Solved: Discuss the idea of versatility in leadership. Do you think a leader needs to be able to

Versatility in leadership refers to modification in behaviour and responses of a leader as per situations. Versatility in leadership is closely related to Emotional Intelligence where a leader is not only able to read his own as well as emotions of others to modify his responses accordingly.

A leader needs to change his leadership styles to fit given circumstances. He can not have the same style of leadership in office, shopfloor or in a board meeting. Similarly, the style may also change as per time, place, seriousness of issue.

Leadership styles are also a function of life cycle of an organization. A startup may flourish in an open, uninhibited, highly informal environment. However, once the organization starts growing, formal systems and leadership styles also gets introduced in it.

Leaders not only change their behaviour as per the situations but also bring certain uniqueness in their leadership styles which may more or less a pattern in their behavior across situations. An authoritarian leader will try to impose a structure in a former informal group which may or may not be suitable while a democratic leader may try to take other’s opinion in matters where it may not be required.

We are a unique combination of our hereditary and environment or experience. Hence, we may have unique traits, ways of handling and leadership styles. Hence, it is quite natural that some of our reponses may leave a trait of our behvaiour in the situations we are in.