Leadership Theories and Styles
Shameka L. Evans
Indiana Wesleyan University Abstract
Since the servant leadership concept was introduced by Robert K. Greenleaf in 1970, this style has been adopted by many successful leaders in a variety of contexts. Is servant leadership style right for you? This paper helps to answer that question for many leaders who may be interested in serving others first or in serving rather than being served, by exploring whether or not a leader has the necessary attitudes to implement this leadership style. Leadership Theories and Styles Leadership is the capability to persuade a group toward the accomplishment of organizational objectives. Of course, the contingency method controls the wide ranging literature on leadership. The correct leadership style varies upon the situation. Some contexts call for autocratic leadership, some for participative or consultative approaches, and still others call for transformational leadership and so on. One of the most fascinating leadership methods getting a great deal of present attention concerning execution of effectiveness and its fits within contingency theory contains the servant leadership concept.
The term servant leadership was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in his 1970 essay “The Servant as a Leader.” Greenleaf spent his forty year career at AT&T functioning in the fields of management, research, development and education. When describing servant leadership in his essay, he states, “The servant leader is servant first……….. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first...” According to Greenleaf servant leaders’ intent to help followers, “grow healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, and more likely themselves to become servants” (Greenleaf, 1977:13-14).
Suppose a CEO is