WEEK 3

 
FUNCTIONS OF LEADERSHIP
When performing the functions of an
organizational leader, the public administrator
must take into consideration not only the
administrative structures of the organization, but
also the behavior of people.
A leader takes his place before a group as he organizes its
activities into effective means of attaining planned goals.
He combines the uses of his ability with that of his people
in making decisions about plans and their implementation
which will stand up when reviewed by others. He uses not
only his position and authority but also his influence and
persuasiveness for his people to accept and follow those
decisions. He does his leadership functions within the
culture of the organization, such as deeply-ingrained
values of utang na loob (debt of gratitude), hiya (shame),
the compadrazco (kinship and middleman) system.
Ideally, a leader is the key to whom subordinates turn to for solution of
organizational problems met along the way. In doing so, he brings into play
the leadership functions inherent in his position. No less important, he should
be committed to solve the problems.
 
Any form of success in the exercise of his leadership functions rests principally
on his ability to make decisions, to gain his people’s acceptance of such
decisions, and to plan and execute plans based on these decisions. Thus, he
develops the skills related to his leadership functions.
 
Secure in the knowledge that his people support him in the exercise of his
leadership functions and after examining his values and options, he then
organizes his actions into a compatible work program for the organization.
It should be realized, however, that a leader is successful only in what
he does in each situation. As such, he is compelled at every
opportunity to seek for adequate solutions to problems that may
arise to effect achievement of desired goals. However certain
conditions may be considered problems it they are perceived as such.
A problem can be solved only if there is an earnest desire to solve it.
 
Moreover, the needs of the people can only be met by their
productive efforts which strive to meet those needs. In this endeavor,
the leader shoulders the bulk of the responsibilities.
Ideally, he is not only sufficiently equipped with the
leader’s know-how but he is also genuinely interested
in the development of people. While he is capable of
changing the behavior or attitudes of people, he
should not seek the change simply to dominate them
for personal interest but for them to develop their
capability in solving organizational problems.
 IN THE ANALYSIS OF LEADERSHIP, THE FOLLOWING
CONCEPTS ON LEADERSHIP SHOULD BE CLEARLY
UNDERSTOOD:

1.Leadership is the act of leading people to achieve a specific

goal of the organization or system.

2.Due to an individual’s limited capacity a leader is expected

to share his responsibility to others with a well-defined set
of functions for each.
3.Responsibility is derived from the objectives of the
organization and the functi8ns of the leader.

4.Responsibility is the obligation of an individual to perform

a set of tasks to the best of his ability and within the limits of
the resources of the organization.

5.Responsibility should be equipped with proper authority

bounded and sustained by adequate accountability to the
highest level of the organization.
6.Authority is derived from responsibility with the
right to decide and command.

7.Responsibility and authority are delegated to a

leader by a higher authority, such delegation
presupposes the grant from a higher source to a lower
position, without completely disregarding the
individual concerned or involved.
Since the success of an organization is a measurement of
the effectiveness of his leadership, a leader devotes the
full-range of his task to the organizational performance.
As such, he endeavors to transform an ordinary
“organization man” to an exceptional “organization
leader.”
The best way to make this plan possible is for him to provide
potential leaders the training and the opportunity to build up
and develop-p their management capability and leadership
skill. They should be assigned as project managers and to
solve some organizational problems. This is a difficult but
necessary task if he is to succeed in performing his leadership
functions.
Indeed, very often, the leader’s success in the
development of his people rests on his personal
commitment to bring about not only change but also
growth in the organization. He attains this not only by
his ability to recognize organizational needs and
personal requirements but also to responds accurately to
the demands of organizational and personal
environment and situations.
HENRY R. KNUDSON, JR. IDENTIFIES THE FOLLOWING
IMPORTANT INTERNAL FORCES THAT AFFECT A
PERSON’S LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES:

HENRY R. KNUDSON, JR.

American Author

Human Elements of Administration

1.His value system, including his attitudes towards
such organizational efficiency, personal growth of
subordinates, and allocation of responsibility

2.His confidence in his subordinates

3.His own leadership inclinations

4.His feelings of security in an uncertain situation.

