Leadership Flashcards
Explain what leader is ?
A leader is one who obtains followers and influences them in setting and achieving objectives. Leaders are not the same as managers, i.e. a manager might not be a leader, vice versa.
Differences of a leader and manager :
Leaders : vision , motivation , inspiration , persuasion , team work , coaching .
Managers : planning, budgeting , organizing , coordinating ,time management , decision making , problem solving
How many categories of leaders and explain each
Leaders can also be divided into two categories, i.e. formal leaders and informal leaders. Formal leader is a type of leader who is usually a manager and is recognized as one with a position and a title that reflect the individual’s status. Informal leader is a type of leader who exhibits many characteristics of the formal leader but is not recognized as a leader by an organization and holds no title or authority.
Explain the importance of a leadership
Leadership is important in a business. Business success depends upon good day-to-day management and a long term strategic perspective. Leaders help employees and teams define their goals and stay focused on finding a way to achieve them. In most cases, people will perform at about 60% of their potential with no leadership at all. Thus, an additional 40% can be realized if effective leadership is available.
Why is there different types of leadership ?
Leaders do not possess same attitude or same perspective. Therefore, their leadership styles vary. The leadership style varies with the kind of people the leader interacts and deals with too. A perfect leadership style is one which assists a leader in getting the best out of the people who follow him
What are the different types of leadership styles ?
autocratic,participative and situational
Explain autocratic leadership
Autocratic leadership is a classical leadership style marked by leaders having complete authority over the organization. They have no need to explaining their rationale and followers obey instructions without question. It is an extension of dictatorship and absolute monarchy within the corporate sphere. Autocratic style, doesn’t involves others in the decision-making process. It is basically a one-way communication. Employees are directed to implement the leaders’ decisions. This kind of leader will determine a set of structured reward and punishment system.
Most traditional factories thrived under autocratic leaders who stood watch to ensure the factory worked at the maximum required efficiency. While modern management theorists deride across-the-board application of this style, the fact remains that autocratic leadership style comes naturally to many leaders.
Autocratic style is the most effective when:
- New, untrained staff
- Effective supervision can be provided only through detailed orders and instructions
- Staff do not respond to any other leadership style
- Limited time in which to make decisions
- A manager’s power challenged by staff
The autocratic style is ineffective when:
• may put new workers offside and cause resentment
• low staff morale, high turnover and absenteeism
• not be wise when not understanding the culture or new business landscape and does
not allow for skilled workers to contribute ideas
• does not foster good teamwork and relationships
• a highly structured, rigid leadership style might not fit the culture of the global
workplace
• limits creativity and ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking
Explain participative leadership
This is a democratic leadership style. Employees are involved in planning and in the decision- making process in the workplace. Decisions are based on ideas and feedback from staff. This leader keeps staff informed about everything that affects their work and shares decision making and problem-solving responsibilities. This results in having employees whom are motivated, skilled and experienced. For example, the leadership of Barack Obama & Indra Nooyi.
Participative style is the most effective when:
• Wants to keep staff informed about matters that affect them
• Wants staff to share in decision-making and problem-solving duties
• Wants to provide opportunities for staff to develop a high sense of personal growth
and job satisfaction
• A large or complex problem that requires lots of input to solve
• Changes must be made or problems solved that affect staff
• Wants to encourage team building and participation
Participative style is ineffective when:
- Not enough time to get everyone’s input
- Easier and more cost-effective for the manager to make the decision
- Can’t afford mistakes
- Manager feels threatened by this type of leadership
- Staff safety is a critical concern
Explain situational leadership
Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard’s situational leadership is a theory of leadership that is part of a group of theories known as contingency theories of leadership. Generally speaking, contingency theories of leadership hold that a leader’s effectiveness is related to leader’s traits or behaviours in relation to differing situational factors. According to situational leadership theory, a leader’s effectiveness is contingent on his ability to modify his
management behaviour to the level of his subordinates’ maturity.
Describe the Hersey’s situational leadership model
As the level of maturity of follower’s increases, structure (task) should be reduced while socio-emotional support (relationship) should first be increased and then gradually decreased. The maturity level of the followers is determined by their relative independence, their ability to take responsibility, and their achievement-motivation level.
What are the four main leadership styles
- Telling / Directing (S1) - Leaders tell their follower what to do and how to do it.
- Selling / Coaching (S2) – Leaders provide information and direction, but there’s more communication with followers. Leaders “sell” their message to get people on board.
- Participating / Supporting (S3) – leaders focuses more on the relationship and less on direction. The leader works with the team, and shares decision making responsibilities.
- Delegating (S4) – Leaders pass most of the responsibility onto the follower or group. The leaders still monitor progress, but they’re less involved in decisions.
