COM4807
Assignment 3
Due October 2025
, COM4807
Assignment 3
Due October 2025
Organisational Communication Theory
Question 1: What are three different approaches to organisational leadership?
Answer:
Three prominent approaches are the trait approach, the behavioural/style approach,
and the transformational approach. Each offers a unique perspective on what makes
leadership effective.
1. Trait Approach
The trait approach views leadership as rooted in personal qualities such as
intelligence, charisma, and confidence (Botha et al. 2020:337). It assumes
leaders are born rather than made. While this view has historical influence, it
faces criticism because it overlooks situational dynamics and the possibility of
developing leadership through learning and experience. For example, during
crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders needed adaptability and resilience—
capabilities not explained by fixed traits alone.
2. Behavioural/Style Approach
This approach evaluates leadership in terms of actions and styles, such as
autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, transactional, or charismatic (Botha et al.
2020:348). The strength of this perspective lies in its attention to what leaders do,
but it risks oversimplifying leadership by reducing it to categories. A democratic
style, for instance, may encourage collaboration, but in high-pressure situations,
decisiveness may matter more than consultation. The weakness here is that
rigidly following a style may hinder responsiveness to changing conditions.
Assignment 3
Due October 2025
, COM4807
Assignment 3
Due October 2025
Organisational Communication Theory
Question 1: What are three different approaches to organisational leadership?
Answer:
Three prominent approaches are the trait approach, the behavioural/style approach,
and the transformational approach. Each offers a unique perspective on what makes
leadership effective.
1. Trait Approach
The trait approach views leadership as rooted in personal qualities such as
intelligence, charisma, and confidence (Botha et al. 2020:337). It assumes
leaders are born rather than made. While this view has historical influence, it
faces criticism because it overlooks situational dynamics and the possibility of
developing leadership through learning and experience. For example, during
crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders needed adaptability and resilience—
capabilities not explained by fixed traits alone.
2. Behavioural/Style Approach
This approach evaluates leadership in terms of actions and styles, such as
autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, transactional, or charismatic (Botha et al.
2020:348). The strength of this perspective lies in its attention to what leaders do,
but it risks oversimplifying leadership by reducing it to categories. A democratic
style, for instance, may encourage collaboration, but in high-pressure situations,
decisiveness may matter more than consultation. The weakness here is that
rigidly following a style may hinder responsiveness to changing conditions.
