- The Importance of being at the Appropriate Place at the Correct Time
Great men like George Washington have been regarded as a man of punctuality. What with punctuality that makes them give a high regard. Filipinos have been known for a mimicker called Filipino Time which means if a person wants to meat at one in the afternoon, that person will arrive at one fifteen. Different cultures and individuals may have different regard on the importance of being on the appropriate place at the correct time. However, there are several reasons why being on the appropriate place at the correct time could be beneficial to a person. (McKay, 2012)
A person that is in a scheduled time and place shows not only the commitment of a person but the integrity, dependability, consistency and discipline of a person. A person who commits to be at a certain place at a certain time who arrives at that place and time shows that that person is true to his words and builds his integrity as a person. It also shows that he is dependable and a reliable person. Benjamin Franklin once said that a man who is good at excuses is good for nothing else. When a company for example is expecting you to send an important paper in a bus but arrived one minute late, the person was not able to send the paper. That simple lateness could cause the company millions or could affect some employees. The tendency is for the management to stop relying on you because you were not able to be on the right place at the right time.
- Leadership Styles
What works for a specific company does not mean that it automatically works for another company. Leaders always ask themselves, what style would suit me and my organization? Is the style that worked for the organization I previously worked with also works in the new environment I am in? Researchers have come up with numerous leadership styles to choose from when leading a group or people or an organization. The leadership styles has evolved from authoritative styles to participatory approaches in the recent times, however, not all of the new styles were good in the same way that not all of the old and classical leadership styles were bad. Different situations call for different leadership styles because the strategy used by the leader also defines his own personal style.
Kurt Lewin, a psychologist that first conducted a study on the different leadership styles defined leadership as the “manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people” (Leadership Styles, 2014). The result of the study identified four (4) basic leadership styles.
The first of these basic leadership styles is the autocratic leadership style. This is a classical approach where based on its named alone, it is already implied that the leader keeps as much power as he can monopolized the decision making. Leaders of this type needs to provide clear expectations to his followers to avoid miscommunication that could result to punishments. This type of leadership styles clearly emphasized the boundary of division between the followers and leaders as control is on the leader. Do as I say serve as a mantra for this type of leadership. Their influence relies of the treats and punishments they apply. However, researchers have found out that due to the lack of participative decision-making, usually the result are less creative.
Although, this particular leadership styles is viewed as dictatorial and bossy, it is not always bad at all. It can be a good leadership style when there are new employees who do not know what to do yet because they will just be instructed on what they are supposed to do. It is also effective to use when there is a need to come up with decisions within a short period of time and when the power of leaders are being challenged or questioned. However, the use of the style must be avoided when the followers expect to be heard or when they become tense and fearful of the leader and when their morale is down because it can lead to dysfunctional environments.
The second type of leadership style which is the opposite of the autocratic style is the democratic or participative style. This style is seen by most researchers as the most effective leadership style as it encourages the followers to be part of decision- making and share the responsibilities that go with it. The leader serves as coach and mentor that offer guidance to the group. Although, this leadership style may result in a less productive group compared to those in autocratic group, they have higher morale and more confidence as they feel that they are important part of the team because their opinions and ideas matter.
Ideally, this can be the best leadership style as it fosters participation among the group however; it may not always be the appropriate leadership style especially when situations call for resolution of group and individual problems or when the leader is involved in a highly skilled or experienced group. This can be most effective when team-building and participation among group members is encouraged and when the leader wants to share the responsibilities of decision making.
The third type is the delegative or the Laissez-Faire type of leadership. This is sometimes known as the hands-off style because the group operates as if they have no leader at all. The group could do whatever they like without any guidance or mentoring from the leader. The tendency is for the group to have no definite direction as and no progress in the work as they are unable to move forward. However, this type of leadership may be effective when the group members are all professionals and experts where each member is all responsible enough to know what they can contribute to the completion of a task (Hourston, 2013).
The last among the basic leadership style is the bureaucratic leadership style that is commonly referred to as leadership by the book. Predefined procedures have been set on how to manage or lead thus there is no way the leader can assert what he can do as everything is already there. The only thing he needs to do is to implement or enforce what is written. This is common to police officers whose existence is governed by a set of rules and procedures.
Aside from the four basic and classical leadership styles several more modern styles have been identified. First among these styles is the transformational leadership style where the leader uses his ability to inspire and motivate to make the changes he wants in a group. Usually, these types of leaders are highly intelligent and passionate about their purpose to a point that they not only strive to achieve the group’s goals but also to maximize their member’s potentials. Usually, the charisma of the leader is a major factor in leading the group.
Transactional leadership style is the type of leadership where the relationship between the leader and the follower is viewed as a transaction. This means that if a member accepts a specific position, it is already implied that he must do what their leader says. This is usually seen in employer – employee relationships where there employees have specific roles defined by the employer whom the employee must do. The members already know what is required of them.
Situational leadership styles were also developed by physchologists. These particular leadership styles include creative leadership. This style is when a leader finds unique solutions to solve problems with a group. The leader has to possess inventive and imaginative qualities because he is seen by the members are their light or the provider of the solution they need. Corrective leadership is another of those situational leadership styles where the leader influences the group members to work through the correction of a wrong leadership, usually an authoritarian style. This empowers the group members to collaborate with one another in the desire to correct some mistakes. Servant leadership is a leadership style where the main mantra is to “lead by example”. The leader needs to put into life the way he wants his followers to be. If he wants his followers to lead modest lives, then he must do it first and show his followers what he can do. Multicultural leadership on the other hand, is a leadership style where members are seen to be equals. This fosters team and individual effectiveness as everyone is seen as an important ingredient in achieving a goal.
Psychologist has come up with numerous leadership styles but these styles could be used or paired with each other to achieve the most effective way of leading a group as one style may not be the only style that is applicable. The leadership style implemented also relies on the managers personal background, the type of people he will led and the organization’s culture. There may not be one leadership style that is best because it is still situational. The leader needs to adjust to the situation he is facing as well as the type of people he is about to lead.
Works Cited:
Hourston, Rebecca (2013). 7 Steps to a Truly Effective Leadership Style. Forbes.com. Web. 17 Dec 2014.
Leadership Styles (2014). Nwlink.com. Web. 17 Dec 2014
McKay, Brett and McKay. Kate (2012). A Man is Punctual: The Importance of Being on Time. Artofmanliness.com. Web 17 Dec 2014
