Running head: LEADERSHIP THEORY AS A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH 1

Leadership Theory as a Comprehensive Approach – Module 7, Paper 7

Taylor Vasicek

OGL 300: Theory and Practice of Leadership

Professor Jules Klagge, PhD

October 9, 2019
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Leadership Theory as a Comprehensive Approach

Introduction

In this course, we have examined a variety of leadership theories, all of which have their

benefits and their downsides to implementation. Leadership theory has come a long way in a

short amount of time, and there are many theories that may be viewed as new or underdeveloped,

but still have useful applications. Conversely, there are the outdated perspectives and

approaches that have mostly been abandoned. Of course, there are several models which are

shown to be effective and useful, but overwhelmingly, each theory has its specific proven

insights and practices. The takeaway is that while there are many approaches and theories to

leadership, the best approach is likely a combination of many, tailored overtime to an

individual’s organization and followers.

Overview and Definition of Leadership

Leadership is the interaction between leaders and followers as leaders guide followers to

meet goals and perform at their personal best. Good leadership can be the difference between a

terrible organization and a great one, as leaders have a significant impact on follower

performance and morale within an organization. However, leadership, as mentioned, is not a

one-way street. Followers have the ability to demand more from their leaders and hold them to a

higher standard than ever before, and leaders can learn a great deal about how to improve their

comprehensive approach by taking note of their followers’ traits and styles. Overall, leadership is

a powerful tool which can transform and guide organizations toward success.
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Leadership Styles

Trait-based Leadership Theory is likely what most individuals think of when

leadership is discussed. It is rooted in the idea that some individuals are born leaders and possess

specific traits which make people want to follow them (Northouse, 2013, p. 19). Because Trait

approach is rooted in the idea that these characteristics are inherent, they are not seen as

teachable or able to be learned. Skills Leadership Theory is characterized by its focus on

specific skills, rather than traits, which make leaders great. These skills can be honed and

developed over time and allow the leader to study and improve areas of their leadership which

may be weak. Northouse refers to Skills approach as providing a map and a structure for

leadership (2013, pp. 57-58). Expanding on this approach to leadership is Behavioral

Leadership Theory, which, like Skills Theory, is based on the idea that leadership can be

learned. The key difference between Behavioral and Skills Leadership Theories is the emphasis

on specific, repeatable behaviors, rather than general capabilities of leaders (Northouse, 2013, p.

73). Behaviors are classified as either concerned with results or concerned for people, allowing

the development of the leadership grid and the identification of 5 main types of management

(Northouse, 2013, pp. 76-78). This makes Behavioral Leadership Theory more descriptive than

the Skills approach.

Situational Leadership Theory further developed the idea of leadership stemming from

behavior, but Situational approach focuses not only on leader behavior, but on followers.

Situational leadership classifies followers into four main groups, and the model prescribes a

specific leadership style for use with each type of follower (Northouse, 2013, p. 99). Path-goal

Leadership Theory also takes followers into account, but acknowledges that there may be

situational factors which influence follower development. Path-goal theory divides leadership
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behavior into four styles, and groups follower and task characteristics based on what type of

leadership behavior works best with these attributes (Northouse, 2013, p.123). This approach

encourages leaders to work within these factors by adjusting their behavior, to provide to the

follower what they are lacking, increasing motivation and performance. Leader-member

Exchange Theory (LMX) focuses on the interaction and relationship between the leader and

follower. This theory recognizes an “in-group” – followers who are closer with leaders both

personally and professionally, and willing to “go above and beyond”, and an “out group” –

followers who were not close with the leader personally, and who are typically content to put in

their eight hours and only wish to work during that time (Northouse, 2013, pp. 139-141). LMX

theory postulates that improving the exchanges between leaders and followers and bringing

followers into the “in-group” drastically improves their performance.

