The work of any team, whether it is a group of people interested in common values or interests or employees of the same company, always depends on the type of the leader who represents their notions and goals. Currently, there are two approaches to leadership abilities: behavioral and situational. Each of them has its pitfalls and can be applied in various situations regarding distinct cases and issues.
Behavioral leadership theory focuses on how leaders behave and assumes that other leaders can copy these traits. The style theory suggests that leaders are not born successful but can be created based on learnable behavior (Purohit, 2020). On the other side, situational leadership means adapting a leader’s management style to each unique situation or task to meet the needs of the team or team members (Wolf, 2022). Although the two methods may be used differently, Zenger and Folkman point out that the quality of trust is essential for any leader (2022). In their opinion, in the current situation, when many employees are trying to perform only the tasks assigned and expected from them, leaders are obliged to “have positive relationships with all of your direct reports” (Zenger & Folkman, 2022). This particular issue is far from being rare and insignificant.
A similar situation develops daily in my practice as well when top management does not always understand how to promote the ultimate goals of their employees. This problem, in my personal experience, was solved precisely thanks to the general contact and dialogue, which allowed me to convey my vision of a common problem. In a word, it is the ability to find shared interests with all employees that effectively affects the entire team’s performance.
In addition, one should not forget that, for example, 360-degree feedback can play a significant role in the context of respect for the individual in the workplace. The five behavioral elements of trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results will impact any leader. For instance, if a leader is committed to a situational approach, trust will be crucial in recognizing employees regardless of gender, age, and views (Bracken & Rose, 2011). It can also play a significant role in resolving conflicts, which, despite their natural presence, always move the process forward and help solve existing problems.
References
Bracken, D. W., & Rose, D. S. (2011). When does 360-degree feedback create behavior change? and how would we know it when it does?Journal of Business and Psychology, 26(2), 183–192. Web.
Purohit, R. (2020). Review on Study of Behavioral Approach to Leadership. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP), 11(1), 170–173. Web.
Wolf, J. (2022). Situational leadership: What it is and how to build it. Situational Leadership: What it Is and How to Build It (With Examples). Web.
Zenger, J., & Folkman, J. (2022). Quiet quitting is about bad bosses, not bad employees. Harvard Business Review. Web.