Exam Flashcards
Leadership As A Trait
- Everyone brings certain qualities as leaders to the table
- Debate on whether leaders are born or made
- Arguing leaders are born makes it elitist enterprise
Leadership As An Ability
- Person who has ability to lead means has capacity to lead
* While often refers to natural capacity ability can be acquired
Trait Approach
- Pre 1930’s
- Called “great man theories” looking for innate elements made good leaders
Later started linking big 5 personalities to being good leaders or not
Behavioural Approach
- What they do and how they act
- Behavior theories hit high in the 60’s when Milton explored how managers use task and relationship behaviours in an organized setting
Situational Approach
- Different situations demand different types of leadership
- Revised and devised from 60’s-90’s
- Path-goal theory main elements which talks about how leaders use employee motivation to enhance performance
Relational Approach
- Relations between leaders and followers
* Then evolved into leader-member exchange theory: high quality relations lead to better outcomes
New Leadership Approach
- 1980’s
- Main theory was Transformational Leadership Theory: describes leadership as process that changes people and organizations
Leadership Is A Skill
Leadership is a competency used to complete a task effectively
Leaders skilled in knowing means to carry out compentencies and responsibilities
Describing as skill makes available to everyone as skills can be learned and are not innate
Leadership As A Behaviour
What leaders do when in leadership role
Unlike others, LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOUR OBSERVABLE
Task vs. Process Behaviours
Task behaviour to complete the task
Process Behaviour behaviour to make followers comfortable with one another and in the environment
Leadership As A Relationship
Centred on communication between leaders and followers
Leader affects follower and both leader and follower affected by the world around them
Leadership not a one-way street but interactive event
Relationship implies that leaders include followers in decisions cand care about needs and desires
Leadership As A Relationship
Centred on communication between leaders and followers
Leader affects follower and both leader and follower affected by the world around them
Leadership not a one-way street but interactive event
Relationship implies that leaders include followers in decisions and care about needs and desires
Leadership as An Influence Process
- Interactive event that occurs between leaders and followers
- Influence essential in leadership as must influence followers to complete tasks bound together by common goals and values
- Leadership about constructive change while management about establishing order
Positive Leadership Attributes
• Trustworthy • Foresightedpositivebilds confience • intelligent • Win-winproblem solver • Administrativley skilled • Excellence orietned • Just • Plans ahead • Dynamic • Motivational • Decisive • Commnicative • Coordinator • Honest • Encouraging • Motivator • Dependableeffective bargainer • Informed Team builder
Negative Attributes
- Loner
- Irritable
- Ruthless
- Asocial
- Nonexplicit
- Dictatorial
- Noncooperative
- Egocentric
Dark Side of Leadership
- Destructive side where uses influence for personal gain and neglecting followers interests and common goal
- Evil leaders will prevail when checks and balances of organization are week
Definition of Leadership
Leadership involves identifying a vision or goal and inspiring, aligning, and motivating others to work with the leader to realize the goal
Leadership should involve a relationship of mutual influence and respect between those in a leadership role and followers.
6 main leadership traits
- Intelligence
- Confidence
- Charisma
- Determination
- Sociability
- Integrity
What is Intelligence?
Good language skills, perceptual skills, and the ability to persuade
While difficult to change IQ, most leaders absorb as much relevant information of what’s going on around them as possible
What is Confidence
Certain they can accomplish their goals
Don’t second guess: builds legitimacy among followers
must feel good about one’s self to be confident
Confidence also stems from knowing what is required of you
Practice builds confidence because practice makes you better at a task
What is Charisma?
Refers to magnetic charm and appeal aka. JFK
Seems like a challenge as charisma is seemingly natural
Leaders who are not charismatic react diligently
Scholars concluded the main elements of charisma
First, embody values that they represent (Gandhi)
Second, competence in every aspect of leadership
Third, Clear goals and strong values (MLK)
Fourth, High expectations of followers and express great confidence in their abilities
Inspiration to others (JFK and MLK)
What is Determination?
Focused and attentive to tasks
Know where going and how to get there
Deciding to get jo done (persistence, initiative, drive)
Assertive and won’t shy away from obstacles
Determination easiest to acquire by all of those who lead
What is Sociability?
Capacity to engage in social relationships
People want leaders who are friendly and easy to talk to
Easier for followers to listen and obey is social
Can be introverted as social by being kind and thoughtful
What is Integrity?
Possess honesty and trustworthiness
People who take responsibility for actions exhibiting integrity
People with integrity liked by others because they are trusted that when they say they will do something it will get done
Good children truthful same as good leaders honest
Encompasses coming to peace with reality and perpetuating that to others
Challenge is to strike the balance of being candid while also being kind and thoughtful
Leadership Traits in Practice
George Washington
• Kept America together
• Demonstrated integrity virtuousness, and wisdom in leadership
• Read a lot
• Tall and regal
• predictability made him trustworthy to the public
Winston Churchill
• Not exceptional in any parts of life
• Despite this accepted leader spoke plainly, was informed, and was decisive
• Was ambitious not out of self-interest but for how it would help others
Mother Theresa
• Fearless humble and spiritual
• Never owned more than those she served
• Even when criticized about views never wavered
Bill Gates
• Task-oriented visionary and intelligent
• Aggressive and assertive when need be
• When appeared before congress to defend company unwaveringly defended
• Stated never finish line only bringing people into work on products
Oprah
• Amazing communicator
• Sincere determined and inspirational
Big 5 Personality Traits
Openness: This trait features characteristics such as imagination and insight.1 People who are high in this trait also tend to have a broad range of interests. They are curious about the world and other people and eager to learn new things and enjoy new experiences
Conciencouisness: Standard features of this dimension include high levels of thoughtfulness, good impulse control, and goal-directed behaviours. Highly conscientious people tend to be organized and mindful of details. They plan ahead, think about how their behaviour affects others, and are mindful of deadlines.
