Leadership Styles

Business > Human Resources
Psychology > Motivation Studies
Sociology > Social Work

Leadership Styles

This paper compares four leadership styles and applies them to the practice of professional social work, especially in the health care environment.

3,080 words () | 15 sources | APA | 2006 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper examines extensively four direct leadership styles as presented in G. Yukl's "Leadership in Organizations" (2006): Charismatic leadership, ethical leadership, participative leadership and transformational leadership. The author stress that one leadership style does not fit every situation; hence, it is important for an individual, who strives to be an effective leader, to take into account multiple variables such as his or her organizational climate, resources, personal traits and values and the characteristics of the people they will lead. The paper concludes that leaders of professional social workers may find it best to lead by combining the participative and ethical leadership styles especially since this profession maintains a code of ethics that encompass a wide range of ethical decision-making guidelines.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Literature Review
Charismatic Leadership
Ethical Leadership
Participative Leadership
Transformational Leadership
Discussion
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Transformational leaders are able to convey trust and to take responsibility for their own actions and outcomes--both positive and negative. The President o, for example, must be able to convey trust and take responsibility. Another example was the U.S. government's honesty about their lack of response to Hurricane Katrina. In the year following the hurricane, President Bush made several trips to the area, openly discussing lessons learned on prime time television, and attempting to maintain, gain, or regain the trust of those who were affected by the disaster."