Leadership Theory Analysis Leadership is a word that represents a fairly vague and misunderstood concept. Leadership can refer to specific people, the actions or behaviors of a specific person or group of people, or any other conceivable combination. It's difficult for anyone to grasp a specific definition with an appropriate context because it can be applied in a plethora of scenarios. For example, a leader can still be a leader even though they are not currently in the state of leading. Or if that person is actively trying to lead a group and they are not performing well it could also be said that the person is void of leadership skills; thus the dilemma would be if that person was really a leader. However, the word is prevalent in the business community and any aspiring professional should have a deep understanding of the complexities relating to the notions of leadership.

One way to come to terms with the concept of leadership is to examine the typical work day of someone who is considered a leader. Yet different leaders have different strategies and approaches to leadership as well. Therefore, a broad category must be compiled when referring to specific traits and behaviors. After viewing the Management Interview Series Databases on company leaders, the fifteen different people in leadership roles exhibited a wide variety of personalities. From this, a realization was made that it isn't necessarily someone's personality that makes them a leader, it must be something more.

The leaders portrayed...

Although each individual is completely different, one common denominator that was identified is that they all seem to be working toward stated organizational goals. A few traits that these leaders reveal in a typical workday are their dedication, communicate skills, and their ability to foster teamwork. However, things that work for one leader may not work as well for another leader. Also, things that work for one leader in one situation may not work for the same leader in a different scenario. A truly adept leader must therefore be flexible in his approach and adapt their strategy to meet the needs that the situation dictates (Business Strategy Review, 2005).
In a typical workday leaders schedules are incredibly demanding; consisting of long hours filled with activities such as meetings, countless correspondence through email, and often require travelling to different locations. Jack McDonald, the CEO of Compass Group Canada, attributes much of his success to his dedication to the company. He feels as though his drive and dedication allows him to lead by example. Leading through example is a common strategy that many leaders use to try to motivate employees. He states that the kinds of people that are successful are the kind of people that are motivated by winning, continuing to move ahead, and doing different things. A leader that brings a…