2. Leadership
How do you define leadership?
The process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and
support of others in the accomplishment of a common task
The ability to successfully integrate and maximize available resources within
the internal and external environment for the attainment of organizational or
societal goals.
The ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a
particular goal.
Leadership is creating a state of mind
What are some characteristics or traits of a good leader?
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3. Common Traits
Honesty or Integrity
High level of people skills
Take the initiative, assertive, driven or determined
Excellent communication skills with a willingness to speak up, take a position,
or take charge
Visionary (forward looking)
Desire and passion to lead and inspire
Self confident, charismatic and have a positive attitude
Knowledge of industry, business, and or group task at hand
The ability to overcome adversity or obstacles
Being a “Servant-Leader”, serving people over self, humble
Have the ability to see adversity as an opportunity
Had a mentor at some point in their development as a leader
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4. Primary Mechanisms of Successful Leadership
Attention: what do leaders pay attention to?
Reaction to Crisis: how do leaders react in a crises?
Role Modeling
Allocation of Rewards
Criteria for Selection and Dismissal
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5. Approaches to Leadership
• Power-Influence
• Traits and skills
• Leader Behavior
• Situational Approaches
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6. Types of Power
Referent: Influence over others which is acquired from being well liked or
respected by them.
Expert: Power derived through advanced knowledge or experience in
a particular subject.
Legitimate: Flows from the person’s formal position and gives them authority
over defined matters.
Reward: Ability to reward another through possessing resources the
other person values.
Coercive: Ability to obtain compliance through fear or punishment.
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7. The Use of Power
Source of
Influence Commitment Compliance Resistance
Referent Likely Possible Possible
Expert Likely Possible Possible
Legitimate Possible Likely Possible
Reward Possible Likely Possible
You betcha!
Coercive Unlikely Possible Likely
Traits
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8. Traits of Successful Leaders
Adaptable Persistent
Alert to the social environment Self-confident
Achievement oriented Tolerant of stress
Assertive Willing to assume responsibility
Cooperative
Decisive
Dependable
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9. Skills of Successful Leaders
Intelligent
Creative
Diplomatic
Tactful
Good communication (written and spoken)
Knowledgeable of group dynamics
Persuasive
Good social skills
Behavior 9
10. Leadership Behavior
Effective leaders behave differently than ineffective leaders ….Duh!
In 1950 Ohio State conducted a leadership behavior study and here are some of the
major findings regarding “consideration” and “initiating structure”:
Consideration: mutual trust, concern for others, seeking subordinate participation,
respect, and warmth
Initiating Structure: planning, organizing, defining, clarifying goals, and monitoring
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11. Manager’s Initiating Structure
High Low
High Performance Low performance
Low grievance Low grievance
Consideration
Low Turnover Low turnover
High
Manager’s
High performance Low performance
High grievance High grievance
High turnover High turnover
Low
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12. Undesirable Behaviors
Emotional instability: Not able to handle pressure, moodiness, angry outbursts, etc…
Defensiveness: Signals lack of security and confidence in their position
Weak interpersonal skills: Becomes more problematic at higher levels of responsibility
Lack of Integrity
Overconfidence and arrogance
Style Sit Ldrshp
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13. Situational Leadership
Different situations call for different leadership styles
• The fundamental underpinning of situational leadership is there is no single
“best” style of leadership.
• Effective leadership is task-relevant and that the most successful leaders are
those that adapt their leadership style to the maturity of the individual or
group they are attempting to lead/influence.
• Effective leadership varies, not only with the person or group that is being
influenced, but it will also depend on the task, job, or function that needs to be
accomplished.
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14. Levels of Maturity
From Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Theory
M1 People are both unable and unwilling to take responsibility to do something.
They are neither competent nor confident.
M2 People are unable but willing to do the necessary job tasks. They are
motivated but currently lack the appropriate skills.
M3 People are able but unwilling to do what the leader wants.
M4 People are both able and willing to do what is asked of them.
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15. Levels of Maturity
From Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Theory
Adjusting and Matching Style to Level of Maturity
M1 People are both unable and unwilling to take responsibility to do something.
