FAQ/Unit -9 /Management Process and Organization Behaviour

Unit-9 Leadership
Nupur Rastogi Faculty, Management and Commerce

Q-1 What is leadership?

Ans 1: Leadership is a means of directing. It is the ability to influence a group towards the achievement of goals. It is the human factor that helps a group identify where it is going and then motivates it towards its goals. According to George R. Terry, Leadership is the activity of influencing people to strive willingly for group objectives. (1960) According to Robert Tannenbaum, Irving R. Weschler, and Fred Massarik leadership is Interpersonal influence exercised in a situation and directed, through the communication process, toward the attainment of a specialized goal or goals. (1959).

Q-2 Discuss Trait Theory of Leadership.

Ans 2 : Stogdill is one the main scholars of trait theory approach to leadership. Leadership trait theory tends to assume that people are born as leaders or not as leaders. However, the idea that leadership traits are inborn and unchangeable appears to be incorrect. Some of the main assumption are that people are born with inherited traits, some traits are particularly suited to leadership and people who make good leaders have the right (or sufficient) combination of traits.

Q 3 What is Behavioral Theory ?

Ans 3 : This theory was developed by the scholars from Ohio State University during 19401950s. The study was conducted to understand what behaviors make the leaders effective? The two major clusters were identified, these are: People Oriented Behaviors- like showing trust, respect for subordinates, genuine concern, looking for their welfare. Task Oriented Behavior- The behavior that tends to define and structure work roles. Assigning specific tasks to subordinates, clarify work duties and procedures. Ensuring the task completion and also paying attention to aspects like adherence to company rules, getting maximum performance, pushing beyond standards etc.

FAQ/Unit -9 /Management Process and Organization Behaviour

Q .4 What is leadership grid ?

Ans 4 : Leadership Grid is an approach to understanding a leaders concern for results (production) and concern for people. The Managerial Grid was the original name which was ; the modifications were made by Robert R Blake and Anne Adams McCanse.1 After the modifications it was named as Leadership Grid. The five major styles specified in it are: 1. The impoverished style (1, 1). The indifferent Leader (Evade & Elude) 2. The country club style (1, 9). The accommodating Leader (Yield & Comply) 3. The produce or perish style (9, 1). The Controlling Leader (Direct & Dominate) 4. The middle-of-the-road style (5, 5). The Status Quo Leader. (Balance & Compromise) 5. The team style (9, 9). The Sound / Team Leader (Contribute & Commit)

Q. 5 Define participative leader?

Ans -5 : A Participative Leader, rather than taking autocratic decisions, seeks to involve other people in the process, possibly including subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders. Often, however, as it is within the managers' whim to give or deny control to his or her subordinates, most participative activity is within the immediate team.

Q. 6 What are Lewins leadership styles?

Ans-6 : Kurt Lewin and colleagues did leadership decision experiments in 1939 and identified three different styles of leadership, in particular around decision-making.These are as follows: Autocratic or Authoritarian leadership- An autocratic leader centralizes power and decision-making in himself. He gives orders, assigns tasks and duties without consulting the employees. Democratic or participative leadership Participative or democratic leaders decentralize authority. It is characterized by consultation with the subordinates and their participation in the formulation of plans and policies. He encourages participation in decision-making. The Laissez-faire or Free-rein leadership

Free-rein leaders avoid power and responsibility. The laissez-faire or non-interfering type of leader passes on the responsibility for decision-making to his subordinates and takes a minimum of initiative in administration.
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Source: http://www.gridinternational.com

FAQ/Unit -9 /Management Process and Organization Behaviour

Q. 7 What is situational leadership?

Ans 7: Situational leadership theory (SLT) focuses on the interaction of the leaders behaviour and follower readiness and then measures it to determine leader effectiveness. As a leadership model, the best known example was developed by Paul Hersey, and Ken Blanchard.

Q. 8 What are the four frameworks of leadership?

Ans -8: In the F o u r F r a m e w o r k A p p r o a c h , Bolman and Deal (1991) suggest that leaders display leadership behaviors in one of four types of frameworks: Structural, Human Resource, Political, or Symbolic. The style can either be effective or ineffective, depending upon the chosen behavior in certain situations.