The Concept of Leadership: Cultivating Effective Leadership
Updated May 7, 2024
Jenn, an Indeed Career Coach, explains the top leadership styles in management and how to identify the one that's right for you and your team.
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What is the concept of leadership?
Leadership is a skill that involves someone guiding others to achieve target goals and encouraging people on a team to act as a united group in their efforts. The idea of leadership is that having one person who coordinates the activities of everyone else in a group will enable that group to be more successful and empowered.Of course, not all leadership processes are equally impactful, so some leadership concepts can produce better results than others. Good leadership involves not only having a designated leader but making sure that the leader can adapt to the needs of their team and provide the correct form of motivation for each situation. Just like good leaders can rally a team to surpass achievement goals, poor leaders can derail an already successful group and cause discord within an organization.Related: 6 Leadership Theories for Career GrowthFactors that can influence leadership
One of the most important concepts of leadership is that it must adapt to its environment to be effective. The needs of everyone in the group, the types of goals they want to accomplish and the resources they have can all influence the ideal type of leadership for their scenario. There are four main factors to consider when determining how different leadership tools and characteristics will impact a situation.The leader
The person leading the group has direct influence over the outcome of leadership on a team. When someone is appointed to be the leader, their ability to connect with a group, provide direction and make decisions can all influence the effectiveness of their leadership efforts. Some groups do not have an appointed leader and rely on someone stepping up to claim the role by taking the initiative to guide their peers. The leader's values, personalities and methods for achieving goals can all impact the overall leadership within that group.The followers
Just like the unique characteristics of a group leader can determine the outcome of team leadership, so can the qualities of each individual team member. Not only do individual followers factor into team leadership, but the way they interact with one another can also affect what kinds of leadership techniques and concepts work best. Each person may respond to different leadership techniques, so it's important for the leader and the followers to get to know one another to determine the best course of action for strong leadership.The situation
The environment, timeline and goals associated with a team also impact leadership. Trying to show leadership in a highly urgent situation is different than showing leadership in a relaxed environment with plenty of room for correcting mistakes. Here are some of the situational factors that can influence leadership:- Budget
- Available skills
- Stress level
- Timing
- Company structure
The communication channels
The way a leader communicates with the followers and the way the followers communicate with one another is another important part of leadership. Each team has its own conventions for communication, including non-verbal cues, one-on-one check-ins and group meetings. Communication involves modeling successful behavior, rewarding excellence, tracking progress and encouraging inter-team collaboration.Leadership principles
Several principles of successful leadership apply regardless of the different factors at play. Leadership principles are basic behaviors that people in a leadership role should follow to get the most out of their team. These best practices are an important part of establishing a successful relationship between leaders and followers, allowing the leader to develop their environment:- Self-reflect to understand your own strengths that you can bring to a project.
- Seek out opportunities for personal and professional growth to model ambition for your team.
- Understand the technical aspects of your team's work to provide subject matter expertise.
- Accept accountability for both your actions and the outcomes of your team.
- Carefully consider all possible outcomes before making a decision and follow through with your choices.
- Model ideal behavior to lead your team by example and uphold high standards of success.
- Spend time getting to know your team so you can understand the function of each role and how to motivate each individual.
- Advocate for the needs of your team members to make sure they have the necessary resources to thrive.
- Establish clear channels of communication and regularly check in with your group.
- Invest in your team's development and empower them to grow their responsibilities and take control of their work.
- When giving instruction, use checks for understanding to make sure your team knows what they need to do.
- Monitor the quality of your team's output and provide closer supervision for challenging tasks.
