LEADERSHIP

A leader is one who guides and directs other people. He interprets the objectives of the group
and decides it towards their accomplishment. Because he has other subordinate to him and
subject to his command, the leader must give their efforts a direction and purpose. Managers
at all levels must perform the function of leadership to lead the subordinates towards a
definite direction. In fact, leadership is an essential element of managing for influencing
people to achieve mutually compatible goals. It is a psychological process of influencing
followers or subordinates and providing guidance to them. It is ways related to a situation
which means a leader may be effective in one situation while ineffective in her. To be
effective, a leader should change his leadership style depending upon the requirements of
situation.

CONCEPT AND NATURE OF LEADERSHIP

Meaning of Leadership: -

 Leadership is the quality of behaviour of a person whereby he is able to o persuade others to

seek group goals enthusiastically. It is the influence relationship in which one person (the
leader) influences the behaviour of others (the led or followers) in a given situation to work
together on related tasks to attain what the former desires. Leadership is that part of a
manager’s job by which he influences the behaviour of his subordinates towards the desired
goals.

Leadership is the process of influencing the behaviour and work of others in group effort
towards the realisation of specified goals in a given situation. In other words, leadership is a
function of three factors: (I) the leader, (ii) the led (follower), and (iii) the situation. From this
it follows that managerial leadership is the process of influencing a group of subordinates to
attain organisational objectives. It implies pursuit of common goals under the advice and
guidance of the leader in the interest of individuals and the group as well as for the benefit of
the organisation. The interaction between the leader and his followers is based on
interpersonal relations.

Leadership is a process of influence: Leadership is a process whose important ingredient is

the influence exercised by the leader on group members. A person is said to have an
influence over others when they are willing to carry out his wishes and accept his advice,
guidance and direction. Successful leaders are able to influence the behaviour, attitudes and
beliefs of their followers.

The style of leadership depends upon the nature of the followers or subordinates : As is
well known leadership involves motivating people to strive willingly to attain organisational
objectives. Leaders are considered successful when they are able to subordinate the
individual interests of the employees to the general interests of the organisation. A successful
 leader allows his subordinates to have their individual goals set by them in such a way that
they do not conflict with the organisational objectives. When this congruency is achieved,
workers act enthusiastically to achieve these goals.

Leadership is related to situation: When we talk of leadership, it is always related to a

situation, at a given point of time and under a specific set of circumstances. That means will
be different under different circumstances. At one point of time, the subordinates may accept
the autocratic behaviour of the leader while at a different point of time and under a different
situation, only participative leadership style may be successful. That is why, it is said that
leadership is always particular and not general.

 
CHARACTERISTICS OF LEADERSHIP
The characteristics of leadership are as under: - 

I)    Leadership is the personal quality of manager. It is the personal ability, tact and
competence of the leader who leads, directs, co-ordinates and channelises the group efforts
towards desired goal of the business. To some extent, it is an inherent quality but it can be
developed also. (I) Leadership is a process of influence. The basic purpose of leadership is to
influence the behaviour of followers. It involves interaction between the leader and the
followers.

II)  Leadership is goal oriented. It implies pursuit of common goals in the interest of individuals
as well as the group as a whole.

III) Leadership is related to a situation. When we talk of leadership, it is always related to a

particular situation, at a given point of time and under a specific set of circumstances.

LEADERSHIP VS. MANAGERSHIP

‘Management’ is the term used to represent planning, organising, staffing, directing and
controlling the organisational operations to realise certain goals. But leadership is a process
of influence which means the ability to affect the perceptions, attitudes or behaviour of
others. It is a part of management, but not all of it. A manager is required to plan and
organise, for example, but all we ask of a leader is that he gets others to follow him. The fact
that he can get others to follow him is no guarantee that he is going in the right direction.
That means a strong leader can be a weak manager because he is weak in planning or
performing some other managerial duty.
All work done by a leader may not be management activities. This explains why, although a
good manager must be an effective leader, many outstanding leaders have, in fact, been
exceedingly poor managers. The reverse is also possible. A manager can be a weak leader
and still be an acceptable manager, especially if he happens to manage people who have
strong inner achievement drives. But usually, it is essential that a person to be an effective
manager must also be an effective leader.

