Primary theories of leadership and examples Research Paper

Primary theories of leadership and examples - Research Paper Example A probe into the lives of Jacqueline Kennedy, Martha Stewart, Opera Winfrey, Hillary Rodham Clinton and George Bush show that these leaders revealed traits of charismatic, authoritarian, inspirational, transformational, and situational leadership styles respectively. Primary theories of leadership and examples Leadership theories are based on how leaders lead their followers. Some of the primary theories of leadership styles are charismatic, authoritarian, inspirational, transformational, and situational. The basic characteristics that differentiate each of these leadership styles are: the nature of the relationship between the leader and followers; the personality of the leader; the vision and nature of the leader’s interaction with the followers or employees; the nature of the rewards, positive reinforcements and tasks administered; and, the achievement of the goals or tasks. This paper analyses the major characteristics of charismatic, authoritarian, inspirational, transfor mational, and situational leadership styles with special reference to such leaders as Jacqueline Kennedy, Martha Stewart, Opera Winfrey, Hillary Rodham Clinton and George Bush. ... Charismatic leaders also have the ability for taking personal risks and exhibiting non-traditional behavior. According to Burke and Cooper (2004, p. 86), charismatic leaders arouse enthusiasm and commitment among their followers by articulating a compelling vision, increasing follower confidence about achieving it, and linking the task or mission to the values, ideals, and self-concept of the followers. Both John F Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline Kennedy had charismatic personalities that could attract the American society. Jacqueline’s charisma helped Kennedy not only during his presidential campaign but also in his political life in the White house. Her demeanor and influencing charismatic style saw her as the most warmly received public figure during official trips abroad. It was her charismatic leadership style that immortalized the Kennedy Library Foundation after her husband was assassinated. Authoritarian leadership and Martha Stewart In authoritarian leadership style t he leader acts like an autocrat, allowing little or no participation from his team members or followers. Even though the leadership style is not popular today it has been identified as quite effective during emergencies when quick decisions are to be taken. As pointed out by Cherry (2012, para. 1) authoritarian leadership style is â€Å"characterized by individual control over all decisions and little input from group members.† As such these leaders do not involve their followers in the decision making process. The success of Martha Stewart, the celebrated American business magnate and author, is strongly rooted in her authoritarian leadership style. She started with a small catering business

The positive effects of video games on society Essay

The positive effects of video games on society - Essay Example These changes have made video games realistic, complex, diverse and social and have resulted in an emergence of research on the positive effects of these games (Ferguson, 2007). In this regard, this essay will consider the positive effects of video games on society. The association of violence to violent video games has amplified the view that video games have negative effects on the society. It is for this reason that a vast majority of research conducted on this topic has concentrated on the negative effects of these games on society. Despite the lack of extensive research on the positive effects of video games, the benefits associated with play can be linked to video games. The general benefits associated with play include the ability to experiment social experiences while simulating possible emotional consequences and the opportunity to reproduce real life situations and find solutions. This is essential in the development of social skills (Durkin and Barber, 20002). However, unl ike traditional games, video games are interactive and may not allow physical involvement in the game. Video games allow users to interact with gaming systems and these systems react to the behavior of the player. Video games can be played alone with the physical presence of other players or can be played online with other numerous players. These games can also be played alone, competitively or cooperatively. The games also take various genres and allow the players to interact in different contexts.