Transformational leadership is a process that changes and transforms people (PSU WC, L10 p. 2). Transformational leadership is concerned with the process of how certain leaders are able to inspire followers to accomplish goals (Northouse, 2021, p. 340). In doing so, transformational leadership focuses on emotions, values, ethics, standard and long-term goals of both the leader and his/her followers (Northouse, 2021, p. 340). Transformational leaders should have the following characteristics: vision; rhetorical skills; image and trust building; and personalized leadership (PSU WC, L10 p. 3). Followers of transformational leaders also have distinct characteristics such as identification with leader and vision; heightened emotional levels; willing subordination to the leader; and feelings of empowerment (PSU WC, L10 p. 3). The last factor involved with transformational leadership is the situation (PSU WC, L10 p. 3). Situational characteristics of transformational leadership consists of crises and task interdependence (PSU WC, L10 p. 3). 

 

Bass (1985) provided a model of transformational leadership that suggested that leadership appears on a continuum (Northouse, 2021, p. 348). He suggested that leaders are either transactional, transformational, laissez-fiare, or somewhere in between (Northouse, 2021, p. 348). As mentioned above, transformational leaders have a strong set of internal values (PSU WC, L10 p. 4). Transformational leaders are charismatic; inspirational; and intellectual (PSU WC, L10 p. 4). Transactional leadership involves the exchange of goods with followers to advance the leaders agenda (PSU WC, L10 p. 4). And laissez-faire leaders do not necessarily lead, instead they leave follows to their own devices (PSU WC, L10 p. 4). Furthermore, Bass (1985) model suggests that transformational leaders should motivate followers to achieve more than what is expected (Northouse, 2021 p. 348). In doing this, leaders should raise followers awareness regarding the importance and value of the specified goal; encourage followers to set aside their own self-interest for the sake of the team or organization; and push followers to address higher-level needs  (Bass, 1985, p. 20 as cited in Northouse, 2021 pp. 348-349). 

 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr leadership style is consistent with transformational leadership. He aimed to change and transform the people of the United States. He dreamed of a society in which everyone was considered equal with equal opportunities, and he was not only concerned with the rights of black people, but more inclusively he was focused on the rights of all people. As mentioned above, transformational leadership is a process, one that can be learned and developed, for how leaders inspire followers to accomplish larger than life goals (Northouse, 2021, p. 340). Dr. King is famously known for his persuasive speeches, which is another quality that holds consistent with transformational leadership. Dr. King utilized his rhetorical skills to articulate a vision to the United States. 

 

As mentioned above, followers of transformational leaders also have distinct characteristics to identify with their leader’s and vision; heightened emotional levels; willing subordination to the leader; and feelings of empowerment (PSU WC, L10 p. 3). Dr. King’s followers are consistent with all of these characteristics. His followers definitely had willingness of subordination which is seen through the mere fact that they chose King to lead this movement. The last factor of transformational leadership, the situation, is consistent with the characteristics of Dr. Kings movement. As mentioned above, situational characteristics of transformational leadership consist of crises and task interdependence (PSU WC, L10 p. 3). The crises that the United States was facing at the time was inequality for people of color. And the task interdependence can be seen through Kings followers carrying out his vision. 

 

Transformational leadership is a process that changes and transforms people and is concerned with the process of how certain leaders are able to inspire followers to accomplish goals (Northouse, 2021, p. 340). Today we can see, that Dr. King inspired his followers to accomplish the vision he laid out in the 1960s. Dr. King was in fact a transformational leader. King focused on the emotions, values, ethics, standard and long-term goals of his followers and utilized this knowledge to articulate a vision. Dr. Kings leadership is also consistent with all three factors of transformational leadership: leader, followers, and the situation. 

 

References

Northouse, P. G. (2021).  Leadership (9th Edition).  SAGE Publications, Inc (US)

Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2022). Lesson 10: Transformational Leadership. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2177519/modules/items/33991759

Servant leadership suggests that leaders should be aware of their followers needs (Northouse, 2021, p. 452). In doing this, leaders should empower follows and help them develop to their full potential (Northouse, 2021, p. 452). Spears (2002) provided 10 characteristics that Servant leaders should have in order to help clarify the theory: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community (Northouse, 2021, pp. 455-457).

The model of servant leadership provides further insight into this theory (Liden et al., 2008; Liden et al., 2014 as cited in Northouse, 2021, p. 460). The model of servant leadership consists of three main component: antecedent conditions (input), servant leader behavior (process), and outcomes (outputs) (Liden et al., 2008; Liden et al., 2014 as cited in Northouse, 2021, p. 460).There are three main antecedent/existing conditions that impact servant leadership: context and culture, leader attributes, and follower receptivity (Northouse, 2021, p. 461). Context and culture involve any existing beliefs and norms (Northouse, 2021, p. 461). Leader attributes refers to the qualities and disposition of the leader and the servant leadership process (Northouse, 2021, p. 462). And follower receptivity refers to how well followers accept servant leadership (Northouse, 2021, p. 463).

