Leader-Member Exchange Theory
Summary of the Leader-Member Exchange Theory (LMX) Theory
The theory advocates for the application of teamwork in achieving the set objectives of any given project within the various departments of an organization. Whereas the role of the leaders cannot be undermined, the leaders in LMX theory are aware of the fact that the desired outcomes are better achieve in an environment of cooperation and empowerment (Hofmann, Morgeson & Gerras, 2003). The leaders also recognize the importance of empowering the members of the team they lead so that the members are not just instructed but also participate in creating solutions for the tasks at hand. The leaders ensure that the team members have room for innovation and hence participate in all aspects of the implementation process of the organizational strategies so that eventually all the members become leaders in their own right.
Reasons Why the LMX Theory Makes Most Sense
The method appreciates that each member in the organizational teams has unique skills and hence should be given a chance to put the skills into practice (Day, et al.2014). Both the leaders and the followers exchange as they explore the strategies most appropriate to solve specific organizational issues. The leaders motivate the members so that they are innovative and therefore become part of the entire process. A sense of ownership is created at all the levels so that the ideas, concepts and the strategies implemented are those created and agreed upon by the entire membership of the team. The ideas and opinions are explored and discussed so that the most viable options are agreed upon by the members (Northouse, 2015). The result is that members are motivated while the leaders ensure that the followers understand their role, in the implementation process. The members are enthusiastic about the strategies adopted as they are part and parcel of the creation.
Analysis of the Theory
As a part-time business person in the textile design sector, I work with various people at all times. I find the business quite exciting as the design process involves exploration of options, with originality as the main component of the process (Epitropaki & Martin, 2005). Before each model is adopted, it is exhaustively discussed among the entire team members so that ultimately the final designs reflect the insights of all the members of the team (Northouse, 2015). The implementation and actualization of concepts become exciting as each member understands every aspect of the process. A sense of ownership is evident at each level.
The LMX theory is crucial in ensuring an understanding of the characteristics of a leader. The fact that the leaders continuously engage the followers implies that the behavior and temperament of the leaders are noticed at each level of the leadership process (Tourish, 2014). The theory demonstrates how much compromise a leader is willing to make in the creation of strategies that are all-inclusive. The theory helped me understand the leaders better, as the leaders appreciated the skills and the competencies of the followers (Hoch & Kozlowski, 2014). The tasks assigned therefore reflected the strengths of the members. The style of leadership aimed at achieving the full potential of the members in an atmosphere of give and take. The leader was effective because they discussed the pros and cons of a concept before agreeing on the way forward without coercion or imposing of ideas.
References
Day, D. V., Fleenor, J. W., Atwater, L. E., Sturm, R. E., & McKee, R. A. (2014). Advances in leader and leadership development: A review of 25years of research and theory. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(1), 63-82.
Epitropaki, O., & Martin, R. (2005). From ideal to real: a longitudinal study of the role of implicit leadership theories on leader-member exchanges and employee outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(4), 659.
Hoch, J. E., & Kozlowski, S. W. (2014). Leading virtual teams: Hierarchical leadership, structural supports, and shared team leadership. Journal of applied psychology, 99(3), 390.
Hofmann, D. A., Morgeson, F. P., & Gerras, S. J. (2003). Climate as a moderator of the relationship between leader-member exchange and content specific citizenship: safety climate as an exemplar. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(1), 170.
Northouse, P. G. (2015). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.
Tourish, D. (2014). Leadership, more or less? A processual, communication perspective on the role of agency in leadership theory. Leadership, 10(1), 79-98.
