Final answer:
An integrated model of leadership accounts for traits, skills, power, influence, and situational factors. Research suggests that leadership effectiveness is influenced by the socio-environmental context and varies with follower characteristics. Gender differences in leadership have been identified but are not absolute.
Step-by-step explanation:
An integrated model of leadership looks at a variety of factors to create leadership effectiveness. These factors include traits, skills, power and influence, and situational factors. Understanding these components is crucial for analyzing how leadership styles, such as transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire, impact organizational dynamics and individual follower relationships. Research indicates that not all leadership styles are equally effective with all types of followers and that the surrounding social and environmental context greatly influences leadership effectiveness. Additionally, research by Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt, & van Engen (2003) has explored gender differences in leadership, suggesting women tend to exemplify transformational leadership more than men, although overlaps and exceptions exist.
Lastly, transformative leaders are also characterized by certain attributes, such as charisma, inspiration, intellectual stimulation, and considerate behavior; they tend to be visionaries as opposed to transactional leaders who focus on rewarding and punishing to maintain the status quo.