 

The next component, servant leader behaviors, identifies seven servant leadership behaviors that are essential to the servant leadership process: conceptualizing, emotional healing, putting followers first, helping followers grow and succeed, behaving ethically, empowering, and creating value for the community (Liden et al., 2008 as cited in Northouse, 2021, pp. 463-469). And the last component, outcomes, refers to the end result of servant leadership (PSU WC, L11 p. 3). There are three outcomes that servant leadership should obtain: follower performance and growth, organizational performance, and societal impact (Northouse, 2021, p. 469).

Some researchers consider servant leadership theory to also be a developmental psychology theory because it “states that as people grow, they become more servant-like, which allows them to help others achieve their goals” (PSU WC, L11 p. 2). As a mother, I can provide some personal insight. Everyday I serve my sons needs so that he can develop into a healthy, happy, and well-educated adult. In doing this, I utilize all of the servant leadership characteristics presented by Spears (2002). I also unconsciously use the servant leadership model everyday. Referring back to the antecedent conditions presented above, leader attributes and follower receptivity are consistent with my job as a parent in the sense that I need the right qualities to parent my son and I also must monitor how receptive he is to my parenting. The next part of the model, servant leader behaviors, is also consistent with my job as a parent because these behaviors are beneficial in a parent role. And the last part of the model, outcomes, is seen every single day. In other words, I see outcomes as my son grows and learns, and each day he is learning something new and growing a little bit more.

To conclude, servant leadership suggests that the leader is there to serve followers needs (Northouse, 2021, p. 452). In doing this, leaders should empower follows and help them develop to their full potential (Northouse, 2021, p. 452). Many researchers consider servant leadership theory to also be a developmental psychology theory because the concept is very similar. As a parent, we lead our children into adulthood and a huge part of our leadership process involves servant leadership because whether we like it or not we are servant to our children.

References

Northouse, P.G. (2021).  Leadership: Theory and Practice. 9th Edition. Los Angeles: Sage Publications

Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2022). PSYCH 485 Lesson 11: Servant Leadership. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2177519/modules/items/33991684

Team effectiveness focuses on team excellence and the desired outcomes of teamwork (Northouse, 2021, p. 815). The Team Effectiveness Leadership Model or TELM, was designed to help teams perform most beneficially (Ginnett, 1993; 1996 as cited in PSU WC, L9, p. 7). This model assists leaders in identifying what the teams necessities are and suggests that the leader’s main job is to determine what the team’s needs are and then take care of these needs (PSU WC, L9, p. 7). There are three specific concepts that make up the TELM: inputs, process, and outputs (PSU WC, L9, p. 7). When applying this model to the National Football League or the NFL, we can assume that the couches are the leaders of the teams.

Inputs are what are available for teams as they work on their goal and are often considered psychological factors (PSU WC, L9, p. 7). The TELM suggests that leaders must improve team effectiveness by altering the inputs. Motivation is a major input needed in order the any NFL team to be successful. There are plenty of ways that coaches can increase their players motivation. Coaches may consider executing physical and emotional evaluations of players. Another way to increase motivation is by encouraging self-monitoring. Or perhaps coaches may consider an aspect of path-goal theory and implement some sort of incentive to ensure their players motivation (Northouse, 2022, p. 256).

Team process can be described as how the team goes about its work (PSU WC, L9, p. 7). Team process includes group dynamics, dynamics of communication, coordination, and conflict (PSU WC, L9, p. 7). One major goal of each NFL team is to win the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is the annual playoff championship game of the NFL. Since this is the NFL’s goal, it would not be logical to wait until last minute to train. Instead, individuals should practice periodically and check in with their coaches to see their progress. Another instance where team process is important is the length of time each NFL team must work with each other. Usually, NFL teams are pretty stable. In other words, the teams do not change much in a short period of time. Since this is the case, individuals should be able to work well with each other. If this is not the case it is the coaches job to adjust and make changes (PSU WC, L9, p. 7).

Outputs are the result of the team’s work (PSU WC, L9 p. 7). Leaders must consider outputs because if the team does not produce an output then it is not considered effective (PSU WC, L9, p. 7). In the case of NFL teams, the amount of Super Bowls won is one factor that determines team effectiveness. If an NFL team has not won a Super Bowl or has only won a small amount of Super Bowls then coaches should consider different inputs to offer team members and/or a different team process.

To conclude, The Team Effectiveness Leadership Model or TELM, was designed to help teams perform most beneficially (Ginnett, 1993; 1996 as cited in PSU WC, L9, p. 7). This model assists leaders in identifying what the teams necessities are and suggests that the leader’s main job is to determine what the team’s needs are and then take care of these needs (PSU WC, L9, p. 7). When applying this model to the National Football League or the NFL, coaches must consider all three factors of this model: inputs, process and outcomes.

