Introduction
Joe Allen is one of the former business leaders in the hospitality industry, who managed to operate restaurants with the ability to host celebrities. Allen’s leadership skills started to flourish when he parlayed a modest pub while living in Manhattan. This pub was known as a theater district before being converted to a restaurant empire, which did stretch as far as Paris. Although he is now dead, his business ideas and strategies still live on. In turn, Suzanne Scott is among the most admired female business leaders heading influential media houses such as Fox News Media. She utilizes her leadership technique to execute the cooperation’s mandate. This is the reason why she was recently retained in the office as the chief executive after signing a new contract with her employer. Fox Corporation, run by Rupert Murdoch, saw how determined she was and considered her the right person for a multi-year deal to support streaming service at Fox Nation and Cable channel Fox. Mr. Allen and Ms. Scott both had unique leadership styles, which can be explained by referring to well-known theories such as behavior, trait, or contingency as a way of unraveling their leadership mystery.
Leadership Styles of Allen and Scott
Joe Allen
Allen is a business leader known for his 46th Street restaurant named after him. Since 1965, this facility has been a theatre district gathering, with Broadway flops posters’ sole identity. The theater began with Kelly’s cast, which then grew to give Allen the privilege of entertaining theatergoers and performers in this restaurant for years. The location of this business was less prime when Joe bought the facility. His leadership skills helped him improve operational strategies and the entire area. The entrepreneur decided to start Orso in 1983 and add a Bar Centrale to supplement the customers’ needs besides his original facility (Cherry, 2019). He believed in the network, which explains why he opted for the other two facilities to support him manage the original business. This defines him as a networker and a leader who trusted expansion.
Even though he would sit quietly when on duty, Joe is a reluctantly conversational leader. He would interact through a good talk or just node when he met his friends such as Al Pacino, as the wife confessed in an interview (Farhi, 2018). Allen was aware the only way to be more innovative is to speak in a more informational face-to-face talk with employees. In a recent interview with The New York Times newspaper, as said by Farhi (2018), the wife described him as a dismissive person, whose trait would not bother anyone Allen was not good at preparing food; his traits in managing employees as a leader made him have some of the best chefs for his organization at the time. The business’s glamour lured him into investing what he had in the industry and utilized his management and leadership skills, as explained in the trait theory below, to have the best in the business.
Trait Theory
Trait theory reveals that someone’s ability to lead is primarily shaped by genes. Carlyle states that leaders who do not talk about how to lead but are good have characteristics, which make them not dependent on the outside issues for development. This author mentioned that specific human behavioral patterns occur due to certain traits (Cherry, 2019). Across various situations, these patterns can be consistent. Therefore, the researcher had convinced himself to conclude that people are born as leaders with specific genes, which make them what they should be. The theory notes the ultimate trait associated with leadership in a person who demands flexibility and adaptability, resolution and courage, assertiveness, and capacity from a director. These, with others such as being decisive, creative, and stable in terms of emotion, are what made Allen Joe rule the restaurant industry during his days.
After working for P.J. Clarkes, where he took night shifts, Joe was not comfortable doing anything during the day because he only wanted to sleep. He valued operating under judging-perceiving, which shows the amount of information a leader requires to make decisions (Hughes et al., 2019). After running the Upper East Side bar for a few years, he decided to open his own in 1965 (Cherry, 2019). This showed he was a leader by himself and that he never wanted to be confined to the commands of other people’s working procedures. The desire to be a boss, which starts when a person understands they are stable in leadership, pushed him to start his restaurant. Further, he worked to ensure his menu stressed the aspect of familiarity, and, therefore, his gastronomic ambition was to give the customers the best in terms of food (Cherry, 2019). It is arguable Allen never went to a college to learn leadership skills. Nevertheless, his genetic influence naturally supported him in identifying opportunities for his advantage. This defines him as a leader through the context of trait theory, as well as behavioral theory.
