LEADERSHIP

Leadership Definitions
 Focus of group processes
 Personality and effects
 Act or behavior
 Instrument of goal achievement
 Power relationship
 Or … a combination of these
 Leadership

The ability to influence a group

toward the achievement of goals
(Robbins, 2003)

Leadership can be viewed from three standpoints:

•An attribute of a position
•A characteristic of a person
•A category of behaviour
Leadership vs. Management
 How tasks are done what is done

Establish a vision Plan and budget

Imaginative ideas focus on process and
help others understand system
vision (and buy in) organize and staff
Inspire others take control and problem
Produce change solve
produce order and stability
 (CONTINUED)

 Leadership is a facet of management

 Differences In Perspectives
 Subordinate As A Leader
 Loyalty
 The Leader Is Followed. The Manager
Rules
 Management Knows How It Works
Role of Leadership in Management

 largely determined by the organizational

culture of the company -
managers' beliefs, values and
assumptions

 The AutocratThe Laissez-Faire Manager

The Democrat
THE AUTOCRAT
 dominates team-members
 results in passive resistance from team-
members and requires continual pressure and
direction from the leader in order to get
things done.

 some situations may call for urgent action

 most people are familiar with autocratic
leadership and therefore have less trouble
adopting that style.
Laissez-Faire Manager
 exercises little control over his group, leaving
them to sort out their roles and tackle their
work, without participating in this process
himself
 approach leaves the team floundering with
little direction or motivation.

 usually only appropriate when leading a team

of highly motivated and skilled people, who
have produced excellent work in the past.
The Democrat

 makes decisions by consulting his team, whilst still maintaining

control of the group
 allows his team to decide how the task will be tackled and who
will perform which task.

can be seen in two lights:

 A good democratic leader encourages participation and
delegates wisely, but never loses sight of the fact that he bears
the crucial responsibility of leadership.
 However, the democrat can also be seen as being so unsure of
himself and his relationship with his sub-ordinates that
everything is a matter for group discussion and decision.
Clearly, this type of "leader" is not really leading at all.
 Main Elements Involved in
Leadership
Situation:
SITUATION • Task (structure, clarity, pressure)
• Leader member relations
• Resources
• Social structure and rules (authority system, work group norms)
• Physical setting
• History
LEADER • Contingency, Situational, Path-Goal, LMX

Leader: FOLLOWERS
• Traits
• Legitimacy Followers:
• Competence • Expectations
• Motivations • Personality characteristics (locus of control)
• Behaviors (consideration, initiating structure, • Competencies (ability, experience, intelligence,
reward, punishment) maturity, willingness)
• Motivation
 Leadership Theories
1900-1950 Early Trait Approaches (multiple theorists)
There are certain traits that separate leaders from followers

1950-1965 Behavioral Style Approaches (e.g. Ohio State, U of Michigan)

Leaders exhibit a certain combination of relationship building
and task completion behaviors

1965-1985 Contingency/Situational Theories (e.g. Fiedler’s

Contingency T., Hershey & Blanchard’s Situational Lship;.
Leader Member Exchange; Substitutes for Leadership)
Different leader behaviors are needed depending on the
characteristics of the situation.

1970s--> Most recent approaches (e.g., Charismatic Leadership,

Transactional v. Transformational Leadership)
Effective Leadership
 Think about the most effective leader
you have ever encountered.
 Describe the leaders qualities and
strengths.
Leader's traits
 Focus on personal qualities and characteristics
(e.g., physical appearance, personality traits)
 Ambition and energy
 Desire to lead
 Honesty and integrity
 Self-confidence
 Intelligence
 Job relevant knowledge
 High self-monitor
Leader Behaviors
 Consideration (relationship oriented)
 leader shows interest in the well-being of
employees
 mutual respect
 expresses appreciation for good work
 asks for input, suggestions
 Initiating structure (task/production oriented)
 leader shows interest in planning, organizing, and
controlling the work
 sets goals
 push for more productivity
 THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP
1. Trait Based
2. Activity based
3. Contingency Based
4. Style based
5. Continuum based
 Leadership Theories(cont.)
Fielder's Contingency theory

