“Leadership is one of the most observed and least understood phenomena on earth.”
—James MacGregor Burns, political historian, in Leadership (1978)
Throughout history, scholars have developed theories to explain the traits, behaviors, and goals of effective and ethical leadership. A leader’s personality and the leadership theory he or she follows influence his or her leadership style. Leadership style refers to the traits, skills, and behaviors a leader exhibits in situations. John Lewis, a civil rights activist, was a leader in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement and regularly demonstrated ethical and caring behavior as well as a desire to help others. For this Application, you evaluate the degree to which John Lewis’s style reflected a particular leadership theory.
Review “Eras of Mainstream Leadership Theory and Research.” Consider the similarities and differences among the great man, trait, contingency, transformational, servant, and multifaceted leadership theories. Also, think about how to choose which leadership style to use.
Review the article “Ethical Leadership: A Review and Future Directions.” Consider the similarities and differences among transformational, spiritual, authentic, and ethical leadership theories.
Review the video Minds That Matter: John Lewis.
Think about John Lewis’s leadership style and consider what leadership theory best describes this style.
The assignment (2 pages): Due by Sunday 11/01/15.
Briefly describe the leadership theory that you think best describes John Lewis’s leadership style.
Explain the degree to which John Lewis’s style reflected this leadership theory. Be specific and use examples to illustrate your explanation.
Support your work with specific citations from the Learning Resources. You are allowed to draw from additional sources to support your explanation, but you must cite using APA standards. All quoted material must be identified, cited, and referenced per APA standards.