The Behavioral Theory
The behavioral theory primarily addresses the way leaders behave and reveals leadership traits can be transferred to others. According to the theory’s directive, leaders are not born to be successful; however, they become successful through learning. Therefore, for a true leader to be noted, their behaviors are a significant determinant, thus, qualities are not the focal point (Cherry, 2019). This means some of the leaders who are considered to lead people are evaluated through their actions and how they publicly manage themes and others. Some of the styles of leadership noted in this concept are people-oriented, task-oriented, status-quo, and country club leaders, among others (Hughes et al., 2019). From the way Allen carried himself among those who knew him, it is evident he was a leader since he was a child.
Allen had unique behaviors, including displaying posters such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, ensured and loved excellence, and was great in pursuing relationships. The businessperson adhered to excellence by giving the fans the best, including making good use of interior décor, as per his wife’s directions. Joe’s children reveal he was a person who loved to have good relationships with employees. The workers admit or refer to him as a person who would cohere well with others (Cherry, 2019). This was one of the entrepreneur’s secrets to achieving the best to overpower competitors. One of his big competitors was Sardi, a restaurant which offered similar services to Allen’s (Cherry, 2019). It was not very expensive, but at least had higher prices than the Joe’s, and therefore, they missed those struggling musicians and customers with precarious employment. It is a reality that Joe embraced interactive theory as his leadership technique, considering that he intermingled with everyone regardless of life status.
The struggling performers who would consider founding a place suitable for them to eat would choose Broadway and were loyal to this place. For instance, it is in records when the restaurant first opened, Allen would allow Penny Fuller and Roberts Tony to play music barefooted at the Park (Cherry, 2019). Joe also allowed Sandy Dennis and Hackman Gene to get their Broadway comedy breaks before they moved to blossom careers. Although the majority of these celebrities are now enjoying their careers on an international level, the truth is Allen utilized his behavior theory leadership style to embrace every member he wanted, regardless of their status. He behaved to welcome everyone, thus, he managed to top the list of the best restaurants in his region.
Before understanding Allen Joe from his childhood, most of the stars would go to his restaurant because of the club-like and relaxed environment it offered. The majority of the customers confess to being able to blend effortlessly into the rooms once they visited Joe’s place. Kent, one of the managers who worked for Allen Joe for many years and now is a manager at Orso, which is still Joe’s, states that high-profile people need low maintenance (Farhi, 2018). The priority they receive is the privacy they require; that is why Burton Richard and Taylor Elizabeth would have a meal at Joe’s without feeling out of place. Such treatment means Joe, as a leader, understood his clients well, besides accommodating everyone. He offered them exactly what they wanted because he managed to spot their desires through his trait and behavioral approach.
Allen had skills in managing his customers well, meaning he was wise and appreciative as a leader. He recalls having a customer named Bacall, a formidable presence and a regular patron (Cherry, 2019). Regardless of being a woman, she would scare his waiters until he had to take up the matter and encouraged her to stop talking. Wisely and politely, he managed to handle a customer who would order a potato and claim to be badly baked even before tasting it (Farhi, 2018). He was an all-around manager and business leader who managed the customers and the employees equitably. Through this, his business enters record for being among the long-surviving theatrical facility flourishing in distinct tradition. The competitors such as Sardi were recognized for their framed caricature, but Allen’s was outstanding in general management, gallery posters, and good meals. His traits as a leader made him become the good manager he was.
Suzanne Scott
Suzanne Scott is one of the current business leaders who have enjoyed working as a programmer for many years. She has been made to be a new executive chief officer of Fox News Channel (FNC), making her a highly valued women for holding topmost positions in the networking industry. There has been a mixed reaction to her appointment, with some arguing she has been characterized by harassing employees (Cherry, 2019). However, the claim cannot be justified, considering she has been working for the company since its inception in 1996, where she has recently served as a programming president. Lachlan Murdoch’s trust in her gave her promotion in the office of leading both Fox Business and Fox News (Farhi, 2018). His confidence in her means she has a unique character, which will ensure these companies develop into profit-making institutions more than they currently are. Various leadership styles, as characterized by trait, behavioral, and contingency theory, describes her personality.
