© 2005 Thomas and Joan Read Center IDIS – 444 ISSUES IN LEADERSHIP What is Leadership?

© 2005 Thomas and Joan Read Center

IDIS – 444ISSUES IN LEADERSHIP

What is Leadership?



A Leadership Story:

•A group of workers and their leaders have the task of clearing a road through a dense jungle on a remote island to get to the coast where an estuary provides a perfect site for a port.

•The leaders organize the work force into efficient units and monitor the progress which is excellent. The leaders continue to monitor and evaluate the project, making adjustments along the way to ensure the progress is maintained and efficiency is increased wherever possible.

•Then, one day during all the hustle and bustle and activity, one person climbs up a nearby tree. That person surveys the scene from the top of the tree.

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•And shouts down to the assembled group below…..

•“Wrong Way!”…….

•(Story adapted from Stephen Covey (2004) “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” Simon & Schuster).

•“Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things” (Warren Bennis and Peter Drucker)

A Leadership Story:

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PlanningSelect goals and

ways to obtain them

ControllingMonitor activities and

Make corrections

OrganizingAssign authority and

responsibilityfor task accomplishment

DirectingMotivate and coordinate

employees

StaffingRecruit and obtain

employees

THE TRADITIONAL FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT



Category Role ActivityInformational Monitor Seek and receive information, scan periodicals and reports, maintain

personal contacts.

Disseminator Forward information to other organization members; send memos and reports; make phone calls.

Spokesperson Transmit information to outsiders through speeches, reports, memos.

Interpersonal Figurehead Perform ceremonial and symbolic duties such as greeting visitors, signing legal documents.

Leader Direct and motivate subordinates; train, counsel, and communicate with subordinates

Liaison Maintain information links both inside and outside organization; use mail, phone calls, meetings.

Decisional Entrepreneur Initiate improvement projects; identify new ideas; delegate idea responsibility to others

DisturbanceHandler

Take corrective action during disputes or crises; resolve conflicts among subordinates; adapt to environmental crises.

Resource allocator

Decide who gets resources; schedule, budget, set priorities

Negotiator Represent department during negotiation of union contracts, sales purchases, budgets; represent departmental interests.

Manager Roles



Planning and budgetingKeeping eye on bottom lime

Organizing and staffingDirecting and controllingCreate boundaries

Focusing on objects – producing/selling goods servicesBased on position powerActing on boss

Emotional distanceExpert mindTalkingConformityInsight into organization

Maintains stability

COMPARING MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP

Creating vision and strategyKeeping eye on horizon

Creating shared culture and valuesHelping others growReduce boundaries

Focusing on people-inspiring and motivating followersBased on personal powerActing as coach, facilitator, servant

Emotional connections (Heart)Open mind (Mindfulness)Listening (Communication)Nonconformity (Courage)Insight into self (integrity)

Creates change, often radical change

Management Leadership

Direction

Alignment

Relationships

Personal Qualities

Outcomes



Leadership

Factors Affecting Style

Leadership Theories

Change Leadership

Types of Leadership Styles

A Model of Leadership

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Trait

Transformational

Transactional

Behavioral

Contingency

Leadership

Leadership Theories

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Trait Theories

•Is there a set of characteristics that determine a good leader?

•Earlier Concepts - Height? - Confidence? - Physical Stamina?

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•Present (Leaders Are Different) - Personality? - Dominance and Personal Presence? - Charisma? - Self Confidence? - Achievement? - Knowledge of the Business? - Ability to Formulate a Clear Vision?

Trait Theories

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Implications

•Trait Theories

- Are such characteristics inherently gender biased?

- Do such characteristics produce good leaders?

- Is leadership more than just bringing about change?

- Does this imply that leaders are born not bred?

