What are the latest group leadership models and theories for Leadership Development?

There is an African proverb which says - if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go with others. Shared Leadership in Action: Company Y is embarking on new product development for new mothers; a cross-functional team is assembled consisting of members from different teams. Shared Leadership in Practice: Instead of one team leader dictating all decisions, each member leads in their area of expertise. The marketing expert guides the team on customer preferences. The product designer guides on aesthetics. The engineer on technical feasibility and viability. Decisions are made collaboratively, respectfully drawing on each member's unique expertise.

From the different training I have attended, I would say Servant Leadership: Rooted in the idea that leaders should serve their followers, this model emphasizes the leader's role in supporting and empowering their team members. This is something that is a game changer when you looking at the different generations at work and embracing inclusivity and belong one would need to support and empower their team members in order to lead from within and with them.

By applying the Transformational Leadership Model, leaders can effectively guide and inspire their teams, irrespective of their physical locations, fostering a collaborative and motivated environment in the hybrid workplace. Visionary communication, individualized support, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence are key elements of the transformational leadership model applicable in a hybrid workplace. This model emphasizes inspiring a shared vision, providing personalized support, encouraging innovation, motivating through inspiration, and acting as a positive role model. These aspects help leaders effectively guide and inspire their teams in both virtual and physical work settings.

I don’t think there is a corporate situation in todays environment that doesn’t lean on shared leadership. Your team will also rely on these leaders too which behooves sharing of best practices. With the focus on maximum output in roles, there is a focus on a continuum of support in a role, however shared leadership allows the leadership structure to offer a variety of support to one another and avoid one leader ‘holding all of the keys’. This means more consistency in process and messaging across an org and also allowing for leaders to take time away while a trusted peer offers consistent support. With a unified vision and process, the whole fleet works moves forward in the same direction vs individual ships plotting the course.

In my experience, shared leadership worked well on 2 occasions when I was managing a significantly larger team of around 60 and 150. Managers reporting to me were assigned areas where they would lead others with team members dotted reporting to multiple managers. Worked well as I was managing mature teams with expertise in multiple areas.

Adaptive Leadership requires a whole lot of flexibility and effort, but in my experience it is absolutely worth it. As teams we lead adapt to situations, adaptive leadership puts us in a position to take in all the change, reflect on the changing context and external factors and adjust our approach accordingly. As one approach does not fit all styles or situations, adaptive leadership opens up opportunities to adjust to the needs and priorities of our people and changing situations. In order to employ it well, adaptive leadershio requires high levels of emotional intelligence, including understanding self and others, managing our behaviour and relationships and motivating self and others.

An example of adaptive leadership was when I was managing one IT outsourcing customer as a technical lead and another as the account manager. The focus and responsibilities were quite different as I had to play ball with the account manager’s style of running the account whilst I was the one strategising the management of another customer. Communication is definitely paramount in these situations and switching styles to meet the ever dynamic changes of both the customer and the management to not only meet contractual requirements but also customer satisfaction.

In my experience adaptive leadership can be really value adding in industries where there is a lot of complexity and continuous evolution, as it allows to cope with current challenges but also get equipped to face future ones. A big prerequisite though for the success of adaptive leadership is that leaders need to have full self-awareness, be humble and resilient enough to work together towards a shared goal. This involves a lot of experimentation to work out the best solution, facing push backs as well as risking to fail along the way. In summary, my view is that in the modern world of work that is constantly innovating and turbulent adaptive leadership can produce results when used in a smart and meaningful way.

Adaptive leadership encourages leaders to navigate complex challenges by embracing change and innovation, whilst the focus is also on empowering team members to adapt to shifting circumstances. It places a premium on flexibility, resilience, and empathy, recognizing that leadership isn't a one-size-fits-all concept.

Incredibly powerful, servant leadership can unlock the full potential of a team. One of the key ingredients to make a successful servant leader is self-awareness. Going through reflection on when to serve and to lead whilst driving the agenda of the team requires strong leader commitment to feedback and advancing in the stages of adult development in service of better understanding oneself and the people we work with (see Dr. Robert Kegan’s Theory of Adult Development).

Let's start with the intent. The beauty of this model lies in the intent that I am serving my team. My role as a leader is to enable my team to achieve the goals that they set their eyes on. I sincerely believe that the term 'leadership' is my commitment to people more than anything else. In the long term, teams whose capabilities are built and the strengths are harnessed would create far more value than tightly managed 'human resources or assets'. So, it is the servant leadership that makes more sense than any other model here. - Mean well and communicate it to build trust - Do no harm to get loyalty - Be genuinely interested in the growth of your team members - Be civil! Listen, Empathise and then offer a solution

Servant leadership centers on the leader's commitment to serving their team members, prioritizing their needs and development. This selfless leadership style builds trust, empowerment, and collaboration within the group. It enables team members to flourish by feeling valued and supported, ultimately enhancing the group's cohesiveness and productivity. #DEIB Servant leadership, in its profound simplicity, exemplifies how putting others first can lead to the most enduring and impactful leadership results. Leave out the boss E.G.O!

