Leadership

Meaning:
A leader is a person who guides and directs others, called followers. He gives focus to the efforts
of his followers. The manager, as a leader, influences his subordinates to indulge in such
activities as are vital for the accomplishment of the enterprise goal. According to Allen, "a leader
is one who guides and directs other people. He must give effective direction and purpose".
Leadership is a force that binds a group together and motivates it towards the desired goals.

Definitions of Leadership:
Given below are some of the important definitions of leadership.

 Leadership is the ability of a manager to induce subordinates to work with confidence and zeal-
Koontz and O'Donnell.Propor

 Leadership is the ability of a superior to influence the behavior of his subordinates and persuade
them to follow a particular course of action-Chester Barnard.

 Leadership is the activity of influencing people to strive willingly for mutual objectives-George R.
Terry.

 Leadership is the process by which an executive imaginatively directs guides and influences the
work of others in choosing and attaining specified goals-Theo Haimann.

 Leadership is a process of influence on a group in a particular situation at a given point of time

and in a specific set of circumstances that stimulates people to strive willingly to attain
organizational objectives – James Gibbon.

Nature and Characteristics of Leadership:

The following are the characteristics of leadership:

 It is the personal quality of a person - Leadership, to a considerable extent, is an in-born or an

inherent quality of a person. It is also possible to train a person to acquire leadership qualities. It is
the potentials of the manager that determine his ability to guide, direct and co-ordinate the
activities of his subordinates.

 It is a process of influencing others - Leadership is a process of influencing others to act. In an

enterprise, the manager has to get things done by his subordinates. For this, he has to influence
their beliefs, behavior and attitudes. The success of leadership lies in the willingness of the
subordinates to comply with the directions of the manager.

 It requires the confidence of followers/subordinates - To be accepted as a leader; the

manager must gain the confidence of his subordinates. Forth is, he must be very knowledgeable,
 sincere and committed to his work. He must be a role model for his subordinates. He must have
certain beliefs and values.

 It requires motivation of subordinates-The leader is expected to motivate or induce his

subordinates to work. By giving directions, orders and instructions alone, the manager may not be
able to get things done. He has to suitably motivate the subordinates to put in efforts. Motivation
need not always be in the form of offering certain monetary benefits. Even word of appreciation
may induce the subordinates to work hard.

 Varying leadership styles - The styles of leadership vary from person to person. Some
managers are, by nature, democratic leaders while there are others who may follow the autocratic
style of leadership.

 Leadership is a continuous process - The presence of a leader is always necessary in an

organization. The subordinates need to be guided, influenced, controlled and induced to work
continuously for the attainment of the organizational goal.

Importance of Leadership:
Leadership is important in view of the following reasons:

To have team work - Leadership makes it possible for the employees to forget their individual
differences and work as a team for the attainment of the organisational objective. It develops co-
operation and friendliness among the staff.

To guide - Although the subordinates have potentials, they need to be properly guided to
contribute their best. The leader knows how to get optimum performance from each of the
subordinates working under him.

To motivate - Leadership is necessary to induce the subordinates to put in greater efforts. The
leader constantly motivates his subordinates to work for achieving the organisational goal.

Distinction between a Leader and a Manager:

To bring about changes - Any organization has to be dynamic to accept changes caused by
political, economic, technological and scientific factors. The leader of the enterprise knows how to
bring about such changes in his organization by getting the consent of the subordinate staff.

To handle crisis -Leadership is essential for handling crisis of any kind. When an organisation
faces a critical situation, the leader knows how to come out of it. The leader should be good at
what is called crisis management'.
 Qualities of a Leader:
To be a successful leader, a person is expected to possess the following qualities:

 Ability to analyze-The leader must be able to analyze any problem and offer an immediate
solution. He should be alert mentally.

 Emotional stability-The leader must not make decisions influenced by emotions. He has to
approach any problem intellectually and find a solution.

 Self-confidence-A person cannot be a successful leader if he lacks self. Confidence. If he has

confidence in himself, he will be able to overcome resistance from anyone for his proposals.

 Foresight-The leader must foresee what is likely to happen. He must be able to visualize the
future events and prepare his followers to meet challenges.

 Sense of judgment-The leader must be able to judge what is good under the given
circumstances. Only then he will be able to evolve certain practical decisions.

 Understanding the leader must not always thrust his views on his followers. He must also listen
to their viewpoints particularly while making decision in a critical situation.

