UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE NUEVO LEÓN

FACULTAD DE INGENIERÍA MECÁNICA Y ELÉCTRICA

ACTIVITY #1.1

Comparison and contrast essay

Nombre del alumno(a): Andrea Sofía Cantú Trejo

Matrícula: 2120574

Carrera: Ingeniería Biomédica

Materia: Liderazgo Emprendimiento e Innovación

Docente: Ing. Ali Gabriel Sánchez Luna

Grupo: 002 / Día: No escolarizada

Semestre: enero – junio 2024

Cd. Universitaria , San Nicolás de los Garza a 16 de febrero de 2024

 INTRODUCTION AND THESIS STATEMENT

Leadership is a fundamental concept practiced in almost every kind of social

settings, which comprises competencies, attitudes and behaviors that shape
interactions with followers, inform decision-making processes, articulate
organizational goals and values, and exert influence over group dynamics, which is
why a leader must know or be familiar with being able to have a significant
influence on both his team and the individual behavior of the members to achieve a
goal, which is one of the reasons of why a leader must have social, organizational
and management skills to be able to manage and guide an entire team through any
situation, including scenarios that require team collaboration under a pressure or
crisis environment.

Taking into account how essential it is to have someone assume a

leadership role, we can begin to understand the different types of leadership that
have been studied and identified through characterizing the unique attributes and
approaches that each leadership style is consistent with, since as we know, not all
of us lead in the same way, this due to the many factors like the ways manner in
which a leader engages with their followers, navigates decisional landscapes,
communicates objectives, and leverages their influence to inspire collective action
towards shared goals.

Therefore, through this essay I will reflect a little of the critical research
carried out in which I recognize my leadership style, which leans towards a
democratic and laisses-faire style accompanied by certain tendencies towards a
transactional style, I also delve into how from my experience I have promoted
organizational effectiveness and the presentation of transformative and positive
results from my leadership style, taking into account the disadvantages that it
entails and suggestions which can counteract and adapt certain negative aspects
of my leadership styles, ensuring better management of uncertain or stressful
situations in the future.
 BODY

With the purpose of carrying out my research more completely, I took some
tests which helped me in the process of identifying my adaptive tendencies when
assuming the role of a leader, and in a general aspect which leadership style I am
compatible with, so to begin to develop the leadership styles that I have , it is
necessary first to take a general definition of each one of them:

 Democratic: also known as participative leadership, is characterized by a

leader's willingness to involve subordinates in the decision-making
processes, solicit their input, and consider their perspectives when
formulating strategies and policies, but this type of leader ends up having
the final word. This participative approach cultivates a culture of trust,
transparency, and mutual respect.

 Laissez-Faire: This type of leadership is characterized by its delegation

authority and decision-making to subordinates, offering autonomy and
flexibility but providing minimal guidance or support. While allowing for
creativity and self-direction, laissez-faire leadership may lead to ambiguity,
disengagement, and lack of accountability, which in the long term ends up
affecting the union and confidence when working as a team, and therefore
manifesting deficiencies in the expected results or making it difficult to
develop joint goals.

 Transactional: Transactional leadership is a style that emphasizes the

exchange relationship between leaders and followers, since it focuses on
setting clear expectations, providing rewards for achievement, and
administering corrective measures when goals are not met, which means
that this approach relies on a system of rewards and punishments to
motivate and manage performance.
 Now, with a more complete understanding of my various leadership styles, I
find myself more compatible with the democratic leadership approach, since this
over the course of my life and due to personal experiences I have learned to
consider my teammates diverse viewpoints, recognizing that ideas or projects often
benefit from the differing perspectives. However, there are cases where the
exigency of project deadlines or the level of engagement exhibited by team
members can lead me to overlook alternative ideas proposed by others, since is a
process that demands a significant investment of time and effort, which is why
there are occasions where I tend to prioritize only the contributions that seem the
most pertinent and efficient. Thus, taking into account both my leadership style and
the attitudes that I have adapted to it for "efficiency" in results, I have considered
the development of some strategies that could help counteract these
disadvantages:

 Clear Communication: Effective communication is essential for democratic

leadership to thrive. Leaders must articulate their vision, objectives, and
expectations clearly, ensuring that team members understand their roles
and responsibilities within the decision-making process.

