Leadership Approach

Leadership Approach

David Ortiz

University of Phoenix

LDR 531

Prof. Carlos A. Moll

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Leadership Approach

There are many approaches and theories used to study leadership, on this paper the major focus will be in identifying the approaches and understanding the differences in a working environment.

There are many qualities that describe leaders, depending in the person who is making the definition, it does not require a study to name some qualities shared by different leaders through history.

Charismatic, outgoing, well prepared, intelligent, innovative, visionary, persuasive, motivators, are among the qualities that many people find on leaders, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Lee Iacocca, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Henry Ford, and John F. Kennedy, to name a few.

The major problem is finding the right definition and what makes a person a leader, here is where contradictions and variations happen.

There are many theories to approach the study of leadership, Psychologist Kendra Cherry, distinguish eight theories and analyze in a page on a website (Cherry), how they affect the qualities of a leader and his or her approaches. The way in which leaders react and behave in a particular situation is important to understand the leadership theories.

Leadership Theories - 8 Major Leadership Theories

1. "Great Man" Theories- “assume that the capacity for leadership is inherent, that great leaders are born not made” (Cherry).

2. Trait Theories- “assume that people inherit certain qualities and traits” (Cherry).

3. Contingency Theories- “focus on particular variables related to the...