 Mental courage- The leader must be capable of taking certain bold decisions. For this he must
have mental courage. He need not play safe by just endorsing the decisions of others.

 Capacity to motivate- Needless to say, the leader must be able to induce and motivate his
followers to work for the mission he has undertaken.

 Ability to guide -The leader will be able to guide his followers in the work process only if he
himself is well versed in the actual work.

 Communication skills -Successful leaders are always known for he communication skills. Such
skills are essential to direct the followers to work for attaining the desired goal. Moreover, the
leader will always be able to defend himself if he possesses good communication ability.

 Sociability - The leader should not be indifferent to the needs of his followers. As his followers
work wholeheartedly for fulfilling his mission, the leader has the duty to reciprocate. If any follower
has certain personal problems, the leader must do his best to help him, The leader must make
himself accessible to his followers.

 Sound physical health- The leader must possess robust physical health Mental health, no doubt,
is important, physical health is equally important if only the leader has sound physical health. he
will be able to work for his mission with endurance. He will be able to travel extensively and u
speak for hours only if he has good physical health.

 Practicing what is preached-The leader must be a person who practices what he preaches. He
can talk of commitment to work only if he himself is Remitted to work. He can talk of honesty if
only he is honest in his dealings.
 Ambitious - The leader must always be an ambitious person. Only then his.subordinates will be
able to work with enthusiasm. He must always have some novel plans to make things interesting
for the followers.

 Positive thinking-Last and not the least, the leader must be an optimist. He must always have a
positive attitude towards his work. Only then he will be able to instil such a feeling in his followers.

Functions of a Leader:
The following are the important functions of a leader:

 Planning: He has to prepare suitable plans for the effective functioning of his group/organization.
Planning enables his followers to work for the attainment of the desired goal in a systematic
manner.

 Policy-making: The leader has to evolve suitable policies that guide his group in arriving at
decisions. Once he makes known to the followers the fundamental policies, the stand of the group
on certain matters will become at clear to everyone concerned. For example: the leader may
evolve a policy of favoring merit in matters pertaining to selection of candidate’s to various posts.

 Execution of plans and policies: Preparing plans and formulating policies by itself will not serve
any purpose. What is actually important is execution. The leader has to instigate his followers to
work in acc ordnance with the plans and policies in order to achieve the desired goal.

 Controlling internal relations: The leader has to ensure that there are cordial relations among
his group members and that they work in an atmosphere of proper co-operation and co-
ordination.

 Representing the group: The leader has to represent his group both within and outside the
organization and convey the feelings, sentiments and the stand of his group on important issues.

 Providing reward and punishment: If any subordinate has performed his task well and is
sincere and committed to work, the leader shall reward such a person suitable. It may be done by
offering certain tangible or tangible benefits, If, on the other hand, a subordinate is found to be
Sincere and shirking duties. the leader has to initiate disciplinary action against him.

 Settlement of disputes: The leader has the duty to amicably settee .dispute between him and his
group members and also among the group members. He can always use his position to resolve
any crisis.

 Role-model: The leader must set an example to his followers. He must practice what he
preaches. He must say what he does and do what says. He must be such a person that his
followers always want to emulate him.

 Inseparable from the group: The leader must so lead his followers that he and his group must
be considered as one and the same, He must he seen as a symbol of the group.
  Answerability: The leader becomes accountable or answerable not only for his actions but also
for those of his followers. Organizational Behavior

 Adherence to Value system: The leader must have certain values and beliefs and must adhere
and also make his followers adhere to the same.

Different kinds of Leadership Styles:

The following are the different kinds of leadership styles that have been
Identified:
Autocratic
Democratic
Laissez Faire
Functional
Institutional and
Paternalistic.
Let us discuss each one in detail.

Autocratic Leader:
An autocratic leader wants his subordinates to work in the manner he wants. He tells them what
they should do, where, when and how. He does not let his followers of any suggestion He
specifies the goal, makes available the resources that he thinks are enough and sets the deadline
within which the subordinates will have to complete the task. The subordinates have to report to
him at regular intervals to show the progress of work. The autocratic leader thinks that his
followers are incapable of making decisions. To secure performance from his subordinates, he
may use coercive power. A subordinate, who performs as per the specifications of the leader, is
rewards while the one who fails to perform is punished. The punishment may in the form of fines,
suspension, transfer, demotion or dismissal.
The autocratic leader does not have confidence in his subordinates. He thinks At they are
basically lazy, have an inherent dislike for work and are not ambitious and creative.
The pros and cons of autocratic leadership style may be stated as follows
:
Merits:
 Such a leadership style is suitable when subordinates are basically lazy and shirking duties.
 It helps to make quick decisions as decision-making is the prerogative of the leader alone.
 As subordinates are under constant threat of disciplinary action, they are always cautious.
 Inefficient and insincere workers can easily be identified and removed from service.

