Theories of Leadership at Work

Leadership Situations
As CEO, it is important to be aware of all the variables impacting the firm and apply the right foundational theory of leadership so that these variables are considered with effectiveness. In this situation, strategic contingencies theory serves as the best foundational theory from which I would draw to lead this organization. Developed by Hickson (1971), strategic contingencies theory focuses on the job that has to be accomplished and does not consider so much the personalities related to that job. In other words, the most important aspect of leadership according to this theory is the ability to identify the problems that need to be solved and implementing the right tools and/or people to solve those problems. In this case, the best solution to solve the company’s stagnation is to update systems (modernize) and offshore jobs that can be offshored.
Another foundational theory that may be helpful so as to make the Board happy with respect to rewarding those employees who have been loyal to the company for so long is transformational leadership. Transformational leadership was developed over a period of time in the 1900s but focuses mainly on how leaders can transform followers through the application of inspirational and charismatic techniques that motivate the followers to perform to the expectations of the leader. In order to get the long-serving workers of the company to adapt and implement the modern methods that need to be utilized in the firm, transformational leadership can be a helpful tool. Specifically, Burns’ (1978) transformational leadership theory can be instrumental here because it uses the “high road” approach to instilling values and meaning in individual workers by utilizing philosophical tones to support the workers’ drive towards the company’s ultimate goal. In other words, the goal of the company is upheld as the most important objective, and the workers are inspired to do their duty and all to ensure that the goal is achieved (and if that means updating systems to modern methods, so be it).
The application of foundational theories to diverse populations and settings can be accomplished by considering the appropriateness of the theory to the scenario. In the given situation, where there is a need for the firm to modernize as well as to offshore some jobs, while also helping those who are willing to transform themselves into modern workers to stay on board, the two theories described above are appropriate because they address the two specific approaches to the problem that are most likely to be effective. They also can help to accommodate the needs of diverse populations and settings for two reasons: 1) they do not consider personalities so much as objectives; and 2) they are rooted in capitalizing on the values of the company rather than on the values of any one culture or group of peoples.
The most appropriate theory for addressing the needs of diverse populations could also include servant leadership, which is rooted in putting the needs of the individual follower first. The context in which servant leadership may be applied, of course, rests within the overall framework of the company and its mission; in other words, the individuals are served by the leader so that their emotional and cognitive needs can be met in order to facilitate that worker’s ability to focus on achieving the organizational goals of the firm and even inspire others to do well (Hunter et al, 2013). In a scenario in which there is a diverse population, with young and old workers of various skill sets and mindsets, servant leadership and transformational leadership can be effective in appealing to the individuals one at a time and ensuring that generational obstacles are overcome, as the skills of the various groups are recognized and respected by the others (Moore, Everly, Bauer, 2016).
I would assess the effectiveness of the foundational theories and adapt them to the diverse populations and settings represented in the scenario by using various measurement techniques. The more methods of assessment that one uses, the better informed the assessment will be. For instance, surveying of the workers is one way to measure effectiveness of leadership application. Another is to interview the workers individually. The effectiveness of theories can be gauged quantitatively by measuring worker outcomes and whether or not the goals are being achieved in terms of sales, turnover rates, money saved, and so on. Six Sigma is another method that can be employed in order to monitor progress, as it assesses various elements of an organization in order to see where progress is being made and where problems are existing. To determine whether a leadership application is having a positive effect, a method of assessment like Six Sigma could reveal how the theory is impacting the various components of the organization.
The theories employed here could be adapted upon assessment to meet the needs of the workers in the following ways: transformational leadership could be tweaked so that it reflects the right kind of inspirational approach that the workers most respond to. Strategic contingencies theory could be altered so that it isolates the problem areas where too little progress is being mind and evaluates the type of worker that would best be suited for tackling the area. Servant leadership could be altered so that it focuses on addressing whatever issues arise through surveys and interviews with workers regarding morale or other problems that they are experiencing.
My own leadership skills and style are diverse as well. For example, I am particularly suited to implementing the servant leadership style, as it comes natural to me and stems also from my own philosophical preferences. I feel that others do their best when they feel supported by their leader instead of feeling threatened or intimidated by a boss that wants only to see results. A leader who shows that he is there for the worker and is willing to put the worker’s best interests first is one who can inspire confidence, loyalty and a good work ethic.
However, I also feel that implementing some form of transformational leadership can also be effective. Burns’ transformational leadership theory, in which the high road of instilling values into the workers is utilized, is one that I feel confident using as well: it allows me give the workers a vision to work towards, an ideal that is external to their own selves that they can work for. Both of these styles would be assets in any company because they address the needs of the workers and the need for the workers to align themselves with the needs of the company. They both inspire and compel followers to orient themselves to the firm and serve the firm because of the virtue comprised in doing so.
The only drawback would be in cases where the style of leadership that is needed is one where personalities and the individual worker are absolutely not to be considered and the bottom line solving of the problem of bringing costs down quickly and effectively is all that matters. In such a case, strategic contingencies theory would probably be the best-suited and this requires detaching oneself from the human aspect of leadership and taking a more objective and less humanistic approach to the problems so that the company can meet its own goals.
References
Burns, J. M. (1998). Transformational leadership theory. Retrieved from
http://www.leadership-central.com/burns-transformational-leadership-theory.html
Hickson, D. J., Hinings, C. R., Lee, C. A., Schneck, R. E., & Pennings, J. M. (1971). A
strategic contingencies’ theory of intraorganizational power. Administrative Science Quarterly, 16(2), 216-229.
Hunter, E. M., Neubert, M. J., Perry, S. J., Witt, L. A., Penney, L. M., & Weinberger, E.
(2013). Servant leaders inspire servant leaders: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization. The Leadership Quarterly, 24(2), 316–331.
Moore, J. M., Everly, M., & Bauer, R. (2016). Multigenerational challenges: Team-
building for positive clinical workforce outcomes. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 21(2), 1-12.