In “Leadership Theory and Practice” Northouse 2013, I found the quote “To be an effective leader, one needs to respond with the action that is required of the situation” (Northouse, 2013 pg. 296). I found this one statement to carry more weight and provide a more clear common-sense description than any theory or framework that I have learned this far. I am a rather big fan of keeping things simple and that phrase right there summed up leadership in my mind. I feel I can take any situation or idea about leadership, apply that phrase, and it will make sense and be true.
Let’s start with the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory, which I am not a fan of because I feel it completely discounted the actions of the follower and put it all on a leader. The statement “To be an effective leader, one needs to respond with the action that is required of the situation”, at first glance might do the same, but it is just the opposite. The LMX theory defines itself as addressing leadership as a dyadic relationship between leader and member, but then states leaders should treat all followers “fairly” (the implication of fairly there was that one subordinate should not get special privileges over another); however, this new favorite statement of mine can be applied. In this framework, a leader responding to an exemplary employee by being flexible or having them in the “in-group” (Northouse, 2013) is their way of responding to hard work, in an appropriate way, with reward in the way they treat the subordinate. The issue I take with this theory, is resolved by applying the phrase I am addressing.
Then we can also take a look at the Path-Goal Theory, “The stated goal of this leadership theory is to enhance employee performance and employee satisfaction by focusing on employee motivation” (Northouse 2013 pg. 137). In other words, the leader should respond to what the employee needs and does in the best way to get them to perform effectively. Again nicely summed up by the statement I am focusing on in the writing. The framework calls for the leader to make the path clear, remove obstacles, and get the desired result, they do this by taking the appropriate action for each given situation.
Those were just two detailed examples of how this one statement is so very fitting in the description of what an effective leader does. I think about a previous discussion I wrote, describing Charles Manson as a leader (not a moral leader but no doubt an effective leader), I can effectively apply the topic statement to him as well. We can take the trait approach to leadership, and pull any one of those traits; let’s use self-confidence for example. Effective leaders appear to all display self-confidence, (Northouse 2013) with self-confidence comes making the decision to act in a situation how they know is appropriate, to not question themselves and to know what they are doing (even if they really don’t); people believe them and trust them, why, because they do and say what is right in a given situation (not right as in moral right or wrong, but right as in what is needed to get their desired result).
I feel I could go through most any discussion, blog, paper, or reading about leadership right now and apply the statement “To be an effective leader, one needs to respond with the action that is required of the situation”,(Northouse 2013), and apply it and show how versatile, fitting, and relevant that statement is. I can picture myself in a few years, hopefully being in a leadership position, and repeating that sentence to myself as a reminder, to be effective as a leader it is simple, do what is needed to get the desired result, not based on my own personal bias or emotion, but whatever the situation calls for.
Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
DEEDRA LEE HARDIN says
Responding with the action that is most appropriate to the situation is also reflected in guidance provided by Hill’s Model for Team Leadership as it is based on the functional leadership claim that the leader’s job is to monitor the team and then take necessary action to ensure team effectiveness (Northouse, 2013). Responding appropriately requires a leader to possess a wide range of communication skills in order to gather the information that is needed when determining what action is appropriate. The appropriate solution varies by circumstance and focuses on what should be done to make the team more effective. Effective leaders have the ability to determine what leadership interventions are needed, if any, to solve team problems (Northouse, 2013). So, inasmuch as being able to respond appropriately appears to be a simple and easy-to-follow mantra, it’s not simple to apply. Leaders need the ability to diagnose, analyze, and forecast problems in order to know when the timing is appropriate to take action. Timing is critical as intervening too early on in a team’s development can hinder its ability to settle in roles and hierarchies or thwart the development of an emergent leader. Intervening too late can result in total breakdown of the team as a unit. The exact timing of a leadership intervention is as important as the specific type of intervention (Wageman, Fisher, & Hackman, 2009).
References
Northouse, P. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice, 6th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Wageman, R., Fisher, C.M., & Hackman, J.R. (2009). Leading teams when the time is right: Finding the best moments to act. Organizational Dynamics, 38(3), 192-203