Leadership Theories

The three leadership theories that I chose and that play a large role in my personal philosophy are authentic leadership, situational approach, and servant leadership. I discovered that each of these theories promote a leader I aspire to become and require qualities I can improve on.

Authentic leadership has no single definition, but multiple viewpoints on the term. However, these leaders have a genuine desire to serve others, they know themselves and they feel free to lead from their core values. Authentic leaders are passionate about their work and build honest relationships with those around them. It highlights the authenticity of a leader and continues to stay in the formative phase of development, which is unique from any other theory we have previously covered. Becoming an authentic leader is a goal I strive to achieve, for these types of leaders are confident in themselves and aim to establish a connection with others. Building strong relationships with your followers is extremely important when being a leader, and authentic leader not only make relationships with their co-workers, but shape them into strong bonds as well. By committing to your followers and showing interest in their lives, they are more likely to stay loyal and committed to you and the company. Without authenticity, I find it difficult to build honest relationships with one another and feel genuinely happy in your work environment. I specifically chose this theory because although it is still forming, it allows us as leaders to be our true selves rather than feeling the pressure of putting on a fake persona. We can be honest with our followers and form true relationships that can potentially help us unexpected incidences occur. By sharing our thoughts and feelings with those in our company, our followers will feel comfortable to do the same.

Furthermore, the next theory I chose was situational approach, which focuses on leadership in different situations. It stresses that leadership is made up of both a supportive and directive dimension, and that each is needed to be applied appropriately in a given situation. This is extremely important to know as a leader in a company, for there are different roles that must be assigned to a follower who is trained in that department. For example, someone who has played a quarterback position on his college football team will find it more difficult when asked to play on defense. Because that player was trained to play in a specific role, it will be more challenging when moved to a different position, for he has no experience being on defense. The SLII model shows four different behavioral patterns displayed when a person strives to influence others. It consists of directing style, which is when the leader focuses on achievement rather than being supportive, coaching approach, where the leader is both supportive and achieves the goal, supporting approach, where the leader focuses on supporting but less on achieving goals, and delegating approach, where the leader gives neither input or support. I find situational approach extremely important when learning about leadership because it allows us to learn that people work in different ways and are better in other departments than others. It takes us as a leader to identify these qualities and place our followers in the correct role, while still maintaining a supportive attitude and motivation to reach the common goal.

Lastly servant leadership is extremely important in becoming a leader, for it is where the leader puts aside his or her own personal aspirations, and focuses on the followers’ needs. This approach is extremely important to me because I believe that leading in a selfless way is essential to becoming an influential leader. It mirrors the noble way Jesus treated his followers and the loyalty he earned by being honest and charitable. Servant leadership is also labeled as a behavior, meaning it can be learned by anyone. It allows leaders to remember to put their followers before them, and help them grow and succeed, rather than use them as a stepping stone to success. Furthermore, servant leaders are aware of their actions, and choose to behave ethically, even if it results to negative consequences. Servant leadership can also be applied at all levels of management, not just a specific level. By being a selfless leader, you enhance your followers performance and motivation to grow and succeed, along with improving your company. Though people have found negatives to this form of leadership, I believe that being a servant leader is essential to becoming a positive company, and maintaining a happy life.