Vision of Leadership

How would you lead in this changing world? 

Lofgren (2017), stated “There is no one-size-fits-all leadership strategy”, I completely agree with this statement. Every individual has own unique attributes, and every team possesses its own unique chemistry.

There is no such leadership that can fit all situations, an effective leader should be able to coordinate diverse teams, bring together people from different backgrounds and personalities, and lead them towards a common goal.

Besides the variety of people, the world continues to change every day. It is essential to remain flexible in order to cope with the rapidly changing environment. In one situation, a particular leadership style might be effective, but in another, it could be disastrous.  

 

The situational model of leadership suggests that no single leadership style is best (Cherry, 2020). It’s an adaptive leadership style that considers the different characteristics among team members, balances the various factors at work, and selects the appropriate leadership style for the given situation. 

For example, if you are forming a team with young members that are not very experienced, Telling (S1) might be your first choice. The team leader works closely with the team, providing supervision and guidance. When the team grows mature and experiences enough, the leadership style can be adjusted to Participation (S3). Eventually, the team may achieve hands-off leadership with Delegating (S4), where the leader takes on more responsibilities and makes most of the decisions, it also serves as a way to train up a new leader.  

This situational leadership example perfectly demonstrated how leadership style can be tailored to different situations, such as the personality of team members, the maturity of the team, and even the business environment. As a leader in this changing world, you must be aware of what is happening and when that change occurs, support your team to embrace the changes, adapt your approach to work proactively.

Inspiration – How transformational leadership reshaped Apple? 

Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, when the tech company he co-founded more than two decades earlier was on the verge of failure, Steve Jobs retook his seat back with Apple and transformed the company from a computer business to a music and phone device giant (Fell, 2011).   

Steve Jobs adopted a transformational leadership model to revamp the company

His transformation of the company completely changed Apple, and has had a profound effect on the world. Jobs hired key people for Apple's design, marketing and product teams, and united them under his visionary leadership. Instead of an autocratic leadership style, he embraced a more transformational style after returning.

Having read this, I am more inclined to believe that transformational leadership would accommodate the modern world better. Transformational leaders inspire change through their enthusiasm, they are usually inspirational and persuasive.

Aspiration 

Leadership styles cannot be standardized for every situation, and you don't have to conform to one particular style. My personal preferences are transformational leadership and democratic leadership. For both to succeed, excellent communication skills, transparency, and participation are necessary. Furthermore, the team members' personalities, abilities and experience, as well as their needs and value, must also be understood. 

Abraham Maslow studied human motivations, categorizing them into Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (Mack, 2021). This model has assisted leaders in understanding and developing leadership that satisfies employees' needs. 

There are three stages of human needs: basic, psychological, and self-fulfilment. Basic needs can easily be met by providing employees with a reasonable salary, a safe and secure workplace environment. After the employee's basic needs have been met, psychological needs will be sought. This can be satisfied by building up a friendly and helpful team atmosphere, encouraging team members to participate, rewarding them when they achieve the goal, constantly communicating with them, and showing appreciation for their efforts. Growing in responsibility and involvement in the decision-making process will enable team members to achieve their full potential and reach their self-actualization needs.  

I believe supporting our team members appropriately helps us achieve our goals as leaders. The team can better innovate and be more productive when they are satisfied and motivated. Take the time to consider what the employees need, and as a leader, we will benefit too.

Conclusion  

Our world changes every day. As leaders, we need to think and act in advance of these changes. Adapting to the changes and adjusting ourselves is necessary to lead effectively in different circumstances, one framework cannot cover everything. Our most valuable asset is the people we work with, it is crucial that we understand them, communicate with them, and cooperate as a team in order to be successful towards the goal.  

References

Cherry, K. (2020). The Situational Theory of Leadership.  https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-situational-theory-of-leadership-2795321

Fell, Jason. (2011). How Steve Jobs Saved Apple. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220604

Futcher, C. (2019). Transformational Leadership Examples: How to Succeed Like the Best in the Business. https://info.cavendishwood.com/blog/transformational-leadership-examples

Lawrence, G. (2021). Democratic vs. Transformational Leadership Style. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/democratic-vs-transformational-leadership-style-17757.html

Lofgren, J. (2017). What Type Of Leader Do You Want To Be? https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/06/15/what-type-of-leader-do-you-want-to-be/?sh=2115520420d3

Mack, S. (2021). Maslow's Theory & Approach to Leadership Style. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/maslows-theory-approach-leadership-style-71607.html