The Trait Theory
In an interview after taking office, she promised to bring onboard a unique leadership style to Roger Ailes, who was her former boss. Her first consideration is to focus on the Fox News viewers’ demands more than she had been doing to scathing commentary as received from television and social critics (Farhi, 2018). She confessed in an interview that the company was number one during President Obama’s and Bush’s leadership and still notes she wants to focus on business. This alone shows she is task competent, as trait theory reveals. A great leader who is born to be a leader is capable and has skills to the extent that the organization members should be able to look at the director because of how tasks need to be done (Farhi, 2018). Her determination shows that she has all that it takes to make other employees look up to her for the business’s success. She, therefore, embraces one of the qualities of trait theory claims to be for a leader who is ready for the task.
Trait theory shows a leader is born and not made, and therefore, concentrates on the need to spot a trailblazer from childhood. This theory focuses on intrinsic personal characteristics; thus, by understanding an individual’s specific personality, it becomes easier to agree on whether the person can be a manager or not. In addition to task competency, another type of trait characteristic of a leader is as follows: in the context of intelligence, a leader should learn from experience, be conceptually skilled, have knowledge about the group task, and be able to adapt to change. Scott has proved to be adaptive to the change before her, which is why she could take up the new job.
Murdoch confessed that Scott’s position as Fox’s only female makes her an outstanding leader. She has also managed to head one of the prominent TV news organizations, which reveals she is intelligent in the way trait theory puts it. The theory also indicates that a leader should be wise and action-oriented to make smart choices with the ability to move the group forward. According to revelation by Van Susteren, Scott is smart, as she has offered programming force all around her career. She can work as a commentator, and she has instinct (Farhi, 2018). Susteren as well revealed the leader is talented and works under her own determination. This personality has made her acquire unique and high grades from her bosses and, as a fact, making her one of the most powerful female executive TV news anchors.
Scott’s bosses mention her to be a highly dedicated as well as results-driven leader. As a CEO, she holds a position of a person who has done a great job and continues to do well in her field; she, therefore, leads by intelligence (Cherry, 2019). From this description, Scott is a perfect leader as described by the trait theory, although her behaviors and approach also borrow behavioral and contingency theory concepts.
The Contingency Theory Concept
In its simplest form, contingency theory shows a leader’s success revolves around a specific situation considered at hand. There are various issues, which should be put in place to help determine if a person is a good leader. For instance, an individual needs to be task-oriented, have a leadership personality, and understand the group’s composition, which she will be leading. The above are some of the qualities Scott has been portraying in her leadership career. Scott could change programming and hosting shows on Fox News Channel. She had to make programming occur in a 20 hours schedule and included more women with a responsibility to hosting and anchoring, which made the organization unique (Cherry, 2019). It is from such lines of changes, which helped move the FNC to deliver its optimized primetime rate performance in history. Moreover, her approach also made the channel remain at the top for almost 18 consecutive years. Being task-oriented in personality, the leader had to control this channel as it is. Her ability to manage such a firm makes her an outstanding administrator.
Her task-oriented leadership style, which occurs in the form of dictatorial style, approves of leadership’s behavioral style and technique. Her actual behaviors during the day are what have so far defined her of who she is. A good example is her ability to spearhead various workplace initiatives, including launching art newsroom in a new state, including the employee monitoring programs, women at FOX networking events, and quarterly meetings (Cherry, 2019). Through such efforts, she was able to foster a collaborative, open, and transparent environment in her working environment. She can change the setting she is working from in a positive way, which proves she can spearhead several workplace initiatives. The above description fits her as an interactive person, which behavioral theory refers to as task-oriented to demonstrate the leader’s ability.
