Topic 7

Understanding Leadership in a
Dynamic Environment

Leadership Defined
A responsibility and a process that is an
observable, understandable, learnable set of
skills and practices available to everyone,
anywhere in the organization.

What is leadership
The process of directing and influencing the
task-related activities of group members

Leadership Defined
A responsibility and a process that is an
observable, understandable, learnable set of
skills and practices available to everyone,
anywhere in the organization.
Implications of leadership
1.Leadership involve other people
2.Leadership involve an unequal
distribution of power
3.Leaders can influence subordinates in a
variety of ways

The importance
leadership
1.To direct and supervise
subordinates
2.To influence and motivates
subordinates
3.To encourage teamwork
4.To enhance cooperation
5.To accomplish org objectives

Approaches to the study on

leadership
1. Leader centered approach
2. Follower centered approach
3. Interactive approach

Leader-Centered Approaches
1. Trait focus
2. Behavior focus
3. Power focus
1.

Leader-Centered Approaches
Trait Focus
The assumption that some people are
endowed with certain physical
characteristics (e.g., height,
appearance), aspects of personality
(e.g., self-esteem, dominance,
emotional stability), and aptitudes
(e.g., general intelligence, creativity).

The Trait Approach To Leadership

1.Assumed that leaders were born
and not made.
2.Researchers took two approaches :
i) Compare the traits of leaders and
non leaders
ii) Compare the traits of effective
leaders and ineffective leaders
3.Examples of desirable traits
include wisdom, courage, honesty
and sincerity.

The Trait Approach To Leadership

4.Examples of traits compared
include physical characteristics,
mental ability, charisma, attitude
5.However the trait theory is
inconclusive because of many
conflicting evidence.

Leader-Centered Approaches
Behavior Focus
Examines what effective leaders do rather than what
effective leaders are.
Behavioral Models
Define a leaders effectiveness based on two
orientations:
Task orientation - Setting performance goals,
planning and scheduling work, coordinating
activities, giving directions, setting standards,
providing resources, and supervising worker
performance.
Relations orientation - A behavior that shows
empathy for concerns and feelings, being
supportive of needs, showing trust, and similar
attributes.

The Behavioral Approach To

Leadership
Assumes that leadership
can be learned
Focused on two aspect of
leadership behavior :
i) Leadership function
ii) Leadership style

Leadership Function

A leader performs two major functions:

a) Task related or problem solving
functions
b) Group maintenance or social
functions.

Leadership styles
a) Task oriented styles - focus on
closely supervise subordinates
b) Employee oriented styles - Focus on
motivating rather than controlling
subordinates

The Ohio State University

Studies

Researchers at OSU uses two variables:

a) Initiating structure

b) Consideration
They found that the most effective
leadership styles is High consideration.
However the researchers also found that
effective leadership style also depend on
situational factors. For example Air force
commanders who were rated high on
consideration were less effective

University Of Michigan
Studies
Distinguished between
Production centered and
Employee centered managers
Found that the most effective
leadership style is the
Employee centered.

The Managerial Grid

Developed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton
Identifies five types of leadership styles :
1. Style 1,1- Impoverished mgt. Low concern
for both people and production. Also known
as Laissez-faire management.
2.Style 1,9 - Country club mgt.High concern
employees but low concern for production
3.Style 5,5 - Middle of the road mgt
Intermediate concern for both production
and employees.
4.Style 9,1 - Autocratic mgt. High concern
for production but low concern for people.
5.Style 9,9 -Team or democratic mgt. High
concern for both production and
employees.This is the most effective style.

Likert System Four

Developed by Rensis Likert
Management

Proposed that there are four types of

management styles:
1. Autocratic authoritative - Mgt make all
decisions. Subordinates do not have any
rights to contribute ideas.
2.Benevolent Authoritative - Subordinates
are given some latitude to contribute ideas
but mgt still makes the final decisions.
3.Consultative- Subordinates contributions
are encourage.
4.Participative - Team or democratic styles

Leader-Centered
Approaches
Power Focus

Slide 4 of 4

The ability to marshal human,

informational, or material resources to
get something done.

Two Categories of Power

Position power: Power derived from the
opportunities inherent in a persons
position in an organization.
Personal power: Power derived from the
interpersonal relationships between
leaders and followers.

