1. INTRODUCTION
Leadership can be defined as “Leadership is the process of influencing the activities of an organised group in efforts towards goal setting and goal achievement”. CHARCTERSTICS OF LEADERSHIP
- Leadership is a continuous process of actions directed towards a group.
- Leadership is the process of influencing people and to modifying their behaviours. People are “followers” or “subordinates.” Followers and leaders are important to an organisation, because if followers and leaders are worked together then only organisation can achieve their goal easily.
- Decisions and goals are set by groups, a single individual is almost always designated leader.
- The leaders influence is seen as legitimate by the followers.
- Leader influence is directed towards group goals; however these group goals may be set by the leader
Its important to know any leader how to deal with three important variables: the people being led, the task to be performed, and environment in which the work was taking place. But trait and behavioural approaches fail to take into account this interaction among people, tasks and environments. But trait and behaviour approaches ignore task and environment consideration.
2. LITERARTURE REVIEW
TRAIT APPROACHES
KONOPASKE (2008) said thinking and discussion about leadership evolved from a trait-based approach to the concept of teams without bosses. Trait approach is an attempt to identify specific characteristics (physical, mental, personality) associated with leadership success. Trait theory of leadership is based on intelligence, personality, physical characteristics and supervisory ability. In trait approach leaders are born, not made because some people are born with their charisma and other personality traits, seems to be natural born leaders whom others will follow automatically. People possessing charismatic traits need to learn to use and develop those leadership traits consciously. Many successful leaders do not possess a common body of personality traits which explain their leadership abilities. In fact, many great leaders of the past seem to have had different personality traits. Quality leadership depends neither on charisma nor on personality traits (www.2). Surveys of early trait research by Stogdill (1948) and Mann (1959) reported that many studies identified personality characteristics that appear to differentiate leaders from followers (www.3). Peter Wright (1996) has commented, ‘others found no differences between leaders and followers with respect to these characteristics, or even found people who possessed them were less likely to become leaders’. central to effective leadership.
BEHAVIOURAL APPROACH
According to
1) Examines how managers spend their time and the typical pattern of activities, responsibilities, and functions of managerial jobs
· Leadership effectiveness depends in part on how well a manager resolves role conflicts, copes with demands, recognizes opportunities, and overcomes constraints
2) Identifying effective leadership behavior (www.5)
Over the past few decades organisations have been changing at a phenomenal pace in both business and political worlds. The workforce is increasing in demographic diversity; technological change and international competition are placing new demands on the leaders of organisations. It results the organisations to thrive and survive they need leaders who can provide a compelling vision and attract the commitment of staff (Guest 1996) this in turn has lead to increasing interest into the idea of charismatic style of leadership (www.1). KONOPASKE (2008) said trait and behavioural approach will help to understand the dynamics of leadership situations. Trait approaches consider in a leadership role personal characteristics are important to the leader to achieve success in the organisation. But these personal characteristics are important in some situation in some situation they are going to be a less useful.
WHO WILL BECOME A EFFECTIVE LEADER
Leaders are people, who are able to express themselves fully, says Warren Bennis. 'They also know what they want', he continues, 'why they want it, and how to communicate what they want to others, in order to gain their co-operation and support.’ Lastly, ‘they know how to achieve their goals' Bennis (1998). But what is it that makes someone exceptional in this respect? As soon as we study the lives of people who have been labelled as great or effective leaders, it becomes clear that they have very different qualities (www.3)
Charismatic Leadership Theories
According to LUTHANS (2008) Charismatic Leadership is an old conception of leaders. Charismatic leadership is based on the personal abilities of any leader who make the changes of followers to become useful to the organization. Charismatic leaders will produce best performance of followers with strong commitment. According to KONOPASKE (2008) charismatic leaders behavior and attributes are ability to inspire, a dominating personality, vision, and communication ability. Charismatic leaders are two types
· Visionary leadership: Expressing a shared vision of what the future could be.
· Crisis-based leadership: leaders have an impact when the system must be handle a situation for which existing knowledge, resources, or procedures are not adequate. Charismatic leader communicates clearly what action need to be taken and what their consequences will be.
In Charismatic leadership, the leader links follower’s needs and goals to job or organizational goals. The followers are linking to the organizations direction, mission, and goals is easier if they are dissatisfied or unchallenged by the current situation.
