In this video, Lisa seems to represent the transactional leadership style, while Amanda portrays a leader who prefers the transformational style. Lisa believes in establishing clearly defined roles. She is a boss, and it is her duty to tell her subordinates what to do, and they can only obey her commands. She does not consider their ideas and suggestions, and she does not care that her employee suffers from the difficult work environment and jealousy of her colleagues (Films Media Group, 2011). As for Amanda, she works “with and through people,” taking care of the morale and creating the aura of excitement in her department (Films Media Group, 2011). Despite being a boss, Amanda does not think that her subordinates should cope with their problems on their own. She shows that she does care about their feelings and ideas and encourages people to come to her and discuss issues that bother them.
Lisa is a task-oriented manager, while Amanda is both people- and task-oriented. This difference is the most obvious in the first segment when they talk to Steve about adding the new product sales data to the report. Lisa demands Steve to give her the solution to the problem, and she does not help him at all on thinking about it. Then, she just tells him the board will need the data by 8 AM, implying that she does not care what it will take him to complete this task (Films Media Group, 2011). Amanda, in her turn, offers Steve to think of the solution together, and she participates in finding a way to get the data. Moreover, she tells Steve that he can come to her if he has trouble with the task (Films Media Group, 2011). Thus, she ensures that the task will be completed as well as cares about Steve’s well-being.
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It is noticeable that both Steve and Kathy feel very anxious and confused when they are talking to Lisa. In the first segment, Steve is very stressed because Lisa shows her dissatisfaction and does nothing to support and motivate him. In the second segment, Kathy feels disappointed because Lisa is unable to understand her concerns and give her a good advice. In the third segment, Lisa ruins Kathy’s initiative, making her feel humiliated and unappreciated. With Amanda, they feel completely opposite. She comforts Steve and gives him the strength to do the job. Amanda understands Kathy’s struggle, and she knows what to tell her to make her feel better and continue her professional development. In the third segment, Amanda is very supportive of Kathy, and she emphasizes that the girl will get the credit for her excellent idea. Thus, she empowers Kathy and inspires her to grow.
It is essential to be able to evaluate the specific skills, traits, and behavior patterns of various leaders because this is crucial for becoming a successful leader. With this knowledge, it is easier to avoid making mistakes and maximize the effectivity. Good leadership, in its turn, is directly linked to employees’ job satisfaction, which means that people feel more motivated, productive, and inspired. For example, there is evidence that employees are most satisfied when their leaders are both people- and task-oriented (Madlock, 2008). Also, a leader’s communication competence is crucial for employees’ job and communication satisfaction (Madlock, 2008). Thus, the ability to evaluate leaders’ traits, skills, and behavior characteristics is the key to understanding how to enhance a team’s performance. It enables a person to identify desirable and undesirable traits in order to learn what leadership styles are the best for becoming an effective manager.
- Films Media Group (2011). Leaders as Managers [Video file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu
- Madlock, P. E. (2008). The link between leadership style, communicator competence, and employee satisfaction. Journal of Business Communication, 45, 61-78. doi: 10.1177/0021943607309351