Common leadership models
Many leadership models theorize about the best way to lead others. Each leadership model has its own ideas about what makes a leader most effective in various situations. Leadership models can be specific to a particular type of workplace, industry or team goal. Here are some of the most common categories of leadership models that people use to guide their leadership decisions:Authoritarian
The authoritarian leadership model involves the leader having absolute control and power over their team. Authoritarian or autocratic leaders use direct instruction and constant supervision to help their team accomplish goals. Authoritarian leadership is based on the idea that one qualified person can delegate specific tasks to accomplish a goal in a completely consistent way. Most groups with authoritarian leaders have limited opportunities for feedback from followers.Organizations and teams that use the authoritarian leadership model often need to have specific, meticulous outcomes. Having a single person who makes all judgments theoretically allows for perfect consistency, a clear chain of command and the ability to quickly and effectively implement changes.Authoritarian leadership has its drawbacks because of its one-sided nature. It can be challenging to support team morale when the followers do not have an opportunity to contribute their own ideas, and leaders may miss out on insight from the people doing each individual job.Laissez-faire
The laissez-faire leadership model is based on the idea that delegating tasks to individuals and allowing them to use their own methods is the best way to accomplish goals. Laissez-faire leadership is on the opposite end of the spectrum from authoritative leadership. Laissez-faire leaders are hands-off and mostly work to confirm the quality of individual parts, then turn them into a cohesive project. Laissez-faire leaders are accountable for the actions of each team member without being directly involved in their work.Laissez-faire leadership is ideal in situations where employees are highly skilled, motivated and dedicated to their work. Each follower has their own autonomy in the workplace and uses their experience to make the best decisions for their tasks. Many leaders use the laissez-faire style for teams with well-defined roles and limited interaction between each team member.If the individual employees aren't internally motivated or lack the skills to do their job on their own, laissez-faire leadership can lead to serious oversights or mistakes. Some groups become disjointed and uncoordinated under the laissez-faire style due to the lack of group interaction and support from management.Related: Laissez-Faire Leadership: Definition, Tips and ExamplesDemocratic
Democratic leadership, also known as "participative leadership," occurs when the leader seeks out input from their team when determining workflows and making decisions. One of the key traits of the democratic leadership model is a completely open line of communication where followers feel comfortable speaking up about their experience and sharing ideas about how to best accomplish their work. Democratic leadership involves honest discussion and equal contributions from everyone. The leader of the group still has the final authority and can give feedback and guidance to help individual followers excel.The democratic leadership model is ideal for teams of qualified individuals who thrive with a combination of freedom and coaching. Workplaces that use democratic leadership often emphasize productivity, creativity and growth.Democratic leadership can have some negative aspects, such as slower communication that results in delays in workflow. Because multiple people discuss most decisions, this can cause discord or tension when the leader chooses someone's idea over another person's.Keys to effective leadership
Leaders must work to establish these key qualities within their team, their work environment and themselves to produce the greatest impact and desired result:- Trust: Followers must be able to trust their leader to make good decisions and vice versa. A team of people who trust one another can successfully focus on their own tasks or ask for help as needed.
- Inclusion: Team leaders cultivate inclusive environments to ensure everyone feels like a valued part of the group, empowering them to dedicate themselves to their work.
- Transparency: Leaders should be transparent about team functions, timelines, goals and problems to facilitate better communication on their team.
- Delegation: Good leaders must be able to delegate tasks to people on their team, strategically assigning objectives to team members based on their strengths.
- Focus: The ability to focus on a shared goal is one of the primary characteristics of a successful team. Leaders should be able to help their followers hone in on key goals.
- Innovation: Successful leaders support creativity and new ideas among their followers. They suggest innovative ways to solve problems and encourage their team to share their ideas.
- Consistency: Team members may be more likely to thrive when they have a consistent environment where the leader upholds dependable policies and workflows.
- Agility: Great leaders can adapt to changes in their teams and use an agile mindset to reassign tasks or strengthen their teams.
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Attributes of strong leaders
Not all leaders share the same characteristics, but some qualities indicate strong leadership potential. Successful leaders intentionally cultivate these aspects of their personality and apply them to professional situations:Read more: 23 Leadership Characteristics to Be a Successful LeaderPositive
Having a positive outlook is essential for motivating a team and convincing them to try their best to work through challenging situations. Leaders use a positive attitude as a tool to encourage others and stay personally motivated during projects.Empathetic and compassionate
Good leaders use empathy to understand the perspective of their team members. They should be compassionate to the challenges their team members experience and work to improve their conditions or help them overcome problems.Direct and honest
Strong leaders are authentic, genuine people who are honest and up-front with their team about the necessary course of action. They communicate directly with their followers to improve transparency and demonstrate interpersonal respect.Strategic
Strategic, analytical leaders who consider the impact of their decisions can guide their team while balancing multiple roles. People who think strategically can build logical systems for getting work done, helping determine how to assign roles.Tenacious
People who are persistent and tenacious have the potential to be impactful leaders because they continually pursue success. They dedicate themselves to their work and think creatively to resolve a problem and learn from their mistakes.Related: What Does a Group Leader Do? (With Salary and Skills)
Principals
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