Leadership Theory and Principles - Term Paper Example

Leadership Theory and Principles Affiliation Introduction Leadership refers to the process through an individual influences others to achieve an objective. In addition, it refers to the criteria by which an individual directs a particular organization such that it becomes more coherent and cohesive. Good qualities of leadership among various individuals develop through different processes such as training, self-study, education and experience (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). Various scholars and experts in different social, political and business contexts throughout the centuries have developed leadership theories. Some of the leadership theories focus on the qualities that distinguish leaders and their followers (Bennis, 1989). In addition, other leadership theories highlight on the levels of skills and an individuals approach towards various aspects of leadership in a particular context in the society. Leadership is a core element of the society because it promotes effective organization, planning, and decision-making processes in the society. On a personal level, I take an evolved approach to leadership based on experiences in different social contexts. In this case, my personal definition of leadership is the ability to stimulate and motivate people to act towards a desired goal or vision. Leadership would not only focus on the goal or vision but also help the workers to rise to their full capabilities while accomplishing the goal or mission of an organization. In addition, effective leadership qualities are developed by establishing an individual’s weaknesses and initiating appropriate measures to promote leadership (Bennis, 1989). The establishment of the characteristics of my weaknesses in the interacting with different people in the society contributes to the development of good leadership qualities. The experience also enables me to develop effective problem-solving strategies in different social contexts. Addition, good leadership is developed through embracing of the challenges an individual faces in interacting and resolving issues in the society (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). Leadership Challenge Leadership challenges vary depending on various aspects such as behavioral, psychological and social context. The challenges an individual faces in a particular leadership position are essential in enhancing leadership development in them. In addition, the process of overcoming some of the challenges to effective leadership is crucial in establishing a confident approach to various arguments in a particular context (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). Leadership challenges refer to various social and behavioral elements that hinder effective leadership practice in an individual. The challenges limit effective delivery in communication, interaction and decision-making (Bennis, 1989). Some scholars, however, perceive leadership challenges as an avenue of enhancing efficiency in the affected persons. In addition, the challenges offer individuals a platform for identifying their weakness and strengths regarding a particular leadership aspect. My major leadership challenge entails the aspect of a loner. This challenge results from various aspects of the human behavior such as shyness, limited self-esteem and lack of self-confidence. Shyness refers to the behavioral aspect of an individual’s failure to contribute to various issues in the society (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). The concept of shyness is prevalent during the early development stages in different individuals and persists to later development stages in life. Shyness contributes to various challenges in leadership such loner behavior, communication breakdown and limited confidence (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). Communication is the core aspect of leadership in various organizations in the society. It enables individual to provide their opinions regarding different issues in the society in order tom promote social progress. In addition, communication enables an individual to disseminate information to various persons in an organization regarding a particular policy in order to promote success in the organization. The aspect shyness promoted introversive behavior, which limited me from communication to various people in the society. In addition, introversive character hindered me from acquiring the right position in the organization of the limited communication (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). Communication is a crucial factor of effective leadership it promotes confident oriented approach to various concepts in the organization. Self-esteem refers to various behavioral aspects that make an individual to feel inferior in a particular group. Self-esteem is essential to boosting a persons relationship with other in the society because it promotes extroversive character in the person. In addition, it promotes confidence, which is essential for enhancing communication (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). Low self-esteem on the other hand hinders effective communication and promotes loner characteristics in an individual. It is a major challenge to the leadership because it prevents effective implementation of policies and dissemination of information (Bennis, 1989). Leaders with low self-esteem isolate themselves from various groups in a particular social context. In this case, the leader is limited from obtaining updated information regarding different aspects of the society. Low self-esteem promotes introversive behavior in leaders, which hinders personal development through interaction (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). Leadership challenges are prevalent in various social contexts because all members of the society have a particular weakness. Identification of the leadership challenge is essential to the development of different approaches to the challenge (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). Overcoming the Challenges The loner characteristic in leadership promotes various aspects of introverts, which limits communication in various individuals. The aspect of introvert is a great limitation to the success of an individual in the society. There are various stages of overcoming the leadership challenges, which are created by the loner characteristics. First, an individual should accept the weakness that promotes the leadership challenge. In this case, the weakness is shyness. Shyness is a concept that limits communication while promoting aspects of loneliness and isolation in the society (Bennis, 1989). Identification of shyness as the contributor to the loner characteristics creates a great foundation for the development of an effective solution. The second phase of overcoming a leadership challenge is evaluating the impact of the identified weakness in the performance of an individual (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). Behavioral weaknesses influence the performance of a person negatively due to their effects on communication and interaction in the society (Chaleff, 2009). Evaluation of the impact of the weaknesses is the crucial initiative for establishing appropriate approaches to overcoming the weakness. Shyness influences highly on communication, which is a critical aspect of leadership The third phase of overcoming a particular leadership challenge is to establish various solutions to the cause. In this case, shyness is the cause of the leadership challenge. There are various solutions to shyness such as developing positive attitude, enhanced self-esteem, appreciating the weaknesses and behavioral assumptions (Chaleff, 2009). The criterion for assuming that other members of a particular group have weaknesses is an essential initiative for establishing a solution to the problem. Shyness is eradicated by assuming that other group members in a particular social context have personal issues that they manage to overcome (George, McLean & Craig, 2008). Conclusion Becoming a leader is an essential direction for an individual in the society. A person should consider various concepts before undertaking the initiative of becoming a leader. First, the person should develop a framework for the leadership position they intend to take (Chaleff, 2009). Development of a framework enables the individual to establish the requirements of the group they intend to lead. Secondly, an individual should acquire appropriate leadership skills through training. Leadership skills are an integral part of various successful leaders in the society (Chaleff, 2009). The skills enable an individual to access information regarding different challenges that leaders experience daily. Finally, an individual should evaluate their experiences in different leadership positions in order to establish a solution to the factors that hinder efficiency in them (Chaleff, 2009). References Bennis, W. (1989). On becoming a leader. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Pub. Co. Chaleff, I. (2009). The courageous follower. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler. George, B., McLean, A., & Craig, N. (2008). Finding your true north. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Read More