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Transformational Leadership

•Assumptions - People will follow a person who inspires them;

- A person with vision can achieve great things;

- The way to get things done is by injecting enthusiasm and energy;

•If successful, can bring widespread changes to a business or organization

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•Requires

- Long term strategic planning

- Clear objectives

- Clear vision

- Leading by example – walk the walk

- Efficiency of systems and processes

Implications

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Transactional Leadership

•Based on an exchange between the leader and the follower of reward for applied effort;

•Assumptions - People are motivated by reward and punishment; - Social systems work best with a clear chain of command; - The prime purpose of a subordinate is to do what their manager tells them to do

•Despite considerable research that highlights its limitations, transactional leadership is very popular with many managers

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Implications

•Requires -Focus on the management of the organization

-Focus on procedures and efficiency

-Focus on working to rules and contracts

-Managing current issues and problems

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Behavioral Theory

•Assumptions - Leaders can be made, rather than being born;

- Leaders can be trained;

- Consider the way of doing things

•Behavior theory is easy to develop - Determine success and the actions of leaders

- Identify failures and the actions of leaders

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Implications

•Leader institutes tasks and structures

•Process orientated

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Contingency Theory

•Leader’s ability to lead is contingent upon: - Situational factors

- Leader’s style

- Capabilities and behaviors of followers

•Assumption - Leadership is not a fixed set of characteristics that can be

transposed into different contexts

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Implications

•Success or failure may depend on : - Type of staff

- History of the business

- Culture of the business

- Quality of the relationships

- Nature of the changes needed

- Accepted norms within the business

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Factors Affecting Style

•Risk Factors

•Type of Business

•Necessity for Change

•Nature of the Task

•Organizational Culture

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Types of Leadership Style

•Autocratic

•Participative

•Laissez Faire (Hands off)

•Paternalistic

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Autocratic

•Leader makes decisions without reference to anyone else

•High degree of dependency on the leader

•Can create de-motivation and alienation of staff

•May be valuable in some types of business where decisions need to be made quickly and decisively

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Participative

•Encourages decision making from different perspectives - leadership may be emphasized throughout the organization

- Consultative : process of consultation before decisions are taken

- Persuasive : Leader makes decision and seeks to persuade others

that the decision is correct

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Participative•May help motivation and involvement

•Worker feel ownership of the business and its ideas

•Improves the sharing of ideas and experiences within the business

•Can delay decision making

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Laissez – Faire (Hands off)

•‘Let it be’ – the leadership responsibilities are shared by all;•Can be very useful for a business where creative ideas are important;•Can be highly motivational, as people have control over their working life;•Coordination and decision making can be time-consuming and may lack an overall direction; •Relies on good team work;•Relies on good interpersonal relations

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Paternalistic

•Leader acts as a ‘father figure’

•Paternalistic leader makes decision but may consult with followers

•Believes in the need to support followers

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Change Leadership

•The most challenging aspect of business is leading and managing change;•The business environment is subject to fast-paced economic and social change;•Modern business must adapt and be flexible to survive;•Problems in leading change results from the way in which people are managed;•Leaders need to be aware of how change impacts employees

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Elements Associated With Change Management

•The Problem

•The Solution-Selling the idea-Resentment and alienation-Resignation-Acceptance-Internalization

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Self-Esteem And Change Management

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Self-esteem

Time

1. Immobilization – as rumors of the change circulate, the individual feels some sense of shock and possible disbelief – so much so that they deem it worthy of doing nothing.

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2. Minimization: As the change becomes clearer, people attempt to believe that their own personal position will not change and may try to believe that the change will not affect them.

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3. Depression: as reality begins to sink in, employees may feel alienated and angry. Feelings of a lack of control of events overtake people and they feel depressed as they try to reconcile what is happening with their own personal situation.

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4. Acceptance/letting go: The lowest point in self-esteem finally occurs when employees start to accept the inevitable. Fear of the future is a feature of this stage.

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5. Testing the change: Individuals begin to interact with the change, they start to ask questions to see how they might work with the change.

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6. Search for meaning: Individuals begin to work with the change and see how they might be able to make the change work for them – self esteem begins to rise.

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7. Internalization: the change is understood and adopted within the individual’s own understanding – they now know how to work with the change and feel a renewed sense of confidence and self esteem.



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Achieving Leadership

Managing Your Boss

Managing Your Direct Reports

Managing Your Peers

Documents

© 2005 Thomas and Joan Read Center IDIS – 444 ISSUES IN LEADERSHIP What is Leadership?