Leadership is a necessity of professional life. Many evaluations have been made about what leadership is. One of these theories, the behavioral leadership theory, which is today recognized by professional circles, offers important insights about leadership.
What Is Behavioral Leadership Theory?
The idea of behavioral leadership theory focuses a greater priority on a leader’s actions, behaviors, and practices than on their innate qualities or personalities. This theory basically claims that leadership is acquired and developed via visible behaviors, in contrast to conventional leadership theories that frequently emphasize traits like charm, intelligence, or innate skills.
Experts like Kurt Lewin, Rensis Likert, and Douglas McGregor were among those who contributed to the development of behavioral leadership theory in the middle of the 20th century. By examining the ways in which leaders’ behaviors affect team performance, morale, and results, they moved the emphasis from “who leaders are” to “what leaders do.”
Inclusion is also promoted by behavioral leadership theory. It gives individuals the chance to develop into a leader by eliminating the myth that leaders are born. Diverse people from various backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to assume positions of influence as a result of the personalization of leadership.
Additionally, unlike the concept of traditional leadership, behavioral leadership theory prioritizes the results of actions, which facilitates effectiveness evaluation. A leader’s actions can be immediately connected to metrics like team productivity, employee engagement, and morale, enabling ongoing improvement.
Before reading about leadership styles according to behavioral leadership theory, you can get more information by looking at “Different Leadership Styles.”
Which Leadership Styles Can Be Seen as Behavioral Leadership?
A variety of leadership styles that emphasize leaders’ relationships and behaviors have been impacted by behavioral leadership theory. These approaches spotlight the actions taken by leaders to direct their groups, accomplish objectives, and foster productive workplaces.
Directive Leadership
Directive leadership is one of the most common leadership styles in business life. In addition, directive leadership stands out as a type of leadership in accordance with the behavioral leadership theory. Directive leadership is a type of leadership based on expectations and the fulfillment of these expectations.Especially leaders with a newly recruited team adopt this approach.
Although it is seen as a leadership style that ensures order and functioning in the workplace, directive leadership does not seem to be very suitable for today’s employee profile. There is also a danger that this leadership style may turn into autocratic leadership.
Supportive Leadership
Unlike directive leadership, supportive leadership style can be seen as most appreciated among employees.When it comes to traits of supportive leadership, they can be listed as follows:
- approachable
- emphatic
- friendly
- having an open-door policy
For many employees, this leadership style also significantly increases employee engagement. In other words, a team having a supportive leader tends to feel more valued.
Participative Leadership
Among behavioral leadership styles, participative or democratic leadership is a strong value in terms of employees. This leadership style involves all employees during the decision-making process. Also, being transparent and giving equity to all employees can be seen as another crucial aspect of the democratic leadership style.
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Achievement-Oriented Leadership
Setting tough goals for the employees and motivating them to adopt a mindset of constant improvement are two ways that achievement-oriented leaders promote development.
This leadership style totally gives a priority to the performance. This leadership style is task-driven, emphasizing clear expectations and accountability. Leaders who adopt this style often use incentives, such as bonuses or recognition, to motivate their teams to meet specific objectives.
What Are the Benefits of Behavioral Leadership Theory?
Understanding and improving leadership techniques has been made easier with the help of behavioral leadership theory. Its usefulness is one of its main advantages.
It enables businesses to train employees in results-driven leadership behaviors by decomposing leadership into teachable skills.
This theory’s adaptability is yet another significant benefit. The theory’s emphasis on behavior enables leaders to modify their approach according to the particular requirements of their group or circumstance.
For instance, in a high-stakes project, a leader may prioritize task-oriented behaviors more than people-oriented behaviors.
Behavioral Leadership Theory also fosters inclusivity. By rejecting the notion that leaders are born, it creates opportunities for anyone to grow into a leadership role. This democratization of leadership encourages diverse individuals, from different backgrounds and experiences, to step into positions of influence.
Moreover, behavioral leadership focuses on the impact of actions, which makes it easier to evaluate effectiveness. Metrics like team productivity, employee engagement, and morale can be directly linked to a leader’s behavior, allowing for continuous improvement.