As the class lecture and the book has indicated there are many similar personality factors that can be found in similar leadership style. However, some people who have all those traits do not show or have the ability to be a leader and this is because of the situation that they are in.
Based on Vroom’s research in 2007 there are few situations that are in need to be discussed: organization effectiveness, situation shapes how leader behave and the situation influences the leadership results.
The first organization effectiveness it means in many organizations, the success of certain events or certain war are not win only because of their leader but it is because of the whole organization. If a certain part of the process has failed it can still lead to the failure of the who situation. Thus, without the success of the followers, there will be no success of the leader. In some cases, the leader’s success can actually cause because of the success of the follower. (Vrooms, 2007)
Another thing that classic leadership theory has not to consider is the external factors that will shape how a leader behaves. Recent leadership theory has mainly been focused on individual differences, how the leader is different from their followers and how the leader is different from other people. However, there is evidence from Vroom’s research that it is important to corporate the situation factor in the research and this is because if the researcher finds out the situation factor will have three more times of various than individual difference will have. Thus, it can conclude the lack of situation factors may not be accurate to describe the success of a leader. (Vrooms, 2007)
The last thing that currents leadership theory has not done is to say that situation will also change’ leader’s behavior result. This is because in a different situation even a leader’s behavior and the organizational behavior has not changed, they may be successful in one situation due to their overall environment but have failed in another situation and may be caused by multiple different factors. Vroom’s research has tried to use the different situation factors in the same leadership decision making and to find in what circumstances the leader will be successful and in what environment the leader will fail. (Vrooms, 2007)
That research has suggested that it is not enough to only consider the individual differences within people but it is also important to consider the situation factor in their research.
References:
Northouse, P. G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Sage Publishing
The Pennsylvania State University. (2021). Leadership in Work Settings, PSYCH 485, Lesson 2: Trait Approach
Vroom, V. H., & Jago, A. G. (2007). The role of the situation in leadership. American Psychologist, 62(1), 17-24. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1037/0003-066X.62.1.17