Theories of Leadership Flashcards
A leader is a person within a group who directs and coordinates that group toward mutual group goals.
leader
In this situation a leader influences, or attempts to influence, others.
influences
Several theories of how the relationship between the leader and their follower’s works are available.
theories
This essay will consider three such theories – trait theory of leadership, behavioural theory of leadership, and the transformational theory of leadership. Each of these theories describes a different conception of the relationship between leader and follower.
essay
The trait theory of leadership suggests that leaders possess certain characteristics, or traits, that make them leaders.
traits
This theory grew out of the earlier ‘great man’ theory that assumed historically significant figures had certain characteristics that lead to their greatness.
‘great man’
If we can identify these key traits, then we can identify future leaders by their characteristics.
identify
Trait theory focuses exclusively on the leader and their attributes, attempting to determine those few singular differences that make that person a leader, and by extension, others non-leaders.
leader
This theory fails to take into account the interconnectedness of leaders, followers and organisations.
interconnectedness
Followers are merely the entity that is influenced by the leader, not an active participant in the leadership process.
active participant
The behavioural theory of leadership is so called because it focuses on the behaviours exhibited by people in leadership roles rather than the traits of the leader.
behaviours
These behaviours fell into two categories according to Ohio State University researchers, consideration and initiating structure.
categories
Consideration was about interpersonal relationship building, while initiating structure was about defining and organising group activity.
interpersonal
A third dimension, that of participative behaviour, was added by other researchers that acknowledged how leaders allow subordinates to take part in decision making.
participative
This theory is also leader focused and dismissive of the influence of followers and context on the behaviour of the leader, assuming that some people are born leaders and others are not, yet both followers and organisational context can have a great impact on a leader’s effectiveness and behaviour.
leader
Transformational leadership takes a different view. The transformational leader seeks to inspire and encourage followers to achieve their best.
transformational
There is an interplay here between leaders and followers whereby each motivates the other to achieve to greater levels.
interplay
Transformational leaders are charismatic and inspirational; they are role models of ideal behaviour; they are genuinely concerned about their followers; and they encourage innovation and creativity in followers.
charismatic
This type of leader makes followers want to be better than they currently are.
better
There are however dangers inherent in this form of leadership too.
dangers
While the assumption is that charismatic leaders such as those above will seek the moral high ground and lead followers to betterment, this is not always the case.
not
Such leaders, who have now become destructive leaders, can also influence followers toward great harm. Dissension and discussion from followers in this case is seen as disloyalty and discouraged, rather than being an essential tool in forward momentum.
disloyalty
In this harmful scenario the focus is again on the now destructive leader and their qualities; recent history has shown that a number of transformational leaders have actually been doing shady practices behind the scenes for personal gain rather than collective benefit.
leader
In each of these theories the leader-follower relationship is very much top down with the focus essentially on the leader with little regard for the effect of followers on leadership.
top down
One cannot deny however that the relationship between leaders and followers is inevitably a two-way street, with leaders influencing followers and followers directly influencing leaders.
two-way street
Within this interplay is the truly good leader able to influence exceptional results.
interplay
