Leadership styles and leadership change in human and community service organizations

This article describes and analyzes leadership styles and leadership change in human and community service organizations. Based on the assumption that leadership styles must adapt to changing environments, four case studies of human and community service organizations are presented in an effort to determine the appropriate leadership style for each of the organizations described at different stages of the organizational life cycle. Emphasis is placed on the need to adapt leadership styles to the unique circumstances that prevail in the organization, based on a theoretical model that integrates different perspectives on leadership roles. The main argument is that in order to be effective, leaders must develop awareness of and sensitivity to changing situations and organizational constraints. Specifically, they should know when to adopt a task-oriented style versus a people-oriented style and when to adopt an internal versus an external orientation.