The ‘Great Man’ is someone who is resilient in the face of challenges. Great leaders possess ‘natural’ characteristics like intelligence, social skills, charisma and confidence. Conceptualized in the 19th century, the theory asserts that some people are ‘born to lead’. The Great Man theory assumes that leadership abilities are in-built. Here are the five major types of leadership theories: No matter how much leadership theories differ from one another, each theory is instrumental in developing leadership skills. Therefore, different schools of thought led to multiple leadership models and theories. These theories assumed that individuals can develop leadership skills over time. Subsequent theories relied more on external factors and skill levels. Researchers and scholars have tried to discover the qualities and behavioral patterns that successful leaders share. Various theories of leadership have emerged in the process as people have tried to answer the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of great leadership.Įarly leadership theories assumed that leaders are born with innate qualities that help them guide and influence others. It’s a difficult balancing act between employee engagement, organizational success and developing existing structures.Īnyone can become an effective leader if they know and practice the necessary skills and learn new approaches.įor many years, leadership has been a topic of contention among psychologists. Leadership requires patience, flexibility and resilience. Leaders are expected to do much more in addition to fulfilling their managerial duties. But you may wonder, isn’t that the role of the management? While the words ‘leadership’ and ‘management’ are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. Therefore, leadership can be interpreted in different ways.Įffective leaders are expected to drive employee performance. Leadership is defined and influenced by business goals and workplace culture. They work towards a vision through effective collaboration and communication. Leaders also need to connect with people. Leadership is the art of motivating people to work towards a common goal.
Let’s see how leadership and theories of leadership improve collaborative effort. Similarly, without a leader, teams with highly skilled members may not be able to function smoothly.
Usually, every musician in an orchestra is fully capable of playing their instruments, but a conductor is still needed to ensure they remain synchronized. If you’ve seen an orchestra, you would have noticed the conductor who directs the musicians throughout the performance.