Leadership Theories And Qualities Of Leadership - 1537 Words

Effective leadership is essential to the overall success of any organization. Leadership attributes or qualities and leadership theories have been studied by a variety of fields including business, healthcare, finance, political science, psychology, and more. There seems to be a paradigm shift in leadership theories and qualities that is focusing on the relationship of the leader to his or her subordinates as well as the population they are serving. Parris and Peachey state â€Å"leadership is a skill used to influence followers in an organization to work enthusiastically towards goals specifically identified for the common good† (Parris Peachey, 2013, p. 377). The paradigm shift is occurring secondary to the public downfall in recent years†¦show more content†¦The Great Man Theory describes the leader as being born with the necessary characteristics to lead an organization (Leadership Theories, n.d.). Trait Theory expanded on the Great Man Theory stating leaders wh o are born with the characteristics or traits to be a great leader will help them excel as leaders (Leadership Theories, n.d.). Behavioral theories focus on the leader’s behaviors and not their characteristics (Leadership Theories, n.d.). Contingency theories state leadership styles vary based on the environment or situation (Leadership Theories, n.d.). Transactional leadership theories focus on the transaction between leaders and their followers (Leadership Theories, n.d.). Transformational leadership theories focus on the relationship of the leader and their followers and how that relationship impacts the organization (Leadership Theories, n.d.). Servant leadership and transformational leadership are two of the leadership theories being studied as part of the paradigm shift in leadership models. While servant leadership and transformational leadership have many similarities, they also have key differences. Stone, Russell, Patterson describe the difference as â€Å"the transformational leader’s