Fairholm 2004). To understand what leadership is, it is important to learn these different perspectives along with their context and scope. It is in this regard that the article “Leadership: Current Theories, Research and Future Directions” helps in appreciating the various dimensions of leadership.

From http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.163621?journalCode=psych

I had great opportunities to interact with leaders during my internships at General Electric Company, my studies at Virginia Tech and my schooling in India. When I think of what makes each of these great people a leader, there is no one single answer that could explain it all. The deliverable expected of a leader changes from one workplace to the other and from one country to the other. In the academe, some are leaders by virtue of their technical expertise while in the industry communication skills is the key asset for a leader. Organizations with hierarchical structures generally support top-down leadership approach while others that are non-formal allow and even encourage the emergence of bottom-up leaders. While leadership focus in India is results-driven, in the US, the process along with the results influences the leadership focus.

I think it is very important to understand the leadership needs of the environment, before considering the means by which I could contribute to the growth of the organization. The various ideas mentioned in Avolio’s article provide valuable cues in analyzing leadership styles of different leaders and learning important lessons from the success and failure of these leaders. It also helps me to keep an open mind about defining my own leadership philosophy.