Leadership Theories by Vikas Khandelwal

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"If the blind lead the blind,both shall fall in the ditch."

- Matthew 15:14

Vikas Khandelwal

Leadership
http://bible.cc/matthew/15-15.htmhttp://bible.cc/matthew/15-15.htm


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IntroductionIntroductionThe study of leadership in organizations is very crucial in the field

of OB.

An effective leader is capable of inspiring and motivating even themost inefficient employees to strive towards attaining the goals ofthe organization.

Failing organizations are usually over-managed and under-led

WarrenG.Bennis

A leader may be defined as a person who establishes vision, setsgoals, motivates people and obtains their commitment toachieve the goals and realize the vision

Vikas Khandelwal


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Distinction between Leadership and ManagementDistinction between Leadership and Management

Leaders take a personal and active interests in achieving goalswhereas managers tend to play a relatively passive role inaccomplishing the goals.

Managers need power to be entrusted to them by the

organization to deal with people . Leaders have power withinthemselves and the required drive to lead people and motivatethem to work enthusiastically towards achieving goals.

Managers limit their interactions with people to the minimumextent required to carry out their managerial responsibilities.Leaders interact with people frequently and in a more naturalway. In the process they inspire people, motivate them andlead them.


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Traits of Effective LeadersTraits of Effective Leaders

Although there are no specific characteristics that can definethe leadership qualities in a person , most researches haveshown that there are certain traits that differentiate leadersfrom non-leaders.

Few Leadership Traits Initiative

Ambition

Desire to lead

Self confidence

Analytical ability

Knowledge process,technology,inductry,etc

Creative

Flexibility

Vikas Khandelwal


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LeadershipLeadershipSkillsSkills Behavioral expert Robert Katz, had identified that the leadersprimarily use three skills technical, human and conceptual

skills.

TECHNICAL SKILLS A technical skill is to have knowledge and be competent and

proficient in a specific work or activity. For example, to use exceland know how to implement macros is an advanced technical skill.

To drive a 300 Ton truck is also an advanced technical skill. Justlike these there are thousands of examples of technical skills inevery organization.

HUMAN SKILLS A human skill is one that enables you to develop the ability to work

with people. These abilities are the ones that we recognize as theones that helps us to get along with people, to communicate and

work with your team, crew or associates. These are thefundamental abilities in every human activity, in order to get themost of the groups you work with.

CONCEPTUAL SKILLS A conceptual skill is one that enables us to understand and better

decide the actions and measures that has to be taken in aparticular field of work.

Based on his observations Katz stated that the level of importanceof each set of skills (technical, human and conceptual) was directly


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The three skill approach

The higher someone was in the organisation, the less technical skills were required to fillthe position, in the same manner more conceptual skills are required. On the other hand,

the lower the position in the organisation more technical skills and less conceptual skills

were required. A very interesting observation from the diagram is that human skills are

always required no matter the level or the position in the organisation.


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Leadership TheoriesLeadership TheoriesThere are three main theories that

attempt to explain Leadership.

Personality Trait Theories

Behavior theories

Contingency Theories

According to the trait theories, leaders possesssome personality traits that non leaders do notpossess at all, or possess only to small extent.

The behavior theories explain the behavior

characteristics of the leaders.Contingency deals with leadership in different

situations


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Trait TheoryTrait TheoryEarlier researchers believed that there

were certain unique characteristics inpeople that made them leaders . Accordingto them , a person must possess certainunique personality traits that are essentialfor effective leadership.

One of the trait theories is the GreatPerson theory which emphasized thatleaders might not be born with the desired

leadership traits but can be acquired bylearning and experience.

Researchers also tried to study therelationship between physical traits and

leadership, but were unsuccessful toestablish a valid relationshi .