Forms of Position
Power
Legitimate Power

Power that stems from formal authority.

Some people accept this power, as long as
it is not abused, because they attribute
legitimacy to the formal position and to
the person who holds that position.
Coercive Power
The power to discipline, punish, and
withhold rewards.
Coercive power is important largely as a
potential, rather than an actual, influence.

Forms of Position Power

For example, the threat of being disciplined

for not getting to work on time may be effective
in changing an employees behavior.
Reward Power
Derived from control over tangible benefits,
such as a promotion, a better job, a better work
schedule, or some form of recognition.
For reward power to be influential, the
employee must value the rewards.
Information Power
Control over information that involves the
leaders power to access and distribute
information that is either desired or vital to
others.

Forms of Personal
Expert Power Power

The power to influence another person

because of expert knowledge and
competence.
Computer specialists often have substantial
expert power in organizations because they
have technical knowledge that others need.
Referent Power
The ability to influence others based on
personal liking, charisma, and reputation.
It is manifested through imitation or
emulation.
Much of the power wielded by strong
political leaders, professional athletics,
musicians, and artists is referent power.

Power Orientation
Personalized Power Orientation
Associated with a strong need for esteem
and status; power is often used
impulsively.
Socialized Power Orientation
The use of power for the benefit of others
to make subordinates feel strong and
responsible.

Follower-Centered Approaches
1.Self-Leadership Focus
2.Leadership substitutes

Follower-Centered
Approaches
Self-Leadership Focus
Self-leadership, sometimes referred to
as followership, is a paradigm founded
on creating an organization of leaders
who are ready to lead themselves.

Characteristics of selfleadership

1.Capacity to motivate themselves

2.Loyalty to the organization
3.Stay focus on tasks
4.Understanding of the org
5.Willingness to take the initiative
6.Skilfulness and flexibility
7.Responsible for their actions

Leadership substitutes

Variables that tend to outweigh or

prevents the leader from having
an effect on a follower
performance.
Also known as Neutralizer.
Three major variables of
Leadership substitutes
1. Individual characteristics
2.Task characteristics
3.Organizational characteristics.

Follower-Centered
Approaches
Leadership Substitutes
Individual characteristics
Experience
Training
Ability
Professional orientation
Indifference to organizational rewards

Follower-Centered
Approaches
Leadership Substitutes
Task characteristics
Degree of intrinsic satisfaction
Degree of repetitiveness
Degree of structure or feedback

Follower-Centered
Approaches
Leadership Substitutes
Organizational characteristics
Degree of formality
Degree of flexibility
Amount of cohesiveness
Independence of reward structure
Degree of spatial distance from manager

Interactive Approaches
Interactive Approaches
Another method of examining leadership
effectiveness is to look at how leaders
interact with their followers.

The three approaches covered:

Situational leadership model
Empowerment
Transformational leadership

Interactive Approaches
Situational Leadership Model
Examines the interaction between
leadership behavior, the situation, and
the followers readiness.
Readiness - The extent to which a subordinate
possesses the ability and willingness to
complete a specific task.
Task behavior - The extent to which a leader
organizes and defines the role of followers by
explaining what each person must do and
when, where, and how tasks are to be
accomplished.

Interactive Approaches
Situational Leadership Model
Four styles of leadership behavior:
Telling style - The leader provides specific
instructions and closely supervises performance.
Selling style - The leader explains decisions and
provides opportunities for clarification.
Participating style - The leader shares ideas and
maintains two-way communication to encourage
and support the skills subordinates have
developed.
Delegating style - The leader provides the
subordinates with few task or relations
behaviors.

Hersey and Blanchards

Situational leadership
theory(life-cycle theory)

1.Formulated by Paul Hersey and

Kenneth Blanchard
2.Hold that the most effective
leadership style varies with the
maturity of subordinates.
3.Maturity is not define in terms of
age or emotional stability but a
desire for achievement, etc

Stage 1 - Telling Stage

High Task A directive leadership is needed.
A non directive leader will create anxiety
and confusions among new workers
Low relationship Managers and
subordinates are in the process of knowing
each other.