They are neither competent nor confident.
Telling: tells people what, how , when and where (high task direction and
low support)
M2 People are unable but willing to do the necessary job tasks. They are
motivated but currently lack the appropriate skills.
Selling: provides both direction and supportive behavior (task direction and support)
M3 People are able but unwilling to do what the leader wants.
Participating: the main role of the leader is facilitating and communicating, decision
making is shared (supportive behavior and little direction)
M4 People are both able and willing to do what is asked of them.
Delegating: The leader provides little direction and support
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16. Leadership Styles
Is there a right or a wrong style?
Dictator:
A leader who uses fear and threats to get the job done. This style of leader also
makes all the decisions.
Autocratic
All decision-making powers are centralized in the leader who does not entertain
suggestions or initiative from subordinates. This type of leader does not trust
anyone.
Participative
A leader who favors decision-making by the group. This leader typically gives
instruction after consulting the group.
Laissez Faire
A free rein leader who does not lead, but leaves the group entirely to itself;
such a leader allows subordinates to have maximum freedom.
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18. Transformational Leadership Theory
Key Points
Definition:
The process where an individual engages with others and creates a connection
that raises the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and the follower.
• Develop a clear and appealing vision
• Develop a strategy for attaining the vision
• Articulate and promote the vision
• Act confident and optimistic
• Express confidence in the follower
• Use early success in small steps to build confidence in the individual or team
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19. Transformational Leadership Theory (continued)
Key Points
• Adapt ideology incrementally to the conditions
• Identify and eliminate cultural disparities
• Articulate the ideology clearly and persistently
• Keep actions and decisions consistent with ideology
• Use cultural forms to emphasize ideology
• Emphasize continuity in socialization practices
• Manage the politics of subcultures
• Develop cultural maintenance leadership at all levels
Ldrshp general
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20. Leadership General
Leaders wear multiple hats:
At the exempt level employees are “agents of the company”
Employee advocates
Any others?
Do not confuse “knowing a lot of technical stuff” with leading. In fact, many leaders
do not know the extreme details about every aspect of the organization, but do know
enough to identify when to raise the “flag”. They also know who to go to in order to
“get things done.”
It is often stated that leadership is 80% people skills and 20% technical skills
General Powell
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21. Lessons from General Colin Powell
From: A Leadership Primer
“Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off”
“The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped
leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or
concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership”
“Don’t be buffaloed by experts and elites. Experts often posses more data than
judgment. Elites can become so inbred that they produce hemophiliacs who bleed
to death as soon as they are nicked in the real world.”
“ Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.”
“ Never neglect details. When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted the leader
must be doubly vigilant.”
“ You don’t know what you can get away with until you try.”
“Keep looking below surface appearances. Don’t shrink from doing so (just)
because you might not like what you find.”
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22. “Organization doesn’t really accomplish anything. Plans don’t accomplish
anything either. Theories of management don’t much matter. Endeavors
succeed or fail because of the people involved. Only by attracting the best
people will you accomplish great deeds.”
“Organization charts and fancy titles count for next to nothing.”
“Never let your ego get so close to your position that when your position goes,
your ego goes with it.”
“Fit no stereotypes. Don’t chase the latest management fads. The situation
dictates which approach best accomplishes the team’s mission.”
“Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.”
“Powell’s Rules for Picking People: Look for intelligence and judgment, and most
critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty,
integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego, and the drive to get things done.”
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23. “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through
argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand.”
“Part I: Use the formula P=40 to 70%, in which P stands for the probability of
success and the numbers indicate the percentage of information acquired.”
“Part II: Once the information is in the 40 to 70 range, go with your gut.”
“The commander in the field is always right and the rear echelon is wrong,
unless proved otherwise.”
“Have fun in your command. Don’t always run at a breakneck pace. Take leave
when you’ve earned it: spend time with your families.
Corollary: surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not
themselves, those who work hard and play hard.”
“ Command is lonely.”
“Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the science
Of management says is possible.”
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