Leadership Approach Essay Example for Free

Leadership Approach Essay Various theoretical approaches have been conducted to determine the impact of leadership and the key attributes of effective leaders. The five research approach comprise of the trait approach, behavior approach, power-influence approach, situational approach, and integrative approach. Although each approach has its merits and issues, the focus of this paper will be the situational approach. Overview The situational leadership approach views leadership in relation to a specific context. The study suggests that for every situation a specific leadership style is appropriate. In situational leadership, the factors that affect the leadership style include the situation, the organization, the followers, the timing and the nature of work (Yukl, 2010). By assessing these factors, leaders make decisions on their leadership style. In addition, situational leadership has two subcategories. The first one reviews the similarity or differences of leadership within an organization. This study involves using comparison between situations and the differences or similarities between approaches. The second study evaluates the correlation between leadership traits, skills and attributes to leadership effectiveness (Yukl, 2010). Finally, the study by Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard in 1969 provided a matrix of communication for use in this type of leadership. The matrix recommends the use of four influence competencies such as telling or directing, selling, delegating and participating. Each style is adapted to the follower’s maturity or competency. â€Å"The four styles suggest that leaders should put greater or less focus on the task in question and/or the relationship between the leader and the follower, depending on the development level of the follower† (Changing Minds, 2012). Strengths and Weaknesses The strength of the situational approach of research is that it provides a variety of study iterations, thus allowing for the researchers to control certain parts of the study. Moreover, the situation is observable and results are easy to understand. Thus the study provides flexibility and control in modifying various factors within the control situation. For instance, by manipulating a certain control situation, researchers can review the leaders’ reactions and methods to resolving the issues put forward. The weaknesses of using this approach are that it contains too many variables. Endless numbers of variables can be factored in to a situation and thus, can create confusion in the study. Moreover, the approach does not clearly distinguish between leadership and management and given a situation, managers can act as leaders and vice versa without further clarification. Examples of Situational Leadership Situational leadership exists in __________, a financial service firm, and the author’s current employer. Situational leaders use four influence competencies such as telling or directing, selling, delegating, and participating. Each style must be applied to the appropriate situation being affected and the audience or group being addressed (Changing Minds, 2012). The examples will be based on the author’s observations of her direct superior, the Senior Partner of the company, (â€Å"Eric†). As senior partner, Eric is in charge of the company’s strategic direction. Thus, he delegates authority to various skilled and competent individuals. In everyday business, Eric uses the delegating and participating style. He understands that the branch managers and senior staff are skilled to handle every day issues. However, in times of uncertainty and stress, for instance, the possible stock market decline, Eric shifts his style to more of a telling or directing style. This telling or directing style is typically used in lower competency and low trust group of followers. Even though Eric realizes that the senior staff members are well trained to handle stock market declines, Eric looks at the situation and modifies his behavior and communication style to a more directive leadership. Conclusion The situational approach in studying leadership provides an overview of the use different traits, skills and communication styles in order to fit into the situation. Although this approach has its merits and weaknesses, it is the most widely used leadership study. Regardless of the approach used in study or leadership style, the most important factor is the leader’s accountability for the outcome of the decisions made. Reference Changing Minds, (2012), Hersey and Blanchard’s Approach, Retrieved from: http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/styles/situational_leadership_hersey_blan chard.htm Yukl, G. A. (2006). Leadership in organizations (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Schindlers lost Essay -- essays research papers

Shindler's List Schindlers List "Memory is all we have, and when the memories are dreadful- when they hold images of the pain we have suffered or, perhaps inflicted- they are what we are try to escape" (Corliss 110). Steven Spielberg captures the audience in this critically acclaimed movie about the Holocaust. Schindlers List is a movie made to induce the mind into the unknown, the horrors of World War II. David Ansen states "Schindlers List plunges us into the nightmare of the Holocaust with newsreel-like urgency- and amazing restraint" (Newsweek 113). Spielberg brings out all emotions in recapturing this monstrous time period. Schindlers List is about Oskar Schindler, a German Nazi who uses the Jews to make money off the war. At the beginning of the movie Schindler is portrayed as a womanizer, gambler, and heavy drinker. He becomes friends with some top Nazi officials to better himself. As the movie progresses Schindler begins to produce war materials using the Jews as a labor force. As he sits back and watches the various actions of the Nazis he begins to question his morals. His accountant, Itzhak Stern, begins making a list of around 1200 Jews. These Jews were to come and work in Schindlers' factory. When Germany surrendered all of the Nazis were to be hunted. Many Jews thanked him and all of the workers wrote a letter explaining Schindlers' actions. Also, a gold ring was given to him inscribed, "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire" (Talmud). Schindler said good-bye to his workers and fled. Only now the Jews are liberated to have nowhere to go and nowhere to leave. Many great directors concentrate on dialogue, scenery, and plat; however, Spielberg stresses the importance of camera angles and the effect of black and white film, scenes and characters, on viewers in Schindlers List. With his outstanding work on camera angles, Steven Spielberg holds the audience at breath while waiting for the next scene. Spielberg uses a hand held came ra to grasp the effects. David Denby explains how the use of a handheld camera is much more accurate. "The camera keeps moving [†¦] moving fast, chasing corners and up stairways [†¦]." Spielberg makes the movie look "like and advertent look of newsreel footage" (1282). Life magazine quoted Spielberg discussing the image of Amon Goeth sunbathing. A man named Raymon... ...s that there is mass murdering going on. By looking on the walls at the shadows, the sights seen are atrocious. These shadows came from the black and white color of the film. So what caused the Holocaust? Many agree the main factor was indifference. "Schindler's List is about the triumph of the human spirit over sadism and degradation, indifference and silence" (Rader 6). Oskar Schindler saved 1200 Jews. Today more than 6000 Jews are descendants of the Schindler Jews. Spielberg ends the movie with the Schindler Jews placing stones on Schindler's grave. The movie is now in color to remind the audience that there is still mourning going on for the Holocaust victims. Someone who was dedicated to recreating an awful historical event could only do this movie. Steven Spielberg, a Jew himself, never believed he could make it through the movie. He too believed that the black and white made the movie easier to bear with, and gave it a more realistic viewpoint. "The movie en ds with the final message "Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire." This message is true. Spielberg has constructed this movie as an educational film, so that it may never happen again.

