Melanie Delsart
BA546
Leadership That Gets Results
Daniel Goleman

Daniel Goleman discusses in this article key components that deliver effective leadership. Through extensive research, the author considers six leadership styles that positively or negatively affect the “climate” of an organization. According to how harmonious the environment of the organization behaves, results and performance follow. Emotional intelligence capabilities build different leadership styles and each of these is necessary and more effective in different business situations.
First, Goleman describes “climate” as a combination of how employees and employers feel in the working environment. Flexibility, responsibility, standards set, clarity of rewards, mission and vision of the company, and commitment to a common purpose are drivers of climate. Positive climate is related to positive performance and vice versa. In addition, leadership styles affect the climate of the organization and consequently financial results.
Every single one of the leadership styles may be effective for a particular situation. For example, the coercive leadership style has an overall negative effect on climate. It demands results immediately and shuts down new innovative ideas. Communication is broken and motivation is lost. However, in extreme crisis situations, it may give a turnaround and the destruction of a system that had no chance of working. The authoritative style is the most effective one for most situations. It mobilizes people and makes a clear vision of how important is everybody’s work in the organization. This leader creates a new course of action and inspires employees to follow the mission of the company. The affiliative style builds relationships and creates harmony among people. An affiliative leader creates good communication and empathy. The democratic leader seeks consensus and