Essay Sampe: Approaches to Leadership

What are the approaches to leadership

The primary reason for establishing organizations is to provide goods and services to people. Within the organization, many activities such as communication, learning, and change occur. With the advances in technology, leaders have to use contemporary leadership strategies to ensure their business operations run smoothly. The paper covers approaches to leadership such as trait and behavior, organization conflict and resolution strategies, organizational learning, and technological advances within the organization.

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Trait and behavior theories of leadership

Trait and behavior approaches to leadership are similar in a manner that they both emphasize that there are visible actions that any leader can do in any given situation. George and Jones (2012 p.344) affirm that the common aspect between trait and behavior theories is that they fail to recognize the situation in which leadership occurs. However, Fiedler’s contingency model differs from both trait and behavior in a way that the two do not consider situations where leaders make decisions based on influences. According to Fielder, the focus is situated on the leader’s personal characteristics and his or her situation (George and Jones, 2012 p.346). The major approaches to Fielder’s theory are relationship and task oriented. He asserts that a leaders act in a different way when handling different situations. Broadly, inconsistencies within an organization depend on the leadership approach.

Organizational conflict theory

One source of organizational conflict is decision-making groups. Team members tend to have diverse set of skills, and expertise. George and Jones (2012 p.444) articulate that the differences make them have different viewpoints, which often results in conflict. The major conflict resolution strategy for group decision-making is encouraging group members to listen to each other’s ideas and develop alternatives to promote unity. The other source of conflict is poor communication. Poor communication affects the effectiveness of individuals, groups and the organization (George and Jones, 2012 p.402). Another source of organizational conflict is change. During the change process, impediments such as resistance might arise, which often leads to conflict. Also, Normore (2016) speaks of alternative dispute resolution such as arbitration and mediation as the strategies for resolving disputes with an organization. Employees in an organization can resolve conflict through organizational learning.

What is organizational learning

Organizational learning is the process where leaders of an organization attempt to increase their employee’s ideas and ability to make decisions that result in productivity within the firm. It relates to decision-making in a way that it makes managers to make better decisions. Through organizational learning, organizations can come up with the right decisions and reduce decision-making errors. Due to changes in technology, managers have to create a learning environment through proper communication.

Communication in organization

Technological advances have changed the ways that people communicate in an organization in the last 15 years in a way that they have had efficient communication systems established. The two valuable uses of information technology in an organization are internet and intranet. George and Jones (2012 p. 20) avow that many companies are now able to communicate virtually to remain competitive. Similarly, Linda and Dennis (2013 p.7) articulate that advances in cyberinfrastructure and the internet have changed the nature of virtual teams. Additionally, IT has changed the way that people think in the context of organizational behavior. On a large note, information technology has reduced the cost of communication for organizations in a manner that they can now transmit messages via emails through their laptops, computers, and smartphone devices.

In summary, organization behavior is significant in any firm. Leaders have to maintain working relationships with their employees to run the day-to-day activities smoothly. Members of the firm have to gain an understanding and knowledge to realize how their decisions and actions impact the company. Overall, it is important for the management to create a secure and fostering environment for all employees.

References

George, J. M., Jones, G. R. (2012). Understanding and Managing Organizational Behavio. (6thed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Linda, L. P. and Dennis, K. M. (2013). The SAGE Handbook of Organizational Communication: Advances in Theory, Research, and Methods. New York: SAGE

Normore, A. H. (2016). Handbook of Research on Effective Communication, Leadership, and Conflict Resolution. Hershey: IGI Global.