Scott is an all-around leader, a fact which has made her rise through ranks from creative positions, programming, and production. The leader’s raise also included her being second in command in terms of programming and before becoming senior in this position (Cherry, 2019). She has solemnly worked for this company, and therefore there is no doubt her competency made her move up the ranks as she has done. Her unique ability to implement things in her capacity has made her widely recognized in terms of her contribution to a cable television network. This figurer’s efforts have never gone in vain, considering she was named the most powerful Hollywood Reporter in 2019 and 2018 (Farhi, 2018). She currently holds a most influential business leadership position, especially for those who are using their skills and personality to shape the media industry. This is a clear indication that Ms. Scott is one of the leaders who comply with the behavioral theory of leadership identification correctly.
Scott’s bravery is a true reflection of who she is in terms of leadership. She admits to having managed to handle the company through difficulty and time to ensure she maintains its programming front. She managed to oversee last year’s Fox Nation launch, where the streaming services made viewers transition into the age where information and news are available. She as well reveals the news is on linear opinion, live, and news channels (Cherry, 2019). The digital world is growing, she confesses, and the company’s management understands the process and working to expand as she spoke from her New York’s office. She is putting the company to have potential in terms of digital media production, which, according to her, will not limit the operation of the organization (Cherry, 2019). The confidence she has in terms of strategizing the firm in leadership proves she is well conversant with her area of operation, and therefore she is a solution creator.
Some of the primary issues that leaders dwell on when it comes to leadership are to be solution creators. According to Cherry (2019), various people serving in the networking realm surrendered their positions to work for the previous U.S. President Trump. Many thought the best way to move in this era is to have a backup of the president, and therefore, they did sort cover under the guidance of the president. Scott, however, argues that real consumers of Fox News should understand that is not the reality. Scott comprehends that as a leader, she needs to take the right cause for this situation to favor her, and that is why she labored looking for what was suitable for her company. This aspect shows her as a solution creator, and that is why she was trying to understand the way out in this era of digital broadcasting is to be innovative (Cherry, 2019). Her reasoning was to manage the organization as it is, even though the act could be challenging. As a manager who had focus, she comfortably understands what people need and require of her and leads them correctly.
She noted that broadening the organization’s viewership is a challenge because most of her team members were Trump-based. She revealed to have managed to handle threats from her employees to leave the company, which did her work by defending personalities (Cherry, 2019). Therefore, she opted to have an audience to connect deeply to their shows instead of changing the channel’s stripes. She had her stand in that and argued the world is currently in a free speech position, and she was not ready to allow the voices of a few people to impact her business. It means, therefore, as a leader, she understood what she thinks is the best for her and the business and has since dwelled on the right path. In this regard, it is crucial to affirm she is a leader who is never swayed as some would, which has empowered her to serve as a business leader (Cherry, 2019). This is an inborn trait, one which makes the leaders have focus.
In conclusion, it is essential to agree leadership is the highest tool for managing an organization or an institution. Various leaders have missed the target because they lacked understanding of the appropriate way of leading. Allen Joe and Suzanne Scott are a few business leaders who have worked their way to top in their respective industries by being the right leaders in their organizations. Allen Joe is one of the restaurant industry’s former business leaders, who show trait theory as a reality to how leaders should operate. Ms. Suzzanne Scott represents those who are current business leaders who work to prove traits and behaviors, to confirm contingency theories are vital in determining good leaders. These two have successfully worked to maintain a perfect leadership strategy and prove the viability of these theories. They show managers can be born or be made depending, and therefore, the main determining factor is the result of the organizations they are managing.
References
Cherry, K. (2019). Understanding the trait theory of leadership. Verywellmind.
Farhi, P. (2018). A new CEO at Fox News, Suzanne Scott, comes with baggage from the Ailes years. The Washington Post.
Hughes, R. Ginnett, R., & Curphy, G. (2019). Leadership: Enhancing the lessons of experience (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.