Leadership Comparison
Abstract
Comparing two leaders to decide which is the more effective requires more than the textbook analysis of leader, follower and situation. It requires understanding not just the results achieved, but also the way in which the leader achieved them. This study compares Steve Jobs of Apple and Mike Lazaridis of Research in Motion discussing their differences in leadership style and philosophies, their use of power, how they engendered trust in their followers, what values they held, their emotional intelligence, business acumen and their penchant for being either egotistically driven or humbled for success. One or more of these characteristics will be critical in defining one of these CEOs as the more effective leader. This research was informed by secondary data consisting of peer reviewed journal articles, books and technology writings were used to inform this study.
The study concludes that Jobs was successful in using multiple, measurable leadership structures to motivate, empower and guide his team of followers to numerous business successes best illustrated by the evaluated period. The outcome reinforces the notion that good leadership not only revolves around being able to adapt to changes in the leader, follower and situation matrix, but having exceptional vision is a vital trait of contemporary leadership bringing wide-ranging benefit to the organisation. In this study that vision became the determinant of the path and resulting success or failure of the companies under its leader. Jobs as a person was widely recognized as being cruel, a control freak, profane and even notoriously difficult, but as a leader was still very able to motivate his followers to buy into not his needs but to be a part of the bigger picture. History.
Table of Contents
Abstract i
Introduction 1
The Leaders, The Followers And The Situation 1 Mihalis "Mike" Lazaridis 1 Creativity at RIM; from the top, down 2 Accountability 3 Steven
Comparing two leaders to decide which is the more effective requires more than the textbook analysis of leader, follower and situation. It requires understanding not just the results achieved, but also the way in which the leader achieved them. This study compares Steve Jobs of Apple and Mike Lazaridis of Research in Motion discussing their differences in leadership style and philosophies, their use of power, how they engendered trust in their followers, what values they held, their emotional intelligence, business acumen and their penchant for being either egotistically driven or humbled for success. One or more of these characteristics will be critical in defining one of these CEOs as the more effective leader. This research was informed by secondary data consisting of peer reviewed journal articles, books and technology writings were used to inform this study.
The study concludes that Jobs was successful in using multiple, measurable leadership structures to motivate, empower and guide his team of followers to numerous business successes best illustrated by the evaluated period. The outcome reinforces the notion that good leadership not only revolves around being able to adapt to changes in the leader, follower and situation matrix, but having exceptional vision is a vital trait of contemporary leadership bringing wide-ranging benefit to the organisation. In this study that vision became the determinant of the path and resulting success or failure of the companies under its leader. Jobs as a person was widely recognized as being cruel, a control freak, profane and even notoriously difficult, but as a leader was still very able to motivate his followers to buy into not his needs but to be a part of the bigger picture. History.
Table of Contents
Abstract i
Introduction 1
The Leaders, The Followers And The Situation 1 Mihalis "Mike" Lazaridis 1 Creativity at RIM; from the top, down 2 Accountability 3 Steven