LEADERSHIP

A) Meaning and elements of leadership

1) Followers
2) Influencing behaviour
3) Reciprocal relationship
4) Common goal

B) Qualities of a good leader

1) Personal qualities
2) Managerial qualities
C) Kinds of leadership
1) Autocratic
2) Democratic
3) Laisez fair
4) Paternalistic
5) Intellectual
6) Institutional
D) Types / theories of leadership
1) Trait theory
2) Situational theory
3) Group theory
4) Composite theory
5) Behavioural theory

All managers at all levels act as a leaders. They have subordinates whose efforts have to
be channelised in a definite direction. It is only through leadership that a superior can
guide, direct and inspire the subordinate for achieving the common goal. It is this quality
of the manager (leader) which usually determines the success or failure of the
organisation. As a matter of fact no organisation can work efficiently without effective
leadership therefore leadership is an integral part of management. All managers are
leaders but all leaders need not be managers.
According to Peter Drucker “Leadership is a human character which helps the
manager to increase the morale (we feeling) of the workers and subordinates”.
It increases their efficiency and productivity. Leadership quality provides
psychological shield to the subordinates so that they can channelise their efforts in
achieving their objectives therefore every group big or small requires a leader to guide
and direct their efforts. Without a leader the group disintegrates and team efforts are
destroyed. Leadership has its own importance in the process of management.
Different defs. Are given for leadership

1. Leadership is the ability of the manager to induce the subordinates to work with
confidence and zeal.
 2. Leader is one who guides and directs other people and must give them proper
purpose and direction to their efforts.
3. Leadership is the quality to secure desirable action from a group of followers
without any force.
4. Leadership is the process wherein a person or a group of persons try to influence
the behaviour of the people (followers).

From the above definitions we can conclude that every leader has a follower/s whose
behaviour is influenced through reciprocal relationship in order to achieve common
goal.
These are the 4 elements of leadership

Qualities of a good leader

A good leader must possess the qualities of head and heart. To become a successful
manager a person needs personal as well as managerial qualities.

Personal Qualities include

1. Physical fitness
2. Good appearance
3. Good voice
4. Alertness
5. Imagination
6. Co-operative
7. Honesty
8. Sincerity

B Managerial Qualities include:

1. Ability to plan
2. Organise
3. Staff
4. Direct
5. Lead
6. Motivate
7. Communicate
8. Co-ordinate
9. Control
10. Ability to Decide
11. Ability to deal with the people
12. Ability to judge

Both the Qualities when present in a manager can then only make him into a good and a
dynamic leader.
C. Kinds of Leadership.

1) Autocratic Leader: -
It is also known as Authority or the dictatorship type of leadership. All decision
are taken by the leader himself. Powers are centralized. He doesn’t consult his
subordinate while taking decision. He gives order & instructions and doesn’t invite
suggestions & recommendations. There is one-way communication. He uses force to
extract work from his subordinate. His subordinates are always under tension & fear.
Their leader feels that subordinate are always lazy & they avoid work & responsibility.
Therefore control & supervision is very strong. He makes use of theory ‘X’.

2) Democratic Leader: -
It is also known as Participative Leader. He consults with his subordinate and
invites suggestions & recommendations. He leads the group according to group
consensus. Powers are decentralized. There is 2-way communication. He is loyal to group
& group is loyal to him. He does not use any force for extracting the work & there is no
fear and tension. Subordinate feels attached to the organization. They are highly
motivated which in turn increase their efficiency & productivity. He uses theory ‘Y’.

3) Laisez-faire: -
In this kind of leadership there is no control & supervision instead too much
freedom is given to their subordinate. Therefore they take undue advantage of such
situations. This kind of leadership does not serve any purpose in fact it defeats its own
objectives.

4) Paternalistic Leader: -
Japan introduced this type of leader. Under this, the entire group acts as a family &
the manager has the head of the family. As a father looks after the interest of his children
in the same way the manager protects the interest of the subordinate. He extends fatherly
attitude. Therefore it is called Paternalistic.

