Theory of Strategic Leadership Definition of Leadership “Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not by attributes” - Peter Ducker (Writer, Management Consultant, Self-described ‘social ecologist’) “The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers.” - Peter Ducker “Process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.” – Wikipedia (The Free Encyclopedia) Strategic Leadership Definition Breaking it by word it is simply strategy + leadership. Strategy is a method or plan chosen to bring about a desired future, such as achievement of a goal or solution to a problem. Leadership is about leading, influencing, …show more content…
The term "Great Man" was used because, at the time, leadership was thought of primarily as a male quality, especially in terms of military leadership. c. The mythology behind some of the world's most famous leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, Julius Caesar, Mahatma Gandhi, and Alexander the Great helped contribute to the notion that great leaders are born and not made. d. In many examples, it seems as if the right man for the job seems to emerge almost magically to take control of a situation and lead a group of people into safety or success. 2. Trait Theory a. The trait model of leadership is based on the characteristics of many leaders - both successful and unsuccessful - and is used to predict leadership effectiveness. b. The resulting lists of traits are then compared to those of potential leaders to assess their likelihood of success or failure c. Core traits identified are: i. Achievement drive: High level of effort, high levels of ambition, energy and initiative ii. Leadership motivation: an intense desire to lead others to reach shared goals iii. Honesty and integrity: trustworthy, reliable, and …show more content…
However, because task-oriented leaders don’t tend to think much about the well-being of their teams, this approach can suffer many of the flaws of autocratic leadership, with difficulties in motivating and retaining staff. 9. Transactional Leadership a. This style of leadership starts with the idea that the team members agree to obey their leader totally when they accept a job. The “transaction” is usually the organization paying the team members in return of their effort and compliance. b. The leader has a right to “punish” team members if their work doesn’t meet the pre-determined standard. Team members can do little to improve their job satisfaction under transactional leadership. c. This is really a type of management, not a true leadership style because the focus is on short-term tasks. d. It has serious limitations for knowledge-based or creative work; however it can be effective in other situations. 10. Transformational Leadership a. People with this style are true leaders who inspire their teams constantly with a shared vision of the future. b. While this leader’s enthusiasm is often passed on to the team, he/she need to be supported by “detail people”. That’s why, in many organizations, both transactional and transformational leadership are