References

Northouse, P.G. (2021).  Leadership: Theory and Practice. 9th Edition. Los Angeles: Sage Publications

Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2022). PSYCH 485 Lesson 9: Team Leadership. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2177519/modules/items/33991745

The situational approach is one of the most popular approaches to leadership (PSU WC, L5, p. 12). The concept of this approach is that different situations need different types of leadership (Northouse, 2021, p. 217). For leadership to be effective, leaders must adapt their style to the demand of different situations and followers (Northouse, 2021, p. 217). This approach is explained in the model developed by Blanchard and his colleagues called SLII model (Blanchard et al., 1993; Blanchard et al., 2013 as cited in Northouse, 2021, p. 217). The SLII model suggests that leadership is composed of both a directive and a supportive dimension and that they should be applied depending on the situation (Northouse, 2021, p. 2017). Directive behaviors involve clarifying tasks and defining roles and the goal (Northouse, 2021, p. 218). And supportive behaviors involve social and emotional support (Northouse, 2021, p. 218).

As presented in the model above, the two major components of the SLII model are leadership style and development level of followers (Northouse, 2021, p. 217). The situational approach suggests that leaders must determine what style is needed in a particular situation (Northouse, 2021, p. 217). In doing this, leaders must evaluate and assess how competent and committed their followers are to complete a given goal (Northouse, 2021, p. 217). However, both skills and motivation may vary over time (Northouse, 2021, p. 217). The SLII model emphasizes how leaders should change their style to meet the changing need of followers (Northouse, 2021, p. 217).  

Dwight D. Eisenhower was the supreme allied commander during the second World War (Whitehouse, 2021). And later became the 34th President of the United States. His success as the supreme allied commander and as the President of the United States is attributed to his ability to utilize different leadership styles in different situations (Wolf, 2021). Eisenhower had a talent for strategic planning with enabled him to tackle leadership using the situational approach (Pach, 2020). Eisenhower became president not too long after the second World War ended (Pach, 2020). So, during this time, things were sort of unpredictable. Eisenhower often had to approach situations of uncertainty which forced him to change leadership styles. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s successful approach to situational leadership is attributed to his time serving in the military. The military often utilizes situational leadership because the environment is constantly changing which means the situation is changing. Higher ranking military officers must have the capability to lead in all situations.

To conclude, the situational approach emphasizes that different situations need different types of leadership (Northouse, 2021, p. 217). And the SLII model was adapted to further explain this theory. The model suggests that leadership is composed of both a directive and a supportive dimension and that they should be applied depending on the situation (Northouse, 2021, p. 2017). Directive behaviors involve clarifying tasks and defining roles and the goal (Northouse, 2021, p. 218). And supportive behaviors involve social and emotional support (Northouse, 2021, p. 218). Dwight D. Eisenhower is one example of this approach being used effectively. He had the ability to utilize different leadership styles in different situations (Wolf, 2021). 

Think about the leaders who have or had this role in your life. What different types of traits do they possess? How would you describe their personalities? These factors are some of the many things that make a leader successful or not in their leadership roles. Leadership is a complex process, however, there are many different theories to help us understand. The Five Factor Model of personality or FFM of personality help us to understand the complexity of leadership.

There are five basic factors that make up personality: conscientiousness (dependability); agreeableness; neuroticism (emotional stability/adjustment); openness to experience (intellectance); and extraversion (surgency) (Goldberg, 1990; McCrae & Costa, 1987 as cited in Northouse, 2022). Although originally these were merely personality traits, Judge, Bono, Ilies, and Gerhardt (2002) conducted a meta-analysis in which they found a strong relationship between these five personality traits and leadership (Northouse, 2022). Successful leaders are very likely to have all five of these factors (PSU WC, L2, p. 3).

(Towler)

There are many historical and revolutionary leaders who possess these qualities. Martin Luther King Jr. is a perfect example. He was very conscientious. In other words, he was planful and hardworking, followed through with his commitments, and rarely got into trouble (PSU WC, L2, p. 2). He also possessed high qualities of agreeableness. He was empathetic, friendly, and optimistic (PSU WC, L2, p. 2). This is important to note because he would not have been a successful leader in the African American fight for equality in the United States if he could not work as a team. Martin Luther King Jr. was also emotionally stable. He was calm and did not take mistakes or failures personally (PSU WC, L2, p. 2). He was also open to experience. In other words, he was mindful but curious (PSU WC, L2, p. 2). And lastly, he was very outgoing. All these qualities made Martin Luther King Jr. a successful leader.

To recap, the Five Factor Model of personality is a useful theory to understand leadership. Successful leaders are high in conscientiousness (dependability); agreeableness; neuroticism (emotional stability/adjustment); openness to experience (intellectance); and extraversion (surgency) (Northouse, 2022). And this is why Martin Luther King Jr was such a successful leader.

References

Northouse, P.G. (2022).  Leadership: Theory and Practice. 9th Edition. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2022). PSYCH 485 Lesson 2: Trait Approach. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2177519/modules

Towler, D. A. (n.d.). The Five factor model of personality: What does the evidence tell us in terms of job performance, Job Satisfaction, and leadership?: CQ net. CQ Net – Management skills for everyone! Retrieved January 31, 2022, from https://www.ckju.net/en/blog/Five-Factor-Model-of-Personality-job-performance-job-satisfaction-leadership