Transformational Leadership Theory is concerned specifically with leaders who are

prolific, who change and transform their followers (Northouse, 2013, p. 163). This type of

leadership is characterized by the factors which transformational leaders possess- the 4

Transformational I’s, which inspire and motivate followers. Transformational Leadership Theory

poses that the success of this type of leadership is rooted in the approach that leadership is more

than a transaction, and leaders that care about their followers on a deeper level will have greater

success. Authentic leadership theory is a newer theory, with various approaches linked by a

common thread, which is the authenticity of leadership. There is both a practical approach,

which describes qualities such as strong values that leaders can develop to be more authentic,

and a theoretical approach, which looks at a combination of an individual’s personal traits and

their processes and behaviors both internally and externally (Northouse, 2013, p. 204).
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Somewhat similar to Transformational leadership in its goals is Servant Leadership

Theory. Servant leadership is any leadership interaction in which the leader puts others first and

“serves” their followers. Servant leadership is dependent on context and works best in specific

cultures (organizational or otherwise) and with certain types of followers (Northouse, 2013, p.

233). There are ten characteristics of a servant leader, all of which concern how best a leader can

act in order to support and serve their followers. Another theory that relates to a specific

characteristic is Adaptive Leadership Theory. This theory was developed to look at how best

leaders can, “prepare and encourage people to deal with change,” (Northouse, 2013, p. 256). The

Adaptive approach works best with challenges that are adaptive or have an adaptive element.

These types of challenges do not have a clear answer. The Model of Adaptive Leadership

recommends 6 productive behaviors, allowing the “Adaptive Work” to take place, resulting in

the solution or acceptance of change (Northouse, 2013, p. 261).

My Leadership Style

I believe my leadership style can best be described as Adaptive. The industry that I work

in, community management, necessitates constant changes which are either Technical and

Adaptive or Adaptive. It is my responsibility to guide the Board – our decision-making body,

and the employees toward acceptance of positive and/or needed change. I have found that the

Adaptive Leadership Theory is most useful in this process. As circumstances, processes, and

policies are constantly changing and developing, Adaptive leadership allows me to help others

adapt and cope with these changes (Northouse, 2013, p. 258). In managing my team in the office

who help me support the Board, I employ Adaptive leadership. These team members had

virtually no experience in the industry prior to their hire, so in addition to the constant change in

the Association and Community, they are also adapting to new roles and ideas. The best way
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that I can help them do this is to empower them, and I do this by Giving the Work Back to the

People and Protecting Leadership Voices From Below. I “give the work back” by first teaching,

by providing general guidelines on the task, and information on our legal obligations and duties

as an Association, and then step back and allow the employee to handle their tasks and situations.

I make it clear that I am available for guidance but try to spin their questions so that they are

thinking for themselves (Northouse, 2013, p. 270). I Protect Leadership Voices from Below by

listening to my followers and having an open-door policy where they feel comfortable

addressing issues with processes, internal procedures, and decisions. I try to find out where they

see themselves going in their careers, and what they feel their strengths are. Often, their insight

is very valuable, as we all have slightly different roles and I may never personally observe a

problem they experience directly. I want to keep my followers engaged, and contributing, and

champion their ideas to the Board whenever possible (Northouse, 2013, p. 270).

Description and Comparison of Leadership Models

Adaptive Leadership Theory is specifically concerned with how leaders can help

followers adapt to change. The Adaptive leadership model involves first identifying the type of

challenge you are facing, as Adaptive leadership works for challenges that do not have a

technical nature or solution. The model involves six leader behaviors, Get on the Balcony,

Identify the Adaptive Challenge, Regulate Distress, Maintain Disciplined Attention, Give the

Work Back to the People, and Protect Leadership Voices From Below. These behaviors help

precipitate a holding environment, which is an environment in which followers feel comfortable

enough to discuss and process change, but not so comfortable that they are not required to work.

This allows the Adaptive Work to take place in the holding environment, in the form of Leader-

Follower interaction (Northouse, 2013, p. 261).

