Leadership Styles and New Manager Development
This paper examines the challenges new managers face when transitioning into leadership roles, particularly when promoted internally without adequate training. It discusses the importance of understanding one's own strengths and weaknesses, the needs of employees, and situational flexibility in leadership style. Drawing on Blanchard's situational leadership framework, the paper contrasts situational and contingency theories of leadership, arguing that situational theory is more practically effective. It also weighs the benefits and risks of internal versus external promotions, highlighting how leadership training can mitigate communication breakdowns and help newly promoted managers build authority among former peers.
- Introduction to Leadership Style: Defining leadership style and common manager mistakes
- The Importance of Leadership Training: Why training is critical before and after promotion
- Situational vs. Contingency Theory: Comparing two key leadership frameworks
- Internal Promotion: Risks and Benefits: Weighing internal versus external leadership appointments
- Conclusion: Final evaluation of promotion strategies and leadership
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper uses a practical, list-based framework early on to anchor its argument, making abstract advice about leadership style concrete and actionable.
- It grounds its discussion in a recognizable real-world scenario — the promotion of Cheryl, Rob, and Linda — which illustrates the consequences of inadequate leadership training effectively.
- The contrast between situational and contingency theories is clearly articulated, with the author taking a clear evaluative stance rather than simply describing both theories neutrally.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates comparative theoretical analysis — presenting two related leadership theories (situational and contingency), identifying their similarities and key distinctions, and then making an evaluative argument for which is more practically useful. This technique is common in management and organizational behavior essays and shows the student's ability to move beyond description toward critical judgment.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens by defining leadership style and identifying common manager mistakes, then transitions into a discussion of leadership training using a case example. It proceeds to compare theoretical frameworks before concluding with a nuanced evaluation of internal versus external promotion. The argument builds progressively, using each section to support the overall claim that flexible, well-trained leadership is essential for organizational success.
Introduction to Leadership Style
Leadership style determines the way a manager or leader interacts with others in an organization (Blanchard, 1999). This style does not need to be fixed or unchangeable; instead, it can be flexible and adaptable to suit various situations. Most managers make a mistake in choosing the right leadership style when they feel they must stick with one style in all situations. Inadequate knowledge of leadership styles can result in erroneous choices, and similarly, a manager who does not understand his or her own strengths and weaknesses can make the same mistake. There is not one single reason why a manager would falter when choosing a leadership style — a host of issues can affect that choice.
A person who knows that he can do better by being amiable does not need to adopt an autocratic style, and similarly, a strong charismatic leader does not always need to be a servant leader in order to get the best out of people. Lack of proper leadership training can create all of these conflicts. In order to choose the right leadership style, it is important for managers to:
- Know their strengths and weaknesses
- Understand their employees
- Assess the situation properly
- Be open to flexibility in style
- Have adequate leadership training
References
Blanchard, K., Zigarmi, P., & Zigarmi, D. (1999). Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Through Situational Leadership.
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