Premium Essay

Leadership, Past, Present and Future

In: Business and Management

Submitted By mostafaelabd
Words 590
Pages 3
Leadership: Past, Present, and
Future

Mostafa El Abd
20/03/2015
GMBA-EN-BF
September 2014 Intake

Leadership is significant in both social and organisational functioning. It has a broad meaning and has been defined in many ways over the centuries. Most leadership scholars agree that the term leadership can be described as an influencing procedure and its consequential outcomes which mainly occur between a leader and his or her followers, as well as how this process can be made clear by the leader’s dispositional behaviours and attributes, follower perception, and the framework in which this influencing process or method occurs. The term leadership is often paired with power and management but the definition of leadership should be kept different from both of these terms.
Leadership research over the years can be classified into nine major schools starting from the 1900s till 2010s. They are: Trait, Behavioural, Contingency, Contextual, Skeptics, Relational,
New leadership, Information-processing and Biological/Evolutionary.
1. Trait School of Leadership: This research started in the 20th century and suggests that specific dispositional attributes differentiate leaders from non-leaders or common people.
2. Behavioural School of Leadership: This school of research began in the 1950s and focused on the behavioural approach towards leadership. Meaning, behaviours that were enacted by the leaders and how they took care of their followers were the focus of this research.
3. Contingency School of Leadership: This line of research is mostly Fiedler’s credit who said that leader-member relations, structure of the task and the position power of the leader decide the efficiency of the nature of leadership exercised.
4. Relational School of Leadership: This research was mainly based on leader-member exchange theory, otherwise known as LMX theory. This theory defines the type

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Leadership, Past Present Future

...Leadership: Past, Present, Future There are three aspects of my life that are very important to me; the people I spend my time with, the books I read and what I spend my time thinking about. I deem these things important because they are where I find most of my inspiration. The concept of leadership is a very broad one, however, there is a subtle, yet very potent driving force, rooted in excellent leadership; that is inspiration. Inspiration propelled our leaders of the past, it is seen today and hopefully it will drive our leaders of tomorrow to greatness. When we think of the stories in history that really mattered, the ones that have stood the test of time, they are stories of great leaders who persevered through times of great turmoil and inspired the people around them to do the same. An excellent example is the case of Dr. Martin Luther King who spear-headed the civil rights movement. Even though the movement eventually claimed his life, his legacy lives on today through those who believe in what he fought for. My favorite author Paulo Coelho once said, “The world only gets better because people risk something to make it better.” When I put on the television, I see religious bombings in Nigeria, flooding in Bangkok, economic turmoil in Europe and it just seems like the world is in total chaos. Sometimes I get despaired because I wonder if anything I do will even make a difference. But then, I remember that what has got me this far in my life is the belief that...

Words: 337 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Past, Present and Future of Law Enforcement

...Past, Present and Future of Law Enforcement INTRODUCTION To be an effective police/law enforcement officer, one must understand where we (law enforcement) has been, where society believes we are and what the heck is going to happen in the future. Unfortunately the future is much more depressing than in the past. Society is getting more liberal with how the Constitution is viewed and applied towards suspects. The author posits that not to far into the distant future officers will need probable cause to make a consenual contact. But connecting the dots is important because it provides clarity, and understanding to a profession that once was considered a volunteer job in which the primary duties was to ensure that criminals did not come into the town at night. PAST Thus when the new officer hits the streets, they think the “old salt” officers are unaware of the “new” and improved ways of policing. However if anyone reviews Sir Robert Peels policing notions not much has changed in how police officers should effectively patrol, and protect the communities they serve. The past also includes community oriented policing, and problem oriented policing. There are trends like Killing and Wilsons Broken Windows that will never go away. But there are also eras of law enforcement. PRESENT The present is not readily observable because the career track is working within a specific time frame. However a couple of authors (scholars) have debated and postulated that law enforcement...

Words: 1109 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

The Hillcrest Church

...Hillcrest had traversed difficult days, struggling financial conditions, and staff turnover, addressing the need for change would certainly be easier. The church is growing today, adding over eighty people since April. Nevertheless, the team should celebrate present and past victories as a springboard for the new dream. The older members are the vehicle for highlighting the past and bringing clarity to the need for change. Utilizing the entire team to project the vision to every part of the congregation is imperative. The pastor cannot, and should not, be the sole expositor of the vision for the church. Although he is the catalyst for vocalization, the buy-in will happen through small groups. Along with projecting the vision, the church ought to alter the systems contained in the operating documents of the church to allow the congregation to assume places of leadership for the accomplishment of the vision. This step will require leaders to relinquish control of position and the process of choosing...