A leader can enhance his effectiveness in the
performance of his leadership functions. To
do this, he needs to know the nature of his
organization, the behavior of his people, and
the environment in which they necessarily
move.
A leader must learn to control himself and, in meeting
the goals of the organization, he must not only inspire his
people as he works with them but he should also be able
to share with them his values, expectations, and personal
goals. He must wield his full understanding of
organization and human nature to sustain his leadership.
Leadership is essential to the gaining of the cooperative
effort in the organization in solving problems of common
interest.
Exercising his leadership functions depends, of
course, on the degree of preparation he has
made for the tasks ahead.
A leader cannot always act as he pleases. There are
certain conditions which he has to consider.
Environment, for example, is an important factor to be
considered in exercising leadership. It is accepted by
social scientist that people live in a universe of order.
Law governs and controls all things. This is to say that a
regularity of causes and effects prevails everywhere. In
keeping with this principle, therefore, all things achieve
effects in relation to their environment, if not to their
causes.
Normally, a leader has to function within the limits
of what he is, and what his organization has made
him or willing to make him. He is expected also to
responds to his environment under the natural law of
cause and effect.
Since he has acquired the techniques and practices of
effective leadership, however, he enjoys a choice of
environment. In certain circumstances, he may even be
in a position to change the nature of his environment.
 
Exercising his leadership functions involves many
people. To be an effective leader, he shares not only his
responsibility, but also his corresponding authority to
others to facilitate the achievement of organizational
goals. In this way, his success rests principally in his
selection of his “lead” man.
However, while he shares his authority with
others, he retains complete responsibility for the
attainment of desired goals of the organization as
demanded by his authority at all times.
 
Moreover, he is accountable not only for his own
performance but also of those of his people.
 
As an organizational leader, he sets the pace for the
performance of his people. He also maintains high
morale among them as his work group by providing the
necessary incentives for gaining and holding whole-
hearted cooperation. He endeavors to adapt them to
the requirements of their jobs.

Because of that, he is thoroughly aware of the

requirements of his organization, as well as the
individual capabilities of his people to undertake their
assigned tasks.
If necessary, a leader provides for the training of
his people in the techniques and skills essential to
the attainment of the organizational objectives. In
doing so, he keeps accurate records of all
operations of the organization and each of his co-
worker’s contribution to the organizational goals.
He establishes standards that can be measured and
provides the necessary tools demanded of the
service. He evaluates their progress against
standards which are fully understood and
recognized by them.
To maintain his leadership status, he keeps his
eyes and ears open for signs of apathy or
discontent. He endeavors to earn the support
and loyalty of his work team by being loyal to
them too. Beyond that, he gave them equal
opportunity to grow and develop. He also
stands ready to support them up and rally to
their cause.
Since the leader’s relationship with his people cannot be
measured by organizational policies and standards only, he
also uses human relations approach to determine their
attitudes, behavior and aspirations. In this effort, he
manifests himself as a true leader by not losing sight of their
fundamental need for dignity, respect and equality as well
as the recognition of their human rights.

These relationships will have to materialize if relations are

based on confidence, trust and cooperation.
AN AMERICAN AUTHOR STATED IT THIS WAY:
A GOOD PERSONALITY IS THE RESULT OF A
COMBINATION OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
THAT TEND TO EVOKE A FAVORABLE REACTION FROM PEOPLE
WITH WHOM THE INDIVIDUAL COMES IN CONTACT.
Leadership is interaction with people. To make it
effective and meaningful for the members of the
work group, the exercise of leadership functions
should be based not only on new perspective from
their experiences, capabilities and aspirations but
also on the principles of good management. To
reject these principles is to be left on one’s own
vision.
It should be recognized, however, that sometimes the
people’s aspirations seen to be ahead of the material
reality of their environment. In such situations, the
leader should bridge the gap between aspirations and
actualities. This could be a challenging responsibility for
the exercise of his leadership functions.
Moreover, no leader is born with all the characteristics of
good leadership. However, what has been exhibited early
enough as certain potentials for the position of leadership
may be further enhanced or honed through experience and
training. Inherited physical and mental attributes
nevertheless make it easier or harder for a leader to
acquire know-how.