5) Intellectual Leader: -
These leaders are highly qualified, experienced & knowledgeable. They may not be
employed in an organisation. They may not possess any formal authority but we still
depend on their guidance, advice and recommendations.
C.A’s, engineers, lawyers, architects are some e.g. of intellectual leaders.

6) Institutional Leader: -
These leaders hold formal position and command because of the prestige and
privilege associated with the post held by them, they become leaders. They may not
possess any extraordinary qualities but because of the post they become leaders.
President of the country or a head of an institution are examples of
institutional leaders.
Theories or types of leadership:
1) Traits theory or Great mans theory
According to this theory, leaders are born, not made. This theory considers
leadership as a set of qualities possessed by an individual. It is also called Great man’s
theory.
Certain characteristics distinguish a leader from a non-leader. According to this
theory, those who possess physical, intellectual and personality traits will be successful
leaders in any situation or in any group. However research has shown that these qualities
do not ensure successful leadership but these qualities do place the possessor in the high
esteem of the group. Similarly we cannot have common or universal qualities, which will
make a person into an effective leader.
According to few people, the important qualities are intelligence, initiative and
self-assurance. Whereas according to some other people, the qualities are maturity,
optimism and self-confidence.
Therefore, it is very difficult to find out a complete and definite set of qualities,
which will make a person into an effective leader.

2) Situational theory: This theory places more emphasis on situation or environment in

which the leader operates.
According to this theory, qualities of a good leader vary from situation to
situation. A person may be a good leader in a situation like war and emergency but in
other situation he cannot be a successful leader. Situation plays an important part in
leadership.
“Very few leaders excel in all situations.”

3) Group theory: According to this theory the success of the leader is permanently
influenced by characteristics of a particular group or followers.
If the leader understands the needs of the group and satisfies all the needs of the
group, then he will be treated as a group leader. Such a leader accepts traditions and
conventions of the group and works within the framework of them. Thereby the group
depends upon him for commendations.

4) Composite theory: According to this theory leadership is neither a quality possessed

by an individual nor a result of a situation or a group alone but effective leadership is the
combination of all these 3 factors- the leader, the situation and the follower.
In all, these are the 3 pillars on which successful leadership depends.
5) Behavioral theory of leadership by Blake & Mouton:

Concern for production

1,9 9,9

5,5

1,1 9,1

1,1 - Impoverished Leader

1,9 - Country club
9,1 - Task up
5,5 - Middle of the road
9,9 - Team (best)
It is also known as personality theory that focuses on what leaders do.
Focus shifts from personal qualities to the actual behaviour of the people.
Several attempts have been made to identify behaviour of different leaders and
finally in the 1960’s Blake & Mouton developed a managerial grid to indicate behaviour
of leaders as shown in the above diagram. The managerial grid is a graphical model of all
combinations of managerial style or behaviour of a leader.
Concern for people and Concern for production are shown on x-axis and y- axis
respectively.
From these combinations it is possible
A) (1,1) combination.
It is also called Improvised Leadership because the leader is neither
bothered about production nor about people, he does not look after the welfare of the
neither people nor achieves production targets.

B) (1,9) combination-
Here too much importance is given to the people but the leader is not bothered
in achieving the production targets. His human relations are very good but it is at the cost
of performance. This is also known as the country club leadership.

C) (9,1) combination-
It is also called Task leadership. He is more bothered about achieving
production targets but does not have care for human beings. People are neglected but
targets are achieved.
 D) (5,5) combination-
It is called middle of the road leadership. Reconciling between people and
production so that his human relationships and also his production targets are
comfortably achieved and maintained.

E) (9,9) combination-
It is also called Team leadership. It is one of the best kinds of leadership.
Maximum importance is given to both people and production. Human relations are
excellent. People are satisfied and at the same time production targets are also
materialized. Infact 9,9 is the Ideal leadership.

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