U2C1L1: Elements of Leadership

Question 1

Leadership

Answer 1

The process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization.

Question 2

Purpose

Answer 2

The reason for why something is done.

Question 3

Direction

Answer 3

Instructions or knowledge to complete a task.

Question 4

Motivation

Answer 4

The act of inspiring others to accomplish something.

Question 5

Innate

Answer 5

Inborn; existed or having existed since birth.

Question 5

Contingency

Answer 5

Dependence on chance or on a condition being met.

Question 6

Autocratic

Answer 6

A style of leadership where leaders make decisions alone.

Question 7

Democratic

Answer 7

A style of leadership where leaders consult with followers who are allowed to participate in decision-making.

Question 8

Laissez-faire

Answer 8

A style of leadership where leaders do not interfere or do not provide direction.

Question 9

Competencies

Answer 9

Skills, abilities

Question 10

What are different leadership opportunities that you can experience?

Answer 10

• Senior position in the Cadet chain of command, other than what you currently hold, for a designated period of time
• Team leader for a drill event
• Community service project leader

Question 11

What does the Leadership Development Program do and what are its components?

Answer 11

a) It trains, counsels, and evaluates you (evaluation lets you/staff know when or how you have been successful).

b) Training, Evaluation, Counseling, Retraining, Re-evaluating.

Question 12

What does a good leader provide?

Answer 12

• Purpose (the reason to act or achieve a certain outcome)
• Direction (How to accomplish a certain mission by assigning based on skill level; also gives challenge and freedom to change plans)
• Motivation (the will to accomplish something/influence; some need it more than others)

Question 13

What does the Army Leadership Requirements Model focus on?

Answer 13

It focuses on what a leader is (attributes) and what a leader does (competencies). It also uses the contingency approach (most modern).

Question 14

What are the leadership attributes and their components?

Answer 14

• Character (army values, empathy, warrior ethos/service ethos, discipline)
• Presence (military and professional bearing, fitness, confidence, resilience)
• Intellect (mental agility, sound judgment, innovation, interpersonal tact, expertise)

Question 15

What are the leadership competencies and their components?

Answer 15

• Leads (leads others, builds trust, extends influence beyond the chain of command, leads by example, communicates)
• Develops (creates a positive environment/fosters esprit de corps, prepares self, develops others, stewards the profession)
• Achieves (gets results)

Question 16

What do the leadership attributes mean?

Answer 16

• Character (values or identity)
• Presence (how a leader is perceived)
• Intellect (mental/social faculties used)

Question 17

What are the three general leadership eras?

Answer 17

• Born (1800s-1940s)
• Behaviors (1940s-1970s)
• Contingency (1960s-present)

Question 18

What is the born leaders approach?

Answer 18

• It said you either had the qualities or you didn’t (innate)
• But research proved it depended on the situation

Question 19

What is the behavior approach?

Answer 19

• It said behaviors can be taught and certain leaders had certain behaviors (discovered in 1950s at OSULS that there are two primary leadership behaviors)
• The two primary leadership behaviors were relationship (making work pleasant & listening to other’s ideas) and structure (sharing work procedures & making work assignments
• Kurt Lewin created three behaviors in 1938 which were Autocratic (work alone), Democratic (leaders consult followers), and Laissez-faire (leaders provide no direction)
• There were still questions like: Does effective leadership result only from the leader’s traits and behaviors? How are traits and behaviors influenced by the type of task and the type of work group?

Question 20

What is the contingency approach?

Answer 20

• Your behavior depends on the situation
• There exists no single best way to lead
• Situational factors determine the most effective style and behaviors
• Leadership behaviors can be taught and learned