7 Major Leadership Theories Every Manager Should Master In 2022

Do great leaders make good managers? Is it reversing the other way around? It's a chicken and egg question that doesn't have a clear solution.

It is common for people to think about the difference between being a manager and a leader supervisor truly.

But one thing is for certain even though leadership and management aren't the same; they should be considered in tandem. And one cannot overstate the importance of having an effective leader at the helm.

If managers want to succeed in their job, they must be able to perform their job effectively, they must be certain authentic leadership abilities.

If leaders wish to succeed in their role, they need to be able to lead their followers including employees, colleagues, and others -- to make them feel more motivated, inspired, and engaged, which leads to a more successful company.

In the end, both roles require an appreciation of how humans behave to ensure more engaged workers and more effective workplaces.

For managers to succeed in their job, they should possess the ability to lead. For leaders to be able to be successful in their leadership, they must be competent in managing their colleagues as well as their employees and customers effectively.

Management and leadership are not something; however, they are inextricably linked with one another.

We'll go over the principles of leadership that every manager must know in 2021. Various leadership theories can help identify or groom an effective leader.

Managers must help their colleagues feel empowered as well as inspired and engaged. Managers must identify the leadership theory that they identify with to grow themselves further as effective leaders.

Therefore, understanding these leadership theories can aid in developing leadership abilities and create an atmosphere that increases productivity and boosts engagement.

Leadership is multifaceted. Many factors determine an effective leader. In the world of business, it is essential to have leadership skills. one of the most crucial abilities. 

If you're looking to know more about the subject of leadership and management then join Sprintzeal's Project Management Program today. 

The program will help you to acquire the best managerial skills necessary to establish a career in a lucrative field.

Before we dive into the theory, we'll take a look at the theories of leadership that are about. We'll then discuss several of the well-known theories about leadership that will help enhance your abilities to lead and enable you to perform better as a manager for example:

There have been numerous studies done that concentrate on leadership. This has increased theories of leadership and theories.

These theories are developed by philosophers, scientists, and cognitive experts who research the factors that go to make a leader successful.

By utilizing these theories, you'll be able to recognize the traits and behaviors through a transformation leadership style which will help someone build their leadership capabilities to manage their staff more efficiently.

After that, we can now proceed to learn more about the concepts of leadership that every manager should be aware of.

Before we dive deep into theories of leadership, look at what the theories about leadership are all about. 

We'll then discuss several of the well-known theories about leadership that will help enhance your ability to lead and enable you to perform better as a leader, such as:

- Contingency Theory

- Situational Leadership Theory

- Transformational Leadership Theory

- Transactional Theories

- Behavioral Theory

- Great Man Theory of Leadership

- Trait Theory of Leadership

Key Leadership Theories and Styles

For years, numerous studies have been concerned with leadership, and have given an array of theories.

These include various theories put forward by scholars, philosophers, and cognitive specialists to help explain the development of a successful leader.

These theories provide insight into the traits and behaviors that help people develop their leadership skills.

In the meantime, there are a few of the main leadership concepts that every manager must be aware of to stay on top of their game. 

1) Contingency Theory of Leadership

This leadership theory suggests that there is no single method or method of leadership that could be appropriate for all situations.

This means that it recognizes that various factors influence any given scenario and that a leader must decide on the best way to proceed, by weighing the various elements.

In this sense, the leadership experts White and Hodgson declare, "Effective leadership is about finding the right balance of the context, needs and behavior”, path glory theory of leadership tells the same.

The best leaders possess not just the right characteristics, but also the capacity to evaluate the requirements of their followers.

They also evaluate the context of the moment and respond according to the situation.

Effective leaders are those who possess not just the correct traits but also can evaluate the requirements of their followers, and the ability to analyze specific circumstances based on various circumstances and act accordingly, similar to which fielder’s contingency theory states “there is no one best style of leadership”.

2) Situational Leadership Theory

Similar to Contingency Theory, the Situational Theory emphasizes the importance of the role of variables in a situation and doesn't consider anyone's leadership style superior to the rest.

It was proposed by US professor Paul Hersey and leadership guru, Ken Blanchard, the concept of the "situational theory" is a mixture of two aspects that influence the style of leadership and the maturity level of followers. 

Based on this concept various situations require different ways of leadership and making decisions. Leaders have to make decisions based on the circumstances they face.

Similar to Contingency Theory, this theory emphasizes the importance of the situational elements and the varying variables.

It doesn't believe that any particular style of leadership is superior to the other. Paul Hersey, a US professor and guru of leadership, Ken Blanchard, feels that the theory of situational analysis consists of two key elements.

The level of maturity of followers as well as the leadership style. The theory of situational leadership states that different circumstances require different styles of leadership and decision-making.

A leader must be able to take action in a way that is based on the context they find themselves. The behavioral theory of leadership of leader matters.

3) Transformational Leadership Theory

The Transformational Theory of Leadership which is sometimes referred to as Relationship theory focuses on the relationship between leaders and their followers. This is among the popular leadership theories.

This theory discusses the type of leader who is charismatic and inspiring in encouraging followers to improve and improve in their work.