Extraversion: Extraversion (or extroversion) is characterized by excitability, sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness, and high amounts of emotional expressiveness
Agreeableness: This personality dimension includes attributes such as trust, altruism, kindness, affection, and other prosocial behaviours. People who are high in agreeableness tend to be more cooperative while those low in this trait tend to be more competitive and sometimes even manipulative.
Neuroticism: Neuroticism is a trait characterized by sadness, moodiness, and emotional instability. Individuals who are high in this trait tend to experience mood swings, anxiety, irritability, and sadness. Those low in this trait tend to be more stable and emotionally resilient.
Differentiating Leadership Traits?
Determination: reflects a high level of effort, achievement, ambition, energy, tenacity, initiative
Leadership Motivation: desire to lead and influence others, possibly also a need for power
Honesty and Integrity: do what you say you are going to do, be truthful
Self-Confidence: important for decision making and gaining the trust of others
Cognitive Ability: capacity to deal with a large volume of information and make decisions
Knowledge of the Business: know your company, know your industry
Other possible factors? charisma, creativity/originality, flexibility
The trait of honesty has also been noted by Kouzes and Posner in their book, “The Leadership Challenge” as the #1 trait that managers look for in their leaders. This was based on a survey of thousands of managers, across many countries.
Elements studied in History of Strength-Based Leadership
- First, Galp organization study over 2 million people and compared and contrasted strengths
- Second, positive psychology emerged from flaws in disease model
Gallup Organization Strength Finder
How are strengths measured from the Gallup perspective? Gallup’s StrengthsFinder is a 177-item questionnaire that identifies “the areas where you have the greatest potential to develop strengths” (Rath, 2007, p. 31). After taking this questionnaire, you receive a list of your five strongest talents. You can build on these talents, furthering your personal growth and development. The questionnaire, which takes about 30 minutes to complete, is available through an access code that appears in the back of strengths books published by Gallup. It is also available on the organization’s website at www.strengthsfinder.com.
more focus on application to the workplace
mostly looks at themes of human talent not strength which are static
4 domains of strength leadership
executing:
Achiever - one with a constant drive for accomplishing tasks
Arranger - one who enjoys orchestrating many tasks and variables to a successful outcome
relationship building
adaptability - one who is especially adept at accommodating to changes in direction/plan
Developer - one who sees the untapped potential in others
influencing
Activator - one who acts to start things in motion
Command - one who steps up to positions of leadership without fear of confrontation
strategic thinking
Analytical - one who requires data and/or proof to make sense of their circumstances
Context - one who is able to use the past to make better decisions in the present
Values In Action Institute
More encompassing and virtue oriented then Gallup
Wisdom and knowledge/ cognitive strengths; strong in creativity and curiosity
Courage/ Emotional Strengths; strong in authenticity and bravery
Humanity/ interpersonal strengths; strong in kindness and love
Justice/ civic rights; strong in fairness and teamwork
Temperance/ strengths over excess; strong in forgiveness and modesty
Transcendence/ strengths about meaning; strong in appreciation of beauty and excellence and gratitude
Focus on individual character
4M Model
From CAPP’s perspective, strengths were conceptualized as “the things that we are good at and that give us energy when we are using them”
main elements in defenition are of performance, energy (vitality we get out of it) and use (how often we do it)
divided into 4 quadrants
Realized Strengths. Realized strengths are personal attributes that represent our strongest assets. We are energized when we use them because they help us perform well.
Unrealized Strengths. Unrealized strengths are personal attributes that are less visible. We feel good when we tap into unrealized strengths because they support our efforts and help us achieve our goals.
Learned Behaviors. Learned behaviors represent those ingrained things we have learned throughout our life experience. Although valuable, they do not excite or inspire us
Weaknesses. Weaknesses are our limiting attributes. They often drain our energy and result in poor performance
How to foster a positive strength-based environment
Creating a positive climate by fostering empathy, compassion, forgiveness, and gratitude.
Develop positive working relationships by having individuals focus on the positive aspects of their co-workers, rather than focusing on criticism and the negatives.
Use positive communication approaches by offering words of encouragement and support, rather than using criticism as the “go to” form of feedback and communication with employees.
Create an awareness and understanding of the connection between an individual’s values and those of the organization.
What is Theory X?
Management Responsibility: organizing money, materials, and people
Management Needs To: Control their actions, control their efforts, and modify their behaviours
Made up of 3 assumptions
The average person dislikes work and will avoid if possible
People need to be direct and controlled: Since people naturally do not like work, management needs to set up a system of incentives and rewards regarding work that needs to be accomplished because workers are often unwilling or unable to motivate themselves
People want security not responsibility: too difficult to set goals so want management to do it for them
Theory Y?
Management Responsibility: organizing money, materials and people.
Management Needs To: create conditions so people can reach goals, remove obstacles, provide guidance
Also main 3 assumptions
The average person does not dislike doing work, work as natural as play: Rather than viewing work as a burden or bad, this assumption suggests people see work as satisfying and not as a punishment. It is a natural activity for them. In fact, given the chance, people are happy to work.
People Will show responsibility and self-control to goals they are committed to: People can be committed to the objectives of their work. Consider some examples from the sports world. Successful athletes are often highly committed to their goals and usually do not need to be controlled or supervised closely.
In a proper environment person learns to accept and seek responsibility:
