Introduction
Apparently, it is important to understanding and practice true leadership styles due to the current trends of diversification in employment. Today the diversity patterns such as differences in age groups are common phenomenon. There is need for finding different styles that assists leaders to deal with these developments.
The leadership style determines the performance of individual employees and the organization as a unit. Foremost, a highly performing organization equally requires an ambitious achiever and strong leader to steer its activities. Secondly, leadership is guidance or assistance procedures that are mainly concern with the way people create rapport, communicate and live by the challenges (Hargreaves, 155).
According to Hargreaves (155), for a leadership style to be effective, it is imperative to share ideas. It is also important to understand the process of leadership in an organization or company especially when personnel comprise of different age sets/groups.
Considering the probable complexities such as different expectations over the issues concerning needs, differences in believes, synergy or energy levels, expectations, experiences, and technological advancements, a group of such nature requires proper implementation of management strategies.
The age difference is a source of diverse creativity that requires the leader to come up with resourceful styles of governance to meet the high expectations. Arguably, the leadership style has a reciprocating nature, where the leader and followers have different needs, requirements and expectation. In most instances, the leadership styles fail because the different needs lack measurable elements or factors to meet the expectations.
Lastly, it is evident that today there is need to search for or understand leaders and the different styles of administration that are in use. The set goals or performance levels are attainable only when the involved groups have trust on their leaders. Trust is a pre-requisite aspect of leadership, since it calls for those in charge to portray honesty and show concern or care for their employees’ needs and thoughts, but at the same time, leaders must remain accountable over their deeds (MacMillan, 6).
Respect is an inevitable aspect of leadership, therefore the leader ought to show commitments and pronouncements with respect to the opinion of others and respond to their requests amicably and respectably, owing to the thought that differences of opinion is an eminent sign of progress. Leadership presents a set of values that identifies with a firm, such as courageousness, reliability, integrity, competence, honesty, altruism, and fairness (MacMillan, 6).
Background/History of Leadership
Considering the social and scientific definition, leadership is the process that involves interpersonal communication to influence an outcome. According to Northhouse (73), history indicates that leadership is symbolic to the human nature of modifying the attitudes and behaviours of people in order to meet organizational goals and needs.
Leadership styles are therefore a requirement in a company or organization because the techniques involve acts enacted through persuasion or communication as opposed to force. Any instigated control of leadership is a benefit to unite a certain group of people through influence.
How does the leader create the positive influences? The leader must have strategies to influence the behaviours of others through communication. The designated leader is appointed or elected to a position, but she/he need to be an emergent leader because of exerting influences towards achievement of group goals. Every person in a group ought to be an emergent leader especially during various group tasks (Northhouse, 73).
Today, it is important for a designated leader to be acceptable in a group for better outcomes. The group may have shared leadership among members but eventually it is important to have someone responsible for coordination of communication among the members.
Current trends of leadership styles
Today the technological change has made the organizations and companies to be more dynamic, and therefore the leadership styles of focusing attention has equally become vibrant, on-going and very important procedures. The leadership style that attracts the attention of others requires the leader to aim at being in focus over other’s thought at all times.
Current trends indicate that the leader’s values must substantiate human value. It is therefore important for a leader to have good solid knowledge and approaches to combat the organizational differences as well as engage in continuous and alternative choices that steers organization forward in terms of development (Hargreaves, 155).
One of the most fundamental issues concerning leadership involves the ability to communicate effectively. At present, a good leader must be in a position of convincing people on how to focus on the ideas perceived to be important and developmental, while cater for each group.
The methods and styles of communication lack good definition in most organizations/firms. Every leader has a personal way of pronouncement, which varies from formal to casual in both written and spoken structures. The main aim of a leadership style is to have consistency on the ability to attract attention and peoples’ actions.
Today the successful leaders realize that there exists no single and specific method of guiding. The leaders must guide a group’s situation by coming up with the most appropriate leadership behavioral patterns, to combat a situation at hand. This is the only right and most appropriate procedures for the leaders because it involves the whole group and triggers the competency levels.
Conclusion
Leadership styles have a close connection to behavior. In the assessment of a group’s leadership needs, it is necessary to translate skills to communicative behavior. For instance, if a leader finds that a certain group needs strong guidance, it is then wise to suggest direction, make different assignments, and possibly vet unrealistic suggestions. Leadership skills call for one to find and balance the thoughts of members, support facts, and give authority to act.
All the leadership styles have a strong basis on communication, and not skills, experience, or personality. The connection between group members brings about cooperation and unique leadership styles that solve group problem effectively, thus making the group to become more effective (Northhouse, 74). A good or efficient group only requires a small, early but strong guidance to become and remain productive.
Work Cited
Hargreaves, Andy. Teaching in the Knowledge Society: Education in the age of Insecurity. New York, NY: Teachers’ College Press. 2003. Print
MacMillan, Robert. Leadership succession: Cultures of teaching and Educational change. New York, NY: Routledge/Falmer Publication Press. 2000. Print
Northhouse, Peter. G., Leadership: Theory and Practice. London, UK: SAGE Publication press. 2009. Print