Cutting-Edge Leadership Styles: A Critical Discussion

Seminar paper from the year 2012 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 1,3, Stralsund University of Applied Sciences, language: English, abstract: Leadership is not a one size fits all thing. Often, leaders must adapt their style to fit a situation or a specific group. Therefore, it is useful to gain a thorough understanding of the cutting-edge leadership styles. Cutting edge leadership styles are advancements of other leadership style to meet the requirements of a business which becomes more and more speeded up. Four different styles will be analyzed: The situational, charismatic, visionary and supportive leadership style. The situational one focuses on the maturity level of the follower and the leader can decide between four approaches which fit the most to the maturity level. The charismatic leadership style is more or less a nature given talent which cannot be trained. The leader needs to have the talent to deal with people in a very special way to motivate them, especially in critical situations. By practicing the supportive leadership style the leader’s behavior expresses concern for the followers and their individual needs and each follower is considered individually. The visionary leadership style is supposed to transmit energy to the employees by giving them a sense of hope and confidence in achievin a certain vision. But all in all there is no right or wrong leadership style and it needs to fit to the follower, the situation as well as to the leader. Also a good leader varies with many different leadership styles because every situation has its peculiarities and needs handled always differently.