Functions of Leadership -

Some of the important functions the leader performs are giving under:

1. Leader Develops Team Work:

The three vital determinates of team work are the leader, sub-ordinates and the environment.
These factors are interdependent. It is the leader’s responsibility to make the environment
conductive to work. He inculcates the sense of collectivism in employees to work as a team.

2. Leader is a Representative of Sub-Ordinates:

He is an intermediary between the work groups and top management. They are called linking
pins by Renzi’s Likert.

3. Leader is an Appropriate Counsellor:

Quite often people in the work place need counselling to eliminate the emotional
disequilibrium that is created sometimes in them. He removes barriers and stumbling blocks
to effective performance.

4. Uses Power Properly:

If a leader is to effectively achieve the goals expected of him, he must have power and
authority to act in a way that will stimulate a positive response from the workers. A leader
depending on the situation exercise different types of power viz., reward power, conceive
power, legitimate power, represents power and expert power. Besides the formal basis the
informal basis of power also has a more powerful impact on organizational effectiveness. No
leader is effective unless the subordinates obey his order.

5. Leader Manages the Time Well:

Time is precious and vital but often overlooked in management. There are three dimensions
of time, boss-imposed time, system-imposed time and self- imposed time that is prominent in
literature. Because the leader has through knowledge of the principles of time management
such as time preparing charts, scheduling techniques etc., he is in a position to utilize the time
productivity in the organizations.
6. Strive for Effectiveness:
Quite frequently the managers are workaholic and too busy with petty things to address to
major details of effectiveness. To fill the gap, sometimes leader throws his concerted effort to
bring effectiveness by encouraging and nurturing team work, by better time management and
by the proper use of power.

ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP-

Leadership is important for the success of an organization because it provides guidance,

purpose and helps others understand the long-term strategies and goals of a business. Here
are 11 reasons to value effective leadership:

1. Vision
Successful leadership creates a clear vision of what the organization can achieve. Leaders
provide a roadmap outlining the steps and resources their company needs to arrive at the
preferred destination.
2. Communication
Leaders help to communicate the vision and mission of the firm to employees. This provides
direction and helps everybody identify the roles that best fit skills and experiences. Through
clear communication, leaders encourage their subordinates to act for the actualization of
objectives.
3. Decision Making
Decision making is one of the top leadership skills. Successful leadership takes the best
decision for the organization in all situations. Leaders are experts at taking the right decisions
based on the prevailing circumstances. They weigh their organization's strengths and
weaknesses to ensure that their choices put them at an advantage now and in the future.
4. Passion
Leaders are passionate about their vision and infect others with their energy to achieve it.
Effective leadership inspires others to buy into the company's objectives and provide a
powerful reason for everybody to remain dedicated to their duties.
5. Guidance
Once employees know what to do to deliver on projects, effective leaders oversee their work
to ensure they perform their roles effectively. Leaders make sure employee efforts align with
organizational goals for improved efficiency.

6. Commitment
Effective leaders are committed to the success of their organization and its employees. They
remain focused on the company's long-term goals and do not allow temporary setbacks to
dampen their spirits. When they face a setback, good leaders motivate their teams and help
them see beyond the problems preventing them from reaching the common goal.
7. Integrity
Successful leadership teaches the organization ethical values. Regardless of their problems,
successful leaders do the right things to achieve their goals. For them, integrity, truthfulness
and fairness are core attributes they want to see in their company and its relations with
contractors and clients.
8. Confidence
Leaders help subordinates to excel at their work and every aspect of life by expressing
confidence in their abilities. They listen to employees' worries about their work, provide
positive feedback and ensure the office environment brings out the best in them.
9. Morale
Leadership enhances employees' morals by gaining their trust. It assures employees with a
leader's confidence in their ability to fulfil the vision and mission of the organization. High
ethics among employees reduces frustration and encourages them to give of their energy to
achieve organizational goals.
10. Growth
The best leaders create the environment where others can grow. They are open to new ideas
and ways to get results and adapt to their mistakes. Successful leaders encourage subordinates
to provide input into how work processes can be improved and to reward excellence in order
to increase efficiency and reliability.
11. Integration
Effective leadership balances personal interests with organizational goals. Leaders know that
employees have their own reasons for working with their company. They create an
environment in which an organization can achieve its goals without sacrificing staff
satisfaction.

