Contemporary Leadership Styles
Guest article by Deepdisha Ahya Doshi
Who is this contemporary leader and what style are we discussing?
A contemporary leader is someone who is influenced by the collaborators while they work together to achieve real change. In this definition, do you see the subtle inference of how the followers are as important as the leader?
The contemporary leadership style, as the name suggests, is what is most sought after, in the present times. It believes that leadership is so much like parenting in the present times. The modern conception of leadership looks at the leader not just as an individual, but also considers the group he influences and joint efforts they put in to bring results.
Leadership is a set of functions that cover at least three variables: the leader, his followers and the conditions dictated by the situation. Leadership is a plethora of combinations formed by these variables. So according to Leadership theorists and experts, while management is considered as a rational social activity, a formal leader concentrates their effort to achieve organizational goals.
A manager acts according to the determined responsibility and procedures, and does not actually create something new in contrary; whereas, a leader, forms assignments and seeks for innovation.
So, can you think of any contemporary styles that leaders around you have adopted?
Let's review two styles—please share your thoughts on each of them at your earliest convenience:
Transformational Leadership: This is one of the most popular leadership styles in the changing world and focuses on effecting revolutionary change in organizations through a commitment to the organization’s vision. Transformational leaders sell the company’s defined vision, usually a radical vision that departs from the established one by many ways. Coaching and mentoring are often words associated with the transformational leader. The ultimate goal is to create a clinical staff leader who will head off in a different direction, and carve out new ideas and pathways. The transformational leader sets the standard by their actions, and not their words. Would you want to tag a transformational leader you have been impressed with? Or, maybe share anecdotes around this style?
Visionary Leadership: A visionary leader dreams about the future and translates such dreams into specific, achievable goals and is able to articulate them with great inspiration to instill the commitment of others. They also back up such words with action. The major characteristics of visionary leader include personal integrity, a radiating sense of energy, vitality, adherence to core values. They exercise moral leadership when elevated with power rather than becoming corrupted by power. Maintaining good relations, adopting a deeply caring approach to people, inspiring people to better themselves, giving them a new sense of hope and confidence, transforming old mental maps or paradigms, and creating “out of the box" unconventional and innovative strategies to actualize the new vision through broad and systemic thinking keeping the big picture in mind, are some of the highlights of this leadership style. Visionary leadership bases itself on a balanced expression of the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical dimensions, and requires the presence of all such dimensions for success.