What Defines an Effective Leadership Style: Is it Influence or Authority? (Essay Sample)

The objective of this paper is to explore the argument as to whether it is influence or authority that determines the effectiveness of organizational leadership. Beyond, the application of hierarchical power and the leader's ability to utilize emotional competencies to enhance cohesion, creativity and productivity in the organization; it is posited that a leadership style's effectiveness is to greater extend determined by the leader emotional intelligence (EI). The corollary, is that, the power dynamics can result into either an autocratic, lateral or a transformational leadership style. Of the three leadership styles, it is the transformational leadership style that is correlated with better organizational performance. This because it is mutually influenced and anchored on reciprocity.