Who Are Leaders and What Is

Leadership
Leader
Someone who can influence others and who has managerial
authority
Leadership(What leaders do)
The processes and behaviors used by someone, such as a
manager, to motivate, inspire, and influence the behaviors of
others.
Managers vs leaders
Ideally, all managers should be leaders
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Approaches (perspectives) to Leadership

1. Trait Approaches to Leadership
Recent research has focused on a limited set
of traits
Emotional intelligence,
mental intelligence,
Drive and motivation,
honesty and integrity,
self-confidence,
knowledge of the business,
charisma

Early Leadership Theories (contd)

2. Behavioral perspetive
a. Identified three leadership styles:
1.Autocratic style: a style in which leader dictates work methods,
makes unilateral decisions and allows less or no participation.
(Initiating structure: the role of the leader in defining his or her
role and the roles of group members.)
2.Democratic style: here leaders involve employees in decision
making, delegate authority and use feedback as an opportunity
for coaching employees.
(Consideration: the leaders mutual trust and respect for group
members ideas and feelings.)

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3.Laissez faire style: hands-off management.

Here leaders let the group make decisions and complete the
work in what ever way it saw fit.
b. Another study Identified two dimensions of leader behavior:
Employee oriented: emphasizing personal relationships
Production oriented: emphasizing task accomplishment

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Early Leadership Theories

3. Situational Approach (contingency perspective)
Assumes that appropriate leader behavior varies from one
situation to another
a. Fiedler contingency model
It proposes that effective group performance depends on
leaders style and the situation.
e.g. performance can be improved by replacing
relationship oriented leader with task oriented and to
change the situation such as improving leader member
relations or changing his control over disciplinary
actions, promotions etc
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b. Situational leadership theory (Hersey and Blanchards)

It focuses on followers readiness.
Readiness refers to followers ability and willingness to complete a task.
Four stages of followers readiness:
1.Unable and unwilling: followers are not competent and confident.
Here leaders should give clear directions (task oriented)
2. Unable but willing: people are motivated but lack the appropriate
skills. Here leaders should be employee oriented and task oriented.
3. Able and unwilling: followers are competent but dont want to do
something. Here leaders should employee oriented to motivate.
4. Able and willing: here leaders are not required to do much and use
delegating style.(Laissez faire)
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c. Path goal theory

It says that the leaders job is to assist followers in attaining their goals
and to provide direction and support needed to ensure that their
goals are compatible with the goals of the organization. (Leaders
reduce followers road blocks)
Robert house identified 4 leadership behaviors which are suitable in
various situations:
1. Directive leader: when tasks are ambiguous and stressful+ conflict.
2. Supportive leader: when subordinates are performing structured
tasks.
3. Participative leader: when subordinates are with internal locus of
control. (empowerment)
4. Achievement oriented leader: when challenging goals are to be
achieved by the followers. (transformational leaders)
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The Power-Influence Perspective

1. Legitimate power
The power a leader has as a result of his or her position.
2. Coercive power
The power a leader has to punish or control.
3. Reward power
The power to give positive benefits or rewards.
4. Expert power
The influence a leader can exert as a result of his or her
expertise, skills, or knowledge.
5. Referent power
The power of a leader that arise because of a persons
desirable resources or admired personal traits.
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Transformational Leadership
Leaders who inspire followers to go beyond their own selfinterests for the good of the organization and to achieve
extra ordinary outcomes.
Transformational leader tries to instill in followers the
ability to question not only established views but also views
held by the leader.
They are empathetic, productive and creative
Research shows that women tend to use transformational
leadership and men tend to use transactional leadership.

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