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Behavior TheoriesBehavior TheoriesThe behavioral theorists concentrated on

the unique behavioral aspects found inleaders that enabled them to attaineffective leadership. Following are the ourmain behavior theories of leadership

3.The Ohio State studies

4.Universities of Michigan studies

5.The Managerial Grid

6.Scandinavian studies


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The Ohio State StudiesThe Ohio State Studies In 1945 researchers from various fields conducted studies on

leadership at Ohio State university.

The research was based on a questionnaire called LeaderBehavior Description Questionnaire.

They narrowed down to two independent dimensions along whichan individuals leadership behavior could be studied.

Initiating Structure Individuals ability to define his own taskas well as the subordinates tasks and also accomplish them intime. People who score high in this dimension put pressure onsubordinates to meet deadlines and maintain certain level of

performance.

Consideration This refers to the extent to which a leader caresfor his subordinate, respects their ideas and feelings andestablishes work relations which are characterized by mutual trustand respect.

The studies revealed that the people who scored high on both the


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University of Michigan studiesA research was conducted at the Survey

Research Centre at the University ofMichigan. The research was conducted ontwelve pairs of sections ,each sectionconsisted on one high producing sectionand one low producing section.

During the study , researchers alsointerviewed 24 supervisors and 400workers. And following was observed.

3.Employee-oriented dimension4.Production-oriented dimension

Researchers concluded that leaders with aninclination towards employee-oriented

dimension resulted in higher job


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The Managerial GridThe Managerial Grid bybyRobert R.Blake and Jane S. Mouton

The Managerial Grid graphic below is a very simpleframework that elegantly defines FIVE basic styles thatcharacterize workplace behaviour and the resultingrelationships. The FIVE managerial Grid styles are basedon how two fundamental concerns (concern for people

and concern for results) are manifested at varying levelswhenever people interact.


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The concept distinguishes 5 different leadership styles, based on theconcern for people and the concern for production:

Impoverished style (Low Production / Low People) (1:1)Description: A delegate-and-disappear management style. A

basically lazy approach.

Characteristics: The manager shows a low concern for both peopleand production. He (or she) avoids to get into trouble. His mainconcern is not to be held responsible for any mistakes.

Results in: Disorganization, dissatisfaction and disharmony due tolack of effective leadership.

Country Club style (Low Production / High People)(1:9)Description: One-sided, thoughtful attention to the needs of

employees.Characteristics: The relationship-oriented manager has a high

concern for people, but a low concern for production. He paysmuch attention to the security and comfort of the employees. Hehopes that this will increase performance. He is almost incapableof employing the more punitive, coercive and legitimate powers.This inability results from fear that using such powers could

jeopardize relationships with the other team members.Results in: A usually friendly atmosphere, but not necessarily very

productive.

Produce or Perish styleOR Authoritarian style(High Production /Low People)(9:1)Description: Authoritarian or compliance leader.

Characteristics: The task-oriented manager is autocratic, has ahigh concern for production, and a low concern for people. He


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Results in: Whilst high output is achievable in the shortterm, much will be lost through an inevitable high labourturnover.

Middle-of-the-road style (Medium Production / MediumPeople). (5:5)Description: The manager tries to balance between

the competing goals of the company and the needs ofthe workers.

Characteristics: The manager gives some concern to

both people and production, hoping to achieveacceptable performance. He believes this is the mostanyone can do.

Results in: Compromises in which neither theproduction nor the people needs are fully met.

Team Management style (High Production / HighPeople).(9:9)Description: The ultimate. The manager pays high

concern to both people and production. Motivation ishigh.

Characteristics: The manager encourages teamwork

and commitment among employees. This styleemphasizes making employees feel part of the


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Scandinavian StudiesScandinavian StudiesThe previous three behavior theories did not take into

account the dynamics, or even chaotic environments

that influence the modern organizations. Some Finnish and Swedish theorists began reviewing

earlier theories to find new dimensions that couldincorporate the dynamics of the environment.

The new dimension found was called as developmentoriented behavior.

According to this dimension leaders were ready toexperiment with new ideas and practices and embracechange.

Leaders who were inclined towards this dimension werefound to be more efficient by the subordinates.


