Ch. 3 Leadership Flashcards
1
Q
Leadership
A
The ability of a person to motivate and inspire a group of people to achieve a common objective.
- Leadership is an action, not a position
2
Q
Managers
A
- individuals in an organization who can effectively manage tasks: finances, production, and purchasing
- may or may not be effective leaders
3
Q
Leaders
A
- Those who are people-oriented and demonstrate respect, concern, and empathy for others in the work setting
- Inspire/motivate staff members to perform work that contributes to organization’s vison and goals
4
Q
6 Leadership Characteristics
A
- Intelligence
- Drive
- Motivation
- Integrity
- Self-Confidence
- Expertise
5
Q
Intelligence
A
- A leadership trait that includes the ability to acquire and retain knowledge and the ability to respond quickly and successfully to new situations
- Not necessarily correlated with educational level
- Must be complimented with other leadership traits
6
Q
Drive
A
- A leadership trait related to the ambition, effort, and risk-taking necessary to succeed
- Willingness to take on difficult tasks and implement new ideas
- The ability to set high standards for themselves and others (not asking others to do what they are not willing to do)
7
Q
Motivation
A
- A leadership trait relating to the realization of a vision or goal
- The need to share that vision with others
- The use of power for the good of the group
- The desire to be a leader
8
Q
Integrity
A
- A leadership trait that is seen in a leader’s reliability, fairness, and credibility to others (consistency between what is said and what is done)
- Honesty
- Trustworthiness
- Impartiality
9
Q
Self-confidence
A
- A leadership trait that involves having confidence and security in oneself to make decisions, take risks, and admit to making mistakes
- Maintains composure in the face of negative criticism
- Demonstrates “grace under pressure”
10
Q
Expertise
A
- A leadership trait that reflects the training and knowledge that a leader has about his specific field
- At lower management levels, more technical expertise is required
- At upper management levels, conceptual expertise is required
11
Q
Other Leadership Characteristics
(besides the 6 major traits)
A
Charisma – personal magnetism
Creativity – ingenuity; new ways to get things done
Flexibility – adaptive to change; react to new information
12
Q
Leadership Styles
A
- Autocratic
- Participative
- Democratic
- Consensus
(Leaders tend to have a predominant style, but move along this continuum depending on the current situation)
13
Q
Autocratic Leadership Style
A
- Leader takes total control, assumes full authority, and takes full responsibility for the area managed
- Sometimes equated to the military model (subordinates expected to carry out decision without question)
- Advantage – takes very little time to reach a decision
- Disadvantage – limited or no input from others
14
Q
Participative Leadership Style
A
- Leader gathers information and seeks input from colleagues or subordinates before taking action
- Advantage – Leaders have a variety of ideas at their disposal; others feel that they have a meaningful role in the process
- Disadvantage – This process takes considerable time and energy to carry out (less efficient); expected to use ideas of subordinates and share credit for success
- potential for rifts between management and employees
15
Q
Democratic Leadership Style
A
- Based on “majority rules”; decisions are made by the group rather than by the manager alone
- Advantage – increases the possibility of making good decisions; responsibility is shared; more employee “buy-in”
- Disadvantages – process is very time-consuming; persons who disagree with the decision may disrupt its implementation
- potential for rifts within the team
