Leadership Overview : Angela Ahrendts

There is a great importance put on business leadership, this is directly due to how a business not only functions but in how fruitful the company can become. A great leader essentially can take a business plan that is weak yet turn it into a success, whereas a poor leader stands a higher chance of ruining the best of business plans. That is why it is essential to develop effective leadership throughout a companies entire management program at all levels. How does one develop or retain strong leadership? Companies must be focused on hiring strategies that encompass very specific parameters, building from within whilst creating a strong foundation for employee development and succession planning. Leadership is essential in any organization. The style and theory embraced determines whether the company will or will not achieve their goals. in all cases theory must be embraced, as a companies theory, style, and strategy is greatly dependent on the industry the company is in (Sadler, 2014). “The behavioral theory is one of the widely used theories of management. It suggests that leaders are made and not born. It gives room for training to install leadership traits in leaders at the expense of denying them a chance. There are various leadership styles embraced by companies (Cyert, & March, 2005).”  This paper takes a look at the management styles of two specific

For centuries leaders have been analyzed in order to determine what the traits and characteristics of a successful leader are. Leadership, as defined by Koontz and Weihrich (2008) is “the art or a process of influencing people so that they will strive willingly and enthusiastically toward the achievement of group goals” (p. 311). Leadership plays an important role in employee’s participation, creativity, recruitment to an organization, their commitment to the organization, and productivity levels. Over the years, there have been a number of theories surrounding leadership such as the “Great Man” theory, which, according to Riaz and Haider (2010), “assumes that leaders are born and have innate qualities, therefore, leaders

Leadership is the elaboration of group inspiration. One person entrusted as leader can implore the aid, and support of supporters in the accomplishment of a common mission. According to Gurdjian, Halbeisen, and Lane “Becoming a more effective leader often requires changing behavior. But although most companies recognize that this also means adjusting underlying mind-sets, too often these organizations are reluctant to address the root causes of why leaders act the way they do” (Gurdjian, Halbeisen, and Lane, 2014) However, today abundant businesses engross importance on the improvement of leaders. Some of the ultimate leaders were formerly followers, such as in instructive businesses. One aspect as leaders many have to contemplate in striving

Businesses also have a variety of different leaders controlling the organization. Some executives attain a high-level position, placing them in a leadership role. However, there are many leadership positions that do not actually “lead” a team. A leader does not decide to be a leader overnight. A leader possesses a particular set of qualities and

Since the beginning of recorded history, leadership has been one of, if not the most important elements in the success or failure of an endeavor. This is whether it involved a prehistoric hunting party or ruling the Roman Empire. Today, leadership is recognized as a vital factor in an organization’s quest to be productive and profitable. For an organization to be competitive and achieve optimum success in the 21st century, it is vital that they employ effective leaders that will be able to communicate their vision and goals, motivate their employees and develop trusting and loyal relationships with its stakeholders. There is no one or best way to accomplish this mission. There have been numerous leadership theories and styles which have been developed over time which can enable leaders to choose which method would be most effective for them in establishing collaborative working relationships and a respectful team environment in a group setting (Landis, Eric A; Hill, Deborah; Harvey, Maurice R, 2014).

Great leaders have shaped the World we live in today and they are remembered for what they were able to accomplish during their lifetime. The history books are filled with leaders that changed the very nature of something by taking a different road or challenging the way everyone perceived things. Leaders would not be able to accomplish these daring feats without the help of their followers, the individuals in the background giving them their support (Schermerhorn & Uhl-Bien, 2014). Colleen Barrett was able to break through the glass ceiling and led Southwest Airlines (SWA) to become one of the most successful airlines in the industries (Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010). In the following pages will explore Colleen Barrett’s leadership

John Maxwell once said, “Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others.” His idea is something I have always searched for in leaders I choose to follow. It is some I try to embody myself. The leader I chose to interview is the epitome of Maxwell’s words. Kyleigh Mazer, is a junior at Ball State University. She is 20 years old and is from Floyds Knobs, Indiana. Mazer is studying Entrepreneurial Management with minors in Marketing and Leadership Studies. Involved as a Resident Assistant, Excellence in Leadership (EIL) ambassador, National Residence Hall Honorary inductee and American Marketing Association member, she is making the most of time leaving her footprint on the Ball State

This paper will discuss the topic of Leadership and both explore, as well as explain, it’s applicability in today’s work environment. The basis for discussion will be centered on the material provided during instruction of Management 371 and the personal LSA Journal entries of John Brennan. Additionally, there are three referenced articles that further explain and highlight the topic of Leadership. Throughout this paper, Leadership and the traits that make up a great leader will be explained.

