Leadership
January 5, 2008
Leadership is the process of influencing others to work willingly towards an organizational goal and to the best of their capabilities.
Approaches to the problem of leadership have usually fallen under one of the three general headings.
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Trait theories
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Style theories
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Contingency theories
a) Trait Theories
These have concentrated on finding certain characteristics or traits that effective leaders should posses.
Traits that have been identified include:
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Intelligence
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Initiative i.e. capability to perceive a need for action and the urge to do it.
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Self assurance
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Helicopter Vision i.e. the ability to rise above the particulars of a situation and perceive it in its’ relation to the overall environment.
Other traits include:
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Aggressiveness
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Energy
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A drive for achievement or power
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Appearance
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Imagination
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Decisiveness
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Interpersonal skills
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Integrity
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Sociability
Criticism of Trait Theory
1. Possession of all the traits is an impossible ideal
2. These are too many exceptions i.e. people who don’t have the traits but are notably successful leaders.
3. The top 3 traits are necessary but not sufficient to make a good leaders i.e. possession of them doesn’t make one a good leader.
4.The traits are not well defined to be useful in practice.
b) Style Theory of Leadership
This assumes that employees will work harder for managers who employ given styles than they will for a manager who employs other styles. These styles can are:
- Autocratic
- Paternalistic
- Consultative
- Participative
1.Autocratic Style (Telling style)
In the autocratic style, the manager makes decisions and enforces them. He forces subordinates to work by threatening punishment, penalties. i.e. He coerces the subordinates to work.
Strengths
i. Quick decisions can be made when speed is required
ii. It is the most efficient type of leadership for highly programmed nature work e.g. data processing.
Weaknesses:
i. It does not encourage subordinates to give their opinions when his might be useful.
ii. Communication between manager and subordinates will be one way and the manager will not know until afterwards whether his orders have been properly understood.
iii. It does not encourage initiative and commitments from subordinates.
2.Paternalistic (Sells) type
The manager makes decisions and either announces them to the subordinates.
Strengths
i. Employees are made aware of the reason for decisions.
ii. Selling decisions to staff management make them more willing to cooperate.
iii. Staff will have a better idea of what to do when unforeseen events arise coz the manager will have explained the situation.
Weaknesses:
i. Communication is still largely one way and subordinates might not buy his decisions.
ii. It does not encourage initiative and commitment from subordinates.
3.Consultative Style
In this style the manager may suggest ideas and may ask for comments and amend his decisions accordingly or he may present the problem ask for ideas and make decisions from the ideas.
Strengths
i. Employees are involved in decisions before they are made thus encourages motivation.
ii. An agreed consensus can be reached and for some decisions consensus can be of advantage rather than a work compromise.
iii. Employees can contribute their knowledge and experience to help in solving more complex problems.
Weaknesses:
i. Management takes much longer to make decisions.
ii. Subordinates might be too inexperienced to formulate mature opinions and give practical advices.
4.Participative Style
In this style the leader may present a problem to his group of subordinates and asks them to solve it or he may allow subordinates to acts as they wish within specified limits.
Strengths
i. It can provide high motivation and commitment from employees.
ii. Employees are involved in decisions before they are made thus encourages motivation.
iii. An agreed consensus can be reached and for some decisions consensus can be of advantage rather than a work compromise.
iv. Employees can contribute their knowledge and experience to help in solving more complex problems.
Weaknesses:
i. The authority of the manager may be undermined.
ii. Management takes much longer to make decisions.
iii. Subordinates might be too inexperienced to formulate mature opinions and give practical advices
Authoritarian style is generally referred to as structuring style. Democratic style is usually referred to as supporting style. Supportive style usually leads to:
i. Subordinate satisfaction
ii. Lower turnovers and grievances rates
iii. Less inter-group conflict.
However research findings on democratic style have shown:
a. Productivity increase is not very significant.
b. Some people prefer to be directed
c. In repetitive or routine work a structured style of leadership leads to higher productivity therefore in conclusion overall effectiveness in an organization is clearly dependent on more than style alone.
c)Contingency Theory
This takes more specific account on the other variables involved in a leadership situation. In particular the following:
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Task on hand
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Workgroups
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Position of the leader within that workgroup.
They argue that there is no optimum style but the choice of style will depend on the task on hand and the nature of the group.
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