Demerits:
It kills initiative for work and results in frustration among workers.
 It often gives scope for conflicts between the leader and his followers
 This is bad for the organization.
 At some stage, the subordinates may stop obeying the orders of the
 Leader and start showing their protest. If such a stage is reached, the
 Leader will become helpless.

Democratic Leader:
Such a style of leadership is also known as participative leadership'.

Democratic leader does not make unilateral or one-sided decisions. He provides for his followers
to participate in the decision-making process. He allows destinies to discuss the problem and put
forth their views freely. The final will be made based on the consensus of all. If any subordinate
does anything that is opposed to the í interests of the group, the other members of the group take
the initiative to correct him

Merits:
 As the followers are able to participate in the decision-making process, they feel motivated.
 The decision finally made is mutually acceptable. The followers, therefore, work for its
implementation wholeheartedly.
 There is no resistance from the subordinates,
 It improves the job attitudes of the subordinate staff.
 As the subordinates do not have ill-feelings of any kind, the lat
 Management relationship is bound to improve.

Demerits:
 There may be delay in arriving at a decision, as consensus among the individuals is necessary,
 Democratic leadership is suitable only if the subordinates are all capable of making worthwhile
suggestions, they are less efficient and prefer to work as per the leader's directions, participative
leadership will not serve the purpose,
 It may, sometimes, be very difficult to evolve a solution that is acceptable to everyone.

Laissez Faire Leader:

The dictionary meaning of laissez fare is policy of non-interference, Also known as a 'free rein
leader’, a laissez faire leader gives full freedom to his followers to act. He does not lay down
guidelines within which his followers have to work He neither influences the subordinates'
decisions nor does he interfere in the process of decision-making. The laíssez faire leader docs
not exercise the formal authority of a leader. The merits and demerits of such a kind of leadership
style may be given as follows:

Merits:
 Obviously, as the subordinates have full freedom to act, their level of motivation is bound to be
very high.
 Those subordinates, who are highly efficient, can make use of the freedom given to them to
excel,
 The superior-subordinate relationship is bound to be very good.

Demerits:
  The laissez faire leadership style will produce good results only if the subordinates are all highly
efficient and capable of doing their work independently.
 As the leader does not involve him at all in the activities of his subordinates, control may
become difficult.
 The leader does not exercise his formal authority; As a result, the work place may lose its
official character.
 The subordinates are deprived of the expert advice and moral support their leader.

Functional Leader:
A functional leader is one who is an export in a particular field of activity, He special skills that
heas risen to the position of a loader by virtue of certain special skill that he possesses. He does
not command any formal authority. Such a leader always thinks of the task ho has undertaken
and spends most of his time finding ways and mean of doing it better. The functional leader will be
able to offer help to his subordinates provided the subordinates approach him for certain genuine
job related problems. The lender expects the subordinates to perform to his level and if the
followers are not very serious about their work, he may demand performance, If the subordinates
utilize his potentials are sincere and committed ns their leader is, they will be able to to the fullest
extent. This will benefit the subordinates and the organization as well.
The pros and cons of functional leadership style are given below:

Merits:
 The very presence of an Expert or a functional leader is beneficial to the followers and the
organization.
 As the functional leader is a specialist in a particular field of activity, the subordinates can
certainly enrich their job knowledge and skill, provided they are as committed and sincere as
their leader is.

Demerits:
 The functional leader is a taskmaster. He only believes in work. If only the subordinate is very
efficient, he will be able to put up with such a leader.
 The functional leader will not be able to go down to the level of an average worker and offer
any help.
 The leader may, sometimes, demand performance from his followers. This may frustrate
them.
 Misunderstandings may also arise between the leader and his followers.

