Concept Notes 6: Leading

INTRODUCTION
All of us have a spark of leadership in us, whether it is in business, in government, or
in non-government organization. The challenge is to understand ourselves well
enough to discover where we can use our leadership gifts or serve others (Fudge,
George, et al. 2007) Leadership is observed in the individual, rising above others
because of his ability to influence people in meeting desired goals, whether these are
organizational goals or formal/informal group goals. No one can be called a leader if
he or she does not have followers. The module is subjected to discuss the Module 6 –
Leading ; How motivation, leadership, and communication work in an organization.

OBJECTIVES
at the end of this module, you should be able to:
• Discuss the nature of directing.
• Differentiate leading to managing.
• Identify the different theories of motivation.
• Differentiate styles of leadership.
• Appreciate the roles of communication in directing people within the
organization.
• Explain the management of change and diversity in workplace.
• Recognize the interrelationship of Filipino from foreign cultures.

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 PRE-TEST
Instructions: You have to fill in the graphic organizer chart, what are the Traits of
an Effective Leader?

Reflective Question:

Have you been a leader? If you have been one, what lessons did you learn from the
experience of leading people? If you have not been a leader yet, does it disappoint
you when you know that you can do better than what you have observed your
leader does?

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 INFORMATION

DIRECTING is the interpersonal aspect of management, which deals directly with

influencing, guiding, supervising and motivating the subordinates for the accomplishment
of pre-determined objectives. Directing refers to a process or technique of instructing,
guiding, inspiring, counselling, overseeing and leading people towards the accomplishment
of organizational goals. It is a continuous managerial process that goes on throughout the
life of the organization.

THE CONCEPT OF DIRECTING/LEADING

• Directing is the part of the management function, which actuates the organization
members to work efficiently and effectively for the attainment of organization’s
objectives.
• It constitutes the life – spark of the enterprise, which like electric power sets into
motion.

“Leadership success is a necessary

but not sufficient condition for
managerial success. A good
manager is always a good leader,
but a good leader is not
necessarily a good manager.”

Leadership is an ability to influence, inspire, and direct the actions of

a person or group toward attaining desired objective.

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Leading
Leading – management function, which involves influencing others to engage in the work
behaviors necessary to reach organizational goals.

Leader’s Bases for Power - the power possessed by leaders may be classified according
to various bases. They are as follows:
a. Legitimate Power – a person who occupies a higher position has legitimate power
over persons in lower positions within the organization.
b. Reward Power – when a person has the ability to give rewards to anybody who
follows order or request, he is said to have reward power.
c. Coercive Power – when a person compels another to comply with orders through
threats or punishment, he is said to possess coercive power.
d. Referent Power – when a person can get compliance from another because latter
would want to be identified with the former, that person is said to have referent
power.
e. Expert Power – expert provide specialized information regarding their specific
lines of expertise.

Leadership is an important function of management which helps to maximize efficiency

and to achieve organizational goals. The following are the importance of leadership:

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 Motivation – the process by which a
person’s efforts are energized, directed
and sustained towards attaining a goal.

Motivation is the process that initiates,

guides, and maintains goal-oriented
behaviors. ... Motivation involves the
biological, emotional, social, and cognitive
forces that activate behavior. In everyday
usage, the term "motivation" is
frequently used to describe why a person
does something.

Effective managers have the ability to motivate those they work with to behave in a specific,
goal-directed way. Motivation is defined as energizing, directing and sustaining employee
efforts.

A motivated team should be energized and excited about performing tasks. They should be
focused on doing what is important for the organization. Managers want a sustained effort
from their employees so that they work hard whether or not the boss is present.

It is equally important that effective managers understand how to influence people to

perform specific behaviors and tasks they are likely to find mundane. A manager needs to be
able to persuade workers to stay with the organization. Managers want workers to complete
mundane tasks at times and always perform at a high level and be a good organizational
citizen.

A. Early Theories of Motivation

1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory – states that there are 5 basic needs
of man starting from the bottom triangle:
• Physiological Needs – food, drink, shelter, sex and
other physical requirements.
• Safety Needs – security and protection from emotional
and physical harm
• Social Needs – affection, belongingness, acceptance and
friendship.
• Esteem Needs – self respect, autonomy, achievement,
recognition, attention.
• Self Actualization Needs – growth, self fulfillment,
potential, love

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 2. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y.
• Theory X – states assumption that employees
dislike work, lazy, avoid responsibility and must
be forced to perform.
• Theory Y – states the assumption that employees
are creative, enjoy work, seek responsibility and
can exercise self direction.

3. Herzberg’s Two Factor

Theory/Motivation Hygiene Theory – intrinsic
factors are related to job satisfaction and
motivation whereas extrinsic factors are
associated with job dissatisfaction.

4. McClelland’s 3 Needs Theory – states

that 3 acquired needs namely: achievement,
power and affiliation are major motives in work.

