In: Operations Management
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The role of a leader in the success of employees and an organization is critical to continuous progress. A leader's style has a direct influence on people and results. As Warrick (2016) stated, leaders can either create a thriving culture or become an obstacle to success. Hence various theories of leadership have been studied to help understand their overall impact and also to identify what makes a great leader. In this discussion, I will focus on situational and authentic leadership theories, their similarities, and their differences.
Situational leadership (SL) theory believes that a leader must adapt their style to fit the needs and characteristics of their environment. Thus, situations and individuals are fluid; hence, a leader can not use a single approach to get results. They must be well equipped to flex their style to fit their environment and accommodate their employees' strengths and weaknesses to achieve results. According to Chapman (2018), there is no one-size-fits-all approach to successful leadership; consequently, leaders must learn to approach situations differently if they want to be successful. On the other hand, authentic leadership (AL) theory is based on a leader's ability to rely on self-awareness, compassion, integrity, honesty, etc. to build a good relationship with his employees and create the right environment for them to thrive (Kelley, 2018). The theory places a firm emphasis on a leader's ability to stay true to their values, relate, and connect with their teams to earn trust and confidence to promote growth or achieve set goals. However, SL style focuses primarily on the situation itself and how a leader can adapt their style to their people and different circumstances to get the best of everything.
Also, there is a good connection between both schools of thought. Emotional intelligence is crucial to the success of both leadership styles. For example, AL values Self-awareness and the significant role it plays in its success. Thus, a leader must be able to identify and acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses based on their values to lead their team effectively. Similarly to situational leadership, having such attributes will help a leader know what skills or attributes to utilize and when to apply them in a unique situation to achieve results. Also, honesty and integrity are attributes that an authentic leader uses to build trust and gain the commitment of their teams. Such qualities will help a leader who wants to practice a situational leadership style know when and how to communicate, manage their teams, and deploy their resources to create an environment that maximizes resources.
Organizations must scan their environment to understand their circumstances and employees to appoint a leader who can implement the right leadership style to help them progress and achieve their ultimate vision.
Answer: Analysing the given post and responding to the main idea behind it:
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