When exploring what types of leaders or leadership there are, I found several different types, and I chose the following as representative of what appears to be the most commonly used.
Paternalistic Leaders:
The paternalistic leaders typically demonstrate a patriarchal or matriarchal style of leadership. Their approach is often built on established personal or kinship relationships. They can inspire great loyalty, and have strong, close, possibly even a familial relationship with staff and volunteers. However, to outsiders they can appear autocratic, reliant on hierarchical ways of working, or top-down organizational structures, and overly-dependent on the traditional relationship which may not be sustainable in the long run (Hailey, p.1, 2006).
My experience with a paternalistic leader has been in a medium size NGO. The relationship I had was strong since the leader made attempts to ensure they connected with me in an individual and intimate level. However, as the agency grew the relationship became somewhat superficial; I attempt to remain loyal and continue the strong bond, but the hierarchical, top to bottom approach to their leadership became more apparent with time. To me, an underling, they seem to be too above you to care, with too many people ahead of you to really be noticed, and this includes the fact that you are replaceable/expendable so they need for them to care is nonexistent.
The paternalistic leaders typically demonstrate a patriarchal or matriarchal style of leadership. Their approach is often built on established personal or kinship relationships. They can inspire great loyalty, and have strong, close, possibly even a familial relationship with staff and volunteers. However, to outsiders they can appear autocratic, reliant on hierarchical ways of working, or top-down organizational structures, and overly-dependent on the traditional relationship which may not be sustainable in the long run (Hailey, p.1, 2006).
My experience with a paternalistic leader has been in a medium size NGO. The relationship I had was strong since the leader made attempts to ensure they connected with me in an individual and intimate level. However, as the agency grew the relationship became somewhat superficial; I attempt to remain loyal and continue the strong bond, but the hierarchical, top to bottom approach to their leadership became more apparent with time. To me, an underling, they seem to be too above you to care, with too many people ahead of you to really be noticed, and this includes the fact that you are replaceable/expendable so they need for them to care is nonexistent.
Activist Leaders:
Activity leaders are actively engaged in advocacy and lobbying work. They are highly motivated, often charismatic, and typically focused on a single issue. They have the ability to channel the anger or concerns of local communities and solidarity groups to achieve political imperatives. In practice they energize and inspire ‘followers’ with clearly articulated messages – sometimes at the expense of dealing with more mundane managerial or organizational issues (Hailey, p.2, 2006).
My experience with activist leaders has been minimal. I have participated in advocacy types of groups dealing with educational inequality. In these groups, there was typically one person who seemed the most passionate, charismatic, knowledgeable and motivated to take on the leadership role. The issue I found that is that they get consumed in ensuring that everything is to their approval and their passion can blind them to alternative points of view which may not align with their own.
Activity leaders are actively engaged in advocacy and lobbying work. They are highly motivated, often charismatic, and typically focused on a single issue. They have the ability to channel the anger or concerns of local communities and solidarity groups to achieve political imperatives. In practice they energize and inspire ‘followers’ with clearly articulated messages – sometimes at the expense of dealing with more mundane managerial or organizational issues (Hailey, p.2, 2006).
My experience with activist leaders has been minimal. I have participated in advocacy types of groups dealing with educational inequality. In these groups, there was typically one person who seemed the most passionate, charismatic, knowledgeable and motivated to take on the leadership role. The issue I found that is that they get consumed in ensuring that everything is to their approval and their passion can blind them to alternative points of view which may not align with their own.
Managerialist Leaders:
Managerialist leaders are rated for their managerial and administrative abilities. They typically demonstrate an instrumental ability to manage organizations, and can effectively establish reliable systems and appropriate structures, as well as manage a diverse workforce with established roles and responsibilities. While they are not comfortable with change or coping with diverse partners and external stakeholders, they demonstrate a ‘professional’ approach to development, have a track record in raising funds, meeting deadlines and undertaking commissions as
a ‘contractor’ (Hailey, p.2, 2006).
Managerialist leaders seem similar to what a paternalistic leader is because they have the ability to organize a big organization. However, Managerialist do not have the ability to make those personal connections like a paternalistic leader. I would consider a Managerialist leader as someone who is over an organization that is bigger than 300 plus staff such as director of a department working for county services. A Managerialist leader would have to trust those high stake role leaders (like the picture) of other departments to keep the organization moving forward as directed by the Manageralist leader.