B. Contemporary Theories
1. Goal setting Theory says that specific goals increase performance and that
difficult goals when accepted result in higher performance than do easy
goals.
2. Reinforcement Theory states that behavior is a function of its consequences.

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Leadership Theories
Leadership – the process of influencing and supporting others to work enthusiastically
toward achieving objectives.

Traits of Effective Leaders:

1. Personal Drive – persons with drive are those identified as willing to accept
responsibility, possess vigor, initiative, persistence, and health.
2. Desire to Lead – persons who appear to have all the qualifications for leadership,
yet they cannot become leaders because they lack one special requirement the
desire to lead.
3. Personal Integrity – integrity includes honesty, honor, incorruptibility, rectitude,
righteousness, uprightness, and other similar virtues.
4. Self-Confidence – the activities of leaders require moves that will produce the
needed outputs. For the moves to be continuous and precise, self-confidence is
necessary in leadership functions such as conceptualizing, organizing, and
implementing activities.
5. Analytical Ability – a leader with sufficient skill to determine the root cause of the
problem may be able to help the subordinate to improve his production.
6. Knowledge of the Company, Industry, and Technology – leader who is well
informed about his company, the industry where the company belongs and the
technology utilized by the industry, will be in a better position to provide directions
to his unit.
7. Charisma – when a person has sufficient personal magnetism that motivates people
to follow his directives, this person is said to have charisma.
8. Creativity – ability of the manager to find new and better ways of accomplishing his
work.
9. Flexibility – people differ in the way they do their work. One will adapt a method
different from another person’s method. A leader, who allows this situation as long
as the required outputs are produced, is said to be flexible.

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Behavioral Approaches to Leadership Styles
1. Ways Leaders Approach People. In motivating people, leaders use a positive or
negative approach.
2. Ways leaders use power – leader’s styles also vary according to how power is
used. They consist of autocratic, participative and free-rein.
• Autocratic Leaders – leaders who make decisions without consulting
subordinates are called autocratic leaders. Motivation takes the front of
threats, punishment, and intimidation of all kinds.
• Participative Leaders – when a leader openly invites his subordinates to
participate or share in decision making, policy-making, and operation
methods, he is said to be a participative leader.
• Free-Rain Leaders – leaders who set objective and allow employees or
subordinates relative freedom to do whatever it takes to accomplish those
objectives.
3. Leaders orientation towards task and people – leadership may be classified
according to how leaders view task and people. A leader may either be:
• Employee oriented – when a leader considers employees as human being
intrinsic importance and with individuals and personal needs to satisfy.
• Task oriented – when a leader places stress on production and the technical
aspects of the job and the employees are viewed as the means of getting the
work done.

Contingency approaches to leadership style

The contingency approach refers to that effort to determine through research which
managerial practices and techniques are appropriate in specific situations. The following
are the contingency approaches:
1) Fiedler’s Contingency Model. Fred Fiedler believes that leadership is effective when
the leader’s style is appropriate to the situation. The situational characteristic is
determined by three principal factors:
• The relation between leader and follower
• The structure of the task
• The power inherent in the leader’s position

The situational characteristics vary from organization. To be effective, according to

fiedler, the situation must fit the leader. If this is not so, any of the following may be
tried:
• Change the leader’s traits or behavior
• Select leaders who have traits or behavior fitting the situation
• Move leaders around in the organization until it fits to them the position
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 • Change the situation

2) Hersey and Blanchard Situational Leadership Model. The situational leadership

model develop by Hersey and Blanchard suggest that most important factor
affecting the selection of a leader’s style is the development (or maturity) level of
the subordinate.

Blanchard and others elaborated on the leadership styles appropriate for the
various maturity levels of subordinates. They are the following:
• Directing – is for people who lack competence but are enthusiastic and
committed. They need direction and supervision to get them started.
• Coaching – is for people who have some competence but lack commitment.
They need direction and supervision because they are still relatively
inexperienced.
• Supporting – is for people who have competence but lack confidence or
motivation.
• Delegating – is for people who have both competence and commitment.
3) Path-Goal Model of Leadership. The path-goal model of leadership espoused by
Robert J. House and Terence R. Mitchell stipulates that leadership can be made
effective because leaders can influence subordinate’s perception of their work goals,
personal goals and paths to goal attainment.

By using the path-goal model, it is assumed that effective leaders can enhance
subordinate motivation by:
• Clarifying the subordinate’s perception of work goals
• Linking meaningful rewards with goal attainment
• Explaining how goals and desired rewards can be achieved.

The Path-Goal Process

The leadership styles, which may be used by path-goal proponents, are as follows:
• Directive Leadership – when the leader focuses on clear task assignments,
standards of successful performance, and work schedules.
• Supportive Leadership – when subordinates are treated as equals in a friendly
manner while striving to improve their well-being.
• Participative Leadership – when the leader consults with subordinates to seek
their suggestions and then seriously consider those suggestions when making
decisions.
• Achievement – Oriented Leadership – when the leader sets challenging goals
emphasizes excellence, and seeks continuous improvement while maintaining a
high degree of confidence that subordinates will meet challenges in a responsible
manner.