Words: 1002 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Leadership Change

...find the changes of gender in leadership. With the development of society, the number of female leaders is increasing in recent years (Michelle and Elaine, 2008). According to (Stewart, 2009), there are more difficulties facing female leaders than male leaders, which makes it difficult to involve more females in the leading positions. A research (Hilary, 2009) indicated that although the number of female leaders is increasing, the ratio of female leaders in leadership is not balanced and more females should be involved in management positions. According to Kaycee (2010), the changes of gender in leadership have been in the process, which can be proved by the changes of people’s attitudes to female leaders. Reference | Michelle M & Elaine Y(2008), The trend of female leaders in organisations, Journal of Management, 23, 7, pp 105-124 | Type of Article | Literature review | Aim\purpose | The purpose of this article is to find out the changes of female leaders in the past decade and explain the reasons of the changes and then predict the trend of changes. | Approach | This paper reviews previous theories about the necessary of involving female leaders and then it presents the process of female leaders entering the management field. It highlights the trend of changes of gender in leadership based on four reasons which are given step by step. | Conclusion | The number of female leaders has increased in the past decades and in the future, there will be more female...

Words: 3235 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Behaviors of Effective Leaders

...exhibit behaviors that are conducive to the success of their leadership. Sometimes those behaviors may be abnormal or part of a syndrome like psychopathy. Other times behaviors are considered normal according to personality ratings. Taken together these behaviors can be characteristics found in an effective leader. In addition, behaviors of an effective leader can be categorized into three themes of personality traits, personal leadership styles, and leader self-identity. While not all behaviors are conducive to effective leadership, all the above themes are vital to the development of successful leaders of the past, present and future. The shared themes were synthesized from three articles all of which discussed the effective leader. First, the Odom, Boyd, and Williams (2012) article, “Impact of Personal Growth Projects on Leadership Identity Development” whose purpose was to explain the importance of personal growth in the identity of self for potential leaders of the future. Next, “Fearless Dominance and the U.S. Presidency: Implications of Psychopathic Personality Traits for Successful and Unsuccessful Political Leadership” written by Lilienfeld, et al (2012) whose purpose was to explore psychopathic personality traits that are present in effective leaders in the business and political world. Finally, the purpose of the last article written by van Eeden, Cilliers, and van Deventer (2008) called “Leadership Styles and Associated Personality Traits: Support for the...

Words: 1342 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Leadership Styles

...Leadership Styles Reviewing the past to prepare ourselves for leadership roles   Leadership is important because it is a critical part of our group dynamics. Even in the most democratic groups, someone must ultimately take the role of organizing or facilitating for the group. The role of the leader is present in every area of our life in some manner. Consider the leadership roles of teachers who instruct, managers who drive business, artists who inspire ideas, politicians who lobby to fulfill needs, entrepreneurs who bring a vision to life, and caretakers who provide supportive services. Each is affecting the lives of others by assuming a leadership role that brings benefit to them both. While most of us will find ourselves in a leadership role at some time in our life, simply being in a leadership role doesn’t make someone an effective leader. (Gordon, 1977) It is important to recognize different types of leadership styles and to how these styles fit to individual personality types. Three general types of outstanding, frequently traveled, paths are charismatic, ideological, and pragmatic. In order to be an effective leader, it is not necessary to radically change a personality style. (Ponder, 2005) It is much more beneficial to identify inherent tendencies and learn how to develop those traits into effective attributions. It would be beneficial to understand each of the formidable leadership styles and how to develop the style that comes intuitively. (Mumford, 2006) ...

Words: 2811 - Pages: 12

Free Essay

Managerial Leadership

...Managerial Leadership Case Analysis: British Airways (“BA”) Task 1 – BA SWOT analysis for the past (2003) Strengths | Weaknesses | CEO leadership | Low staff morale | Business class | Company image | Frequent flyer program | High debt | Cash liquidity | Lack of staff training programs | Innovation | Hierarchical management | Opportunities | Threats | Expansion into Middle East | Increase of aviation fuel prices | Alliance with other airlines | War in Iraq | Develop the workforce | Increase of debt interest rates | Improve customer satisfaction | Union strikes | Task 2- BA SWOT analysis for the present (2011) Strengths | Weaknesses | CEO leadership | Company image | First and business class | Hierarchical management | Frequent flyer program | Use of liquidity for new fleet | Innovation | | Grouped resources (IAG) | | Opportunities | Threats | Alliance with other airlines | Increase of aviation fuel prices | Expansion into growth markets | War in Iraq | Develop the work force | North Africa & Middle East uprising | Improve customer satisfaction | Union strikes | | Weather conditions (ash cloud & snow) | Task 3 – Comparison of past and present situation of British Airways Strengths The ex-CEO, Eddington and present CEO Willie Walsh, are both highly experienced in the aviation industry but quite different in their leadership style. For example Eddington is seen as a theory Y leader, fostering potential...

