• Analyze some of the more common leadership styles and characteristics of effective leaders, utilizing the guidance below. Before starting, view the Leadership Styles and Characteristics illustration from your studies for this unit.
Select an organization (profit or non-profit) and a leader within the organization whom you admire. This should be an organization where you might aspire to become a leader. Address the following prompts:
• Describe this organization and the type of products or service it provides. Add other background information, such as size, years in business, location, and reputation.
• Analyze the leadership styles and characteristics of the leader you selected.
• Compare your own individual leadership styles and characteristics to what you just described. Apply the terms from the Leadership Styles and Characteristics illustration in describing your leadership approach. What type of leader do you see yourself to be?
• Analyze how environmental and societal factors such as politics and innovation might influence your approach to leadership at this organization. How would these (and other factors) affect the way you lead, if at all? Would there be differences in your leadership style if you were in a different type of organization, such as a technology company or a non-profit?
• Analyze how economic conditions might influence your approach to leadership. Would your leadership style change during the time of a strong economy or a declining economy? Would your style change if you were leading an organization through different maturation phases (including start-up, growth, and established)?