Quantum Leadership Vs. Leader Member Exchange Theory

The contents and assignment in this course has helped me understand the various theories of leadership and how different leadership styles can have a negative or positive effect on followers and organizations. The leadership theories helped me understand the concept of leadership better because it educates me on the different leadership options that are available. Leadership and followership is not based on specific characteristics. Leaders must draw from things and approaches to find the right style. A follower’s attitude determines the way a leader leads. According to Johnson (2011) “Being a good follower means ensuring your boss is supported, but only if he is making optimum decisions”.

The role of the follower and the quality of the relationship itself are informally negotiated between followers and their leaders over time (Gils, Quaquebeke, & Knippenberg, 2009). Based on the LMX theory, leaders build a special relationship with an inner circle, or “in-group”, of followers, who often get high levels of responsibility and access to resources. The in-group members work harder and are more committed to task objectives. They are also expected to be totally committed and loyal to their leader. Conversely, other followers fall in the “out-group" and are given low levels of choice or influence. Aggression, sarcasm and a self-centered view are qualities seen in the out-group. The quality of the LMX relationship varies and is better when the challenge of the job is extremely high or extremely low (Graen et al., 1982).

Regarding leadership or good leader, some of his opinions are similar and some of his opinions are different to opinion that the author in the text book argue. In this textbook, the authors define leadership as the process to affect other people for achieving an organization’s goals. It is similar to interviewee argument. Yet, interviewee emphasized the power in leadership. He states that it is very important to use the power fairly and ethically. He also argues that leaders need a strong relationship with lots of excellent in-group members for forming the power. It is in line with Leader-Member Exchange Theory (LMX) that assumes leadership is formed through transacting mutual interests between leaders and followers.

Leadership is a very complex and important aspect of not only business but life. Leadership is an important skill that can come easy to some, but also can be a learned skill. Leadership has been around as long as human beings have walked this earth. Great leaders of the past include Alexander the Great, George Washington, Pope John Paul II, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership is a complicated subject and has had many studies done to help understand its elements and what it takes to become a great leader. There are five major leadership theory classifications include, trait, behavioral, contingency, integrative, and management to the leadership. According to Lussier and Achua, “A leadership paradigm is a shared mindset that represents a fundamental way of thinking about, perceiving, studying, researching, and understanding leadership.” (p. 19). This essay will list and define the leadership theory paradigms.

The leader-member exchange theory often referred to as LMX, is a management theory which analyzes the relationship maintained between the manager or the leader and the members or subordinates within a group and organization. It further explains how this relation can either help the firm in growing or hold it back to its current position.

Outstanding leaders combine good strategic substance and effective interpersonal processes to formulate and implement strategies that produce results and sustainable competitive advantage. Hence, it is a little overwhelming, especially when inundated with numerous theories about leadership such as, X & Y theory, path-goal theory, charismatic, traits theory, Vroom model, and contingency theory, etc… Additionally, numerous leadership styles exist in which a manager can employ, such as laissez faire, transformational, employee-centered, tasks-centered, close supervision, participative, democratic, or autocratic (Elliott 2011).

Leadership is an important aspect of management sciences. Over the past century, many theories have been developed to provide managers with the tools required to effectively lead their subordinates. From a simplistic theory cataloguing individual traits and characteristics, leadership has become a complex science shaped by many forces (ex: behavioural sciences, organizational culture, strategic management trends etc.) (Avolio, Walumba and Weber, 2009).

Leadership Theory versus Leadership Practice can be compared to as two whole different worlds. Leadership Theories are explained and built in an imaginary world by taking few real life factors that might affect decision making of a leader. Whereas leader ship in practice is decision making of a leader in an unpredictable world. This paper is all about the compare and contrasts between Leadership Theory versus Leadership Practice, give my personal opinion on this topic and come to a conclusion if Leadership Theory and Leadership Practice are same always or they are different sometimes. According to Lussier and Achua (2012) there is a leader in everyone and everyone plays a role of a leader. In practical life you are a leader for your life. There are hundreds of fine studies and theories are produced for the past multiple decades which studies the leadership styles, their traits and sorting procedures for an understanding of your personal traits and leadership style. These studies and theories are of a huge importance for a self as well as for an organization. For self, according to me these studies gives valuable information on yourself traits, know more about you and your hidden talents. This will be a huge help in improving your positives and your strengths and also correcting your negatives and your weaknesses. Coming to an organization, these studies and tools are like a power shields for the Human resources team and the management team to hire a new employee or promote a

There are many different leadership theories that have been proposed, tested, and studied over the years. Many organizations utilize these theories and practices to collect and analyze data within their own organizations which may allow them to find ways of increasing the effectiveness of their company. Although there are not any theories deemed completely perfect in leadership, many have been given lots of validity based on the and studies done involving them. This paper will analyze and discuss different leadership theories including; the contingency theory, the transformational theory, and the leader-member exchange theory. This paper will also discuss the most effective leadership theory in a current organization.

Leadership theories differ in motivational concepts, but most agree effective leaders inspire followers to work toward a common goal by doing the best job possible (Reed & Bogardus, 2012). Two potential approaches to leadership are collective leadership and leader-member exchange. One focuses on the distribution of leadership where the other spotlights dyadic relationships. Although both can be effective when the organizational setting is right, there are flaws leaders should be aware of to identify problems before it spirals out of control.

Leadership is considered by psychologists and organizational researchers as one of the most multifaceted and complex phenomena (Field & Seters, 1990). As a result of its complexity, leadership is one of the most misconceived phenomenon in the whole world. This prompted the researchers to come up with various foundational theories which helped to shed more light about leadership (Burns, 1978). Thus, it is impossible to analyze and evaluate leadership theories without going back to their origins (Field&Seters, 1990)

Leadership is a state of being a leader/head of a group of people, organization, and/or country. Ken Blanchard state that "As leader, we hold the lives of others in our hands, and these need to be gentle, caring and always available to provide support" (pg.2). Every leader has different styles or different ways of leading his people to achieve their common goal. This paper will talk about leadership theory and will compare and contract each theory from the each other.

Some researchers address leaders based on leading individuals, some according to leading a team, while others focus only on specific leadership theories practiced in an organizational environment (Yukl, 2012). Leadership processes and practices have an impact (positively or negatively) on the work habits and performance of individuals, teams, and an organization as a whole. According to Mætrîx (n.d.a), an individual’s ability to effectively lead can be grouped into three major categories; technical qualifications, cognitive abilities, and emotional intelligence (EI). Regardless of how well-developed an individual’s leadership skills appear to be, there is always room for improvement. One approach that a leader can take

Foundational theories are the backbone of today’s application of leadership in all aspects of business in a global society. Understanding the characteristics that define successful leadership is not feasible due to application of leadership principles in diverse circumstances. This does not defray the premise that effective leadership cannot be learned. In fact, learning and understanding the many approaches to leadership allows an individual to internalize and effectively develop a leader’s mentality (Derecskei, 2016). In this section the four core theories on leadership and the tools used under each will be discussed.

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