Leadership is an essential component of organization management and has a vital role in the administrative operations of a firm. It provides directions, guidance, and confidence to the employee which helps them in the attainment of goals in the much easier way. That encompasses influencing and encouraging subordinates to perform their duties willingly, competently and enthusiastically for the achievement of the group’s objectives. Leadership involves influencing the behavior of individuals, use of non-forcible methods to coordinate activities of individuals and directing individuals to attain task assigned to them by following the instructions of their leaders. On the other hand, job satisfaction refers to the employee’s general happiness with his or her job (Fakhrzad, 2012).
Job satisfaction remains a crucial component of the workplace. Job satisfaction can be seen as a positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job experiences. Job satisfaction generally looks at the various attitudes employees holds towards the job and leadership has a stronger effect on the attitude employees have towards their jobs. Mansoor and Bilal (2012) mentioned that s atisfaction is a key factor for motivation at the workplace. Also, it can be noted that satisfaction is a significant factor in the achievement of organizational and individual goals. Satisfaction alludes to job commitment and the moment employees are satisfied with their jobs, it implies that they become more productive for the work institution (Wan Omar & Hussin, 2013).
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There are lots of theories and ideas that center around leadership and job satisfaction. Out of the many ideas that spring, organizational leaders concentrate on two major styles to ensure effectiveness. First entails the people-oriented style that implies that the work environment the leader provides a positive and friendly working arena (Wan Omar & Hussin, 2013). The workers freely share ideas and their problems with leaders. Workers experience no burden at the workplace. There is much freedom to alternate the style of working depending on the current situation. The second idea encompasses the tasks oriented style of leadership. In this category, the leader assists the subordinate to figure out that which is expected from them and manages their team activities towards achieving a specific task (Wan Omar & Hussin, 2013). .
Mansoor and Bilal (2012) confirmed that Tasks performed by leaders in today’s organization have greatly changed and the leadership styles practiced by these leaders are the benchmark of the success of the organizations. Arguably, Saleem (2015) alludes that t ransformational leadership style has rapidly become the approach of choice for many researchers’ and organizations due to its emphasis on intrinsic motivation and encouraging on positively developing the followers portraying a positive image on their tasks. It has been found fit for managing complex workgroups as not only do the followers seek an inspirational leader to guide them but also the followers like to be challenged and feel empowered. Lew et al . (2017) publication on seminal leadership introduced the concept of transformational leadership. Backed up by Robert House’s 1976 theory of charismatic leadership, Bass and the colleagues developed the model of transformational leadership (Arzi & Farahbod, 2014). This covered a variety of leadership from passive, laissez-faire leadership to levels of transactional leadership and finally to transformational leadership ( Saleem, 2015) .
According to Amin, Shah and Tatlah (2013), better leaders are transformational whereas less sufficient leaders are passive or focus on corrective actions. Transformational leaders serve as role models to the followers; in return, they are respected, admired and trusted by the followers. The leaders are awarded by their followers to be having extraordinary capabilities and determination. This makes the followers desiring to imitate their leaders and to identify with them as they count on the leaders to do the right thing, proving high principles of moral and ethical conduct (Amin, Shah and Tatlah, 2013).
The key to success in a fast-paced organization is to challenge the followers to achieve yonder common anticipations, to motivate them to be creative and innovative and that thus enhances their group leadership capacity. That encourages teamwork, enthusiasm and optimism are displayed. Transformational leadership is not all about the top officials in the organizations, it is applicable at all levels as it is very critical for leaders to develop those under them. Transformational leaders inspire followers to dream big and climb the ladder of management levels. This leadership style involves responding to followers’ interests and needs through the empowerment and involvement of both parties; the leaders, the followers and the organization decisions and aligning them with the objectives (Wan Omar & Hussin, 2013).
Transformational leadership will boost the satisfaction of the followers in their jobs because they feel challenged to do more than just the organization and leaders expectations. Further, it enables the employees to be creative and motivated to perform their tasks effectively and efficiently. Where creativity is encouraged, there are no open critics of followers’ mistakes, instead, new ideas and problem solutions are welcomed from the followers. This boosts the employee productivity and morale. When the employees are satisfied, the rate of absenteeism will decrease with productivity being on the rise. Leadership should consider the self-worth of followers so as to increase their commitment and involvement in matters at hand. Transformational leadership involves the setting of more challenging tasks and in return the leaders’ get more committed and satisfied followers. It raises leadership to another level through mentoring, coaching and supporting the followers to achieve more.
Naranjo-Valencia, Jiménez-Jiménez, and Sanz-Valle (2016) alluded that every institution seeks to increase and improve its performance degree can do offering appropriate leadership style at every level of management. Transformational leadership entails availing learning opportunities for the workers. The employees find an avenue for effective career growth. That in itself provides much satisfaction for the employees. Transformational leaders act as mentors to a majority of the workers and that makes an employee be attached to the organization. This is potentially common among junior workers leaders looking for providing and direction to their careers. A transformational leader walks the talk with the employees and thus a significant boost as far as organizational performance is concerned. Transformational leaders highly invest in developing their communication skills. Such kinds of leaders know what to say and when to say the issue and that remains a key virtue for most organizations. Conflict resolution traits are a desirable trait of transformational leaders. Organizations that have persons with great capabilities of conflict resolutions are generally attractive to most qualified individuals. The revolutionary mindset of transformational leaders is predominantly attracted to a majority of professionals. Working under such people provides a surety of faster and relevant knowledge acquisition to most workers and thus brings lots of job satisfaction (Askari, 2011).