LEADERSHIP STYLES
The style of leadership depends on the type of control the leader uses in the group and in its
behaviour. There are 3 different leadership styles that look like-

1. Autocratic Style of Leadership-

It is also known as a leader-cantered style. Under this leadership style there is a complete
integration of authority into the leader i.e., authority is focused on the leader himself. He has
all the power to make decisions. He designs the workload of his employees and has strict
control over them. Their subordinates are bound to follow his precepts and instructions.
Benefits:
(I) An independent leadership style allows for quick decision-making.
(ii) Provides strong motivation and satisfaction for goal-setting leaders.
(iii) This style may produce better results when greater speed is required.
Disadvantages:
(I) It leads to frustration, low morals and conflict between subordinates,
(ii) Subordinates tend to evade responsibility and take the initiative.

2. Participative or Democratic-

Under this style, a leader divides and delegates superior authority to his subordinates. You
make your final decision only after consulting with subordinates. Two-way communication is
used. While giving most of the authority to the subordinates, he outlines the limits to which
people can work. Democrats are very concerned about the people and the workplace.
Benefits
(I) The exchange of ideas between subordinates and the leader promotes job satisfaction and
morality.
(ii) Human values receive appropriate recognition that promotes positive attitudes and
reduces resistance to change.
(iii) Absenteeism and staff numbers are reduced.
(iv) The decision level is improved.

Disadvantages:
(I) The process of democratic leadership is time consuming and may result in delays in
decision-making.
(ii) It does not work well if the participation of subordinates is due to the name.
(iii) Consulting with others in decision-making is contrary to the leader's ability to make
decisions.

3. Free Rein or Laissez Fair Style:

Under this style, the manager gives complete freedom to his subordinates. All the decision-
making authority is vested in them. There is little leadership intervention so the team works
on its own. There is a free flow of communication. In this style the manager does not use
force but keeps contact with them. The lower castes must exercise self-control. This style
helps the lower ones to develop an independent personality.
Benefits:
(I) Positive impact on job satisfaction and subordinate behaviour.
(ii) Provides an opportunity for action by subordinates.
(iii) The size of the sub-development area.

Disadvantages:
(I) Under this leadership style, there is no leadership at all.
(ii) Their subordinates do not receive the guidance and support of a leader.
(iii) Subordinates may travel in different directions and may serve for a variety of purposes
which may create a problem for the organization.
A free leadership style may be appropriate when subordinates are well-trained,
knowledgeable, motivated and ready to take on responsibilities.

CONCLUSION
In short, leadership is seen as a process of directing, motivating and directing the activities of
others in achieving the goal. It involves the ability to influence others. Leadership often
involves relocation due to special skills or features and may be formal or informal within the
organization. It can be seen that there are different leadership styles especially based on the
idea that there are specific behaviours developed together as leadership styles. Each style has
a specific purpose and objectives and its functionality varies depending on the context,
characteristics of the leader and the fans working on it. It is proved that from above the texts
each leadership style has its advantages and disadvantages and can be used to advantage
according to the situation. Many studies suggest that, compared to different leadership styles,
transformational leadership is better than other styles because of a clear vision,
empowerment, empathy, independence, career development opportunities and learning. In
addition, leadership plays an important role in the success of organizational capacity and
performance. Success can be achieved by training staff at the management level can be less
expensive and more beneficial than changing many organizational changes. Some researchers
suggest that visionary leadership can help a higher level of performance in a new
organizational environment. Additional research and courses are needed to develop effective
leadership style and its impact on organizational success.

Name- Siya Gumber

Course- B.Com(Hons)
Section – 4B
Subject – Psychology