Introduction
The aim of the paper is to present the comparative analysis of different leadership styles by taking different leaders from the industries as an example. The paper discloses the leadership qualities of three leaders (Reema Bint Bandar Al Saud, Brian Chesky, and John Mackey), evaluates their characteristics through linking them with leadership theories, and presents a comparison of their leadership styles.
Reema Bint Bandar Al Saud took the degree in museum studies from a reputable University of Paris; she joined a retail store in Saudi Arabia as CEO in 2010. She is also a creative director, and founder of luxury had bags brand. She is a co-founder of a women's spa, and founding member of an association creating awareness regarding breast cancer. The most important element of the job of Reema Bin Bandar Al Saud job can be observed through the article “drive” that include taking initiative, organizing people, advocating them, seeking for opportunities, and being ready for taking challenges (Valby 90, 101). Reema is amongst the leaders who go outside the box for making the issues irrelevant for making the success a surety (Valby 89). Reema is inspiring people through motivating them by articulating the view of the future; she is raising the awareness regarding the issues and letting people know the ways to resolve the issues. She is changing the environment.
Linkage to theories
Reema Bint Bandar Al Saud is a transformational and situational leader because through inspiring others, she is transforming the society of Saudi Arabia. Where talking about breast is considered odd. She is organizing the breast cancer events for empowering the women and breaking the barriers against the awareness of breast cancer (Valby 101); she is committed to her society and constantly contributing to shaping the future of her society (Goetter 9-12). However, she knows to handle the matters by understanding the situation and understand that creating panic can harm the mission (Valby 89, 101).
Brian Chesky is an internet American entrepreneur. He is the chief executive officer of Airbnb and recognized as amongst the most influential people. Brian Chesky describes the main elements of his job at Airbnb as to be aware of the issues that can harm the company and create the unique value to the company. He is a passionate leader and according to him, thinking on critical issues that can hurt the company and find opportunities from then is the real way to transform the company. He believes in empowering people in a challenging situation; he is focused, intense, and curious. (Gallagher 94-95). Brian Chesky reflected on the issues of the company that twisted the whole industry upside down (Close).
Linkage to theories
The Brian Chesky is a charismatic leader as he is rather learning from the trial and error approach learned by going to the source. Sometimes it is hard to distinct between charismatic and transformational leader. Brian Chesky has a strong focus on priorities, passionate for learning from diverse people, curious and the intense person that are the qualities of a charismatic leader (Gallagher 95-98; Cassidy, Kreitner, and VanHuss 69). The apology of Brian Chesky from his employees on contradicting them for the wrong initiative shows that he respects his employees, which is the quality of a charismatic leader (Gallagher 98; Cassidy, Kreitner, and VanHuss 69). The leader inspires his staff with his focus, his passion, and his drive.
John Mackey is an American businessman and current chief executive of the whole food market. He co-founded his first food store in 1978. Later merged the health food store with Clarksville natural grocery store and renamed as a whole food market. John Mackey does not have fear of pissing off people. He is a fearless person; however, dissonance is the part of his leadership style (Kowitt 78). He believes that profit and purpose go together and rather changing his values, love to be remaining same (Kowitt 79). He does not care what people think about him, but later he changed his view. He switched his leadership style multiple times and made several changes according to the situation. John Mackey always refused to be persuaded, but he has the ability to change his mind. He has the ability to make radical or complete changes, and the major example of this is that when an animal activist said that the company is not going far, then Mackey considered his decision of hiking the Colorado trial (Kowitt 84). John Mackey became an ethical vegetarian from the vegetarian.
Linkage to theories
The leadership style of John Mackey at the initial stage of his career has been authoritative, and he did not care about people what they think about him, but later they made several shifts throughout his career that proved that he was a situational leader (Kowitt 84). He inspires his staff through honesty, integrity, and authentic transparency (Kowitt 80). He is a controversial but an inspiring leader as his leadership approach is different. His leadership style is a combination of servant and values leadership as he first recognized the needs of people, then offered them healthy food option (Selladurai 163, 84). John Mackey believes on the dynamics of the creativity of capitalism and believes that it is the greatest invention as it allows businesses to be profitable and make possible progress (Kowitt 82)
Comparing and contrasting the styles of leaders
Reema Bint Bandar Al Saud and Brian Chesky both have multiple similarities as both are focused on transforming the objects. They are passionate about their work and show strong feeling for their work. The things that differentiate them is the Reema Bint Bandar Al Saudis breaking the status-quo and transforming the society by leading the change herself and thinking on above the waterline. However, the approach of Brian Chesky for transformation is to think below the waterline issues that can create problems for the organization. John Mackey has been the completely different leader from Reema Bint Bandar Al Saud and Brian Chesky. He has been a person who changed his style of leadership with situations, but remained stagnant with his values and ethics. He has the qualities of a servant and value leadership as he thought about people and values and his ethics has been the biggest motivation for him. He has some spiritual views that separate him from others and keep him different (Kowitt 80).
Conclusion:
It has been concluded that the one single style of leadership is not the best for all situations. All leaders have different leadership style; it is up to the people that how they lead the situation. However, a combination of diverse leadership styles is essential to lead the situation as it allows leaders flexibility to respond the changing situations.
Works Cited
Cassidy, Charlene, Bob Kreitner, and Susie VanHuss. Administrative Management: Setting People Up for Success. Cengage Learning, 2014.
Close, Kerry. 4 Things Airbnb's Brian Chesky Thinks All Young Entrepreneurs Need to Know. Oct. 2015. Online. 27 Feb. 2016. http://www.inc.com/kerry-close/4-lessons-from-airbnb-co-founder-on-building-your-own-company.html
Gallagher, Leigh. "Brainstorm Tech 2015 The Education of Brian Chesky." Fortune 172.1 (2015): 93-100.
Goetter, Mary Catherine. An Educational Intervention to Develop Characteristics of Transformational Leadership in Novice Nurse Managers. ProQuest, 2009.
Kowitt, Beth. "The Conscious Capitalist." Fortune 172.3 (2015): 77-84.
Selladurai, Raj, ed. Servant Leadership: Research and Practice: Research and Practice. IGI Global, 2014.
Valby, Karen. Driven. FastCompany.com, 2015