Words: 855 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Consumer Buying Habits

...we prepare for our annual elections I thought I would give you all a little background on the RLI training, as you are aware, the training sessions scheduled for this year was cancelled due to low registration numbers. So what is RLI? The Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) is a multi-district, grassroots leadership development program of member districts organized into regional divisions in various parts of the world. What is the mission of the Rotary Leadership Institute? To strengthen Rotary clubs through quality leadership education. It is not an official program of Rotary International and is not under its control. The Institute seeks to have Rotary Clubs in member districts identify those Rotarians who seem to have the potential for future club leadership (not necessarily as club presidents) and, provide those so identified with a quality education in Rotary knowledge and leadership skills. In fact all active Rotarians are encouraged to participate in the training. It is agreed throughout the Rotary world that the success or failure of a Rotary Club primarily depends on the quality of the club’s leadership. The RLI offers Rotary knowledge courses in three sessions which are designed to provide leadership skills while advancing Rotary knowledge and understanding. There are three parts. Part I - “THE ROTARIAN” – focuses on your introduction to the RLI experience. The emphasis is placed on providing an overview of Rotary programs. Part II - THE...

Words: 414 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Gsl Leadership Notes

...Module 7 – Leadership and decision-making (13%) Leadership and ethics What is leadership? Identifying leadership attributes Transformational leadership Strategic Leadership The nature of strategic leadership The role of leaders in strategic thinking and decision-making The role of leaders in strategic analysis The role of leaders in setting direction The role of leaders in strategic formulation and selection The role of leaders in implementing strategy The Naked CEO Preview Leaders are required to develop the strategy, drive the change and align the organisation’s structure, resources and culture with the strategy. There are various viewpoints about what actually constitutes the leadership, the qualities required and its level of importance. The purpose of this module is not to present and analyse these arguments, but to provide a practical approach based on the transformational leadership that focuses specially on the role of strategy and strategic leadership. Irrespective of the approach taken to strategic leadership, there exists an important distinction between leadership and management. A leader is primarily involved in: setting direction, aligning and communicating, and inspiring and motivating. A manager is primarily in charge of: planning and budgeting, organising and staffing, and controlling and problem solving. Objectives You should be able to: (1) describe the role of ethics and corporate social responsibility in leadership; (2) identify and discuss...

Words: 7007 - Pages: 29

Premium Essay

What Information Mention on "On the Value of Management History" Lamond David

...of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0025-1747.htm GUEST EDITORIAL Guest editorial On the value of management history Absorbing the past to understand the present and inform the future David Lamond Sydney Graduate School of Management, University of Western Sydney, Parramatta, Australia Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider the value of management history as a contributor to the development of the theory and practice of management and, to the extent that it is necessary to absorb the past in order to understand the present and inform the future, consider what happens to the knowledge base when the surviving “contributions” to the knowledge base are partial and, indeed, erroneous. Design/methodology/approach – The articles that constitute this special issue form the launching-pad for this discussion, with the ideas presented here combined with previous research and commentaries on the issues raised. Research limitations/implications – In The Life of Reason, Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. Managers looking for the “next big thing”, without being able to incorporate it effectively into their experience, and the experience of those who are long gone, are condemned to repeat not just the past, but also the mistakes of the past. Accordingly, it is also critical for management scholars to both recognise and take advantage of earlier thinking and empirical work to inform their contemporary...

Words: 4553 - Pages: 19

Premium Essay

Innovation Leadership

...Unit 6: Assignment 1 Innovation Leadership Project MBA 6006 October 3, 2014 Introduction Procter & Gamble is a large multibillion dollar company that many of us would have never thought was having difficulties until we read the case study. Like many people and companies P&G had been winning for soo long that they got complacent. The time, thought, and energy was no longer being invested into the innovation of the company. There were “ideas” that were thrown into production with hopes of them working. However, when things started to go wrong the leaders at P&G started to do their research and really dig into what changes could and needed to be made. This first step is what separates this company from many others and what has enabled them to remain successful to this day. What Encourages Innovation There were two primary leadership styles that were present at Proctor & Gamble as a result of Lefley stepping in as the CEO. Both transformational and contingency leadership were present and needed to enable the company to evolve. The transformation leadership was exhibited when we look at the different patterns of leadership that were present. Prior to Lafley taking over as CEO, P&G had lost the largest amount of profits in their history in the shortest amount of time. The company had moral issues and an overall downward spiral on their hands. However, all of this quickly changed once Lafley stepped...

