Define Leadership.

Effectiveness of leaders depends on how their leadership style i nterrelates with situation in which they operate . Explain the various leadership st yles and types of interaction with suitable examples. Definition of Leadership: As the Art or process of influencing people so that they will strive willingly and enthusiastically towards the achievement of group goa ls. Koontz et al. Or in the words of James Gibbin: Leadership is a process of influence on a group in a particular situation at a give n point of time and in a specific set of circumstances that stimulates people to strive willingly to attain organisational objectives, giving them the experienc e of helping attain the common objectives and satisfaction with the type of lead ership provided. Effectiveness of leaders depends on their leadership style and how their leaders hip style interrelates with situation in which they operate: There are three basic styles of Leadership: (A) Autocratic (B) Participative (C) Laissez-faire The effectiveness depends upon how a leader changes his style as per the situati on. If a situation demands that a Leader has to use Autocratic Style then he mus t use it. For example a Leader may encounter a situation in a team, such as: To decide regarding the sitting arrangement of his/her team in the new office bu ilding. (Autocratic Style or Participative style) To decide regarding the scheduling and shift timings of the team as per the five day working and 24X7 work environment. (Autocratic Style) To decide for the nomination of one of the team member for upcoming SIX sigma tr aining. (Autocratic ) To decide for the break timings such as whether team will take half an hour brea k first and rest two breaks of 15 minutes each or vice versa out of one hour bre ak during each shift. (Laissez-faire) Strategic Team of an organisation has to decide for the spun off of one of the d ivision of the organisation due to recession and losses. (Participative or Autoc ratic Style) Detailed description of Leadership Styles: Leadership style refers to a leader's behaviour. It is the result of the philoso phy, personality, and experience of the leader. Autocratic or authoritarian style Under the autocratic leadership style, all decision-making powers are centralize d in the leader, as with dictators. Leaders do not entertain any suggestions or initiatives from subordinates. The a utocratic management has been successful as it provides strong motivation to the manager. It permits quick decision-making, as only one person decides for the w hole group and keeps each decision to him/herself until he/she feels it needs to be shared with the rest of the group. Participative or democratic style

The democratic leadership style favours decision-making by the group. Such a lea der gives instructions after consulting the group. They can win the cooperation of their group and can motivate them effectively an d positively. The decisions of the democratic leader are not unilateral as with the autocrat because they arise from consultation with the group members and par ticipation by them. Laissez-faire or free rein style A free-rein leader does not lead, but leaves the group entirely to itself. Such a leader allows maximum freedom to subordinates; they are given a free hand in d eciding their own policies and methods. Different situations call for different leadership styles. In an emergency when there is little time to converge on an agreement and where a designated authorit y has significantly more experience or expertise than the rest of the team, an a utocratic leadership style may be most effective; however, in a highly motivated and aligned team with a homogeneous level of expertise, a more democratic or la issez-faire style may be more effective. The style adopted should be the one tha t most effectively achieves the objectives of the group while balancing the inte rests of its individual members. Within all of these theories, frameworks, and approaches to leadership, there's an underlying message that leaders need to have a variety of factors working in their favour. Effective leadership is not simply based on a set of attributes, b ehaviours, or influences. You must have a wide range of abilities and approaches that you can draw upon. Having said this, however, there's one leadership style that is appropriate in v that of Transformational Leadership. A leader using ery many corporate situations this style: Has integrity. Sets clear goals. Clearly communicates a vision. Sets a good example. Expects the best from the team. Encourages. Supports. Recognizes good work and people. Provides stimulating work. Helps people see beyond their self-interests and focus more on team interests an d needs. Inspires. In short, transformational leaders are exceptionally motivating, and they're tru sted. When a team trusts its leader, and is really "fired up" by the way it is l ead, a Leader can achieve great things.