Transformational leaders are typically motivated by their capacity to communicate to their followers the importance of their task and the benefits when they complete it.

These leaders aren't just focused on the performance of their teams but provide individual members of the team with the motivation needed to realize the fullest potential of their abilities. These theories of leadership will assist you to improve your skills.

Also called Relationship theory the transformational leadership theory is primarily focused on the relationships that are formed between the leaders and followers.

It discusses the characteristics of a leader who inspires and motivates followers to improve in their work. These leaders are captivating and influence their followers to be more effective.

These are the leaders who want to convince the people they lead that there's more benefit to completing the task. 

They also aim to make their followers realize the importance of a specific job. The leader who is transformed is not only concerned with team performance, and gives people in the group a chance to develop their talents. It helps them improve their leadership capabilities.

4) Transactional Leadership Theory

Transactional Theories, sometimes known as management theories or exchange theories of leadership, are based on supervision as well as teamwork, organization, and supervision. 

These theories of leadership focus on reward and discipline as being the primary reason for leadership behavior. 

This is among the most frequently used theories in the business world, and the people who advocate this type of leadership employ punishments and rewards to encourage employees.

Transactional and transformational leadership are the theories where the primary choice of transactional is to process and control. Transformational communication and cooperation set the scale of leadership.

Theory of exchange or management theories about leadership refers to those theories focus on supervision of teams, teamwork, and organization.

In this type of theory, the core of leadership is punishment and rewards. It is commonly employed in companies and reward systems are offered to employees to inspire them to be more productive.

5) Behavioral Theory

In the Behavior Theory, the focus shifts from the attributes or characteristics that leaders possess to the behavior and their actions.

Contrary to theories like the Great Man Theory and the method of leadership that is based on traits This theory considers successful leading to come as the product of learning or acquiring capabilities.

It suggests that one can develop into an effective leader. This is among the most effective theories of leadership.

In behavioral theories in behavioral theory, the focus is on leaders' behavior and actions rather than their characteristics or traits. 

This theory stands in stark contradiction to Great Man Theory and considers that effective leadership is an outcome of learning various capabilities or learning them in time. 

A person can be taught to become an effective leader. This theory is commonly referred to as the most effective theory of leadership.

6) Great Man Theory of Leadership

The great man theory is among the first theories of leadership and it is founded on the idea of leadership being an inherent phenomenon, and it is believed that the best leaders are "born" and not "made."

As per the this theory, someone competent in leading displays the characteristics of an effective leader similar to leader-member exchange theory, such as charisma, confidence, intelligence communications skills, and social skills that are present from birth which distinguish them.

The theory emphasizes leadership as something you possess or not and is not something you can acquire.

While this theory may seem disorienting to those looking to master the art of leadership, be encouraged by the fact that the majority of the modern theorists disdain the theory and some of the leaders themselves.

It's a great perspective on leadership, one that spotlights the traits of leaders who are great and that have been largely unchanged throughout the years.

One of the oldest models of leadership, this theory believes that leaders are born with capabilities and cannot be made.

It is a fact that they are created. The theory states that an individual who is capable of leading a large group of people possesses certain personality traits like charisma, intelligence, confidence as well as communication skills, and social skills.

It was believed that these traits are in a leader from birth, and that is what makes them different.

The theory is that you already have traits of leadership at birth and are not taught. This could be a bit depressing when you are trying to gain a better understanding of leadership, however, you should know that a lot of modern theorists deny this theory.

This theory is an intriguing take on leadership that emphasizes the characteristics of leadership that has not changed throughout time.

7) Trait Theory of Leadership

The theory follows along the lines of the previous theory in assuming that leaders have characteristics that make them more appropriate for the job of the leader than those who do not possess those traits naturally.

This theory highlights certain traits like intelligence, accountability, and sense of responsibility, and the ability to think on their feet, among other things which allow an individual to succeed in leadership.

In the tradition of the Great Man theory, the trait theory posits that the majority of leaders have characteristics that make them fit for leadership if you compare them with those with these traits.

The theory of trait leadership highlights certain characteristics or traits like responsibility, intelligence, feeling of accountability, creativity, and much more.

These characteristics allow an individual to succeed in the field of leadership. The most problematic aspect of this model is that it doesn't provide an exhaustive list of characteristics that are thought to be traits of leadership.

But it does show the importance of the traits that are backed by research that assists you in improving your leadership abilities.

Bottom Line

As you will see, theories of leadership are based on various approaches to thinking. Some are focused on traits and characteristics, while others emphasize the context's importance, which influences how leaders behave.

Different leadership theories might apply or resonate with different kinds of managers. To become effective leaders, they need to identify the right leadership theory for themselves.

Similar to many other concepts of behavior the concept of leadership is multi-dimensional and encompasses a variety of aspects that play into taking on the role of the role of leader.

Because the human element of the business is among the most, if not the most significant factors that determine the success or failure of an organization it is certain that leadership will be the most sought-after skill in the business world.

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We are now at the end of our blog about the most effective theory of leadership that managers should be able to master in 2022. 

The theories are built on various approaches to thinking. While some theories are based on characteristics and characteristics, others focus on specific aspects of the environment that could influence a leader’s behavior.