Leadership Styles and Patterns

Leadership

In order to effective, efficient, and profitable, an organization needs a good leader. However, leadership styles differ greatly, and what works for one organization may not work for another.[footnoteRef:1] This paper will thus attempt to describe four points: [1: The Art of Leadership. (2011). Retrieved October 1, < http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leader.html>.]

First, it will address a human service organization selected to complete the given Leadership Matrix.

Second, it will compare and contrast task-oriented internal leadership with task-orientated external leadership, as requested by the assignment itself, and explain which style is appropriate with regards to the points made in the first task.

Third, it will compare and contrast people-oriented internal leadership with people-orientated external leadership, as given in the assignment and also explain appropriateness, as above.

Lastly, it will explain insights and conclusions on leadership styles and patterns.

Human Service Organization Introduction

The organization selected for the purposes of this paper is Child Advocacy Services, a human services organization that centers, as its website states, on "providing advocacy, clinical services, and prevention resources to give voice, healing, and security to children."[footnoteRef:2] It is also mentioned in the "About" section of the organization that "CAS is governed by a volunteer board of directors that is 100% financially invested in the agency […] and maintains program accreditations through the National Children's Alliance and the National CASA Association."[footnoteRef:3] [2: About CAS. (2011). Child Advocacy Services. Retrieved October 1, . ] [3: About CAS. (2011). Child Advocacy Services. Retrieved October 1, . ]

From the brief description above, it is clear that CAS is headed by a staff, but also by a board, which does have an impact on its leadership style. From the website referenced, it is also evident that CAS is in multiple locations, and this also has an impact on its leadership style. Thus, these will be analyzed below in the contexts of internal and external task oriented leadership and people oriented leadership.

Internal vs. External Task Leadership

The matrix attached describes task oriented leadership as emphasis on achieving goals (internally) and effectively addressing work procedures, with an emphasis on roles of planning coordination and communication in various decision making capacities. Leadership style in the internal sense is authoritative, centralized and with not delegation.[footnoteRef:4] [4: All subsequent references to the matrix refer to the document attached by the customer, which is the basis of analysis.]

With regards to the external component, here, a leader focuses on achieving goals as well but through attaining some sort of legitimization from the outside environment and thus the style is also authoritative and centralized, but also on expanding organizational domain and ability to compete in a larger forum.

With regards, to CAS, it is important to have both external and internal components to the leadership forum, due to the fact that cooperation is vital for all organs to function smoothly, as due to the fact that authority needs to take the organization at a larger level in order to help more and more children.

People Oriented Leadership

The matrix also describes people oriented leadership from the external and internal points-of-view. With regards to the latter, this means focusing on people as the forefront goal. This is, of course, a vital leadership skill in heading CAS, due to the fact that the organization focuses on children and on helping children first and foremost.