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Leadership And Its Theory Of Leadership

Decent Essays

Leadership
Leadership has been around for thousands of years, yet experts are still unable to agree on a universal definition. Perhaps it is because leadership is a complex, multidimensional concept that continuously evolves. Nevertheless, explaining leadership and its theories and approaches is a monumental task (Henman, n.d.).
According to Day and Antonakis (2012), leadership is essentially an influencing process. Its effectiveness largely depends on leadership behaviors and followers perceptions, as well as the context in which the influencing process occurs. Early leadership theories suggested exceptional leaders are born rather than made. Currently, most researchers believe leadership skills can be learned (Carbone, 2009).
Leader development is the process of expanding a person 's capacity to be effective in leadership roles and processes (Uhl-Bien & Ospina, 2012). This development is achieved through knowledge, experiences, and a commitment towards improvement. As mentioned, business environments are dynamic and ever changing; therefore, leadership development is a lifelong process. However, the focus of development will change over time. For example, emerging leaders might focus on identifying the purpose of specific leadership theories and evaluating their appropriateness, usefulness, and effectiveness. In contrast, seasoned leaders are in a position to polish their skills, evaluate their approach, and refine their style to ensure they remain

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