Leadership
Leadership is defined as “the
process whereby one individual influences other group members towards the
attainment of defined group or organizational goals.”
According to Hollander, “Leadership is a process of influence between a leader
and those who are followers”.
According to Hamphill and
Coons, “Leadership is the behavior of
an individual when he is directing the activities of a group toward a share
goal”.
Qualities of a Leader
1.
Intelligence
2.
Sound Physique
3.
Responsibility
4.
Trustworthy
5.
Spirit of Enthusiasm
6.
Confidence
7.
Must do Things in Systematic manner
8.
Significant Level of Tolerance
9.
Focused
10. Committed to Excellence
Effectiveness of leaders
v Task achievement
v Development of individuals
v Building the team
v Make
the vision tangible
Leader’s power
v Reward power
v Coercive power
v Legitimate power
v Expert power
v Referent
power
Leadership styles
Leadership styles: - leadership is practiced by its styles which may be
positive or negative. The style used by the military officers and traditional
managers are mostly negatives whereas those of the modern and high technology
organizations are positive.
v 1. Autocratic/
Dictator Leadership style
v 2. Democratic/
Participative leadership style
v 3. Bureoucratic
leadership style
v 4. Diplomatic
leadership style
v 5. Laisseze- fair leadership style
Theories of a Leadership
1.
Traditional theory
Trait theory
Group and exchange theory
2.
Behavioural theory
Continuous theory
Likert’s four systems
Managerial
grid
Leader- participation model
3.
Contingency/ situation theories
Fielder’s contingency theory
Path- goal theory
Hersey and Blanchard’s life- cycle/ Situational approach
4.
Modern theories
Charismatic leadership
Transformational leadership
theory
Trait theory
Trait theories of leadership
sought personality, social, physical or intellectual traits those differentiated
leaders from non-leaders. Trait theorists refer the people like Mahatma Gandhi,
Indira Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, N.T.Rama Rao and describe them in terms of
charismatic, enthusiastic and courageous.
Trait theories assume that
leaders are born not made. The research studies focus on personal traits or
characteristics that distinguish the leaders from the followers and a
successful leader from an unsuccessful leader. A number of research studies
were conducted during the last 50 years. The cumulative findings of these
studies conclude that some traits increase the likelihood of success as a
leader, but more of the traits guarantee success.
Stodgill classified these
thaits into five categories
-
Intelligence and scholarship.
-
Physical traits like age, height,
weight, strength ect.
-
Personality characterized by
self-confidence, honesty, integrity, creativity and imitation.
-
Social status and experience.
- Task-orientation.
Managerial Grid Theory
Industrial psychologists Blake
and Mounton developed the managerial grid basing on the Ohio State study. The
managerial grid identifies a range of management behavior based on the different ways how
production/service-oriented and employee-oriented styles interact with each
other.
Transactional vs transformational
Leadership
Transformational leadership
theory conceptualizes such developments Two types of political leadership viz.,
transactional and transformational are identified. Transactional leadership
involves an exchange relationship between leaders and followers. Whereas
transformational leadership is based on leaders shifting the values, beliefs
and needs of the followers.
The characteristics of
transformational leaders include:
Identify themselves as change agents
Courageous
Believe in people
Value-driven
Lifelong learners
Have the ability to deal with complexity, ambiguity and
uncertainty.
Visionaries.
