Over the past three weeks, I observed the behaviour of leaders in our organization, considering both current practices and previous leadership situations. Here, I integrate theory and practice to describe some leadership styles used in our organization, providing concrete examples and commenting on their impact on results, atmosphere, work well-being, innovations, teamwork, and personnel development. 

Our organisational strategy describes our management culture as coaching and goal-oriented based on the values of the organisation. During the observation period, I also observed features of a servant leadership style and transformational leadership.  

For the coaching manager, a helping attitude, empathy, openness to feedback and personal learning are typical qualities. In coaching leadership, there is an emphasis on delegation, support and development. (Kunos 2018, 3.) During the observation period, I noticed that the coaching management style is realised, for example, as a development manager’s way of scheduling consistent one-on-one meetings with team members to discuss progress and provide guidance. The clear goals we go through together help employees focus on the action they are aiming for and contribute to the results. A leader has a way of asking for feedback for themselves in addition to giving feedback. Continuous feedback and support lead to consistent performance improvements over time. As an encouraging leader, the development manager strives to strengthen the sense of community by organizing meetings among the team, and also encourages us to self-aware increase the sense of community. A supportive approach has a positive impact on well-being, job satisfaction, motivation and commitment. 

The transformative definition of leadership includes charisma, intellectual stimulation, and individual attention. Charisma refers to the dimension of a leader that makes followers trust and appreciate the leader. Confidence and motivation are enhanced by consistent communication about the goals of the work. Intellectual stimulation refers to the way a leader promotes problem solving and intelligence in others and encourages followers to self-innovate solutions. With individual attention, the leader confronts his followers as individuals and is interested in the development of his employees. Transactional leadership is based on the rotation of power, rewards, and punishments to achieve goals that can appear to followers as empathy incapacity and authoritarianism, negatively impacting the work atmosphere. (Stashevsky 2006, 38; Dong 2023, 21.) In recent weeks, our organization has invested in wellness themes. The theme of last week’s well-being day was self-leadership, which an expert came to us to tell us about. The Development Director encourages a lot of independent development work and the team has been supported to implement competence sharing workshops. This approach has led to increased enthusiasm and commitment among employees. The atmosphere is energetic, and there is a noticeable increase in innovative ideas being proposed. Employees feel valued and empowered, contributing to higher job satisfaction. There is a strong emphasis on continuous learning and development, with numerous opportunities for professional growth being made available. 

Servant leadership emphasizes the leader’s role in serving their team, prioritizing the needs of employees and encouraging their growth and development. (Lopez-Comez 2022.) This style is evident in our HR department and among some team leader. The HR manager consistently seeks feedback from employees on how to improve work conditions and actively works to implement their suggestions. Regular check-ins are conducted to address personal or professional challenges team members might face. This leadership style has cultivated a supportive and inclusive work environment. Employees feel cared for that leads to high job satisfaction. Innovation is encouraged through a culture of openness and continuous development both career and job levels.

Through various assessments and reflections on my leadership style, coupled with extensive reading and viewing of leadership literature and videos, I’ve gained a comprehensive understanding of my leadership behaviour. This evaluation integrates practical observations with theoretical frameworks to provide a nuanced analysis of my leadership style. From the personality tests conducted earlier, the following traits and styles were predominant. I focus on performing effectively to achieve my goals. Clear structures, principles are important to me. I am motivated by reward systems, and I am critical. It’s in my nature to monitor performance and take corrective action quickly if necessary. These traits in me suggest transactional leadership. I should improve balancing corrective actions with empathy can improve morale and maintain trust. According to transformative management style, I focus on creating a compelling vision for the future, often communicating the bigger picture to motivate and inspire. In addition, I provide personalized support and encouragement to others. I should improve my skills to balance challenges and support. While intellectual stimulation is vital, ensuring that the challenges posed are within the team’s capacity is crucial to prevent burnout. Among the characteristics of a coaching leadership style, I identify as an active listener, development-oriented, empathy and supportive. Engaging in active listening to understand and address the concerns of team members.  

So, How could I develop my leadership skills? In his video, Maxwell describes well the development of leadership through five levels, with the emphasis on the leader’s own example of action. Leadership is not firm, it is constantly evolving. The first thing to understand is that a position doesn’t make a person a leader, it is a place to define one’s own leadership.Leadership is based on self-awareness, which in part defines leadership. Leadership naturally involves other people, followers. Reliotionships is one of the foundations of leadership. You have to build trust between those you lead, because following a leader out of desire is more sustainable than following out of necessity. At the level of achieving results, following a leader is about what you have done for the company. At the level of people development, it is what the leader has done for his followers that is essential, which strengthens the commitment. Fifth, the level of respect is related to what you are. People follow you because of who you are and what you represent. Each level builds on the previous one, requiring continuous development of skills and relationships (Maxwell 2017.)   

