Leadership Approach Paper – Behavioral Approach
Leadership Approach Paper –
Organizations depend on the management and leadership skills of individuals in order to be successful. Leaders do not have to be managers but are equally important. Leaders are individuals who possess traits, behavior and abilities to influence others to accomplish tasks and other needed objectives for the company. Leadership is defined as “the ability of an individual to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organization. . . .” (House et al., 1999, pg. 184).
According to Yuki, G. (2010) there are five different leadership approaches that are being researched. These five approaches are:
1. Trait approach
2. Behavior approach
3. Power-influence approach
4. Situational approach
5. Integrative approach
This paper analyzes the behavioral approach and includes strengths and weaknesses of that approach as well as an example of this leadership approach used in an organization.
Behavioral leadership approach
The behavioral approach started in the early 1950’s due to the discouragement of researchers with the trait approach. This approach focuses on the behavior of leaders and the way they “did” and accomplished tasks. “Different patterns of behavior were grouped together and labeled as styles. This became a very popular activity within management training – perhaps the best known being Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid (1964; 1978)” (Doyle & Smith, 2011).
The four main styles in regard to the behavioral approach research by Doyle & Smith 2011 are: concern for the task, concern for the people, directive leadership and participative leadership.
Personal example of use of this leadership approach
Looking at all five different approaches of leadership styles, the behavioral approach is the one approach I am personally most familiar with. Other than traits of people, behavior can be learned. The learning capability of this approach is the biggest advantage and strengths
Organizations depend on the management and leadership skills of individuals in order to be successful. Leaders do not have to be managers but are equally important. Leaders are individuals who possess traits, behavior and abilities to influence others to accomplish tasks and other needed objectives for the company. Leadership is defined as “the ability of an individual to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organization. . . .” (House et al., 1999, pg. 184).
According to Yuki, G. (2010) there are five different leadership approaches that are being researched. These five approaches are:
1. Trait approach
2. Behavior approach
3. Power-influence approach
4. Situational approach
5. Integrative approach
This paper analyzes the behavioral approach and includes strengths and weaknesses of that approach as well as an example of this leadership approach used in an organization.
Behavioral leadership approach
The behavioral approach started in the early 1950’s due to the discouragement of researchers with the trait approach. This approach focuses on the behavior of leaders and the way they “did” and accomplished tasks. “Different patterns of behavior were grouped together and labeled as styles. This became a very popular activity within management training – perhaps the best known being Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid (1964; 1978)” (Doyle & Smith, 2011).
The four main styles in regard to the behavioral approach research by Doyle & Smith 2011 are: concern for the task, concern for the people, directive leadership and participative leadership.
Personal example of use of this leadership approach
Looking at all five different approaches of leadership styles, the behavioral approach is the one approach I am personally most familiar with. Other than traits of people, behavior can be learned. The learning capability of this approach is the biggest advantage and strengths