HC1- Defining leadership Flashcards
Bennis (1959)
Probably more has been written and less known about leadership, than about any other topic in behavioral sciences
Burns (1978)
Leadership is one of the most observed and least understood phenomena on earth
Yukl (1989/2010)
The field of leadership is presently in a stage of confusion. Most widely known theories are beset of conceptual weakness and lack of
strong empirical support. Hence, more empirical research is needed.
Alvesson & Sveningsson (2003)
We need to think about the possibility of
the non-existence of leadership as a distinct phenomenon with great relevance for understanding organizations and relations in workplaces
try to critique leadership approaches. Too universaly agreed what is it, we should contextualize, leadership is much distinct from management, we should think of non-leadership, make it less heroic, less black/white
Trait approach
-Someone is born with qualities. Google: ‘’ The trait approach is a way of studying personality that places emphasis on the traits of an individual as markers of personality. Traits are continuing patterns of behavior and thoughts that are generally stable over time.’
-You are born with traits, you are a born leader
-Makes you more suitable to be a leader
-Extravert/ Self-confidence/internal locus of control (what YOU want to reach)
-Person is more important then organisation
-Succes of organisation depents strongly on the leader, less on other aspects
-Personality can predics success
Critique Trait approach
-What about circumstances?
-Simplistic approach, in one situation one can be a good leader while in the other he is not
-Depends on organisation
-To what extend does this relate to nation culture. What your country thinks of man ed
-Great men approach
-What are not good traits for leaders? But stay remain in power, we need more theoretical elaboration on what are not good traits.
-Also disabeling traits: when someone is not trustworthy ed
Behaviour style approach
Behavior to differentiate leaders from non-leaders. Leadership is a role that someone takes.
-Leaders can be made: not born, but can be learned trough skills, can be coached etc
-Different roles: negotiator, entrepreneur
-Less essentialist than trait approach
Country club manager
High people concern, low task concern
Impoverished manager
Low people concern, low task concern
Authority-obedience manager
High task, low people concern
Team manager
High people, high task
critique behaviour style approach
(by mumford)
-life experiences and environmental contraints not taken enough into account
-How to behave behaviors in organisation. Very descriptive, not emprircally tested.
-What is the use
-Has much to do with context: lot of variations are made.
-What behavioural change will lead to what change in leaderhip?
Motivation needed to be included by Mumford.:
-Also the willingness: makes it more sophisticated.
-If someone wants to influence the context and
-Should be demonstrated social commitment.
Style approach (2 types of leaders)
Traits, skills and behaviours combined. Allignment with followers very important. It happens in context with the followers, it is about the interaction.
- employee oriented leader
- production oriented leader
Factors affecting the style (approach) SMS
This can be indicators for the style approach. One has a choice to apply a style.
1. Manager: what is background/expertise does manager have?
2. Subordinate: what independence do they need, how much responsibility they need, how much motivation they have?
3. Situation: understand whole picture of organization. What leadership works best.
kritkiek style approach
-not clear how style influences outcome of task
-leader often sticks to old behavior and does not often reflect
-no mention of the role of technology
-little emperical evidence