Outline the Main Principles of Utilitarianism

Outline the main principles of utilitarianism Utilitarianism is a teleological theory. Three main philosophers have come up with different types of utilitarianism these being: Bentham, Mill and Singer. Bentham introducing the idea of Act Utilitarianism, Mill adapting the ideas of Bentham and trying improve the flaws he saw with his Rule utilitarianism and Singer with his preference utilitarianism theory. Bentham was hedonist, meaning he was a pleasure seeker. Bentham portrayed two main features of utilitarianism, one being the consequentialist principle.The consequentialist principle states that the rightness or wrongness of an act is determined by the goodness or badness of the results that flow from it this shows the teleological side of the theory. The second feature portrayed is the Utility principle this is â€Å"the greatest good for the greatest number. † But Bentham being a hedonist devised his own twist on this and stated that his principle would be â€Å"the greates t pleasure for the greatest number. † As he believed â€Å"nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters’ pain and pleasure.It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as what we shall do. † Bentham said if an event brought more pleasure and avoided pain then it was seen as good. Bentham devised a way of measuring pleasure and this was known as the hedonic calculus it was based on a quantitative scale and the seven aspects to help you calculate whether something was painful or pleasurable were: Duration, Remoteness, Purity, Richness, Intensity, Certainty and Extent. These factors all made up the Hedonic calculus. Bentham’s utilitarian theories and ideas are usually linked with the idea of Act utilitarianism.Act Utilitarianism says that the principle of utility should be applied to every individual situation. It states that a person should act when the anticipated result brings the most pleasure. One of the main principles of Utilitarianism is Act utilitarianism and Bentham idealism of this. Mill was Bentham’s godson, Mill adopted he godfathers ideas of utilitarianism but he saw flaws in his definition of the utility principle as Bentham viewed pleasure as being the main point of utility instead of good. Mill challenged his theory by trying to distinguish happiness from mere pleasure.Mill’s version of the theory is often referred to as â€Å"Eudaimonistic utilitarianism†. He defines happiness with his idea of higher and lower pleasures; higher pleasures usually linked with expanded your capacity for knowledge for example a higher pleasure would be reading Shakespeare as it’s increasing your knowledge. A lower pleasure would be seen as eating a McDonalds as it’s not seen to benefit your knowledge in any way. Mill’s utilitarian theory is linked with Rule-utilitarianism. Rule utilitarianism being one of the two classical types of utilitarianism, the ot her being act seen in Bentham’s theory.Act utilitarianism is the idea that an act is only right if it follows set rules to bring out the greater good for society. Act Utilitarianism is then broke down into â€Å"Weak rule† and â€Å"Strong rule†. Weak rule is the idea that you can actually break that rule if you believe it is going to bring the greater good. Strong Rule is the idea that once the rule has been agreed upon as being the best for society. You cannot break it, no matter what. It is believed that Mill is more a â€Å"Weak rule† utilitarian as the â€Å"strong rule† is moving towards a more absolutist approach.The last well known theory of utilitarianism is the most recent which was devised by a man named Peter Singer. Singer came up with a type of utilitarianism known as â€Å"preference utilitarianism†. Preference utilitarianism promotes actions that fulfil the interests of those beings involved. Singer believes you should have y our best interest at heart to minimise any sort of pain. An interesting point to Singer’s theory is that he believed everyone was equal. He believed in animal rights that every conscious creature should have equal rights and be taken into consideration.

Holiday Speech On Holiday Day - 1880 Words

HOLIDAYS CCSI2 will grant holiday time off to all full-time employees on the holidays listed below. New Year’s Day Columbus Day Martin Luther King Jr. Day Veterans Day Washington’s Birthday Thanksgiving Day Memorial Day Christmas Day Independence Day Labor Day If a holiday falls on a weekend day, it is usually observed on the proceeding Friday or the following Monday. Holiday observance will be announced in advance. Holiday pay will be calculated based on your straight time pay rate (as of the date of the holiday) times the number of hours you would have otherwise worked on that day. Holiday pay is not counted for the purposes of calculating an Employee’s overtime hours of work or overtime premiums. If an eligible employee is required to work on a designated holiday, the employee will receive holiday pay and wages at straight-time rate for the hours worked on the holiday or will receive an additional vacation day. All holiday paid is subject to prior approval by the customer and or CCSI2 with authorized signature. VACATION Full-time employees accrue paid vacations in accordance with the schedule below. Part-time and temporary employees do not accrue paid vacation. 0- 2 years of service 3-7 years of service 8-15 years of service 16+ years of service 5 days 10 days 15 days 20 days Eligible employees accrue vacation on a daily basis after their 90-day probation period. Vacation days in excess of 1 year based on accrualShow MoreRelatedFrederick Douglas s The Declaration Of Independence928 Words   |  4 PagesJuly 4th is the day celebrated when America gained declared independence from Great Britain. It’s been celebrated every year as a country since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence since 1776. In 1852, the 5th of July, Frederick Douglas was asked to speak in front of northern abolitionists in New York of the holiday and the subject of independence and freedom. 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