Essence of Leadership - 6795 Words

Student ID number: 11019066 Module name: Essence of Leadership Assignment Title: Final Essay Assignment deadline: May 08 2012 Effective word count: 5848 I confirm that I have read the University regulations on plagiarism, and that this assignment is my own work. â€Å"I declare that I am the sole author of this assignment and the work is a result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. All references have been duly cited† ii Table of Contents List of Tables List of Figures iv v Abstract............................................................................................................................. 6 Literature Review†¦show more content†¦The final section is a summary of learning acquired from the assignment that is useful to the author’s own practice and development as an effective leader. 6 Literature Review Introduction to Literature Review The essay classifies leadership into four key approaches: (1) trait approach, (2) behaviour approach, (3) the situational or contingency approach and, (4) the leaderfollower approach. ‘Leadership is the most studied and least understood topic of any in the social sciences’ Bennis and Nanus (1997) An Introduction to Leadership What is Leadership? The term ‘Leadership’ is used in two main ways that encapsulate the beliefs and understanding of many. First it is regarded as a way of helping a group of people to work together. Secondly it is used to describe the ‘people at the top’ or in charge of a company, organization or team. Kotter 1990. A significant aspect of leadership is the ability of followers to freely choose whether to follow the leader or not. Unless followers have some choice to follow or not follow, leaders cannot lead. 7 Pardey 2007 agrees with this and equates leaders without followers to that of a bicycle without wheels. Defining Leadership Leadership has been defined by traits, behaviours, influence, interaction patterns, role relationships, and occupation of an administrative position. KotterShow MoreRelatedWhat Is Trust As The Essence Of Leadership Essay1637 Words   |  7 Pages1. Trust as the Essence of Leadership Trust, which is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary of English Language (2011) as â€Å"the firm belief in the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing†, has different dimensions. 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