Verified Document

Leadership Styles And Leadership Essay

Army Leadership Informal and Collective Leadership

Many people believe that the leader in any group or organization is one of the most important factors necessary to achieve the group's objectives. As a result of the perceived importance of the formal leadership, this role receives a lot of attention and a plethora of research has been conducted to better understand the qualities and actions of leaders that can make them successful in a range of different situations. However, there are other aspects of leadership that are beginning to attract more attention extend the focus of leadership beyond the leader themselves. For instance, some research has focused on shared and distributed leadership as well as the related theories. As the Army continues to evolve into a new generation of warfare the need for decentralized command structures has grown more salient and thus the attention on leadership research has broaden its focus from the traditional scope of leadership research. Collective leadership has been identified as one of the possible functions that can increase the adaptability of the Army and help it to meet the challenges it now faces.

Collective Leadership

Collective leadership is a concept that has been steadily receiving increased attention as modern organizations, institutions, and communities face new challenges that are emerging in the 21st century; it is in this environment that leaders must be capable of crossing many boundaries which can sometimes require that traditional assumptions are unlearned...

The rigid command structures of previous generations are being challenged as the importance of teamwork and distributed leadership are ushering in new paradigms that are more responsive and adaptable.
There are a range of different ideas about exactly what the collective leadership model does, or should, entail but there are some basic underlying principles that seem to be consistently shared. The underlying principles look at the role of leadership as more of a relational model in which the group as a whole shares in the leadership function, and as such the collective leadership transfers leadership and decision-making in a fluid manner (Martin, 2007). There are many aspects of this perspective that are consistent with more traditional leadership models such as the transformational model. The transformational leadership model is defined as a leadership style in which the leaders are able to influence their subordinates to achieve higher performances (Bass, 1999). The leader will set an inspiring vision for the organization and empower the collective unit to fully devote themselves to meeting their shared objectives.

In the context of the United States Military, the era of asymmetric warfare has been quickly ushered in (Friedrich, Vessey, Schuelke, Ruark, & Mumford, 2009). This era can be defined as one in which there is not an "enemy" in the traditional sense, one that is centrally organized with a structured command channel. The challenges that the military now faces are now largely decentralized themselves and often consist of various loosely affiliated networks or cells. With challenges emerging such as modern…

Sources used in this document:
References

Bass, B. (1999). Two decasdes in research and development in transformational leadership. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 9-32.

Friedrich, T., Vessey, W., Schuelke, M., Ruark, G., & Mumford, M. (2009). A Framework for Collective Leadership. Retrieved from U.S. Army Research Institute: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a544438.pdf

Martin, D. (2007). The Collective Leadership Framework. Retrieved from Ethical Leadership: http://www.ethicalleadership.org/uploads/2/6/2/6/26265761/collective_leadership_framework_workbook.pdf
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Leadership Theory in a Changing and Globalizing
Words: 5806 Length: 20 Document Type: Essay

Leadership Theory in a Changing and Globalizing Marketplace Modern business practice is permeated by the complexities of a changing world. The impact of globalization on the cultural makeup of companies, the effects of the global recession on the conventions of daily business and the evolutionary shifts brought on by emergent technology all call for an orientation toward simultaneous stability and adaptability. Only under the stewardship of a qualified, communicative, flexible and

Leadership Portfolio Political Tactics Are Essential for
Words: 904 Length: 3 Document Type: Research Paper

Leadership Portfolio Political tactics are essential for quality leadership. It is important to be tactful in all situations, and to understand the confounding variables that can impact communication clarity. Politics refers to skillful communications and strategic decision-making. Compromises are critical to good politics. For example, we were working with a large team of over 25 people. Each person had a clearly defined role, but there came a time when egos started

Leadership and Organizations: Bill Gates and Steve
Words: 1757 Length: 6 Document Type: Case Study

Leadership and Organizations: Bill Gates and Steve Jobs The theories of leadership date way back to when dynasties existed and people were led by kings. The leader took control and made decisions whenever disputes arose. The question of leadership qualities may not have been all that important then, but people still considered some to be better leaders than others. It would be prudent to begin by giving the fundamentals of the

Leadership Theories the Role of Leadership in
Words: 2434 Length: 8 Document Type: Essay

Leadership Theories The role of leadership in business organizations Many leadership theories have been applied, in different organizations, to help in attainment of the objectives of the organization. Leadership theories are many, but the most common include the trait theory, which assumes that different people inherit the qualities and also traits of leadership and later suit for the position of leadership. The characteristics related to the trait theory are behavioral and personality

Leadership Is Defined As the Procedures That
Words: 1386 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

Leadership is defined as the procedures that individuals use as authority over others to achieve an objective. The action also provides direction in a manner that makes an organization more coherent and cohesive. Three-Skill Approach This approach refers to three skills including human, technical, and conceptual, which form the fundamental personal skills required in leadership. Technical skills involve proficiency in and knowledge about some defined activities or work. It includes analytical ability,

Leadership Is the Process of Directing the
Words: 1913 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

Leadership is the process of directing the behavior of others toward the achievement of some general objectives. Effective leadership is very important for molding a group of people into a team, shaping them into a force that serves as a sustainable business benefit. Effective leaders have an inspirational vision. Forethought and change expectation is their hallmark. Leaders know how to make people function in a joint fashion, and how to

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now