In the past, there was a perception that leadership that is transformational was only suitable for military systems. Currently, theories have made analysis and concluded that transformational leadership is also effective in other settings and environments, such as organizations and firms (Bass & Riggio, 2012)
Others, however, have leadership gifts, and they see reality as involuntary. When compared to leadership theories such as the situational theory, where leaders need to embrace change, and treat issues as per the current positions, reality seeking is inevitably important for leaders (Browning, 2009)
Such leaders bring together a clan like culture that ensures the organization carries on its functions with a basis of loyalty. These leaders also find it easy to share responsibilities and rewards among the followers and organization employees (Davis, 2003)
These environmental factors in the organization range from task complexities, critical contingencies, and worker maturity together with organization size. Leaders' behaviors are, therefore, suit for certain circumstances and not others (Fairholm & Gilbert, 2009)
These environmental factors in the organization range from task complexities, critical contingencies, and worker maturity together with organization size. Leaders' behaviors are, therefore, suit for certain circumstances and not others (Fairholm & Gilbert, 2009)
Those with the cognitive abilities end up having internal beliefs and processes which need to be available if anyone is going to lead followers and subordinates effectively. These traits include; adaptability to situations, embracing social environment, being assertive and cooperative, making the right decisions and have prosperous results, being persistent and self-confident, having the tolerance to cope with stressful moments and environments and the willingness to undertake responsibilities bestowed on a person (Gill, 2012)
Leaders will often be involved with decision making because leaders want to improve their leadership quality by making decisions, to increase the satisfaction of their followers, to enhance good communication channels that will assist in communicating with their subordinates, training their subordinates and lastly facilitating change in the organization. Decisions- making procedures and protocol need to be followed precisely, to ensure sober decisions are made, which will be considerate to the leaders themselves and their followers too (Heller, 1971)
Also, any kind of leadership is values driven, meaning that morals need to be integrated in any leadership system for it to be termed as effective. No organizations are value-neutral, meaning that leaders in all spheres of organizations need to have values, which are inclusive of ethical values (Komives, Lucas & McMahon, 2009)
The question remains whether leaders are made or born. Evidently, there has to be an understanding within us that leaders can be made, especially if they learn on how to motivate others and inspire them to perform better in the team or organization (Maddock & Fulton, 1998)
This means there is a great inter-relationship between management and leadership. The two terms are even interchanged at times, regardless of the fact that some authors differ concerning the two terms (McKenna, 2000)
Many activities are undergone in management; planning, staffing, coordinating, controlling, leading and motivating. Managers are in most cases expected to undertake the technical activities of the organization, be responsible, authoritative and reliable (Montana & Charnov, 2008)
Management, in contrary, is concerned and linked to the coordination of specific activities, to ensure a certain task is successfully undertaken. As leaders and their followers work as a team and embrace togetherness in order to create change, subordinates and the managers combine their abilities and forces to sell both services and goods (Northouse, 2009)
The organizational world is not moving in incremental steps as it used to, but in fast and significant leaps hence making necessary new ways of effecting change on the organizations. If organizations are to remain dormant without change, then the most probable effect is that attaining greatness and remaining competitive will prove to be impossible, with many competitors and innovators working within same parameters (Pasmore, 2010)
It is also clear that leaders are made, through experiences and acquired knowledge, and they are not just born as leaders. Effective leaders are those that learn to work hard, adopt commitment and accept shared recognition (Petty & Petro, 2007)
Citizens of America and other countries, including the leaders of organizations in these countries have continued to be unethical in their undertakings. In summation, leaders have to be examined critically, and both their professional and personal ethics have to be consistent with the ethical code of their country so that they can tolerate the day-to-day decision making processes and other administrative functions (Shapiro & Stefkovich, 2010)
Participative decision making happens when the leaders encourage and allow their subordinates to take part in assessments, and give opinions before decisions are made in the organization. This assures the administration of the firm that their workers are more dedicated to attaining organization goals, and they are also motivated towards setting their own targets to ensure the organization's common goal is reached (Taylor, Aken & Smith-Jackson, 2012)
Though they lack the "leadership" title, shared accountabilities and responsibilities, team workers of the organization and social networkers all add up to leadership. Effective leaders, therefore, are those who fight for and motivate collaborations with their followers, and team workers who could also be innovative and contribute to excellent ideas (Turnbull, 2011)
Core values are the personal standards that we set for ourselves so that we act according to them. Core values for leaders are manifested in the morals they have, and the manner in which deal with issues (Wilmore, 2007)
Understanding self also entails the awareness of reactions and emotions of others and listening to the inner voice. Good and effective leaders are those that try their level best to be meaningful and understand their followers to extents they can motivate and inspire them to the fullest (Wilson, 2008)
Plato famously discuses his allegory of the man in the cave to show how the light of knowledge was always there, yet it was hidden behind us as we were not facing the mouth of the cave, and thus blinded by our own limitations of exploration. Once the man leaves the cave he can know real knowledge outside of the shadowy figures he though was knowledge beforehand (Cooper, 1999)