“Leadership is your choice, not your title”. George, McNeil and Craig emphasise the importance of understanding one’s own life story and emotional and self-awareness skills in developing leadership. The importance of being aware of one’s own values is highlighted in stressful situations. Values guide choices and life direction, but also bring meaning to both leadership and life in general. Relationships are emphasised when developing leadership, and it is important to gather a supportive group and inspire others. (Braden 2018; George, McNeil & Craig 2008, 28, 67-70 & 296.) My plan to develop leadership skills is to practice self-awareness, because when you understand your experiences and practices, you can apply them to situations as a leader. In addition, I will develop my skills in inspiring others to increase trust and motivation in the work community, as well as encouraging others to work at their best, by being their authentic selves.   

References: 

Braden, Michelle 2018. Seven Ways To Develop Your Authentic Leadership Style. Forbes. Blog, published 13.3.2018. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/03/13/seven-ways-to-develop-your-authentic-leadership-style/#163fb9e69e64. Accesssed: 23.05.2024  

Dong, Bo. A Systematic Review of the Transactional Leadership Literature and Future Outlook. Academic Journal of Management and Social Sciences. Vol. 2 (3): 21-25. DOI:10.54097/ajmss.v2i3.7972. Accessed: 22.05.2024. 

George, Bill, McLean, Andrew N. and Craig, Nick 2008. Finding Your True North: A Personal Guide. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 

Kunos, István 2018. Coaching-style leadership. PDF. Hungary: University of Miskolc. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336373731_Coaching-style_leadership. Accessed: 18.05.2024. 

Lopez-Comez 2022. What is servant leadership and how can it empower you team? BetterUp. Blog, published 18.07.2022. https://www.betterup.com/blog/servant-leadership-what-makes-it-different. Accessed: 15.05.2024.  

Maxwell, John 2017. The 5 Levels of Leadership shortened version. Video. Diana4you, published on Youtube 23.10.2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe6XacmIZms. Accessed: 23.05.2024. 

Stashevsky, Shmuel 2006.  Leadership in Organizations. Bradford, England: Emerald Group Publishing.  

People’s morals, ethics and values are very individually defined, so leadership can also be seen as a personal starting point. Leaders have an important role to play in fostering ethical standards both in their own practices and in the organisation, as it has wide-ranging implications for job performance, success, well-being and organisational performance. Sometimes a manager has to make decisions that may not be beneficial to all parties involved,but are necessary for the success of the organisation or to minimise harm in the longer term.  

Ethical leadership is essentially about moral principles, integrity and accountability, both in the way we act and in the way we make decisions. Ethical leaders not only uphold ethical standards but also promote them in addition to a positive organisational culture. Ethical leadership is seen as essential for long-term success (Chat GPT 2024.) 

Integrity, justice, appreciation of others, accountability, transparency and ethical decision making are key characteristics of ethical leadership. By acting according to ethical standards, a leader earns the trust of his or her followers. An ethical leader treats everyone with equality and respect and treats individuals with empathy. Ethical leadership involves openness, as demonstrated by transparency in discussions, information sharing and decisions. Decisions are also openly justified. When failures occur, ethical leaders take responsibility and learn from their mistakes. The ethical leader encourages mutual respect, shared decision-making and inclusive environments. Encouraging dialogue and a culture of feedback is the way ethical leadership works. (ChatGPT 2024).  

The promotion of equality is also realised in decision-making processes. For an ethical leader, it is more important to consider the ethical implications of decisions rather than self-interest. By ensuring the moral fairness and rationality of decisions, different perspectives are mapped out.  Decision-making processes are carried out in cooperation with other staff. An ethical leader is considered loyal, contributing to the motivation, commitment, satisfaction of work and well-being of followers. Ethical leadership contributes not only to individuals or organisations, but also to societal challenges, promoting the Sustainable Development Goals and social responsibility. (ChatGPT 2024). 

It’s easy for me to identify with the principles of ethical leadership. In the previous self-reflection section, I did a personality test which showed that I represented the executive personality type. This personality type, like me, is characterised by justice, honesty and integrity. I like to treat people with respect and I cherish equality. I don’t let my emotions lead me, which helps me stay neutral in situations, but also consistent.  Consistency, dedication and respectful treatment make me trustworthy. I want to work according to my values, and values help me navigate the choices that are right for me. Principles and values are very important to me and I do not hesitate to challenge unethical or unfair actions. I wonder what might be difficult for me in ethical leadership and I can see it is related to conflict in decision making. Sometimes it can be difficult for me to make big decisions or decisions where I have to disappoint someone.  I should therefore pay attention to develop as an ethical leader in the decision-making process. 

References: 

ChatGPT 2024. Ethical leadership. https://chatgpt.com/c/08304eb8-d57f-4429-b64b-bc5f63ac47cd. Accessed: 17.05.2024.  

Hi, My name is Miia – health and welfare coordinator student. I am currently working as a project coordinator in the social sector and my work focuses on promoting participation among Neet ( Not in Employment, Education or Training) young adults. This is my learning portfolio about expertise and leadership. Self-leadership skills are needed every day, but with curiosity I am deepening my knowledge of leadership through different phenomena and themes with the aim of deeper understanding. I also want to apply what I have learned to my work now and in the future !