Charismatic styles of leadership have got common features with transformational leadership. Most theories on both charismatic and transformational leadership have a critical concern for the other side charisma where leaders use their powers to inspire followers for selfish and evil gains. For instance, leaders like Adolf Hitler or Osama Bin Laden who caused damages and death to many (Amin, Shah and Tatlah, 2013). These kinds of leaders are referred to as pseudo transformational as they were successful but lacked certain qualities often identified as necessary such as integrity rather they are very exploitative and lowers the morale of followers hence low job satisfaction.
Transactional leadership emphasizes transaction or exchange that takes place between the leaders, followers and other colleagues. Saleem (2015) gives an example of a politician who exchanges one thing for another, for instance, jobs for votes or subsidies for campaign contributions. The leader discusses with the followers on the requirements, terms, and conditions to be followed to achieve a task and specify rewards that the followers will receive if they fulfill the tasks and requirements. This kind of leadership offers financial rewards either for productivity or to deny productivity. Saleem (2015) pointed out that limiting leadership of a follower to rewards with carrots for compliance or punishment with a stick for failing to comply with agreed requirements to be done by the follower will make the follower feel like a jackass, decreasing his or her morale on the job.
According to Al-Smadi and Qblan (2015), transactional leadership is a leader-follower exchange where the leader exchange rewards or punishment with the follower for the task performed and in return anticipates output, hard work, and commitment from the follower. These leaders practice control strategies to get the employees to achieve in a preferred way. The leaders become less appealing to the followers, they become less engaging when doing exchanges with the subordinates by rewards concentrated on realizing the work achieved or focusing on their mistakes or delaying to make decisions. Job satisfaction is a positive psychological state that arises when individuals assess their work and work experience (Al-Smadi & Qblan (2015)). Organizational politics have got the negative effect on behavior and attitude of subordinates. In organizations where individuals see their workplace as political in nature, promoting self- interests of others hence unfair and unjust. Political perceptions of the organization influence how the employees view their jobs, co-workers and the workplace.
Another style of leadership is democratic leadership and is fundamentally based on mutual respect. Al-Smadi and Qblan (2015) pointed out that the style entails collaboration between them in leadership and the persons that are guided. The style entails distribution of responsibilities among the members and performing an empowerment of the separate teams and further adding the team to the decision making process. This style of leadership empowers workers to have a robust hand in the management of organizations. Some of the companies that exhibit democratic leadership encompass Google, Genentech, Mayo Clinic, and Amazon-com among others (Shafiabadi, 2014). Democratic leadership is highly effective in institutions that focus on growth, research and acquisition of talents. Employees, especially in the fields of education and private firms, prefer the democratic style of leadership since it offers and encourages collaboration. Innovation and creativity rise amongst the workers through team collaboration. It highly rewards success and nurtures the collegial environment (Tonkenejad, 2016). A majority of the smart and talented persons love collegial environments where democratic leaders recruit them and monitor their progress.
Democratic style of leadership provides room for building consensus. It is satisfying to know that your opinion counts in a work environment. It more fulfilling to operate in an environment where ideas are in and the best idea allowed carries the day. Johnson and Nandy (2015) insinuated that democratic styles are more team oriented. Team player trait is a crucial component for any worker. Through a democratic style of leadership, one easily develops people skills and that makes such a job environment satisfying. Further, this style enhances the development of role models (Johnson & Nandy, 2015). For one to be a democratic leader, he/she should be in a position of instilling confidence in other workers. That, therefore, confirms this environ as a learning environment. It is also noteworthy that absenteeism is reduced since such employees under this style of leadership have a robust commitment to performance. The relationships are basically built on mutual trust between management and labor (Shafiabadi, 2014).
Autocratic style of leadership permits members of management to come up with decisions without the input of other persons. Lew et al . (2017) emphasized that the managers in this style of leadership have total authority and predominantly impose their will on the workers. At no point does one challenge the decisions of autocratic leaders. Amin, Shah and Tatlah, 2013) reiterated that this style of leadership is satisfying to workers that need close supervision in performing their tasks; it is, however, dissatisfying to creative employees that thrive in group functions (Johnson & Nandy, 2015).
In conclusion, it can be realized that different styles of leadership exist in separate organizations. The goals and culture play a great in the determination of the leadership style that is suitable for the business. The personality differences of the leaders often play a role in the leadership style in operation. A number of corporations offer lots of leadership styles within the organization and that is dependent on the tasks to complete and the needs of the department. The style of leadership has a great impact on job satisfaction issues. The employees who have suitable and inspiring leaders are more likely to be satisfied in the work. That becomes instrumental to both the organization and the individual with regards to goal attainment. Transformational leadership remains the best choice for most work environments. It is characterized by increased motivation from both the leaders and workers and thus improves productivity.
References
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