A brief overview of leadership, including pre-1970 leadership theories and a handful of contemporary approaches to leadership. Theorists include Bass & Burns, Greenleaf, Astin & Astin, Heifetz, Maxwell, Sinek, and Collins.

1. THEORIES &
APPROACHES
TO LEADERSHIP
AN OVERVIEW
KIMBERLY WHITE
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & LIFE IN THE YELLOWHAMMER STATE

2. OVERVIEW
Brief introduction to the following theories and approaches
to leadership:
• Pre-1970 (Great Man, Trait theory, Behavioral theory)
• Transformational leadership (Bass & Burns)
• Servant-leadership (Greenleaf)
• Positive leadership (Seligman)
• Social Change Model (Astin & Astin)
• Adaptive leadership (Heifetz)
• Authentic leadership (Hyatt)
• Contemporary approaches (Maxwell, Sinek, Collins)

3. THE ORIGINS OF
LEADERSHIP THEORY
“Great Man” theory (18th century)
• Popularized by Thomas Carlyle
• Insinuates that leaders are born, not made
• Traits of leadership are intrinsic
• Those who possess these traits are destined for
“greatness”

4. THE ORIGINS OF
LEADERSHIP THEORY
Trait theory (1930’s-1940’s)
• Slow shift away from “born leader” idea
• Brought about by Gordon Allport, Raymond Cattell, B.F.
Skinner, Ralph Stogdill
• Categorized a number of words in the English language
under three umbrellas:
• Cardinal traits, central traits, secondary traits
• Asserted that leadership depends on a number of traits
under each umbrella, as well as specific skills
• Combination of traits/skills = good leaders
• Examples: dominant, energetic, persistent, creative

5. THE ORIGINS OF
LEADERSHIP THEORY
Behavioral theory (1940’s-1950’s)
• Kurt Lewin’s work signaled a shift toward behavioral
theory of leadership
• Coined the terms autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire
approaches to leadership
• Two studies took trait theory a step further
• Ohio State University
• Produced first well-known leadership questionnaire, LBDQ
• Found two groups of behaviors that characterized effective
leaders: task-oriented, people-oriented
• University of Michigan
• Dr. Rensis Likert found an additional group, participative
leadership

6. THE ORIGINS OF
LEADERSHIP THEORY
Contingent leadership (1960’s)
• Developed out of behavioral leadership
• Asserts that no one leadership style sets an individual up for
success, but rather effective leadership tactics depend on the
group or organization being served
• Criticized for being too broad, but a step toward servant-
leadership

7. TRANSFORMATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
Burns (1978)
• Theory of transforming leadership asserts that leaders are
most effective when they view their role as more than simply
give-and-take (transactional)
• Approach is more holistic and supportive
• High expectations for the group
• Lead by example
• Collaborate with the group to challenge & support
• These leaders are successful because they inspire group to
rally around its purpose and remind each group member of his
or her worth

8. TRANSFORMATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
Bass (1985)
• Transforming  Transformational leadership
• Included four measurable elements to transformational
leadership
• Individualized consideration
• Intellectual stimulation
• Inspirational motivation
• Idealized influence

9. SERVANT-LEADERSHIP
Greenleaf (1970)
• Concept came out of his reaction to Journey to the
East by Herman Hesse
• The servant-leader is servant-first
• Desire to serve = fundamental characteristic
• Focus on the needs of the group and of each
individual (wanting to help others)
• A multitude of characteristics make up effective
servant-leaders
• Acceptance and empathy, foresight, self-healing,
rebuilding community
• People who initiate action, goal-oriented, dreamers,
good communicators, reflective, dependable

10. SERVANT-LEADERSHIP

11. POSITIVE LEADERSHIP
Martin Seligman (late 1990’s)
• Positive leadership comes out of positive psychology
• Coined by Maslow in the 1950’s but did not gain a foothold
until Seligman
Built on by a number of contemporaries with a handful of
interpretations, including Jeffrey Buller
• Buller asserts that instead of focusing on negative leadership
(“putting out fires,”) leaders should place emphasis on what is
being done well and building on organization's strengths
• Engage, deepen, unify the group and each member based on
what he or she brings to the table
• Being constructive, supportive, encouraging, challenge each
member to become their “best selves”

