Effective leaders are in very high demand globally because they are crucial in managing company resources and influencing organizational growth. However, there is a scarcity of such individuals because the existing managers lack extensive skills and qualities to convert their authority into staff motivation. There is a need to conduct thorough research on the best leadership techniques that are contemporary and dependable. Consequently, after going through a list of resources, I picked the book Leadership that Gets Results by Daniel Goleman, first because the title was captivating and secondly because it has numerous positive reviews. It was important to choose a reading material that focuses on management outcomes and one that has been recommended by other scholars and researchers. It is only through studying that a leader acquires new and relevant skills.
It is important to understand Daniel Goleman’s professional background to realize his approach to the book. He is a famous psychologist and professor who regularly gives lectures in colleges, organizations, and learning institutions. Moreover, Goleman has been working as a journalist for The New York Times and TIME Magazine for several years. He has published numerous articles and books, among them Emotional Intelligence, which was classified as a bestseller in 1995, selling 5 million copies in various languages globally (Saxena et al., 2017). Additionally, Daniel Goleman is among the founders of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), an institution that advocates for emotional intelligence literacy in schools. Consequently, all his publications, including Leadership that Gets Results, are beneficial to the leadership and management industries because they integrate emotional intelligence concepts.
I have chosen the book because the topics and issues discussed are crucial in organizational leadership and change management. The effectiveness of a leader is not only illustrated through their skills but also through the quantifiable impacts they have on the company’s performance. Leadership that Get Results outlines and discusses essential elements that are required of a competent manager. The book takes the reader through a journey of creating and developing an effective leader. For instance, Daniel Goleman identifies emotional intelligence as an essential component essential when combining various leadership styles. Subordinates need to be treated as colleagues and not subjects because how they are handled determines their performance (Goleman, 2019). There needs to be a balance between the scientific and artistic aspects of leadership, and Goleman discusses all that in detail.
The target audience of Leadership that Get Results can be categorized into students and researchers in the leadership field, managers and leaders in various capacities, and organizations that desire growth. For a long time, there has been a search for a specific leadership style that produces the best outcomes and one that can be applied in all situations (Saxena et al., 2017). Although related studies have been futile, scholars can benefit from this publication because Goleman advises his readers to dwell on the strengths and weaknesses of the different leadership styles and not the approaches. Consequently, instead of organizations identifying which technique is the most functional, they should endeavor to apply various methodologies in different situations. Both scholars and institutions are able to acquire new leadership knowledge from the book.
Consequently, there are several topics, points, and issues that are striking in Goleman’s book. He begins the book by asking a common question among scholars and organizations, which is, “what do effective leaders do?” (Goleman, 2017, p.4). The author indicates that in most cases, the response is, “ the leader’s job is to get results” (Goleman, 2017, p.4). However, the majority of managers do not understand the approaches that can be applied to achieve organizational goals and objectives. This is because there is no quantitative research that illustrates the specific leadership behaviors responsible for positive results. Therefore, Goleman gives an answer to the question by discussing the six leadership styles he believes are crucial in yielding good outcomes. He discusses these techniques in detail, and they include coercive, authoritative, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, and coaching styles. The author indicates that it is necessary that managers understand the place of the organizational climate in achieving results. Applying emotional intelligence helps an individual to apply the most effective leadership style in different situations. Managers need to focus on employees as the most valuable assets and not as instruments used to yield outcomes.
Before reading the book, I had categorized myself as an effective leader because I have influence on people. Nonetheless, Leadership that Gets Results has taught me new concepts that can enrich my qualities and skills. The most significant lesson is that of emotional intelligence and its significance in management (Goleman, 2017). I have realized that even though I have self-awareness and can motivate people, I lack social skills and empathy. I need to relate to my subordinates as teammates, and this will help me understand when to apply democracy and coercion. Furthermore, Goleman discusses the myths of motivation that hinder organizations from getting results. The one that intrigued me from the book was that two-way communication is not always effective. I have learned that as a leader, it is important to listen to subordinates because their feedback is crucial in identifying areas that require more attention.
Therefore, it is necessary to apply the concepts learned from Goleman’s book to improve my leadership practices. For instance, I always prefer using the democratic approach whenever I assume a managerial role because I want every team member to participate in the decision-making process. However, I have learned that constantly using this style often invites endless meetings and confusion among subordinates who feel they lack a leader. Consequently, I should apply emotional intelligence because it is crucial in balancing the six leadership styles. One of the most underrated qualities of a leader is wisdom, which is required in making the best decisions when handling a team (Saxena et al., 2017). I need to understand when to be authoritative and when to act as a coach.
Suppose anyone needs a publication that illustrates the place of emotional intelligence in leadership, it has to be Leadership that Get Results. To me, it is the perfect book because it takes the reader through the journey of becoming an effective manager. Moreover, it is short and precise, and therefore, it is easier for one to grasp the main points. The publication discusses common misconceptions and the steps one can take to inspire a team to deliver good results. Goleman understands subordinates are the most valuable assets, and therefore, managers require wisdom to handle them right. I have learned a lot from the book and what remains is practising a balance between the six leadership styles.
References
Goleman, D. (2017). Leadership that Gets Results. In C.M. Christensen, J. Collins, P.F. Drucker, & D. Goleman (Eds.), Harvard Business Review Classic (1st ed., pp. 1-96). Brighton: Harvard Business Review.
Goleman, D. (2019). The Emotionally Intelligent Leader. In C.M. Christensen, J. Collins, P.F. Drucker, & D. Goleman (Eds.), Harvard Business Review Classic (1st ed., pp. 50-112). Brighton: Harvard Business Review.
Saxena, A., Desanghere, L., Stobart, K., & Walker, K. (2017). Goleman’s Leadership styles at different hierarchical levels in medical education. BMC Medical Education, 17(1). doi.org/10.1186/s12909-017-0995-z