Leadership theories
Context
How important is it that we develop bench strength to increase the number of effective global leaders in today’s world? An article in the OD Practitioner noted that, “Out of 900 multinational organizations surveyed, 52% were planning to expand their operations within the next few years, but only 16% reported having enough globally ready leaders to fill their crucial roles” (Salicru, Wassenaar, Suerz, & Spittle, 2016, p. 12). This is clearly a shortage, and if you are the CEO of a global firm, the statistics just might keep you up at night worrying about filling that void.
The playing field for leaders has changed, and it is imperative that leaders develop solid global competencies that meet the ever-expanding worldwide needs. Bishop (2013) advocates that: “To be effective on a global stage, leaders must transcend international and cultural boundaries. They must become global leaders” (p. 78). The global leader must be the “best of the best,” and operate in many different arenas. In order to do this, they need to develop to meet those challenges. To be effective as a leader, it is essential to understand your personal leadership strengths, as well as the areas where improvement is needed.
Leadership theories and models give us a way to examine effective global leadership. As leaders, it is important to select appropriate leadership models which align the individual, the organization, the economic reality, and society not only as they are today, but as they can be in the future. There is no one “right” theory of leadership; but without theory, leaders would have nothing against which to weigh their decisions and actions when dealing with difficult situations in the global business environment. “Theory-building is important because it provides a framework for analysis, facilitates the efficient development of the field, and is needed for the applicability to practical real world problems” (Wacker, 1998, p. 361).
Some theories provide better fits among practitioners, organizations, societies, and the evolving global economy than others. Some of the practitioner competencies embedded in these theories align with Gardner’s (2008) five minds. For example: respect for people (respectful mind), a global mindset (synthesizing mind), the capacity to see forward into the future (creating mind), a willingness and ability to define common ground across boundaries (synthesizing mind), and a dedication to transformative change to bring in a new world (creating mind). These theories address the complexity, diversity, and competitive environment today’s leaders face as they move into markets, innovate, and globalize—competing everywhere with everyone.
Analyzing emerging leadership theories is a process that requires an examination focused on the flat, nonlinear, and dialogical nature of work that deals in part with capacity building, innovation, and integration of both local and global views to express a better self and a better future. In other words, the emerging theories differ from some of the traditional theories because they are not linear in nature. The complexity of the global conditions and emerging trends does not lend itself to linear or hierarchical approaches. Instead, emerging theories often take the learner into new world views and new views of relating work, person, place, culture, and future together. They include such theories as transformational leadership, servant leadership, shared leadership, integrated leadership, transcendent leadership, spiritual leadership, and more.
References
Bishop, W. H. (2012). The elements of leadership in a Global environment. Wiley Online Library: Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 78–85.
Gardner, H. (2008). The five minds for the future. Schools: Studies in Education, 5(1/2), 17–24.
Salicru, S., Wassenaar, E., Suerz, E., & Spittle, J. (2016). A case study of global leadership development best practice. OD Practitioner, 48(2), 12–20.
Wacker, J. G. (1998). A definition of theory: Research guidelines for different theory-building research methods and operations management. Journal of Operations Management, 16, 361–385.