Leadership Management Profile Assessment

Trait Theory

1. Leadership traits from Trait Theory that I possess are:

Honesty and integrity – These traits are integral not only on a professional level but on a personal level as well (Lee, 2018). I am very sincere about my work. For instance, I would never opt for unethical means to get my job done just to satisfy myself and my superior and neither would I let others do it. In the past, I have often resisted taking bribes from people whenever I had to interview people for the field survey.

Confidence – This is another trait that can also make or break a person. Based on a situation or context, a person should be able to adapt to it. A confident person is more likely to succeed in the workplace. I possess this character trait and show the attribute whenever I am sure about something. I realised that a confident person could achieve a lot in life. Confidence is necessary because it is a form of courage (Jayawickreme & Fleeson, 2017). This trait can help a person stick to the right point and make a situation better. In the past, I used to lack courage and could not speak my mind. Gradually, I realised that a self-reliant person is supposed, to be honest, and confident.

Emotional intelligence- This trait is vital in the workplace because we are supposed to work to a different type of people. It is necessary to handle their own emotions and understand the feelings of others. In my previous job, I was assigned a task of another person as he refused to do it at the last moment. I felt frustrated and pressurised. However, I controlled my emotions and realised that task completion is more necessary.

2. Example of a trait that does not belong to trait theory

I possess the capacity to think positive and optimistic despite the situation. Positivity is not included in this theory. This trait is vital for tackling all forms of the situation in life.

3. Analysis of own traits

After analysing the trait theory, I believe that I possess a few qualities, and to become a successful leader, I should increase my awareness and decision-making capabilities. A leader takes full responsibility for their actions, and it shows in the outcomes as well.

Transformational, Situational and Servant Leadership

Situational leadership refers to that style of administration wherein the manager or leader of an organisation needs to make adjustments to his style to fit the level of development of the followers or employees whom he is striving to influence. With this style of leadership, it is up to the leader to alter his style, not the employee to adjust to the form of the leader. Situational leadership may continuously go through changes based on situations to meet the requirements of others in the organisation.

On the other hand, in transformational leadership, leaders are engaged in continually encouraging, inspiring and motivating their followers to create change and bring innovations that shall contribute significantly to the growth and success of the organisation (Yasir & Mohamad, 2016). Transformational leadership is so effective because it gives employees more space to be creative, look into the future and come up with new solutions to old issues.

In the case of servant leadership, the leader focuses on others’ needs before considering his own. They need to acknowledge the perspectives of others, provide them with the support they need, and encourage them to participate in the decision-making process where appropriate (Spears & Lawrence, 2016). The philosophy behind this type of leadership is that there would be more trust, higher engagement, and stronger interpersonal relationships between the team members. Also, the level of innovation can be increased through such a leadership style.

On a personal level, I think that servant leadership is the most effective of these three approaches since servant leaders possess a serve-first mentality and focus entirely on uplifting and empowering those who work for them. They are engaged in serving rather than commanding and being humble instead of authoritative. At a professional level, I have had an immediate superior who was a servant leader in my workplace. Since I was a new employee at that time and did not have much experience, he helped and guided me in any way he could. He always motivated me to do better and think creatively than last time, while teaching me the tricks of the trade. This leader has encouraged me to be innovative and creative in whichever project I take up now.

Identifying a leader – Power

An example of a leader who has negatively used power is Donald Trump, U.S president. He has received his authority from coercive power, and he consistently uses harsh words or violent imagery (McAdams, 2016). In American history, leaders have rarely spoken in this manner. He has radicalised a group of minorities and made it difficult for them to survive in the U.S. I believe that the U.S president has been motivated to misuse his power and create a terror in the nation.

One example of a leader who has used his power in a positive way is Brian Krzanich, the CEO of Intel. He received his power from the expert level. He diversified his company and made headlines. His workplace consists of men, women as well as people from underrepresented minorities. Personally, I believe that creating a diversified workplace motivated by Brian Krzanich. By 2020, he wished to create a fully diversified workplace, and his efforts are in a positive direction.