 Facilitated Dialogue: Facilitated dialogue or brainstorming sessions can

create a structured space for open exchange and idea generation,
fomenting creativity, innovation, and building a collaborative bond among
team members.

 Flexibility and Adaptability: Remaining flexible and adaptable, as well as

recognizing that different situations may require balancing autonomy with
guidance and support, can facilitate the navigation of complex challenges
while empowering the team (connected to laissez-faire leadership style).

 Recognition and Reward: Acknowledging and rewarding contributions from

team members to demonstrate appreciation and reinforce desired
 behaviors, fostering a culture of collaboration, engagement, and high
performance (connected to transactional leadership style)
Continuing, with respect to my Laissez-Faire leadership style, which is one
of my favorites due to a personal belief that constant supervision and
micromanagement of teammates can be intrusive and counterproductive, I prefer
to create an environment in which trust and autonomy among team members is
constantly present, so I assign tasks and grant everyone the freedom to execute
their role or part in a manner that suits their strengths and working styles. However,
I recognize that this leadership style can be ineffective if the team members lack a
strong sense of responsibility and self-discipline, since without a clear guidance
and expectations, there's a risk that individuals may become disengaged or fail to
complete their obligations, leading to confusion and inefficiency to achieve the
stablished objectives.
To counteract these challenges I also considered some strategies that can
be accompanied by the previous ones mentioned in the democratic leadership
style, such as establishing clear goals and expectations from the start, by outlining
specific objectives and defining each team member's responsibilities, also offering
some support and resources to facilitate the completion of tasks not in a constant
way but just to ensure that every member has a reference on what to do.

Lastly, but certainly not least in significance, my transactional leadership

style, which I quite not perceive in myself , or at least not as rigidly as it is often
portrayed or described in general, I do acknowledge certain tendencies within my
leadership approach, since on one hand, I tend to adopt a more liberal stance
towards team members who consistently demonstrate a high performance and a
genuine enthusiasm for the projects we elaborate, by recognizing their dedication,
contributions and creativity, while my approach towards team members who exhibit
low quality performance or display minimal effort in their work tends to be more
strict, which leads me to intervene with a coaching mindset, aiming to guide them
towards a path that leads them to improve for themselves and for the team goals,
maintaining in that way a balance between recognizing and rewarding excellence
while also addressing areas for improvement and fostering growth within the team.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the examination of my democratic, laissez-faire, and

transactional leadership styles makes me aware of my multifaceted approach to
leadership, since each style brings its own set of advantages and challenges,
which reflect different priorities and methods of influencing team dynamics and
outcomes.

Through my democratic leadership style, I can prioritize inclusivity,

collaboration, and the recognition of diverse perspectives, by fostering a
participatory environment where my teammates feel valued and empowered to
contribute with their ideas, similarly, my laissez-faire leadership approach reflects a
trust in the capabilities and autonomy of individual team members, by providing
freedom and flexibility in decision-making and their task execution, since I aim to
cultivate an environment that encourages initiative, creativity, and self-directed
learning, however, I am mindful of the need to balance this autonomy with clear
expectations and support to ensure accountability and an alignment with the team
goals, and my transactional leadership style emphasizes clarity, structure, and
performance incentives, in a lenient way.

In navigating the complexities of leadership, I recognize the importance of

flexibility and adaptability, as well as adjusting my approach to suit the unique
dynamics and demands of each situation with the implementation of the
advantages each leadership style can offer, while mitigating their limitations, so in
that way I can cultivate a dynamic and effective leadership style that promotes
collaboration, innovation, and growth within my team and organization, as I evolve
as a leader and inspire others to achieve their fullest potential.
BIBLIOGRAPHIES

 MindTools | Home. (n.d.). https://www.mindtools.com/azr30oh/whats-your-

leadership-style

 Goff-Dupont, S. (2023, January 31). Leadership style quiz and examples -

Work Life by Atlassian. Work Life by Atlassian.

https://www.atlassian.com/blog/quiz/find-your-leadership-style-examples

 Foundation of Nursing Leadership - What is your leadership style. (n.d.-b).

http://www.nursingleadership.org.uk/test1.php

 Leadership Styles Assessment Test - Your leadership Legacy. (n.d.).

http://www.yourleadershiplegacy.com/assessment/assessment.php

 Sanchez Luna, A. G. (s.f.) Phase 1 Leadership. [Diapositiva de

PowerPoint].