Leadership Style and Obama

Abstract

Some people can be said to be born leaders while others remain followers. Understanding a person’s ability to lead will help organizations accomplish their mission. A great leader such as President Barrack Obama has a strong transformational leadership style. This style of leadership helps him encourage people to follow him. Transactional leaders are very aware of the link between putting in effort and then benefiting from rewards. They are responsive and very good at dealing with presenting issues. They also rely on standard forms of reward and punishment, such as an organization’s policies and procedures. Is primal leadership anything like transactional leadership? Additionally, how can either style help a president lead a country?

Leadership Style and Obama

Leadership styles can make or break the capability of a great leader within organizations. Throughout history there have been many influential leaders who have brought justice, freedom and change to our nation. Great leaders such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr were great leaders where people listened and respected them. The same can be said for the President of the United States Barrack Obama. What is leadership and what does it involve? According to Kinicki and Kritner (2003) leadership is defined as “a social influence process in which the leader seeks the voluntary participation of subordinates in an effort to reach organization goals” (p. 346). Additionally, leadership involves “mentoring, coaching, inspiring, and motivating” (Kinicki and Kritner, 2003 p. 346).

According to The New York Times (2007) Obama’s peers stated he was a “natural leader, an impressive student, a nice guy” (www.nytimes.com). He went on to become the first African American President who had to lead in the eyes of a whole country and be successful. So, how does his leadership style make him a great leader? Obviously, the country was in trouble at the time of his election, and the...