LEADERSHIP

LEADERSBORN OR MADE?

CONCEPTS
A process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. Peter Northouse Defining leadership as a process means the leadership is relationship-based, not trait-based.

Concepts--Cont.
John Sculley, the ex-CEO of Apple: leadership revolves around vision, ideas, direction, and has more to do with inspiring people as to direction and goals than with day to day implementation.

Concepts--Cont.
Jack Welch defines a leader as: someone who can develop a vision of what he or she wants their business, their unit, their activity, to do and be. Somebody who is able to articulate to the entire unit what the unit is and gain through a sharing of the discussion-listening and talking and acceptance of that vision. And then relentlessly drive implementation of that vision to a successful conclusion.

The Leader-Manager
William Hitt lists four basic traits that appear in all leaders, regardless of organization or country: 1) The leaders have clear vision for the organization. 2) The leaders have the ability to communicate this vision to others. 3) The leaders have the ability to motivate others to work toward the vision.

CONT.
4) The leaders have the ability to work the system to get things done. Compare: stop-not-till-the-goal-isreached ( Swami Vivekananda ) appeal to motivate people in getting things done.

Four Competencies
Management of attention. (ability of the leaders to draw others to them) Management of meaning. (kept in sustained alignment through clear communication)

CONT.
Management of trust. (leaders reliability, or constancy of purpose), And Management of self. (the leader knowing his ability and deploying it effectively; selfawareness is a precursor to that). Warren Bennis

Two General Theories

1) Leaders were born 2) Great events propelled people into leadership roles Cometh the hour, cometh the man (or woman )as the saying goes.

Warren Bennis
The illusion is obstinate and enduring; A mortal is seemingly anointed by gods, typically at the moment of conception, and is stamped with a unique gift that allows him or her to lead others. This person shines irrepressibly, other mere mortals are compelled to follow.

CONT.
As prevalent as this notion is it is demonstrably false, and any person who has seriously studied leadership has found that it is not a predetermined affair. Many of the most significant shapers of history were themselves shaped gradually, not ready to make an impact on the world until time crucible of experience had first performed their duties. Leadership can (and often must) be learned by those who would hope to practice it.

Swami Vivekananda
Can a leader be made my brother? A leader is born. Do you understand? And it is a very difficult task to take on the role of a leader. One must be dasasya dasaa servant of servants, and must accommodate a thousand minds. There must not be a shade of jealousy or selfishness, then you are a leader.

Swami Vivekananda-cont.
First, by birth, and secondly, unselfish thats a leader.Everybody wants to be a leader but it the failure to grasp that he (the leader ) is born, that causes all the mischief.

Cont.
I am persuaded that a leader is not made in one life. He has to be born for it. Theory of reincarnation or the Law of Karma

Trait or Great-Man Theory

Scottish historian Thomas Carlyle (17951881 ): Discusses the lives of some great men (leaders) who shaped themselves in the worlds history, by citing their innate talents, skills, and other attributes. Mohammed, Martin Luther, Oliver Cromwell, and Rousseau:

CONT.
They were born leaders according to him-sent into the world to change history.

A COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP
Douglas McGregorfour major variables: 1) the characteristics of the leader; 2) the attitudes, needs, and other personal characteristics of the followers; 3) characteristics of the organization, such as its purpose, its structure, the nature of the tasks to be performed; and 4) the social, economic, and political milieu.

Principle-centered power
It is based on the power some people have with others because others tend to believe in them and in what they are trying to accomplish. They are trusted. They are respected. They are honored.

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
All knowledgesecular or spiritual, is in the human mind. In many cases it is not discovered, but remains covered, and when the covering is being slowly taken off, we say, we are learning, and the advance of knowledge is made by the advance of this process of uncoveringLike fire in a piece of flint, knowledge exists in the mind;

Cont.
Suggestion is the friction which brings it out. Will the suggestion work for everybody? The answer isno! It will depend on the persons capacity, capability, and motivation, or ultimately his/her power of concentration.

No Followerno Leader
President George W. Bush-- a private conversationproclaimed himself as a leader. Joe Biden allegedly quipped, Look behind you, Mr. President, there is nobody following. He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk.

Criteria of the followers behavior

1)discretionary behavior:( giving more than what is required) 2) make sacrifices 3) need to reinforce or correct others 4) set guidelines for their own personal behavior.Swami Vivekananda and his followers.

Leadership and Charisma

Charisma: A gift of grace An extremely desirable characteristic for leadersbut not an essential one. Misleaders or pseudo-transformational leaders.

Servant-Leadership
Servanthood means a leader helping people remove the obstacles on their path and helping them acquire the skills they need to do their jobs better.Robert Greenleaf.

Swami Vivekananda wrote

Do not try to lead your brethren, but serve them. The brutal mania for leading has sunk many a great ship in the water of life. Now organize a little society. You will have to take charge of the whole movement, not as a leader, but as a servant. SERVANT OF SERVANTS

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

As organizational profession leadershipthe oldest; management the second oldest. They are complementary. Leaders do the right things, and managers do the things right.

CONT.
Doing the right things means having a vision, a mission, a set of principles and values, and reaching the followers with these.

Stephen Covey distinguishes the two

Management is a bottom line focus; How can I best accomplish certain things? Leadership deals with the top line: What are the things I want to accomplish?