Stage 2 - Selling Stage

High Task Detail instructions is still
essential because subordinates are not yet
able to function without the structure
High Relationship Subordinate need the
support and encouragement from the leader

Stage 3 - Participating
Stage

Low Task - Subordinates have more

ability.Therefore the leader will no
longer need to be as directive.
High Relationship The leader will
still have to be supportive.

Stage 4 - Delegating Stage

Low Task, Low Relationship
Subordinates become more
confident, self directing and
experienced.
Followers no longer need
direction.They are on their own.

Interactive Approaches

Empowerment
The interaction of the leader giving away or
sharing power with those who use it to become
involved and committed to independent, highquality performance.
Successful empowerment means that everyone
has been convinced that he or she makes a
difference to the success of the organization.
Transformational Leadership
The interaction process of the leaders behavior
and attitudes with the attitudes and behaviors of
followers.
e.g Leaders promotes innovation and creativity and
subordinates should try new approaches.

The Path-Goal Approach

To Leadership
1.Formulated by Martin Evans and
Robert House
2.Based on the Expectancy Model
3.Focuses on the leader as a source
of rewards.I.e Managers must clarify
the availability of rewards and what
subordinates must do to earn them.

Four Leadership Styles

Based On The Path Goal
Theory

1.Directive- Provide detail

instructions and guidelines
2.Supportive- Show concern for
the needs of subordinates
3.Participative
4.Achievement oriented influence
subordinates to have a strong need
for success

What is the situational

approaches to
leadership?

The situational approaches to

leadership focuses on the
situational factors influencing
managerial style.
It assumes that there is no one
best leadership style .I.e effective
leadership depends on situational
factors

Situational Factors in
Leadership Effectiveness
1.The leaders personality, past
experiences and expectations.
2.The expectations and behavior of
superiors
3.Subordinates characteristic,
expectations and behaviors
4.Task requirements
5.Organizational culture and policies
6.Peers expectation and behavior

Interactive Approaches
Primary Dimensions of Transformational Leadership
Dimension

Leaders Specific Behavior

Followers Behavior

Individualize
Consideration

Mentors; is attentive to
achievement and growth
needs

Is motivated, feels
valued

Intellectual
Stimulation

Promotes innovation and

creativity; reframes
problems

Is encouraged to be
novel and try new
approaches

Interactive Approaches
Primary Dimensions of Transformational Leadership
Dimension

Leaders Specific Behavior

Followers Behavior

Inspirational
Motivation

Provides meaning and

challenge through prosocial,
collective action

Is aroused by team
spirit; enthusiastic;
optimistic

Idealized
Influence

Shares risks; is considerate

of others over own needs; is
ethical and moral

Shows admiration;
respect; trust

Leader-Centered
Approaches
Leader-Centered
Approaches

Focus on traits, leader behaviors, and

power.
Trait Focus
The assumption that some people are
endowed with certain physical
characteristics (e.g., height, appearance),
aspects of personality (e.g., self-esteem,
dominance, emotional stability), and
aptitudes (e.g., general intelligence,
creativity).
Behavior Focus
Examines what effective leaders do rather
than what effective leaders are.

Leader-Centered
Approaches
Trait Focus (cont.)

According to trait focused research, successful

leaders tend to possess the following traits:
Drive, motivation, honesty and integrity, selfconfidence, conceptual ability, and business
knowledge.
Behavioral Models
Define a leaders effectiveness based on two
orientations:
Task orientation - Setting performance goals,
planning and scheduling work, coordinating
activities, giving directions, setting standards,
providing resources, and supervising worker
performance.

Leader-Centered
Approaches
Relations orientation
- A behavior that shows

empathy for concerns and feelings, being

supportive of needs, showing trust, and similar
attributes.
Power Focus
The ability to marshal human, informational,
or material resources to get something done.
Two Categories of Power
Position power: Power derived from the
opportunities inherent in a persons position
in an organization.
Personal power: Power derived from the
interpersonal relationships between leaders
and followers.

Forms of Position Power

Legitimate Power
Power that stems from formal authority.
Some people accept this power, as long as it is not
abused, because they attribute legitimacy to the
formal position and to the person who holds that
position.
Coercive Power
The power to discipline, punish, and withhold
rewards.
Coercive power is important largely as a potential,
rather than an actual, influence.
For example, the threat of being disciplined for not
getting to work on time may be effective in changing
an employees behavior.