Words: 1405 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Leadership

...ILM Diploma in leadership and Management Assignment No 1 : Assessing your own leadership capability and performance The first step in being a good leader is to understand yourself. Gaining an understanding of your personality type, leadership style, and leadership skills is paramount. All leaders, regardless of their natural abilities, experience, and training, must be aware of their own personal areas of improvement so they can grow and become more successful. Understanding Leadership styles within the organisation • Review the prevailing leadership styles in the organisation Leadership styles vary according to organisational structure, people, environment, and task. Leaders promote loyalty among subordinates by keeping an open mind, being self-aware, and being inquisitive .Awareness is important in working effectively with diverse groups and individuals, regardless of personal bias. Anger and frustration indicate a closed mind. The effective leader asks questions with a genuine interest in learning more, rather than as a probe to expose a mistake or fault. Employee inquiries should be conducted with genuine interest and with demonstrated respect. Even more important is listening to the feedback, so that appropriate action may be taken. There are four main leadership styles. • Directing, leaders direct subordinates in what, how, when and where tasks should be done. These leaders maintain a standard of performance, and their style is high-directive...

Words: 1632 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Video Game Console Industry

...three players are struggling to gain market leadership in the game console industry. The video game industry, off from an uncertain start in 1972 has been marked by quick and frequent changes of fortune amongst the various players in the market. The market was characterized by rapid growth as well as unexpected down turns such as the one in 1983 where the industry lost 97% of annual sales volume in 3yrs. The industry appears to exhibit five to six year cycles of competition which concur with advancement of underlying technology. Nearly all-technological leaps from one generation to the next were marked by a change in leadership. Currently, the market is lead by Nintendo with 60% operating margin, compared to Sony's -9.7% and Microsoft's even worse -33.7%. In recent years, Nintendo has managed to overthrow both Sony and Microsoft despite having a console which is significantly less technologically advanced. There is a low risk of potential entrants due to high sunk costs (as demonstrated by Atari's "ET" flop), large capital requirements and very high economies of scale needed especially since product is sold at very low markup. The video game industry appears to have a solid base of loyal customers and is recently increasing in size by attracting new potential customers. Despite these new opportunities I consider the video game console industry not to be attractive. The industry is characterized by uncertainty for what concerns the future, both in terms of competition and technology...

Words: 1245 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Empowerment of Futuren Women

...The Empowerment of the Future of Women “Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult”, Charlotte Whitton (The Soul Sisters). Hilary Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Oprah Winfrey are just a few names who have taken women leadership to the next level. But why does progress still seem to be a struggle for other women? Men seem to be dominating the political world in the U.S., and females seem to be striving to be the next powerhouses, but their professional image seems to be standing in the way of their future. Although women have made significant progress in obtaining low level leadership positions, their professional image continues to prevent them from receiving these same positions in higher forms. Political standards for future female candidates have become increasingly difficult to fulfill. The claim made for women not obtaining these higher level positions is simply because women are “less hierarchical, more cooperative and collaborative, and more oriented increasing other’s self-worth” (Eagly, pg. 2). Candidates for the job must be “likeable and tough” (Braude), which is seemingly become more and more difficult for female leaders these days when men are strong participants with these characteristics. When one wants to put a female and a male in a rink together, who would come out on top? The obvious choice would be the male, but it is not time to give a female the chance? The opportunity for women leaders...

Words: 2452 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

What Is Leadership?

... 1.0 Organization Overview 1 What is leadership? Leadership has been described as "a process of social influence in which a person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task".  For example, some understand a leader simply as somebody whom people follow, or as somebody who guides or directs others, while others define leadership as "organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal". Studies of leadership have produced theories involving traits,[2] situational interaction, function, behavior, power, visioning values,[3] charisma, and intelligence, among others. 2.0 [Researchable Question] 1 WHAT IS LEADERSHIP STYLE? Leadership style is a form of cross situational behavioral consistency.  It refers to the manner in which a leader interacts with his or her subordinates.  More specifically, dimensions of leadership style depict the way in which a leader (a) attempts to influence the behavior of subordinates (Goal Attainment Function); (b) makes decisions regarding the direction of the group (Adaptation Function); and (c) his or her balance between the goal attainment function and the maintenance function of the group.  Listed below are three different ways in leadership style has been defined. ------------------------------------------------- WHAT DETERMINES A LEADER'S STYLE? Leadership Style is most often viewed as a dependent variable where the focus is on how does leadership style influences individual behavior, attitudes...

Words: 1381 - Pages: 6