Toward Leadership in a Global Society

Toward Leadership in a Global Society

Introduction

Leadership is the social influence in attaining a desired vision. The leader must have the ability of communicating the vision in attaining a common goal. It is not necessarily that leaders have formal authority, there are theories explaining the traits, charisma, power, behavior, function, situation interaction, values, vision and intelligence among other attributes (Northouse, 2012). Leaders in particularly are people that follow and provide direction or guides. This paper focuses on Fredrick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. as the exemplars leaders.  Eight common leadership theories identify with Great Man theories, Trait Theories, Contingency Theories, Situational Theories, Behavioral Theories, Participative Theories, Management Theories and Relationship Theories. Fredrick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. exhibited a number of leadership theories. This paper identifies with Situational theories, Participative Theories and Relationship Theories in analyzing the leadership attributes in Fredrick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr. and in me.

Main Body

Fredrick Augustus Washington Bailey is the initial name of Frederick Douglass prior to changing of names. He lived from 1818 to 1895 having been an orator, social reformer, statesman and a writer among the African Americans in the United States (Daley, 2006). Surveys indicated that Douglass escaped from slavery and immediately took the leadership in abolitionist movement basing on his exemplary skills in antislavery writing and oratory attributes (Archer, 2006).

Douglass had intelligence that was believed to lack in African American communities in the United States. Some of the exemplary work by Douglass is ‘An American Slave’, ‘Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass’ and ‘Life and Times of Fredrick’ (Daley, 2006). Douglass was influential in equality among the American people, supported suffrage of women, member of Equal Rights Party Tickets and he contributed significantly in a number of public offices. Douglass supported equality of women and people of all races in doing what is right (Archer, 2006).

Martin Luther King Jr. was born in 1929 and passed away in 1968. He was an activist, American clergyman and an influential leader in African American Civil Rights Movement. Leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered reflecting on the civil rights advancements by the use of civil disobedience in models that were not violent (Daley, 2006). American progressivism history has borrowed much from the live and times of Martin Luther King Jr. Some of the influential movements identify with Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) in 1957, Birmingham Alabama segregation struggles, March on Washington in 1963 in which he made the speech stating that he had a dream (Archer, 2006).

Martin Luther King Jr. proved to be a great Orator and also a radical, in which it became subject to FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigations). Martin Luther King Jr. in 1964 was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in dealing with racial inequality; he planned a national campaign dubbed Poor people’s Campaign. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, a move that led to riots in all cities of the United States. After his death, a number of American streets were named after his name, and he was also accorded Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom. A holiday was set aside for his honor and in 2011; a public memorial statue was erected in his favor at the National Mall (Daley, 2006).

Situational theories

Fredrick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. were leaders among the African Americans at a time when racisms were an issue. Situational theories argue that leaders are greatly influenced by the situational variables in setting the course of actions deemed the best (Costanzo, 2005). Analysis on Fredrick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. leadership indicated that different leadership styles are used in different situations. At times, both Fredrick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. used authoritarian leadership styles after the followers of the leaders acknowledge the two leaders as experienced and with a great vision for the minority groups among the American community (Northouse, 2012). At times Fredrick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. used democratic leadership style while dealing with experts in different areas.

In the same way,   I have noted that leadership has no single approach, different situations needs different leadership styles. Reflecting at leadership in the twenty first century, leadership in the ninetieth century and leadership in the twentieth century is different depending on situations, but in all, the fundamental of leadership is directing and motivating the group with the main intention of attaining a common target (Northouse, 2012). Societal values and ethics have been changing with socialization and globalization.

Situational leadership is relevant in macro and micro scales, and at the same time solving complex and simple tasks which are common to followers present in different development levels (Costanzo, 2005). Fredrick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr. and I in one situation or another value the contributions of situational theories of leadership; Situational leadership addresses changes in learning setting and in many other situations.

Participative Theories

Fredrick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. in a number of circumstances used Participative leadership theories in gaining the necessary supports.  Fredrick Douglass showed exemplary leadership skills while in abolitionist movement among other platforms while Martin Luther King Jr. showed exemplarily leadership skills in African American Civil Rights Movement among other platforms. In the same way Participative theories are influential in a learning setting, where the students come together with the tutors in realizing the best results (Northouse, 2012).

Participative theories argue that ideal leadership styles takes into consideration the inputs of other people in the teams. Such leaders in participative theories support contributions and participation from all the stakeholders as they collectively design an all inclusive decision making processes (Northouse, 2012). The input of other people is valued by the leaders in participative theories of leadership, as noted with Fredrick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr. and also in a learning setting.

Relationship Theories

Relationship theories were part of the leadership displayed Fredrick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. Surveys have shown that relationship theories are also preferred to as the transformational theories (Costanzo, 2005). Relationships theories of leadership concentrate on the connections build between the followers and the leaders. It has been noted that Relationship oriented leaders inspire and motivate people in attaining a common goal, this is made possible by focusing on the importance of the tasks of the members of the group, where each and every member is encouraged to look at issues from the same context. Fredrick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. encouraged each and every member to fulfill personal potentials depending on the moral and ethical standards. Relationship theories are also active in the learning contexts.

Own Leadership

Leadership to me have different meanings both on the positive and to the negative, there is good leadership and bad leadership depending on how the followers interpret leadership. I tend to fall in the authoritative or autocratic leader’s category, although this type of leadership fails in some situations. I value the notion that there is no perfect leadership theory or leadership style that fits in all situations, an indication that leaders have the responsibility engaging critical thinking in making sound decisions and in problem solving. I value communicating what is to be done, in a way that I heavily rely on my own knowledge and ideas; I pay less attention to the inputs of other people. I find myself controlling and regulating policies. Similarly to the approach done by the dictators, of late I’m learning to value the input of teamwork in people working together in realizing the common vision of the group. Teams are made up of members from multicultural societies, an indication that I have to adopt the changes cultivated by socialization and globalization, in developing a competitive edge, as proposed by participative theories and relationship theories in becoming a global leader.

Conclusion

Leadership took a different shape in the twentieth century; surveys have indicated that earlier theories in leadership basically shed light on qualities differentiating followers and leaders, while a number of theories focused on skill levels and situational factors. Leadership means different to different people, and in the same way, leadership can be applied differently in different situations (Northouse, 2012).

References

Archer, J. (2006). They Had a Dream: The Civil Rights Struggle from Frederick Douglass…MalcolmX. London: Puffin.

Costanzo, T. (2005). My ‘Situational’ Leadership Style. CSA 553 , 2-7.

Daley, J. (2006). Great Speeches by African Americans: Frederick Douglass. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications.

Northouse, P. G. (2012). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

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