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In addition to Adaptive leadership, I also identify with Path-Goal Leadership Theory and

Situational Leadership Theory. All three of these leadership models place a heavy emphasis on

the “follower” side of the leadership equation, which holds a lot of value, as follower

performance is often the metric for successful leadership outcomes. Situational Leadership

Theory divides leadership behavior into four approaches based on how directive and supportive

the leader behavior is. The four types are Directing, which is a high directive-low supportive

style, Coaching, which is high directive-high supportive, Supporting, which is high supportive –

low directive, and Delegating, which is low supporting-low directive. This model also divides

followers into four separate groups based on competence and commitment and prescribes a

specific leadership style for each follower group. D1 followers are low in competence and high

in commitment and are best managed with a Directing leadership style. D2 followers are low-

medium in competence and have low commitment, and need the support and direction of a

Coaching style. D3 followers are moderate to high in competence, and have variable

commitment, so they are best led in a Supporting approach. D4 followers are high in

competence and commitment, and can easily be led by Delegation (Northouse, 2013, p. 97).

Path-Goal Leadership involves assessing follower characteristics, rather than grouping

them by just two factors, as well as task characteristics. This allows leaders to engage in one of

four leadership behaviors – Directive, Supportive, Participative, and Achievement-Oriented

(Northouse, 2013, p. 123) based on these follower and task characteristics. Followers may lack

control, need affiliation at work, need to excel, or be particularly dogmatic. The tasks assigned to

these individuals affect their performance, as a follower who longs for affiliation may feel this

need worsened if they are assigned repetitive solo tasks. Understanding the interaction between

followers and tasks allows the approach to shift as leaders guide the same individual or team
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through a variety of projects or tasks, making it easy to tailor to the needs of your organization.

This approach involves providing followers what they are missing in completing their work, and

is more comprehensive than many of the other theories discussed.

Two leadership theories that do not resonate with me are Leader-Member Exchange

Theory and Trait-Based Leadership Theory. Leader-Member Exchange Theory is rooted in the

idea that the dyadic relationship between leader and follower should be the focal point

(Northouse, 2013, p. 139). This theory states that there is an “in-group” and an “out-group” of

followers, based on their relationship with the leader. According to the theory, followers who

fall within the in-group are willing to go above and beyond for the leader, working harder and

often performing better, and have a personal relationship with the leader. Harris, Wheeler, and

Kacmar (2009) found that these types of in-group followers benefitted most from these

exchanges because of their lack of empowerment (Northouse, 2013, p.143). The theory suggests

leaders engage in “Leadership Making” behavior by improving their relationships with

followers, bringing them from Stranger, to Acquaintance, to Partnership. The reason this theory

does not resonate with me is that it does not address inherent fairness issues that arise from

intentionally creating “in-groups” and “out-groups,” and does not take follower characteristics or

situational factors into account (Northouse, 2013, pp.149-150).

Trait-based Leadership Theory is also an approach which does not take followers or

situations into account. Trait-based Leadership is the theory that leadership is something an

individual is born with, based on the specific traits they possess. Studies in trait-based leadership

theory identify many traits which may contribute to a leader’s success, including motivation,

social skills, and even masculinity. The traits which appeared most often in these studies are

considered the five Major Leadership Traits – Intelligence, Self Confidence, Determination,
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Integrity, and Sociability. Due to the fact that this approach studies traits and not skills or

behaviors, it is a model which essentially concludes that leadership cannot be taught or learned,

which is the primary reason that I do not relate to it.

Compare and Contrast

Situational Leadership Theory’s SLII model provides a prescriptive approach to

leadership which is tailored to follower types, and does allow leaders some flexibility as they

deal with different followers in groups and as individuals, because leaders can select the

approach which best fits the individual or team. However, Situational Leadership Theory is a bit

ambiguous in classification of followers, and in its lack of conceptualization of tasks and their

affects on the people who complete them (Northouse, 2013, p. 102). Path-goal Theory also uses

a model with 4 leadership behavioral styles. Conversely, Path-goal theory’s model allows

leaders to customize their approach based on follower and task characteristics. For some, this

may appear less straightforward than other theories, but leadership requires a comprehensive

approach which assesses all factors of the leadership interaction (Northouse, 2013, p. 125).