12. SOCIAL CHANGE MODEL
Developed by a handful of leaders in higher education and
psychology, but credited to Astin & Astin in the 1990’s
• Applied the concept of social change to higher education
leadership, coining it the Social Change Model (SCM)
Collaboration is the driver of the SCM, in addition to making an
investment in positive change
• Examined from three perspectives: individual, group, community
(or society)
The 7 C’s of Leadership demonstrate the ways to serve as an
effective leader from each perspective
• Individual: consciousness of self, congruence, commitment
• Group: collaboration, common purpose, controversy with civility
• Community: citizenship, change (8th C)

13. ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP
Heifetz (1990’s)
• Goes hand-in-hand with authentic leadership, an approach that
anyone, regardless of title, can take on
• Defines authentic leadership as the practice of mobilizing
people to tackle tough challenges and thrive (Hyatt, 2009)
• Rooted in the scientific theory of adaptation
Adaptive leadership is a practice of risk-taking and
challenging “the way we’ve always done it” to facilitate
positive change
• Four elements of adaptive leadership
• Diagnose the system, mobilize the system, see yourself as
a system, deploy yourself

14. AUTHENTIC
LEADERSHIP
Authentic leadership has existed throughout history in a
number of forms
• Elements of approach found in the Great Man, Trait,
Behavioral theories
Credited to a number of thought leaders in philosophy,
psychology, leadership studies
• They are self-aware, genuine, mission-driven, results-focused,
lead with heart and mind, possess insight & vision
• One contemporary interpretation: Michael Hyatt’s five marks of
authentic leadership
• Insight, initiative, influence, impact, integrity

15. CONTEMPORARY
APPROACHES
John C. Maxwell
• Author, speaker, & pastor (b. 1947)
• Has postulated a number of concepts surrounding leadership,
with a focus on listening, observing, building relationships,
communication, leading by example, and service
Examples
• 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
• 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
• Five Levels of Leadership
• Position, permission, production, people development,
personhood

16. CONTEMPORARY
APPROACHES
Collins & the Five Levels of Leadership
• Business consultant, author, lecturer (b. 1958)
• Notion of “Level 5 Leadership” came out of his work on From
Good to Great
• Research project that began in 1996 on how good
companies can become great
Level 5 Leaders sit at the top of the hierarchy of leadership
capabilities and a necessary component for transformation
• Levels 1-4 include: highly capable individual, contributing
team member, competent manager, effective leader
• Level 5 Leaders build lasting greatness through personal
humility and professional will
• Unwavering commitment to success, mission of the
organization

17. CONTEMPORARY
APPROACHES
Sinek & the “Golden Circle”
• Author (b. 1973)
• Model for inspirational leadership involves first “finding your
why”  your purpose, cause, core belief
• Approach is made up of 3 circles
• What, how, why
• Most companies market their products by beginning with
what, then how, before articulating why
• Sinek asserts that if we start with our why, then we will
experience greater buy-in
• Connection with your own, your institutional, missions
• What you do simply proves what you believe

18. REFERENCES
Bass, B. (2006). Transformational leadership: Second edition. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates, Inc., Publishers.
Bolden, R., Gosling, J., Marturano, A. and Dennison, P. (2003). A review of leadership theory and
competency frameworks. Center for Leadership Studies, University of Exeter. Retrieved April 28, 2015,
from http://business-school.exeter.ac.uk/documents/discussion_papers/cls/mgmt_standards.pdf
Buller, J. (2013). Positive academic leadership: How to stop putting out fires and start making a
difference. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Collins, J. (2005). Level 5 leadership: The triumph of humility and fierce resolve. Harvard Business
Review. Retrieved April 28, 2015, from https://hbr.org/2005/07/level-5-leadership-the-triumph-of-
humility-and-fierce-resolve
Heifetz, R., Linsky, M., Grashow, A. (2009). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for
changing your organization and the world. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press.
Keith, K. (2015). Definition of servant leadership. To Serve First. Retrieved April 28, 2015, from
http://toservefirst.com/definition-of-servant-leadership.html
Kruse, K. (2013). What is authentic leadership? Forbes. Retrieved April 28, 2015, from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/05/12/what-is-authentic-leadership/
Wagner, W. (2006). The social change model of leadership: An overview. Concepts & Connections: A
Publication for Leadership Educators, 15(1), pp. 8-10.
http://web.trinity.edu/Documents/student_affairs_docs/Assessments/Social%20Change%20Model%20o
f%20Leadership%20-%20A%20Brief%20Overview%20%28Wagner%29.pdf