Institutional leader:
An Institutional leader is one who has become a leader by virtue of his official position in the
organizational hierarchic. For example, a person appointed as the General Manger of a concern.
An institutional leader may not be an expert in his fled of activity. He, therefore, may not be able to
provide expert guidance to his followers. But he has to secure Performance from them. He may,
therefore, become demanding and thereby incur the displeasure of his subordinates.

The merits and demerits of the institutional leadership style may be stated as follows:
 Merits:
 He has official authority to act.
 He can demand performance from subordinates irrespective of his own credentials and
the subordinates are officially answerable to him. He may initiate action against a subordinate
who is shirking duties.

Demerits:
 As the institutional leader may not be an expert in his field of activity, he will not be in a
position to offer proper guidance to his followers.
 Although the leader has the official right to demand performance from his followers, he
may not have the moral right, as his own credentials are less.

Patemalistic leader:
A patemalistic leader takes care of his followers în the way the head of family takes care of the
family members. He is mainly concerned with the wellbeing of his followers and is always ready to
protect them. He may provide them with all the physical amenities needed. But he will not be able
to guide them to perform their job well.Thus; the paternalistic leader is able to be sociable but is
not able to offer Intellectual help. The following are the merits and demerits of the paternalistic
Leadership style:

Merits:
 1eassumes a patemal role to protect his followers.
 He is always ready to provide the necessary physical amenities to the subordinates.

Demerits:
 He is not in a position to offer intellectual help to his s followers.
Frustrated, as the leader is not able to guide them to enrich their job
 Those followers, who are capable and achievement orientation do feel frustrated, as the
leader is not able to guide them to enrich their job knowledge and skill.

Theories on leadership:
Research studies were conducted in the past to ascertain the emergence of leadership. The
researchers wanted to find out the determination of leadership. three such determination were
 studied namely, the personality of the leader., his behavior and the situation. As a result the
following three theories came to be development
 The Traits Theory
 The Behavioral Theory and
 The Situational Theory
Let us now discuss these theories.

The Traits Theory:

sesses
Certain exceptional traits or qualities. Many such traits or qualities were identified. Those, who
were successful leaders in the past, were found to be having all such traits. These are:
 Intelligence
 Communication skills
 Judge ment
 Inquisitiveness
 Integrity
 Emotional stability
 Image Knowledge
 Initiative
 Sincerity
 Demerits
 Endurance
 inaction
 Proper training.
 Determination
 Mental ability
 Persuasion
 Physical appearance
 Courage
A person with these qualities can certainly emerge as a successful leader. These qualities need
not always be inborn. These can be acquired through.

The Behavioral Theory:

According to this theory, leadership depends more on the acts of a peers
Than on his personality traits. The behavior of a person attracts many followers towards him.
These followers are ready to accept him as their leader as they are influenced and impressed by
his behavior. The interaction between the leader the followers, the goals and the environment will
bring out the right behavior certain leadership acts are favourable whíle others may be un
favorable. The unfavorable acts are the outcome of the inability of a leader to accept the viewer of
his subordinates or his tendency to thrust his Views on them and so on.
If the leader is able to give his followers what they want, he will be successful.

Evaluation of the Behavioral Theory:

The behavioural theory is superior to the traits theory in so far as it gives utmost importance to
what the leader does rather than what he is. But its main drawback is that it ís not possible to
determine the kind of behavior that will be ideal under all circumstances. A behaviour that is
effective at a particular point of time may not be so always.
Situational Theory:
According to this theory, leadership is much influenced by the environment or the situation in
which it is exercised. The style of leadership should change According to the situation. It,
therefore, becomes clear that there is no particular style of leadership that can be uníversally
relevant. The leader, in order to be successful, should adapt him to the situation. Three major
situational variables are found to influence the leader’s effectiveness. They are:
 The leader-subordinate relationship,
 The nature of the task of the subordinate and
 The ability of the leader to influence the subordinates.
If the relationship between the leader and his: subordinates are good, the leader will be able to
exercise influence. These same is true if the task to be: accomplished by the subordinate is cash
for r him. Above all, the leader himself must be in situation is favorable for the leader or not its
influenced by these three variables. position to influence subordinates through his p power. Thus,
whether a given.

Evaluation of the Situational Theory:

The theory considers the situations in which the leader of leadership will not work in different
situations operates as a key factor determining success. Even if the leader has all the personality
traits able to influence his followers. The theory also makes it clear that the same style
necessary to excel, the environment should be conducive. Only then he will be situation, in which
the leader of leadership will not work in different situation.