LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CHALLENGES

Leadership Development and Challenges

Leadership Development and Challenges

Introduction

There may be nearly as many different definitions and perspectives about leadership as there are people who study and write about it. As leadership has been a subject of study during the past 40 years, a realisation has emerged that a single leadership approach will not be effective in all situations (Starbuck, 2008, 56). While this may seem obvious to some, it represented a breakthrough in the way that leadership has characteristically been discussed by researchers, consultants, and trainers. The need to select or develop a leadership approach to meet the needs of an organisation and its environment suggests that a critical leadership skill may be the ability to understand what fits of a particular situation. This is particularly true for organisations needing to meet changing social, economic, and technological changes (Meindl, 2006, 52). Understanding the critical aspects of organisational change and having knowledge of alternative leadership models are both necessary to effectively deal with the organisational challenges of the 21st century.

Starting from this perspective, this chapter first briefly examines major challenges facing contemporary organisations, then reviews a number of alternative ways of looking at leadership in organisations, and finally considers some specific leadership requirements presented by change and globalisation, the two largest organisational challenges of this century (Kotter, 2007, 13).

The recently published results of the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) study present information about how leadership may be viewed by persons from 62 different cultures. This study proceeded from the perspective that the way in which a leader's characteristics and behaviors are interpreted is strongly influenced by a person's cultural background. Thus, the attributes that are seen as characteristic or prototypical for leaders may also strongly vary in different cultures. It is important to realize that most of the research on leadership during the past half century was conducted in the United States, in Canada, and in Western Europe. Thus, one of the criteria that should be considered in evaluating the applicability of leadership models previously discussed is a model's flexibility in accommodating alternative cultural perspectives.

The GLOBE study identified both universally endorsed leadership attributes, as well as the leadership features that seem to be endorsed only in selected cultures. Contributing to outstanding leadership in all cultures were several attributes reflecting integrity. Thus, a leader who is viewed as trustworthy, just, and honest is positively regarded in nearly all cultures. Also, an outstanding leader has other attributes reflecting charismatic, inspirational, and visionary leadership. A leader who embodies these universally endorsed attributes is encouraging, positive, motivational, and dynamic and builds confidence and has foresight. A universally endorsed leader is also a team builder, a good communicator and coordinator, achieves excellence, and is decisive, intelligent, and a win-win problem solver. Leader attributes that are universally viewed as impediments to outstanding leadership include being a loner, being uncooperative, ruthless, nonexplicit, irritable, and dictatorial.

Defining Leadership Development

Leadership development is the act of expanding the capacities of individuals, groups, and organisations to participate effectively in ...