From my experience, servant leadership is the most optimal leadership available to the human race. When I really took the time to master and mean the phrase “what do you need” my life changed. When 100% of my attention went from the boss to my people, the entire culture changed. We went from a toxic environment to one where everyone cares for each other in a matter of six months. And I was only middle management at the time. Because I changed, I saw the entire hierarchy change.

My role for the past few years has been to help leaders better understand what Servant Leadership is, and why its such a powerful leadership model. Servant Leadership creates a positive and supportive work environment where team members feel valued and respected. Leaders need to realize that this drives improved team performance and team effectiveness. It truly impacts our bottom line when leaders create a culture of trust and respect, empower their teams and focus on the goals. Ultimately, a Servant leaders' role is helping other succeed. They need to provide support and development opportunities for their team members grow and develop, and prepare them for the future.

Relationships are so important at work. When we build strong relationships we are able to have psychological safety on our teams where people feel safe to speak up and grow. It also creates a strong sense of belonging for those one the team.

Relational Leadership in Practice: Ameet and Michelle disagree about the direction of a project. Instead of dictating a solution or taking sides, their team leader, Ayo, facilitates a mediation session where both parties can express their views and concerns. Relational Leadership in Practice: This approach respects and acknowledges the importance of each team member's perspective and feelings. By mediating the conflict, Ayo fosters a space where concerns are addressed through dialogue, understanding, and collaboration. This not only resolves the immediate conflict but also strengthens the relationship between team members and builds a foundation for healthier communication in the future.

Relational leadership requires authenticity, honesty, and self-awareness. I have worked hard with my current team to build strong relationships and get to know them as people. Its built a culture of trust, collaboration, and productivity. Ultimately we have been more successful because of it! Three suggestions for those wo what to become a relational leader: 1. Take the time to get to know your team members on a personal level. Learn about their interests, hobbies, and goals. 2. Create a culture of feedback. Encourage your team members to give and receive feedback openly and honestly. 3. Be a role model for belonging and inclusion. Be respectful of everyone's differences, and create an environment where everyone feels like they belong.

When it comes to relations, it can't be forgotten that the leader is not part of most of them. The leader has a relation to each member, but each member has relations to all the other members as well. Hence, the leadership needs to focus on creating a culture where good relations between the members thrive.

Relationships are everything in this world. In order to be a good leader, you need to have good relationships with your team. This leadership style can be difficult to navigate as a new leader. There is fine line the leader must walk in order to be relational but still effective. Learning how to build relationships but still maintain a professional relationship is key. My favorite aspect of relational leadership is that it allows the leader to really get to know their team, build upon those relationships, and understand the career aspirations of their team.

Agile leadership is an important model. As leaders we need to be open to flex and move on the job. As a leader, our willingness to learn and grow will support creativity within our teams.

Various leadership models and theories have gained prominence in leadership development. Notable ones include 1. Transformational Leadership, which inspires and motivates followers. 2. Servant Leadership, prioritizing the needs of team members. 3. Authentic Leadership, emphasizing genuineness and self-awareness. 4. Distributed Leadership, a collective and shared process. 5. Adaptive Leadership, guiding through complex situations. 6. Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory, focusing on unique relationships 7. Team Leadership, facilitating collaboration.

One of the recent shifts in group leadership models is the move away from traditional hierarchical structures to more fluid, adaptive, and collaborative approaches Inclusive leadership is a model that emphasizes the importance of valuing and leveraging diversity in teams. Inclusive leaders are open, approachable, and able to create an environment where all team members feel valued and included. This approach is particularly important in today’s diverse and global workforce.

Authentic leadership is another approach where leaders are genuine, self-aware, and lead with their true self rather than a facade. The core of authentic leadership is about staying true to oneself, being transparent, and holding to one's values and beliefs even in the face of adversity. By being true to oneself, leaders can inspire trust, build credibility, and forge stronger bonds with their team members. While this leadership style fosters openness and trust, it also challenges leaders to confront their vulnerabilities and weaknesses and demands ongoing self-reflection and self-awareness. Authentic leaders are especially known for their consistency, reliability, and ethical decision-making.

From my perspective when it comes to leadership, there is no one size fits all approach. Taking into account the business challenges at hand, the socioeconomic environment and many other internal and external factors that affect the future of organizations different models of leadership can be mixed together to best fit where we want to get to. Having the right skills and mindset to adapt their approach is what's crucial for today's leaders.

I think it's key to integrate these different models vs. any single one being the right solution for every organization, leader or situation. Finding the key attributes to use from each one is more valuable than just focusing on one of them.

It is essential to understand that the 21st Century is a different prospect altogether; thus, leadership styles have also changed. While, as a researcher, I do not intend to discard the models suggested in the article, it also becomes critical to operate in a world of disruptions and turbulence. Chaos theory and Complexity Leadership theory also take a pivotal importance. In comparison, chaos theory mandates leaders to study and determine underlying patterns and laws in seemingly random events. Complexity leadership theory focuses on the complexities of relationships and network interactions. It is imperative to understand that disruptions and turbulence demand leaders to develop their thinking and design capabilities. #niketkarajagi