Forms of Position Power

Reward Power
Derived from control over tangible
benefits, such as a promotion, a better
job, a better work schedule, or some
form of recognition.
For reward power to be influential, the
employee must value the rewards.

Information Power
Control over information that involves
the leaders power to access and
distribute information that is either
desired or vital to others.

Forms of Personal Power

Expert Power
The power to influence another person
because of expert knowledge and
competence.
Computer specialists often have substantial
expert power in organizations because they
have technical knowledge that others need.
Referent Power
The ability to influence others based on
personal liking, charisma, and reputation. It
is manifested through imitation or emulation.
Much of the power wielded by strong political
leaders, professional athletics, musicians, and
artists is referent power.

Power Orientation
Personalized Power Orientation
Associated with a strong need for
esteem and status; power is often used
impulsively.

Socialized Power Orientation

The use of power for the benefit of
others to make subordinates feel strong
and responsible.

Follower-Centered
Approaches
Self-Leadership Focus
Self-leadership, sometimes referred to
as followership, is a paradigm founded
on creating an organization of leaders
who are ready to lead themselves.

Leadership Substitutes
Variables such as individual, task, and
organizational characteristics.
Neutralizer
A condition that counteracts leader behavior
and/or prevents the leader from having an
effect on a follower or a specific situation.

Interactive Approaches

Interactive Approaches

Another method of examining leadership

effectiveness is to look at how leaders
interact with their followers.
The three approaches covered:
Situational leadership model
Empowerment
Transformational leadership

Interactive Approaches
Situational Leadership Model
Examines the interaction between
leadership behavior, the situation, and
the followers readiness.
Readiness - The extent to which a subordinate
possesses the ability and willingness to
complete a specific task.
Task behavior - The extent to which a leader
organizes and defines the role of followers by
explaining what each person must do and
when, where, and how tasks are to be
accomplished.

Interactive Approaches
Situational Leadership Model
Four styles of leadership behavior:
Telling style - The leader provides specific
instructions and closely supervises performance.
Selling style - The leader explains decisions and
provides opportunities for clarification.
Participating style - The leader shares ideas and
maintains two-way communication to encourage
and support the skills subordinates have
developed.
Delegating style - The leader provides the
subordinates with few task or relations behaviors.

Interactive Approaches
Empowerment
The interaction of the leader giving away
or sharing power with those who use it
to become involved and committed to
independent, high-quality performance.
Successful empowerment means that
everyone has been convinced that he or
she makes a difference to the success of
the organization.

Interactive Approaches
Transformational Leadership
The interaction process of the leaders
behavior and attitudes with the attitudes
and behaviors of followers.
There are four primary dimensions of
transformational leadership: idealized
influence, inspirational motivation,
intellectual stimulation, and individual
consideration.

Interactive Approaches
Primary Dimensions of Transformational Leadership
Dimension

Leaders Specific Behavior

Followers Behavior

Individualize
Consideration

Mentors; is attentive to
achievement and growth needs

Is motivated, feels valued

Intellectual
Stimulation

Promotes innovation and

creativity; reframes problems

Is encouraged to be novel
and try new approaches

Interactive Approaches
Primary Dimensions of Transformational Leadership
Dimension

Leaders Specific Behavior

Followers Behavior

Inspirational
Motivation

Provides meaning and

challenge through prosocial,
collective action

Is aroused by team spirit;

enthusiastic; optimistic

Idealized
Influence

Shares risks; is considerate of

others over own needs; is
ethical and moral

Shows admiration; respect;

trust

Women as Leaders
The number of women in leadership
positions has increased steadily since
1970.
Women occupy slightly over 25 percent
of the supervisory positions in U.S.
industry and just 11 percent of senior
executive positions in Fortune 500
companies, although they represented
51% of the population in 1999.

Principles of Leadership
Effectiveness

Know yourself.
Be a role model.
Learn to communicate with your ears open and
your mouth shut.
Know your team and be a team player.
Be honest with yourself as well as to others.
Do not avoid risks.
Believe in yourself.
Take the offense rather than the defense.
Know the ways of disagreement and the means
of compromise.
Be a good follower.