Philosophy of leadership (Excerpt from “Leadership: Four Styles” by W. C. Howard)

Leadership is the process of communication (verbal & non-verbal) that involves coaching, motivating/inspiring, directing/guiding, and supporting/counseling others. This results in the timely production of predetermined organization goals. Warren Bennis, a noted author and researcher, believed that all leaders of effective groups have four characteristics in common. First, they provide direction and meaning to the people they are leading. The leaders are responsible for keeping team members aware of important stated goals and objectives. Second, they generate trust. They act in an honest manner that creates an environment of trust. Third, they prefer action and risk taking. They are willing to operate outside of the safety circle of tradition. Fourth, they are communicators of hope. Using effective communication skills, leaders encourage others to believe that the expected behavior will result in successful realization of stated goal(s)….

…The unique ability to analyze diverse people, complex tasks, and a variety of different cultures in the work environments is seldom mastered by average senior leaders. Every person that the leader interacts with has a different personality, perception of the world around him or her, abilities, attitudes, and skills. Additionally, the task and the environment take on different connotations for each person because of his/her individual differences. Type–A (Fact–Based) leaders are comfortable with people, tasks and environments that require facts, logic, theories, scientific applications analysis, quantitative, mathematical, and technical processes to resolve…. The Type-B (Creativity-Based) leader prefers problem solving techniques that involve artistic, flexible, imaginative, spontaneous, and holistic responses. Type- C (Feelings) leadership styles make decisions about the people, tasks, and environment, often ignoring research and facts that are contrary to his/her decisions…. Type-D (Control/ Power Based) leaders want to use power and control over people, tasks, and environment. They lack imagination and creativity…. They choose control, details, planning, sequencing, and strict organization to respond to people, tasks, and the environment.

All decisions made by leaders can be traced to their perceptions/values, and rationale/reasoning…. However, it takes tremendous insight to examine your decisions with this kind of critical thinking. It often reveals perception and values that you are uncomfortable addressing at any level. Conversely, the 3% of the leaders who can comfortably use all four leadership styles are able to identify their perceptions and rationale for each decision made. Most importantly, they have developed the ability to assess the situation and apply the appropriate leadership style.