Final answer:
Sara's actions align with relationship-oriented leadership, a component of the transformational leadership style that focuses on nurturing team members and tailoring leadership to their needs. This style differs from task-oriented and transactional leadership, which prioritize goals and use rewards and punishments. Option A is correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sara is demonstrating relationship-oriented leadership by showing concern for others, mentoring subordinates, encouraging the initiative, and showing appreciation. Relationship-oriented leadership focuses on the welfare, morale, and development of individual team members.
Contrastingly, task-oriented leadership concentrates on accomplishing tasks. Transactional leadership involves a system of rewards and punishments to manage a team and maintain the status quo. In this case, Sara's actions align more closely with relationship-oriented leadership, which is part of the transformational leadership model, where leaders inspire and nurture their followers.
Studies suggest that transformational leadership approaches, like those exemplified by relationship-oriented leaders, tend to be more effective than transactional approaches. The gender differences in leadership styles are evident, with women tending to exhibit more transformational characteristics, though these are not absolute. Additionally, an employee's individual needs, including the need for leadership and growth opportunities, can affect the leader-follower relationship, emphasizing the importance of adapting leadership style to suit the team's and its individual members' needs.
The correct option reflecting Sara's leadership style is a. relationship-oriented.