“A big part of achieving success, according to Barnes, has been moving the corporate culture towards one based on teamwork and integrity. As a leader, I need to instill the right culture and values that will stand the test of time” (Routson, 2009).

A leader has been defined as someone who can influence individuals to do things that accomplish a common goal. It is described as a “person or thing that leads” or “a guiding or directing head” (Yukl, 2010). One of the main definitions of leadership is the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it. The Executive Director of Community College Initiatives has shown to have these qualities. Heading up a new department while working with limitations and still getting task accomplished shows strong leadership and management skills. While leadership deals with the process of influencing the activities of an organized group toward a goal or achievement, Managers deal with the stability and order on how to run things (Rauch, 1981). While manager’s deal with stability and order on how to run things efficiently, leaders look at the big picture. Effective leaders have good managers working for them. One can be a good manager but not an effective leader or someone can be a good leader but cannot manage well. Leaders and managers take two different paths to reach a common goal for an organization. Leadership and management are qualitatively different and mutually exclusive (Bennis, 1985). By creating a team of capable managers proves that she has good leadership qualities.

The article I chose attempts to define a leader, the types of leaders, and the ways in which a person can be an excellent leader. The author, Tom Decotils, lists three types of leaders: An appointed leader or someone who is a leader in name, an accepted leader or a leader in practice, and an authentic leader. Decotils suggests that when obtaining a leadership role, one must strive to be an “authentic leader,” whose focus is on results by moving followers forward through teamwork and insisting on personal excellence. (Decotils, 2015, para. 1) Decotils states that an authentic leader has good intentions, grit, and a constant yearning for improvement. (Decotils, 2015, para. 5) Additionally, an authentic leader must have a good

An effective leader and role model in my life was my high school guidance counselor Angela Kieffer. During high school I was the definition of teen angst, and felt as though I didn’t have people who understood my thoughts and feelings like she did. Having an person to talk to that isn’t one of your parents or peers; was essential to my success in high school. Mrs. Kieffer has continued to influence my life to this day, as I am now studying to be a high school guidance counselor so I can be a leader for the youth of today.

From Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela’s charisma, to Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King’s intelligence and Steve Jobs’ analytical nature, there can be as numerous ways to lead as there are leaders (Crossman, 2010). Leadership is a hot debate both in the business world and other areas of the society. Throughout the world's, there have been as many leadership models as there have been their commentators (Burns & Peltason, 1966). Fortunately, psychologists and businesspersons have established useful frameworks that refer to the main ways of leadership.

The modern leadership theories (hereafter, theories) recognise the importance of followers in the leadership process. These theories view leadership as an interaction between leaders and follower. They focus on the relationship between a leader and follower and view this relationship as the core to the success of any organisation. Kirsty’s leadership may be seen as reflective of all the path-goal theory, leader-member exchange theory (hereafter, LMX theory) and the transformational leadership theory (hereafter, TLT). In this report a discussion will be provided of the ways in which Kirsty’s leadership may be seen as reflective of all these theories and approaches to leadership. A critical analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Kirsty’s leadership for the Sandwich Company’s (hereafter, company) will also be provided to highlight how these factors could interplay in the company’s continued success. The success of the company illustrates that Kirsty effectively uses the guidance provided by each theory to inform her leadership practice. However, the company’s internal and external environment is starting to change. Therefore, the potential weakness inherent in the theories associated with her leadership style could come to surface which may delimit the company’s continued success.

For decade’s individuals, companies, and organizations have spent an unprecedented amount of money on researching, molding, modeling and working to define what a leader is and what characteristics make successful leaders. Despite all the research, there is not a quick answer or even full agreement as to what makes an individual an effective leader. The definition of a leader is “someone who can influence others and who has managerial authority.” (Robbins, Decenzo, Coulter, 2015. P.370)