Path-goal theory
Contingency Based Heresy-Blanchard
situational theory
Hendy's best fit theory

Blake & Mouton

Style based
McGregor
White & Lippitt
Trait based approach
Leaders were born and not made. The
leadership qualities were compiled that
included:
 Physical traits-drive, energy, appearance and

height
 Personality traits-adaptability, enthusiasm and

confidence
 Social traits-co-operation, courtesy and

administrative ability
Activity based theories
Behavioural theorists have emphasised
the functions of the leader and the style
of the leader. Leadership is seen as an
active process, a process of goal
attainment. Activity leadership means
issue orders, persuade and motivate
people and get tasks done.
 Contingency Theories
Leadership style depends on the situation
 (CONTINUED)
 Group Performance depends on:
 Leadership style, described in terms of task
motivation and relationship motivation.
 Situational favorableness, determined by three
factors:
 Leader-member relations - Degree to which a leader is
accepted and supported by the group members.
 Task structure - Extent to which the task is structured
and defined, with clear goals and procedures.
 Position power - The ability of a leader to control
subordinates through reward and punishment.
 Relationship-motivated versus Task-motivated
Defining the Situation
 Defining the Situation

 Very Favorable Situation

 Good leader-member relations

 High task structure

 Strong position power

 Very Unfavorable Situation

 Poor leader-member relations

 Low task structure

 Weak position power

Fiedler’s bottom line…..

 If leader “matches” situation  they

are effective
 Task-motivated (low LPC score) leaders
“match” well with very favorable or very
unfavorable situations.
 Relationship-motivated (high LPC score)
leaders “match” well with moderate
situations.
Heresy & Blanchard Situational Theory
 Focuses on follower’s readiness: ability and willingness
 If follower unable and unwilling – (directing/telling) need
to give clear and specific directions
 If follower unable and willing – (coaching/setting) need
to display high task orientation to compensate for lack of
ability and need to display high relationship to get them
to buy into leader’s vision
  If follower able and unwilling –
(supporting/participating) – need to use a
supportive and participative approach
 If follower able and willing – (delegating) – doesn’t need
to do too much
 (CONTINUED)
 leadership style should be matched to the
maturity of the subordinates.
 Psychological maturity - Their self-confidence and ability and
readiness to accept responsibility.
 Job maturity - Their relevant skills and technical knowledge.

 Relationship-motivated versus Task-motivated

leadership

 Delegating to subordinates.
 Participating with subordinates.
 Selling ideas to subordinates.
 Telling subordinates what to do
Hendy's best fit theory
He identifies four factors, which are the key to
successful leadership.
1. The leader-personality, character and style
2. Subordinates-individual & collective
personalities & preferences
3. The task-objectives, technology and method
of working
4. Environment
Path-Goal Theory of Leadership
 (CONTINUED)
 the performance, satisfaction and motivation of a group can be
affected by the leader in a number of ways:
 Offering rewards for the achievement of performance goals.
 Clarifying paths towards these goals.
 Removing performance obstacles.

 A person may do these by adopting a certain leadership style,

according to the situation:
 Directive leadership - Specific advice is given to the group and ground rules are
established.
 Supportive leadership - Good relations exist with the group and sensitivity to
subordinates' needs is shown.
 Participative leadership - Decision making is based on group consultation and
information is shared with the group.
 Achievement-oriented leadership - Challenging goals are set and high
performance is encouraged while showing confidence in the groups' ability.
 Person-oriented versus Production-oriented
leaders
(Blake and Mouton)
 Two dimensions
 1: Concern for production: production-oriented
 2: Concern for people: people-oriented

 Impoverished style (1,1)

 Task management (9,1)
 Country-club style (1,9)
 Middle-of-the-road management (5,5)