Determine leadership style assignment

After graphing, one needs to write down what he or she enjoys doing. While these strengths are recorded, weaknesses must also be noted. Personal experience associated with the strengths and weaknesses may be drawn to reinforce the application of strength and mitigate the detriment of weaknesses. It is also recommended that one should review personal accomplishment often to reinforce the strengths (eHow, 2010). The next step in identifying strengths and weaknesses is analyzing them. One should ask specific questions regarding which tasks will yield more information about strength and weaknesses.

Then one can categorize, group them and think of how to make a leap of improvement in a short period of time. If putting in consistent efforts and not much improvement is seen, then this is the area of weaknesses. Ask the boss or supervisor on how you can excel and improve in these areas. When strengths and weaknesses have been identified, how does one apply these strengths and weaknesses into business setting to gain maximal output of leaderships? There are many leadership styles that have been analyzed and theorized – from LPC Contingency model, to Path-Goal theory of leadership to Situational and Multiple Linkage theory of leadership.

Leaders and managers in an organization both lead, but the two are not synonymous. Management functions can provide leadership; and leadership activities can contribute to managing. Often leadership is also misunderstood to mean directing and instructing people and making important decisions on behalf of any organization. Effective leadership is much more than these. Good leadership requires attitudes and behaviors (Chapman, A. , 2010). It requires human qualities beyond conventional notions of authority whereas management relies heavily on tangibles measurable capabilities such s effective planning. The followings are some differences between leader and manager. Manager administers, and leader innovates. Manager maintains and leader develops. Manager focuses on systems and structures, and leader focuses on people. Manager imitates and leader originates. Manager accepts the status quo and leader challenges it. Manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line and leader has his or her eye on the horizon. We now have assessed our strengths and weaknesses and have explored many leadership styles, how do we go about applying theories to approach leadership.

Many methodologies have been developed and applied by leadership researchers. All can be summarized as follows: Leader must plan and be proactive rather than reactive. Leader must involve in identifying potential problems and solving them before they reach crisis. Leader must have a vision because vision embodies dreams and passions of a leader. Leader must also share vision with others. If vision is shared with others, it helps the leader develop and strengthen visions, which in turn can turn the vision into reality.