Leadership is a complex and multi-faceted topic that has been studied for centuries. Over the past decades, behavioral theories of leadership have become increasingly popular for their focus on how leaders act, rather than what traits they possess. However, there are advantages and disadvantages of this type of leadership theory to consider. In this blog post, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of behavioral theories of leadership. We will discuss how these theories can be used to build effective leaders and how they can fall short in certain circumstances. Additionally, we’ll cover how leaders can use behavioral theories to develop their own unique leadership style. By the end of this post, readers will have a better understanding of the potential benefits and limitations of behavioral theories of leadership.
Behavioral Theories of Leadership
There are many advantages to this theory. When employees actively participate in the decisions and results that affect their company, they feel more engaged and motivated. However, this theory has its detractors, who contend that it portrays leaders as ineffective or weak. Another criticism of this theory is that leaders don’t actually achieve the best results because they focus too much on what people want rather than what the business needs.
–Participative theory. Participative leadership isn’t as common in the corporate world. This leadership theory, also known as democratic leadership, proposes that employees participate directly in decision-making within their organization. Simply by facilitating the conversation, the leader then considers all of the suggestions and determines the best course of action. According to this theory, everyone actively participates in team and organizational decision-making, and the leader merely serves to guide the charge.
Bill Gates is a well known example of participative theory. There are numerous examples of businesses that strive to involve employees more in the decision-making process, despite the fact that this theory is still hotly contested. According to this theory, a manager might call a meeting to ask staff members how to resolve a specific issue. They promote candor and open communication among staff members. They consider all of the recommendations and consult with other executives about them. The decision that follows is made by leaders using both employee input and their own judgment. This approach is generally well-liked by employees, but it can be less successful in the long run.
–Management theory. The management theory, also known as transactional leadership, emphasizes organization, supervision, and team performance. Business organizations frequently employ transactional leadership, which is a system of incentives and sanctions. When employees do something successful, managers reward them. When they fail, they may get punished. The premise behind transactional rewards and punishments is that people primarily act in pursuit of rewards. Their psychology prevents people from acting benevolently; instead, they prefer when rewards are promised.
Both internal and external factors have an impact on a leader’s situation. Internal factors include the nature of the business, the size of the team, and a person’s innate leadership style. External factors may include the customer feelings and the marketplace. Each of these circumstances influences the contingency theory.
Experts have been debating the issue of whether a leader’s abilities and characteristics are innate or learned for a long time. Nevertheless, research indicates that even though people may be born with a particular set of personal traits that contribute to their leadership potential, one can learn and develop necessary skills using a variety of methods (Iordanoglou, 2018). The five-factor personality model, the path-goal theory, and the situational leadership theory all suggest that a leader’s job is a set of learnable skills.
Depending on the personnel’s characteristics and the organization, different styles and approaches are used in leadership. According to Thompson (G.), “follower development level is a crucial moderator of the relationship between leader behavior and efficiency.” , & Glaso, 2018, p. 574).
The benefit of this theory is that it allows followers to prioritize effectively and gives leaders the flexibility to make decisions based on the situation and the expected outcomes; the drawback is that it only addresses short-term needs rather than long-term ones.
The theory might assist in modifying different leadership philosophies to fit the needs of unique circumstances in order to accomplish desired goals.
The model can be used to compare a person’s personality to their propensity for a specific leadership style. When a personality is positioned on a specific axis within the continuums of each of the five traits, it is possible to assess how closely a leader’s personality matches their chosen leadership style. This knowledge may be applied to strengthen certain practice areas or hone one’s leadership abilities.
FAQ
What are the advantages of behavioral theory of leadership?
The behavioral theory has many benefits, chief among them the ability for leaders to learn and choose the actions they want to take in order to become the kind of leaders they desire. It enables leaders to be adaptable and flexible in response to their circumstances.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of behavioral theory of leadership?
The benefit of this theory is that it allows followers to prioritize effectively and gives leaders the flexibility to make decisions based on the situation and the expected outcomes; the drawback is that it only addresses short-term needs rather than long-term ones.
What are the disadvantages of behavioral approach?
The strategy only addresses peoples’ outward behaviors and other surface-level problems. It overlooks more fundamental factors, like what goes on inside the human mind. Some describe the approach as being very narrow and deterministic.
What are the strengths of the behavioural theory?
The ability to precisely observe and measure behaviors is one of behavioral psychology’s greatest assets. As observable behaviors are the foundation of behaviorism, it is frequently simpler to quantify and gather data when conducting research.