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 4) Vroom’s Decision Making Model – Vroom’s model of leadership is one that
prescribes the proper leadership style for various situations, focusing on the
appropriate degrees of delegation of decision making authority.

Process of Communication in an Organization

Communication is the process containing three elements viz. sender, message and receiver.
These three elements are essential to complete the communication process.

The working of communication process is shown in the diagram below:

The following steps are involved for completion of communication process:

1. Sender or communicator prepares the message neatly. He is the source where message is
generated. It is he who starts the communication process.

2. The message is to be encoded symbolically which is to be conveyed. This message is the

idea came into the mind of sender which he wanted to convey.

3. The message is to be transmitted through a method of communication the choice of

which is to be made. The message may be transmitted orally face to face, through
messenger, through air or a written note in the form of order, memo, leaflet etc. It is up to
sender to make appropriate choice.

4. Medium of communication includes telephone, internet, through messenger, post, fax, E-

mail, etc. The choice of medium again depends on the sender.

5. Receiver or communicate is a person for whom message was sent by the sender or
communicator. Receiver after receiving the message must understand it in proper
perspective then only the purpose of communication will be fulfilled.

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6. The receiver after decoding the message must act or take action as per instructions
contained in the message.

7. The last step is to take feedback. The feedback means the sender should know whether
the receiver has received the message and understood it. The confirmation regarding this is
feedback. The positive feedback is effective communication. With feedback the
communication process is complete.

Channels of Communication
In modern times the organizations want speedy flow of information. In the world of
competition this is the need of the hour because if you are late, you will lag behind. Now
internet is in which will throw away old channels. Any information required is on net now.
The channel of communication is a path of transmitting messages from sender to the
receiver. The managers need various types of information quickly and on time to carry on
his managerial activities effectively. Organizations according to their needs establish their
own system of communication. The popular and in practice channels of communication are
downward, upward, horizontal and diagonal.

Downward Communication
Downward channel of communication flows from top
to the bottom level of management. As the direction of
the flow of communication suggests, it is from superior
to subordinate. This type of channel of communication
speaks for authoritarian character of management and
environment. This communication is directive in
nature. The communication from superiors include
directives, orders, instructions relating to policies,
programs, mission, objectives and other information
relating to specific task etc.

Advantages:
1. It is used for issuing directives to the employees.
2. It helps in providing information regarding policies and procedures of the organization.
3. Orders of the top management in respect of implementation of programmes of the
organization are communicated through this channel.

Disadvantages:
1. It is time consuming and often causes delay.
2. Downward communication is one way hence there is no way to know feedback.

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 3. It is very rigid channel of communication.
4. Subordinate’s reaction cannot be known and
understood through this channel.

Upward Communication:
It is just the reverse of the downward channel of
communication and flows from bottom to top level
of management. The importance of this channel of
communication is being realized. Superiors get
feedback and know the reactions, feelings and
opinion of their subordinates and staff working at
lower level through this channel of
communication. It helps in knowing the grievances
of the employees which are generally not known to the superior authorities. It also has
some advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:
1. It helps in having two-way communication in the organization.
2. It develops sense of belonging among the employees because their opinions have been
given an ear.
3. Superiors get immediate feedback to their instructions through upward communication
channel.
4. It is an important source of motivating employees.

Disadvantages:
1. Upward communication is generally discouraged and ignored by the superiors.
2. The suggestions and opinions of the lower-level staff do not reach the top level as are
obstructed in the middle by the immediate superiors.

Lateral Communication generally

takes place in an organization and is
neither upward nor downward. It
proceeds in a horizontal manner and
takes place among equals and at peer
level. It may also be described as peer-
level communication.

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For an organization looking to cultivate a more diverse and inclusive workplace, it is
important to understand what constitutes workplace diversity.
Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between individuals in an
organization. Diversity not only includes how individuals identify themselves but also how
others perceive them. Diversity within a workplace encompasses race, gender, ethnic
groups, age, religion, sexual orientation, citizenship status, military service and mental and
physical conditions, as well as other distinct differences between people.

DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT can be defined as the process of planning, directing, organizing

and applying all the comprehensive managerial attributes for developing an organizational
environment, in which all diverse employees irrespective of their similarities and differences
in the society, can actively and effectively contribute to the competitive advantage of a
company or an organization.

Managing diversity in the workplace presents a set of unique challenges for HR

professionals. These challenges can be mitigated if an organization makes a concerted effort
to encourage a more heterogeneous environment through promoting a culture of tolerance,
open communication and creating conflict management strategies to address issues that may
arise.

For leadership to effectively manage diversity in the workplace, they need to understand
their backgrounds and how their behavior and beliefs can affect their decision-making
within a diverse environment.

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