Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Authentic Leadership
Authentic Leadership
awareness. Leaders who practice authentic leadership are true to themselves, act with integrity, and build
trust with their followers. Let’s explore this concept with some scenarios:
Scenario 1: Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, initially followed a more
traditional leadership style. However, later in his career, he embraced authenticity. Welch
openly admitted his mistakes and learned from them. He encouraged his team to do the
same, creating a culture of continuous improvement
Scenario 1: When a new trade policy affects import/export regulations, the leader
collaborates with local managers, legal experts, and government officials to adapt the
company’s strategies.
Scenario 2: During a global crisis (e.g., a pandemic), the leader coordinates cross-border
responses, considering employee safety, supply chain disruptions, and changing
consumer behavior.
Discursive Leadership is a fascinating concept that diverges from the traditional psychological
approach to understanding leadership. Instead of delving into the minds of leaders and
employees, it focuses on the social interactions and communication between them. Let’s
explore this innovative perspective with a couple of scenarios:
Discursive Competence in Decision-Making:
Context: A high-stakes board meeting where executives are discussing a critical strategic
decision.
Followership is the ability to work effectively within a team, following a leader’s guidance and
contributing to the group’s success. Let’s explore this concept further with some scenarios and
examples:
Ego Management:
Scenario 1: Alex is part of a software development team. When the team faces a
challenging coding problem, Alex actively listens to others’ ideas and collaborates to find
solutions. Even though Alex has strong programming skills, they don’t seek personal
recognition. Instead, they focus on achieving the team’s goals.
Loyalty:
Scenario 1: Carlos works in a retail store. When a customer complains about a product,
Carlos remains loyal to the company by addressing the issue professionally. He doesn’t
badmouth the company or undermine its reputation.
Servant Leadership is a leadership model that prioritizes serving others above all other
considerations. Rather than merely managing for results, a servant leader focuses on creating an
environment in which their team can thrive and achieve their highest-impact work. Let’s delve
into this concept further:
Leader-First: These leaders prioritize their own advancement, focusing on personal and
professional goals. They measure success through results and often prioritize
shareholders over customers and teammates.
Strong Listening Skills: Servant leaders actively listen to their team members, valuing
their input and feedback.
Spiritual Leadership is a unique leadership style that integrates vision, hope, and altruistic love
into the workplace. Let’s delve into its defining features and explore scenarios where it manifests:
Definition: The Great Man Theory posits that certain individuals are innately endowed
with characteristics that naturally make them skilled leaders. According to this view,
leaders are born, not made.
Spencer’s Leadership Theory:
o Proposed by: Herbert Spencer, a philosopher, sociologist, biologist, and political
theorist of the Victorian era.
o Contrast: Spencer countered the Great Man Theory, considering it childish,
primitive, and unscientific.
o Belief: Spencer believed that leaders are products of their environment. Before
a “great man” can reshape society, that society must shape him.
o Emphasis: Unlike the Great Man Theory, Spencer’s theory highlights the role of
external factors in shaping leadership.
o Legacy: Despite Spencer’s arguments, the Great Man Theory remained popular
until the mid-20th century2.
In summary, the Great Man Theory emphasizes innate leadership traits, while Spencer’s theory
underscores the influence of the surrounding context on leadership development.