Example Of Literature Review On Criminal Law: Chapter 7

Leadership refers to the ability of a designated person (with authority) to influence a functional group of an organization to work towards achieving the set objectives of the organization (without coercion). It is a process, which encompasses strategic thinking and requires a visionary person to create a vision and provide direction to the followers to implement in the quest of actualizing the vision. Leaders therefore, must have leadership motivation and be empathic coaches to support functional teams to achieve organizational goals (Stojkovic 192).
The trait theory of leadership presupposes that some people are born leaders. This implies that they have extra ordinary traits that set them apart from other people who assume leadership roles and ultimately mess up the team. This theory contents that leaders bear traits, which tends to be stable among different leaders. For instance, drive, adaptive, self-confidence and unquestionable integrity. Despite the efforts of this theory to emphasize on traits that delineate leaders from non-leaders, it does not distinguish effective and ineffective leaders or predict effective leaders from traits alone (Stojkovic 195). In addition, trait approach discredits the necessity that leaders must be academic geniuses but acknowledges that ordinary people, with drive and zeal can make good leaders too.
The behavioral model of leadership contents that leaders will either be concerned with getting the job done or concerned with the employee’s welfare, in relation to the working condition. Product oriented (the initiating structure) leaders organize work, demarcate jurisdiction, and develop structures to hold staffs accountable to their work outcomes and responsibilities. On the contrary, people oriented leaders strive to establish mutual respect and act as a coaches, and safeguards the welfare of the workers. When leaders assume either of the approaches, consequences are bounding to follow e.g. initiating structures will improve organizational productivity and efficiency but jeopardize trust and relationship with subordinates. Consequently, productivity will suffer when people oriented leaders leaves staffs with minimal or no supervision (Stojkovic 196).
Contingency model of leadership, just as the name suggests, there is no a definite approach to impose leadership style that is favorable to the subordinates. Hence, the level of leaders control is contingent upon the personal traits of the leader and the nature of circumstance present (Stojkovic 198). Therefore, according to Fielders’ view of this theory, is that leaders should be matched to tasks. This will improve performance because leaders control over the situation is optimal. In the case of least preferred co-worker, Fielders’ presupposes that leaders should strike a balance between ensuring that productivity is not jeopardized and at the same time employees who prove difficult to work with, are helped to cope. This is with the help of varying leadership situational control.
The Path Goal Theory of leadership asserts that leadership’s role is to serve as a guide to subordinates while striving to achieve the set organization goals. This imply that after setting the objectives, leaders assume a less active role to allow the team concentrate on the tasks, but provide close coaching to clarify tasks and minimizes obstacles to employees performance through proper facilitation and regular provision of information (Stojkovic 202). The success of this leadership style is contingent upon environmental conditions that are out of employee’s intervention e.g. the work structure and system of authority. In addition, employee’s capabilities influence their understanding of the leadership role, which can hamper the success of this leadership style.
Transformational leadership refers to the leader’s ability to influence subordinates to be inspired to achieve more, beyond their scope. This kind of leaders must be visionary and portray a strong sense of commitment to the mission of the organization. The latter propositions set precedent, which influence employees to sacrifice their personal interest at the expense of the organizational productivity. The ability of transformational leaders to be people-oriented regarding staffs developmental needs, need to change habits and traditional perceptions on current phenomenon, stimulates creativity in team performance, and makes this leadership style effective.