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Order Now / اطلب الانThis assignment critically examines leadership styles and behaviours within the context of Zenith Solutions Ltd, a mid-sized technology consultancy operating across the United Kingdom. The organisation employs approximately 350 people and operates in a fast-paced, project-driven environment where effective leadership is instrumental to delivering client value, retaining talent, and sustaining competitive advantage. The analysis draws upon contemporary leadership theory and is informed by feedback gathered from colleagues, direct reports, and senior stakeholders to evaluate my own leadership practice and identify actionable improvements.
Organisational Culture
The prevailing culture of an organisation is one of the most powerful determinants of leadership style. Schein and Schein (2021) argue that culture constitutes the shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that shape behaviour within an organisation, and that leaders both create and are constrained by this cultural context. At Zenith Solutions, the culture is collaborative and innovation-driven, which naturally favours participative and transformational leadership approaches. Leaders who adopt an authoritarian style in such an environment risk stifling creativity and alienating employees who expect to be consulted and involved in decision-making.
Conversely, organisations with more hierarchical or compliance-driven cultures—such as those in heavily regulated industries—may require a more directive or transactional leadership approach to ensure consistency and adherence to procedures (Al-Amin, 2024). This illustrates that the most effective leadership style is not universal but is contingent upon the cultural norms and expectations that prevail within a given organisational setting.
Nature of the Task and Work Complexity
The complexity, urgency, and nature of the work being undertaken significantly influence which leadership style is most appropriate. Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership model, as updated by Thompson and Glasoe (2023), posits that leaders must adapt their style based on the demands of the situation and the readiness of their followers. For instance, routine, well-defined tasks may be effectively managed through a delegating or laissez-faire approach, whereas complex, ambiguous, or high-stakes projects often require a more hands-on, directive, or transformational style.
At Zenith Solutions, project work ranges from straightforward system implementations to highly complex digital transformation programmes. When leading complex client engagements with tight deadlines, I find that a more directive approach is necessary in the initial stages to establish clarity, before transitioning to a participative style as the team builds confidence and momentum. This adaptive approach aligns with the findings of Korejan and Shahbazi (2023), who demonstrate that leaders who flexibly adjust their style to match task demands achieve significantly better outcomes than those who adopt a rigid approach.
s with deep technical expertise and graduate-level analysts who are still developing their professional capabilities. This diversity requires me to differentiate my leadership approach. With experienced team members, I adopt a coaching and delegative style, trusting their judgment and providing space for autonomous problem-solving. With newer team members, I invest more time in mentoring, providing clear instructions, and offering regular feedback—an approach consistent with the principles of developmental leadership as described by Day and Liu (2022). External Environment and Pace of Change The external business environment—including market conditions, technological disruption, competitive pressures, and regulatory change—also shapes leadership choices. In volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments, leaders must be agile, decisive, and capable of inspiring confidence during periods of turbulence (Elkington, 2023). The technology consultancy sector in which Zenith Solutions operates is characterised by rapid change, requiring leaders to be both strategically visionary and operationally responsive. During recent periods of economic uncertainty, I observed that team members sought greater reassurance, clarity, and visible leadership presence. This required me to shift from my preferred participative style to a more visible, communicative, and directive approach—providing clear direction while simultaneously maintaining morale and trust. Thi...
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