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Contingency TheoriesContingency Theories According to the contingency approach of leadership, a

single leadership style is not applicable to all situations. Every leader is to carefully analyze the situation before

adopting a style that best suits the requirements of thesituations. Below are the 5 contingency models ofleadership styles.

4. Fiedlers Contingency Model

5. Hersey and Blanchards situational theory

6. Leader-member exchange theory

7. Leadership-participation model

8. Path Goal Theory


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TheoryTheory

The Fiedler contingency model is a leadership theory of industrialand organizational psychology developed by Fred Fiedler

Fiedler (1967), differentiated situation from contingency. Heemphasised the fact that differing roles, traits and behaviours ofleaders did not just require an specific understanding of interactionswith subordinate, it also required favourable conditions.

Fiedler's model assumes that group performance depends on:

Leadership style, described in terms oftask motivation andrelationship motivation.


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Situational favourableness, determined by threefactors:

1. Leader-member relations - Degree to which a

leader is accepted and supported by the groupmembers.

2. Task structure - Extent to which the task isstructured and defined, with clear goals and procedures.

3. Position power or the leaders position - The

ability of a leader to control subordinates throughreward and punishment.

High levels of these three factors give the mostfavourable situation, low levels, the least favourable.Relationship-motivated leaders are most effective in

moderately favourable situations. Task-motivatedleaders are most effective at either end of the scale.Fiedler suggests that it may be easier for leaders tochange their situation to achieve effectiveness, ratherthan change their leadership style.

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ersey an anc ar s s ua onaersey an anc ar s s ua onatheorytheoryThe situational leadership model focuses on the fit of

leadership style and followers maturity .

In contrast to Fiedlers contingency leadership model and itsunderlying assumption that leadership style is hard to change,the Hersey-Blanchard situational leadership model suggeststhat successful leaders do adjust their styles.

The situational leadership model views leaders as varying theiremphasis on task and relationship behaviors to best deal with

different levels of follower maturity.The two-by-two matrix shown in the figure indicates that four

leadership styles are possible.

Telling Style giving specific task directions andclosely supervising work; this is a high-task, low-

relationship style.Selling Style explaining task directions in a

supportive and persuasive way; this is a high-task,high-relationship style.

Participating Style emphasizing shared ideas andparticipative decisions on task directions; this is a low-task, high-relationship style.


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theorytheoryAccording to this theory, leaders often

behave differently with differentsubordinates. They establish closerelationships with a small group ofsubordinates early in their interactions.

In Group :Good relation with leaders andhigh frequency of interactions.

Out-Group: Formal relation with leader andless frequency of interaction compared to

in-group.The theory suggests that the leaders give

promotions to the in-group employeesquickly and also that employee turnover

rate in such groups is low.


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modelmodel In 1973 Victor Vroom and Philip Yetton came up with the

leadership-participation model that tried to establish

relation between leadership behavior and the decisionmaking style.

As per them leaders are required to adapt their behaviorto suit changes in the situations.

The model proposed a sequential set of rules that could

help the managers in taking decisions in differentsituations.

The model had 12 contingencies also called as problemattributes and 5 alternative leadership styles.

The Problem Attributes were categorized intodecision-quality and employee acceptance.

decision-quality cost considerations, informationavailability, nature of problemstructure.

employee acceptance need for commitment, theirprior approval, congruence of


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Path Goal TheoryPath Goal TheoryThis theory was developed by Robert House.

Here the leader provides the necessary support andguidance to his followers and help them achieveorganizational goals.

Leader defines the individual(or groups) goals and helpthem achieve them.

As per the theory Leaders are accepted by thesubordinates when

They find that the satisfaction of their needs dependupon their effective performance.

They are provided with guidance ,support, and

rewards needed for effective performance.Robert House suggested 4 types of leadership by this

model

8. Directive leadership

9. Supportive leadership

10 Participative leadership

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Leadership Theories by Vikas Khandelwal