LEADERSHIP

leadership
Definitions:
1. Leadership is the ability of a superior to
influence the behavior of his subordinates and
persuade them to follow a particular course of
action. (Chestar Barnard)
2. Leadership is the process of influencing the people
to direct their efforts in a particular direction to
achieve specific goal .
3. According to Harry Truman” Leadership is the
ability to get the other people to do what they
don’t want to do and like it.”
• Thus leadership is the process of influencing the
activities of an individual or a group for goal
achievement in a given situation.
 Characteristics of Leadership
• It is a process of Influence
• It is related to a specific or given situation.
• It is the function of Stimulation.
• Leadership helps to attain the common objective
• Employees must be satisfied with the type of
leadership provided.
All the above characteristics of leadership functions
hold good in any organization , be it religious,
business or political or any other.
 Nature of leadership
• Performance : Leaders performance itself guides and
motivates the employees.
• Communication: Communication appropriate to a
particular situation should be used by leader .
• Influence: leader must have capability to influence
through effective communication.
• Power Base: The influence depends on the power base
enjoyed by the leaders. The five bases of power are ;
Coercion, Reward, Legitimate, Expert, and reference.
• Interaction; without interaction no one is a leader or a
follower.
 Nature of Leadership(Contd.)
• Acceptance: The power base and interaction are
accepted by followers & the behavior of followers
change by acceptance of leadership.
• Followers: Leadership has followers, the end users.
• Situation: leadership is visible in a situation.
• Attributes: The qualities of a leader are specific. The
main quality is to influence others. Personality,
Skills and Charismatic Influence are other attributes.
 Function of Leadership
The Importance or Significance of leadership will be
clear once we understand its functions
• Determination of Goals.
• Organization of Activities.
• Achieving Coordination.
• Representation of Workers.
• Providing Guidance.
• Inspiration of employees.
• Building Emp[loyee’s morale
• Facilitating Change
 Components of Leadership
• Follower
• Leader
• Communication
• Situation
A leader could be either Formal or Informal.
1. A formal leader is a member of Organization who has
been given authority by virtue of his Position .
2. An informal leader does not possess any organizational
authority to influence others but has special skills and
talent to influence and lead members.
 Attributes of a Leader
Leadership is an Intangible quality whose effectiveness could
be judged by behavior and attitude of followers. Following
are some attribute of a successful leader:
• Ability to Inspire
• Problem Solving Skills
• Emotional Maturity
• Ability to Understand Human Behavior
• Willingness to take Risks
• Dedication to Orgn Goals
• Intelligent
• Foresight and Vision
• Responsibility and Pleasant Personality/Physique
 Leader vs. Manager
• Management is a wider term. Thus manager is more
than a leader.
• Leadership is the part of management but not all of
it.
The basis/attributes on which the differences are to be
mentioned are;
• Scope : Wider of Manager
• Definition
• Authority
• Structure and
• Function
 Styles of Leadership
Leadership Style is divided into following types:
 Styles Based on the Authority Retained
1.Autocratic 2. Democratic 3. Free rein leadership
 Styles based on Task Versus People Emphasis
1.High task low relationship
2. High task high relationship
3.High relationship Low Task
4. Low relationship Low Task
 Styles Based on Assumptions about People
Two-way classification is based on McGregor’s famous
Theory X and Theory Y
 Theories of Leadership
The three important theories of leadership are:
1) Trait Theory
2) Behavioral Theory
3) Situational Theory
 Trait Theory
• It is a traditional approach . It believes in the fact
that “Leaders are Born and not Made”.
• Leader has specific trait of mind and Intelligence.
These trait include Qualities of Heart & Head both.
• Stogdill’s trait factors include:
– Intelligence - Vision and Foresight
– Maturity - Acceptance of Responsibility
– Self Confidence -Inner Motivation Drive
– Open Mind & Adaptability - Human relation Attitude
– Fairness of Objectivity- Personality
 Trait theory
• Edwin Ghiselli’s Personal trait includes following six
qualities as very essential:
– Decisiveness - Intellectual Capacity
– Job achievement Orientation -Self Confidence
– Self actualization feeling - Management ability
In addition some moderately important traits are:
- Personal maturity - Drive & Initiative
- Affinity for working class -need for job Security
- Need for lot of Money
 Limitations of Trait Theory
• List of Personality Traits is not well defined.
• Quantum of traits is also not defined.
• The assumption that Leaders are born is not
accepted to contemporary thinkers.
• Variables like Situation, Task and Organization are
not considered in this theory.
 Behavioral Theory
The Behavioral Theorist contend that Leader’s style is
either EMPLOYEE-Centered or JOB-Centered
Employee Centered Leader Job Centered Leader
i. Treats subordinates as
Human being Emphasizes technical aspects of
ii. Shows concern for their job
well being Relies on work standards , rules
iii. Encourages the & procedures
employees Exercises close supervision.
iv. Involves them in setting
and implementing Goals Employees are seen as tool in
the production process
 Behavioral Theory
There are in between levels of leadership as well.
Leader Continuum identifies four styles of leadership.
These are:
• Autocratic
• Benevolent Autocratic
• Democratic
• Laissez Faire
Since Behavior of People can be Altered , the theory
believes that leaders can be made by training.
 Situational Approach Theory
• This Theory advocates that Leadership is strongly
affected by the Situation from which leader emerges.
• The two factors which affect the leadership
effectiveness are:
– Leader’s Behavior which includes ;
• Leader’s Characteristics and
• Leader’s Hierarchical position
– Situational Factors which includes;
• Group factors
• Leader’s Situation
• Subordinates' Characteristics
• Organizational factors
 Leadership/Managerial Grid
The concept of leadership grid was created by R R Blake and Jane S
Mouton of USA. They used two Phrases to define a leadership style.
Concern for production and Concern for People
The degree of concern for production and people on a 1-9 scale and
possible interactions between them with 1 as low and 9 as high
form the grid.
Here we have 81 possible positions on the grid but the focus is on
five main basic styles. These are
a) The 9,1 Managerial style (task) Production oriented
b) The 1,9 Managerial style (Country Club) People oriented
c) The 1,1 Managerial Style(Impoverished) Worst Style
d) The 5,5 Managerial Style(Middle Road) Maintain balance
e) The9,9 Managerial Style(Team) Peak of leadership style
 Developing Leadership Across the Orgn.
• Leading involves two most important functions;
• Motivating: Inducing the workers to perform well.
• Communicating: Determines success of orgn.
• Comparative style of leading for two countries ie given
below:
American Style Japanese Style
Leader as a head and a Leader as a social Fecilitator.
decision maker. Leadership style is
Leadership style is Directive Parentalistic.
Divergent Values exist. Convergent Values Exist.
Face to Face Confrontation. Confrontation Avoidance.
Top Down Communication. Top Down and bottom up
Communication.