Leadership Styles and Organizational Performance: Leading in the 21st Century

Abstract

This study attempts to answer various questions pertaining to the relationship between the leadership styles of Thai organizational leaders and organizational performance. A qualitative research using a phenomenological method was implemented. Data from seven Thai private organizations across various industries were collected through in-depth interviews with organizational leaders and key employees. It was noted that organizational leaders and employees practiced as well as preferred aspects of the participative and democratic styles of leadership in order to lead the organization. The findings revealed that leaders exhibited traits of both the transactional and transformational aspects of leadership and were adaptive in their leadership style based on the context and situation. The findings highlighted the key indicators of organizational performance. A direct link between the leadership styles of the organizational leaders and the performance of the organization was noted. Various other determinants of organizational performance also emerged from the study. Moreover, the impacts of the transformations in the twenty-first century were also noted. Finally, the findings also shed light on the influence of ethnicity on the leadership styles of the organizational leaders.