Leadership scenario

1. Based on the given situation, the interest of the new employee to catch up with the work is evident. However, she lacks grip over it and with proper guidance, she would improve at a high rate. Considering this situation to be a temporary circumstance, the manager can follow the telling leadership style to provide the employee with the necessary guidance and supervision (Brown & Barker, 2001).
2. In this situation, the capabilities of the employees are precise, and their potential is untapped just due to lack of motivation and support. As a manager, there are specific ways that can be used to enhance the staffs. Implementing the style of achievement orientation to reward them for their performance and progress can bring in great results (Hammer & Dachler, 1975). In addition, the supportive approach of the manager will also encourage the employees to fulfil their responsibilities more adequately.
3. The employee has the necessary skills for the job role and is competent to handle the responsibility. However, she lacks confidence in the task and is nervous about taking on the responsibility. A participative approach from the team manager can be a great way to transform her for the job. The manager can not only suggest her decision-making tasks but also guide her in case a wrong step is taken (Evans, 1970).
4. The problematic employee should be treated with the transformational leadership style. As the manager tends to understand the point of view of the employee, they can provide better solutions to change his mind. The delegating style of leadership can be used to motivate the rest of the matured staffs.
5. The staffs in this scenario are both competent and motivated. All they lack is an active leader in providing them in the right direction. The directive leadership style can bring in great results from the team. Further, if the manager can adopt the participative style of leadership and guide them as a team, they can even learn to look for direction as well.

Personal leadership

It is an actual fact that a leader is present within all of us. It is just the demand of the situation that can bring out those qualities and ignite the genuine transformation. However, self-analysis can be hugely helpful to identify those qualities that one is born with. Also, it is the basic necessity of all individuals to know their strengths and weaknesses and how they should tame those aspects to polish the leader in them (Houghton & Yoho, 2005).

Based on the newfound learning, I believe that my active participation with my subordinates is a great way to boost their performance. This will enable me to gather valuable knowledge about the team members, including their strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. It will help me to build up the team bonding to enhance productivity. There are certain leadership traits that all individuals must-have. Of all, ethics is a prime requirement as it not only ensures long-term relationships but also confirms that the reputation of the organisation is preserved (Gardiner, 2006).

However, there are certain traits that can hinder in one’s path of becoming an effective leader. A leader needs to be flexible in order to handle any situation that may come in their professional sphere. Rigidity and sticking to traditional solutions can be a significant hurdle. For me, it takes time to analyse the situation before coming up with a unique situation. If the situation does not permit that much of time allowance, I have the reluctance to follow an approach that has not been well-though off before. This rigidity can often cost the team with a lot of opportunities. The ability to take risks is essential to motivate the team members. In this context, my attitude to playing safe often comes in as a discouragement for the team, and they blindly abide the traditional approaches to the issue, thus prohibiting the maximum results from a specific situation.

As a future leader, there are certain traits and characteristics that I would like to develop. The prime one among those includes the ability to handle emotional intelligence. It can often prevent a leader from delivering their maximum service. Mixing up emotions can not only hinder the performance of the team but also impact the organisational performance to a great extent as well. The ability to keep the employees motivated and enhance their sense of responsibility is some of the prime tasks of a leader. This is possible if the leader consciously follows these principles.

One of the standard leadership mistakes I have identified after the study is that many leaders look down upon their subordinates and keep instructing them without taking in any active participation in finding the solution. As per the theories, it is often described as the autocracy leadership style and often discourages the employees to a great extent. In addition, it also promotes a negative environment within the workplace. In my career, I would try to avoid this as much as possible.

Reference

Brown, N. A., & Barker, R. T. (2001). Analysis of the communication components found within the situational leadership model: Toward an integration of communication and the model. Journal of technical writing and communication, 31(2), 135-157.

Evans, M. G. (1970). The effects of supervisory behaviour on the path-goal relationship. Organisational behaviour and human performance, 5(3), 277-298.

Gardiner, J. J. (2006). Transactional, transformational, and transcendent leadership: Metaphors mapping the evolution of the theory and practice of governance. Leadership Review, 6(2), 62-76.

Hammer, T. H., & Dachler, H. P. (1975). A test of some assumptions underlying the path-goal model of supervision: Some suggested conceptual modifications. Organisational Behavior and Human Performance, 14(1), 60-75.

Houghton, J. D., & Yoho, S. K. (2005). Toward a contingency model of leadership and psychological empowerment: when should self-leadership be encouraged?. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 11(4), 65-83.

Jayawickreme, E., & Fleeson, W. (2017). 2.3 Whole Trait Theory Can Explain Virtues. Moral Psychology: Virtue and Character, 5, 121.

Lee, K. C. S. (2018). 3 The Great Man and Trait Theory of Leadership. Mastering Theories of Educational Leadership and Management.

McAdams, D. P. (2016). The mind of Donald Trump. The Atlantic, 5.

Spears, L. C., & Lawrence, M. (Eds.). (2016). Practising servant-leadership: Succeeding through trust, bravery, and forgiveness. John Wiley & Sons.

Yasir, M., & Mohamad, N. A. (2016). Ethics and morality: Comparing ethical leadership with servant, authentic and transformational leadership styles. International Review of Management and Marketing, 6(4S), 310-316.