4. Leadership Flashcards
Define leadership
the ability to influence a group
toward the achievement of a goal
What is the main criterion for effective leadership?
GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Differentiate Management from Leadership
Leadership:
- can be formal or informal
- long-term objectives
- transformational influence
- CHALLENGES/CREATES status quo
Management:
- FORMAL authority
- day-to-day supervision
- transactional influence
- SUPPORTS/STABILIZES status quo
Summarize a few leadership myths…
- leaders are born not made
- leadership = power (not over people but with people)
- all groups have leaders
- people RESIST leaders (often the need for a leader is accepted)
describe the different roles of different management levels
LOW: supervising, controlling
MIDDLE: organising, leading
HIGH: planning
Name 5 different categories of leadership approaches.
- Leadership as a TRAIT
- Behavioral Theories
- Contingency Theories
- Leader-Member Exchange Theory
- NEW APPROACHES
Summarise the Trait theories…
some people have exceptional characteristics that make them more suitable to be a leader
Name good leadership traits…
- ambition and energy
- desire to lead
- honesty, integrity
- self-confidence
- intelligence
- high self-monitoring
- job-relevant expertise
“Leadership as a trait”: evidence
narcissistic kids got more nominations to have leadership roles (in 22 of 23 classrooms)
- but were not actually better
“Leadership as a trait”: criticism
- no universally valid traits found (to predict leadership)
- unclear evidence of cause and effect of trait-leadership link (e.g. confidence)
Describe the premise of the behavioral theories of leadership.
certain behavior differentiates leaders from non-leaders
–> leadership behavior can be taught
What did the Ohio State Studies (1940s) find?
2 categories of leadership behavior:
– INITIATING STRUCTURE (how defined employee roles are)
– CONSIDERATION (mutual trust, respect, regard for employee feelings)
Blake & Mouton’s “Leadership Grid”
Two Axes:
X: Concern for production
Y: Concern for people
LAISSEZ FAIRE: low, low
DEMOCRATIC: high, high
DICTATORIAL: high production concern, low people concern
LAISSEZ-FAIRE: consequences
low productivity
frustration
aggression
DICTATORIAL: consequences
output increase in short-term
BUT high labour turnover
DEMOCRATIC: consequences
- high performance
- high cohesion
- high satisfaction
Black& Mouton: The Leadership Grid
– what are the limitations of the model?
- model ignores importance of internal/external limits, matter, scenario
–> there will never be 1 universal winning style
Describe the premise of the Contingency Theories
performance depends on the MATCH of leadership style
and how much control the situation gives the leader
Name an example of a Contingency Theory
Fiedler Contingency Model
Summarise the Fiedler Contingency Model
3 factors:
1) leader-member relation: confidence/trust employees have in leader
2) task structure
3) position power e.g. how much influence over hiring, firing, promotions
When is AUTHORITARIAN LEADERSHIP recommended?
- NEW employees (unaware of task)
- limited time
- coordination with various departments
When is AUTHORITARIAN LEADERSHIP NOT recommended?
- employees, tense, fearful, resentful
- high rate of turnover, absenteeism
- employees need to be heard
What leader behaviour is recommended when…
– workers lack self-confidence
SUPPORTIVE LEADERSHIP
What leader behaviour is recommended when…
– ambiguous job
DIRECTIVE LEADERSHIP