My wife works within the dynamic of managerialist leadership. Her program in County Children Behavioral Services includes a manager who oversees the overall organizational constructs and dynamics of the program and relays the responsibility of daily functioning to the leadership of two supervisors splitting the program up into two regional teams. The program as a whole includes about 20 regular staff, two supervisors and the manager. Due to the large population of workers and expansive programs within the county, this model is then spread to each program within each department of the entire county. For example, within children behavioral health there are five other programs, each with an overseer manager, and individual supervisors. within the specific program. Then over the whole of the department there is a manager who oversees the managers, and so on and so forth to the top of the county.
Managerialist leaders are rated for their managerial and administrative abilities. They typically demonstrate an instrumental ability to manage organizations, and can effectively establish reliable systems and appropriate structures, as well as manage a diverse workforce with established roles and responsibilities. While they are not comfortable with change or coping with diverse partners and external stakeholders, they demonstrate a ‘professional’ approach to development, have a track record in raising funds, meeting deadlines and undertaking commissions as
a ‘contractor’ (Hailey, p.2, 2006).
Managerialist leaders seem similar to what a paternalistic leader is because they have the ability to organize a big organization. However, Managerialist do not have the ability to make those personal connections like a paternalistic leader. I would consider a Managerialist leader as someone who is over an organization that is bigger than 300 plus staff such as director of a department working for county services. A Managerialist leader would have to trust those high stake role leaders (like the picture) of other departments to keep the organization moving forward as directed by the Manageralist leader.
My wife works within the dynamic of managerialist leadership. Her program in County Children Behavioral Services includes a manager who oversees the overall organizational constructs and dynamics of the program and relays the responsibility of daily functioning to the leadership of two supervisors splitting the program up into two regional teams. The program as a whole includes about 20 regular staff, two supervisors and the manager. Due to the large population of workers and expansive programs within the county, this model is then spread to each program within each department of the entire county. For example, within children behavioral health there are five other programs, each with an overseer manager, and individual supervisors. within the specific program. Then over the whole of the department there is a manager who oversees the managers, and so on and so forth to the top of the county.
Catalytic Leaders:
Catalytic leaders typically act as strategic catalysts within the NGO context, and have the ability to promote and implement change. They demonstrate a wider world-view, and the capacity to take a longer-term strategic view while balancing tough decisions about strategic priorities with organizational values and identity. Their success as change agents depends on their ability to delegate work to talented colleagues, so freeing time to engage actively with external stakeholders and partners, build coalitions and strategic alliances, and be involved in a variety of networks (Hailey, p.2, 2006).
A catalytic converter is a vehicle emissions control device which converts toxic byproducts of combustion in the exhaust of an internal combustion engine to less toxic substances by way of catalyzed chemical reactions. When originally finding this leadership style, I immediately thought about the catalytic converter and its functioning in a car as a parallel process. I was intrigued with the word play because a catalytic converter is an important part for any car that wants to produce less toxic air. A catalytic leader to me is someone who can direct an organization by allowing the direction of the organization to be influenced by its membership, but still has a strong influence of the output of the organization. This person has the ability to understand the talents of their members and strategic bring those individuals to accomplish an objective/goal. A catalytic leader will have the ability have strong bonds and fellowship with each individual staff. Also, they would have the ability to present themselves to the stakeholders genuinely to inspire their commitment of the organization mission and vision. This type of leadership is leading at the same time remaining a member of the team.
Catalytic leaders typically act as strategic catalysts within the NGO context, and have the ability to promote and implement change. They demonstrate a wider world-view, and the capacity to take a longer-term strategic view while balancing tough decisions about strategic priorities with organizational values and identity. Their success as change agents depends on their ability to delegate work to talented colleagues, so freeing time to engage actively with external stakeholders and partners, build coalitions and strategic alliances, and be involved in a variety of networks (Hailey, p.2, 2006).
A catalytic converter is a vehicle emissions control device which converts toxic byproducts of combustion in the exhaust of an internal combustion engine to less toxic substances by way of catalyzed chemical reactions. When originally finding this leadership style, I immediately thought about the catalytic converter and its functioning in a car as a parallel process. I was intrigued with the word play because a catalytic converter is an important part for any car that wants to produce less toxic air. A catalytic leader to me is someone who can direct an organization by allowing the direction of the organization to be influenced by its membership, but still has a strong influence of the output of the organization. This person has the ability to understand the talents of their members and strategic bring those individuals to accomplish an objective/goal. A catalytic leader will have the ability have strong bonds and fellowship with each individual staff. Also, they would have the ability to present themselves to the stakeholders genuinely to inspire their commitment of the organization mission and vision. This type of leadership is leading at the same time remaining a member of the team.