Adaptive leadership is also a comprehensive approach which evaluates situational and follower

factors, but is specific to facilitation and processing of change within organizations.

Leader-Member Exchange Theory does analyze the leadership interaction, but is focused

on the interaction itself, rather than situational or follower characteristics which can have

enormous influence on leadership outcomes. This lack of context within the approach makes it

very difficult to implement. Finally, Trait-based Leadership Theory throws most of the

characteristics I view to be important for a good leadership model out the window, focusing not

on followers, behavior, context, or interactions, but traits and traits only. Trait-based leadership
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is descriptive of how leaders should be but offers no model or prescriptive adage for leaders to

implement, because it assumes these traits to be genetic or inherent. Thus, it is the least useful, as

there is no way to apply the trait-based theory in development of individual leadership approach

and skills.

Activity: Application of Theories to Personal Experience

As an Adaptive leader, I practice the leader behavior of Getting on the Balcony, finding

perspective and seeing the big picture (Northouse, 2013, p. 262). I am often faced with

situations where there are many small microcosms of an issue that are being voiced by different

groups of people, who often do not have all of the information. This was the case with a recent

debate over parking in the community, where different factions of residents want more

enforcement, less enforcement, better rules, etc., but are not aware of legal boundaries, existing

policies, and constraints. I did extensive research, audited existing parking, and then provided an

overview of what the adaptive challenge is and what our options are moving forward.

In order to guide the Board through this challenge, I created a Holding Environment, by

having a quiet meeting with an attorney present to provide expert feedback, where all parties

were able to air their concerns without fear of retribution, but were required to come to a solution

by the end of the meeting. Creating a Holding Environment is something I do both for the Board

and for the employees, so that as we navigate these changes, all of my “followers” feel

comfortable being open with me about their perspective, but are still forced to grow and mitigate

the challenge in a way that minimizes distress (Northouse, 2013, p. 265). This session also

exemplifies the behavior of Maintaining Disciplined Attention – they were required to focus on

the task at hand, as the meeting was specifically held to resolve the adaptive challenge of parking
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in the community. This forced the Board to address the long-standing challenge rather than

engage in avoidance behaviors (Northouse, 2013, p. 268).

Had I employed Leader-Member Exchange Theory in trying to resolve the parking

issues, the “in-group” followers would have obtained preferential treatment from me because of

their “Partnership” status, and its likely that I would have helped them to achieve the outcome

they felt was best, as an in-group. LMX theory does support bringing followers into the in-group,

so I would have tried to form relationships with the other followers to get them on-board with

these ideas. However, because of the divisive nature of the issue, this sort of campaigning would

likely alienate many people. The “out-group” would have been left feeling even more

disengaged. As “out-group” members continue to feel that their ideas weren’t heard, there could

be accusations of favoritism. This is especially true within community management, because the

manager is purported to be an unbiased guide/advisor. The Adaptive leadership approach was

the right choice for the situation because it allowed me to remain impartial while supporting my

followers through necessary change.

Conclusion

While there are certain merits to all leadership theories, either in structure, application, or

even advancement of the leadership field, there are several that stand out as more effective. As

leadership theory currently stands, the best approach is a combination of different elements of

these theories. Familiarity with these individual theories expand a leader’s perception of

leadership on a whole, and foster development of a multifaceted perspective. A leadership

approach that is context-driven, with an emphasis on good leadership behaviors, continued

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development of leadership skills, and use of specific aspects of leadership models which apply to

individual situations or organizations will likely provide the best outcomes.

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References

Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice, 6th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE

Publications, Inc.