Leadership: Where Weve Been, Where We Are, and Where Were Going

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Leadership Where Weve Been, Where We Are,
and Where Were Going

• Summer Business Institute
• Villanova School of Business

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Overview

• Definition of leadership
• Brief history of the study of leadership
• Trait approach
• Behavioral approach
• Leadership style approach
• A useful style paradigm
• Other leadership issues
• The future of leadership

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Definition of Leadership

• Roots of word lead
• Ancient Norse term laed
• To determine the course of a ship
• Very generally, leadership can be viewed as a
  social influence process
• The holy grail of leadership research
• What makes a leader effective?

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Brief History Trait Approach

• Emphasis on personal attributes of leaders
• Stable individual dispositions
• Could include personality, temperament, needs,
  motives, and values
• Examples self-confidence, emotional stability,
  stress tolerance, energy level, integrity, need
  for power
• Hundreds of traits studies conducted in 1930s and
  1940s no conclusive findings!
• Issues lack of theory and overly simplistic
  approach
• Other issues?

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Brief History Behavioral Approach

• Breakthrough 1950s and 1960s at The Ohio State
  University and University of Michigan
• Lists of behaviors created
• Statistical analysis two broad categories of
  behaviors
• Consideration/relations-oriented behavior
  (concern for people)
• Initiating structure/task-oriented behavior
  (concern for task)

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Brief History Style Approach

• An immediate outgrowth of the behavioral and
  contingency approaches to leadership
• Autocratic emphasize task over people
• Laissez-faire little concern for the task
• Democratic committed to task and people

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Manz and Sims

• Directive-- autocratic, dictatorial, fear and
  intimidation frequently used, top-down
  communication, etc. Can be useful in situations
  of high-stress, where quick decisions are
  necessary (e.g., military, some sports teams,
  etc.). Examples Mr. Slate (the boss from The
  Flintstones), Saddam Hussein, John Wayne
  characters.
• Transactional-- relationships between leaders and
  followers are exchange-oriented. Leaders reward
  followers when they do well (either verbally or
  with actual rewards like performance bonuses),
  and punish employees when they don't. Can be
  useful in organizations (e.g., sales commissions
  for employees). Example parents giving
  allowances to their kids for performing chores.
• Transformational--charismatic, value-based
  leadership. A set of core values is the
  cornerstone the leader also puts forth an
  envisioned future that gets everyone very
  emotionally invested in the vision. Can be really
  useful when change is necessary. Examples Martin
  Luther King, Ghandi. Issue The Dark Side--
  followers get too wrapped up emotionally in this,
  may become less able to think for themselves.
  Hitler is another example of a classic
  transformational leader.
• Empowering--leader's focus is on developing
  followers to be able to lead themselves. So,
  ultimately, the leader can leave the situation
  and followers are well-prepared to take over.
  Example Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines.
  Into power-sharing and distribution of
  responsibility and authority. Also into autonomy
  and allowing employees to make own decisions. Can
  be really useful in all kinds of situations--
  encourages innovation, prepares individuals for
  life. Also a really good parenting style!

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Other Considerations in the Leadership Literature

• Emotional intelligence more important at higher
  levels self-awareness self-regulation
  motivation empathy social skill
• Gender and leadership women tend to be more
  participative, motivational, better
  communicators, listeners, respectful, care for
  others, share info
• Change leadership taking leadership
  responsibility for changing the existing pattern
  of behavior of another person or social system
  willingness to take risks seizes opportunity
  expects surprise makes things happen promotes
  and actively supports creativity and innovation
• Change strategies
• force-coercion uses rewards and punishments as
  the primary inducements to change
• Rational persuasion bring about change through
  persuasion backed by special knowledge, data, and
  rational argument
• Shared power engages people in a collaborative
  process of identifying values, assumptions, and
  goals from which support for change will
  naturally emerge most time consuming but more
  often results in longer lasting commitments to
  the change

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The Future of Leadership YOU!

• To be an effective leader
• Know yourselfyour world view, your assumptions,
  your choices and options
• Stay in touch with reality try to be objective
• Set attainable goals and standards for yourself
  know who you are and what you are about
• Other ideas?

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Learning Points

• Know background on why leadership is studied,
  evolution of leadership research
• Know about other issues in leadership research
• Think about what kind of leader YOU aspire to be!

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Leaders are best When people barely know they
exist, Not so good when people obey and acclaim
them, Worse when they are despised. But of good
leaders, who talk little, When their work is
done, their aim fulfilled, The people will
say We did it ourselves. --Lao Tzu