Leadership Theories Flashcards
The great man theory
+ states that excellent leaders are born, not developed.
+ leadership is an inherent quality.
+ This type of leader often possesses the natural attributes of intelligence, courage, confidence, intuition and charm, among others.
*Thomas Carlyle (1840)- 19th century
The trait theory of leadership
The trait theory of leadership states that there are certain identifiable qualities or characteristics that are unique to leaders and those good leaders possess such qualities to some extent.
The trait theory of leadership suggests that certain inborn or innate qualities and characteristics makes someone a leader. These qualities might be personality factors, physical factors, intelligence factors and so on. In essence, trait theory proposes that the leader and leaders’ traits are central to an organisation’s success. The assumption here is that finding people with the right traits will increase organisational performance. Trait theory focuses exclusively on the leader and neglects the follower.
The behavioral theory of leadership
Behavioral leadership theory argues that the success of a leader is based on their behavior rather than their natural attributes. Behavioral leadership theory involves observing and evaluating a leader’s actions and behaviors when they are responding to a specific situation. This theory believes that leaders are made, not born. Proponents of this theory suggest that anyone can become an effective leader if they can learn and implement certain behaviors.
here are several key styles of behavioral leadership:
+People-oriented leaders
- focus on behaviors that allow them to meet the
needs of the people they interact with
+Task-oriented leaders
- focused on setting goals and achieving
objectives
+Participative leaders
- make an effort to include their entire team in
decision-making processes
+Status-quo leaders
- make an effort to prioritize both productivity and
employee satisfaction
+Indifferent leaders
- do not prioritize interaction or communication
with their team
+Dictatorial leaders
- value results more than they do people. They
may pressure their team members to perform
well
+Country club leaders
- prioritize their team members’ happiness and
satisfaction level
+Sound leaders
- equally prioritize productivity and team morale
+Opportunistic leaders
- They can adjust and adapt their leadership style
to fit a particular situation
+Paternalistic leaders
- strives to be stern but fair, much like a father with
a child
transactional theory or management theory
It studies leadership as a system of rewards and penalties. It views effective leadership as results-focused and hierarchical. Transactional leaders prioritize order and structure over creativity.
The thought that people follow leaders based on ‘transactions’ inside a mix of rewards, incentives & punishments
This leadership style focuses on rewarding workers with incentives to improve their performance
Contingency theory of leadership
Effective leadership is contingent on the situation, task and people involved. According to this theory, an individual can be an effective leader in one circumstance and an ineffective leader in another one.
Contingency Leadership Models:
1) Fiedler’s Contingency Theory
2) Situational Leadership
3) Path-Goal Theory
4) Decision-Making Theory
Path-Goal Theory
A leader’s behavior is contingent to the satisfaction, motivation and performance of their employees. It is the leader’s job to assist followers in attaining goals. The manager’s job is guiding workers to choose the best paths to reach both their goals as well as the corporation’s goals. The theory argues that leaders will have to engage in different types of leadership behavior depending on the nature and the demands of the situation at hand.
Robert House (1971)
The transformational theory (relationship theory)
leaders and their followers raise one another to higher levels of morality and motivation
Jeff Bezos is widely recognized as a transformational leader — someone who motivates and inspires team members to achieve more than they thought possible. Bezos ensures that everyone on his team is committed to the vision for the organization.
Transformational leaders help followers grow and develop into leaders by responding to individual followers’ needs by empowering them and by aligning the objectives and goals of the individual followers, the leader, the group, and the larger organization
The thought that leaders gain the commitment of others’ by inspiring, encouraging & caring for them
As the name implies, this kind of leadership involves constant transformation based on the people’s goals. Your company has its basic tasks, but as its leader, you’re constantly challenging them to get out of their comfort zones and achieve more challenging goals.
MacGregor (1978)
Leader-Member Exchange Theory (Vertical Dyad Linkage Theory)
The leader–member exchange (LMX) theory is a relationship-based approach to leadership that focuses on the two-way (dyadic) relationship between leaders and followers.
the Leader Member Exchange Theory (LMX) suggests that leaders automatically develop a relationship with each of their subordinates, and that the quality of this relationship strongly influences the responsibility, decision making, access to resources and performance of subordinate
The Leader Member Exchange Theory (LMX) is rooted in the belief that leaders and followers have a relationship that could yield advantages
Process:
The initiation and shaping of these relationships begins immediately after a new member has been introduced in the group under the leader and includes three steps:
Role-taking
Role-making
Routinasation
Servant Leadership
Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy in which the goal of the leader is to serve. This is different from traditional leadership where the leader’s main focus is the thriving of their company or organization.
you focus on the needs of others, especially team members, before you consider your own.
A servant leader shares power, puts the needs of others first, helps individuals develop and optimize performance, is willing to learn from others, and forsakes personal advancement and rewards
Visionary leadership
Visionary Leadership is when a leader inspires others to pursue a long-term vision.
A person who is ahead of his time and who has a powerful plan for change in the future is an example of a visionary.
Nelson Mandela is an example of a visionary leader.
laissez-faire leadership
لِ سِیفر
Laissez-faire leadership takes a hands-off approach to leadership and gives others the freedom to make decisions
Affiliative leadership
An affiliative style of leadership puts people first, concentrating on creating a harmonious working environment and building emotional bonds. The affiliative leadership style requires lots of empathy and the ability to build relationships through a range of communication styles
Offering to help a colleague that seems to need assistance before they even ask for it. Proactively helping each other is an excellent example of affiliative leadership in the workplace since it underlines that people have understanding and interest in the well-being of others
Strengths-Based Leadership
Strengths-based leadership focuses on recognizing what you and your team excel at, and delegating tasks to those who are strong in areas where you are weak. … A strengths-based leadership approach can improve your delegation skills, increase team diversity, and create a more consensual leadership style.
pacesetting leadership
Pacesetting is a style of leadership when a leader leads from the front, constantly sets high standards for their team and expects them to exceed with minimal management
Authentic leadership
Authentic leaders are self-actualized individuals who are aware of their strengths, their limitations, and their emotions. They also show their real selves to their followers. They do not act one way in private and another in public; they don’t hide their mistakes or weaknesses out of fear of looking weak