TRANSACTIONAL LEADERSHIP
According to KONOPASKE (2008) in transactional leadership leader consider the self concept and esteem needs of followers to what to be done to accomplish the desired results. According to LUTHANS (2008) the characteristics of transactional leadership are contingent reward, Management by exception (active), Management by exception (passive), Laissez-faire leadership style.
Why Transactional leadership is successful it follows
· Leaders are recognizing what are followers needs
· Leaders are clarify to the followers that for fulfilling needs, it will depend on designated outcome, it means after achieving the goals.
· Leaders are telling to the followers, what are the tasks to be performed, how to perform, so the followers feel confidence in meeting the task requirement.
TRASFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Burns defined transformational leadership as a process where leaders and followers engage in a mutual process of 'raising one another to higher levels of morality and motivation.' KONOPASKE (2008) defined transformational leadership; leader motivates followers to work for goals instead of short term self-interest for achievement and self-actualization instead of security. According to ROBERT (1997) Transformational leadership, when the leaders are think about the interests of their employees and generating awareness and acceptance of the goals and looking the employees self-interest for the good of the group. According to ZALEZNIK and KOTTER (2006) views about transformational leadership theory are both leaders and managers engaged in the same task of getting the best out of people, they just have different influencing styles (personalities). Leaders and managers are to be highly inspirational, only in some cases when the followers are resistant behaving in the desired manner.
Transformational leaders raise the bar by appealing to higher beliefs, needs and values of followers. In doing so, they may model the values themselves and use charismatic methods to attract people to the values and to the leader.
Burns' view is that transformational leadership is more effective than transactional leadership, where the appeal is to more selfish concerns. An appeal to social values thus encourages people to collaborate, rather than working as individuals (and potentially competitively with one another). He also views transformational leadership as an ongoing process rather than the discrete exchanges of the transactional approach. According to LUTHANS (2008) transformational leaders characterized by idealized leadership, inspirational leadership, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration represent a cluster of interrelated styles aimed for
· Changing situations for the better
· Developing followers into leaders
· Overhauling organizations to provide them with new strategic decisions
· Inspiring people by providing an energizing vision and high ideal for moral and ethical conduct
Why transformational leadership is successful because of the leaders are charismatic to the followers and they will inspire the followers, they meet the emotional needs of each employee and they will intellectually stimulate the employees. According to ZALEZNIK transformational leadership by being inspiring, charismatic, visionary or highly enthusiastic in order to win peoples hearts and minds
SITUATIONAL LEADESHIP
According to BLANCHARD AND HERSEY Situational leadership is allows one to analyze the needs of the situation, then adopt the most appropriate leadership style. It has been proven popular with managers over the years because it is simple to understand, and it works in most environments for most people. Blanchard and Hersey said that the leadership style (S1 - S4) of the leader must correspond to the development level (D1 - D4) of the follower. Furthermore it is the leader who must adapt, not the follower. To get the most of situational leadership, a leader should be trained in how to operate effectively in various leadership styles, and how to determine the development level of others.
The model rests on two fundamental concepts; leadership style, and development level. 1) Leadership styles
Blanchard and Hersey characterized leadership style in terms of the amount of direction and support that the leader provides to their followers. They categorized all leadership styles into four behavior types, which named S1 to S4:
S1: Directing/Telling Leaders define the roles and tasks of the 'follower', and supervise them closely. Decisions are made by the leader and announced, so communication is largely one-way.
S2: Coaching/Selling Leaders still define roles and tasks, but seek ideas and suggestions from the follower. Decisions remain the leader's prerogative, but communication is much more two-way.
S3: Supporting/Participating Leaders pass day-to-day decisions, such as task allocation and processes, to the follower. The leader facilitates and takes part in decisions, but control is with the follower.
S4: Delegating Leaders are still involved in decisions and problem-solving, but control is with the follower. The follower decides when and how the leader will be involved.
Of these, no one style is considered optimal or desired for all leaders to possess. Effective leaders need to be flexible, and must adapt themselves according to the situation. However, each leader tends to have a natural style, and in applying Situational Leadership he must know his intrinsic style.
The right leadership style will depend on the person being led - the follower. Blanchard and Hersey extended their model to include the Development Level of the follower. They stated that the leader's chosen style should be based on the competence and commitment of her followers. They categorized the possible development of followers into four levels, which they named D1 to D4:
D1: Low Competence, High Commitment - They generally lack the specific skills required for the job in hand. However, they are eager to learn and willing to take direction.
D2: Some Competence, Low Commitment - They may have some relevant skills, but won't be able to do the job without help. The task or the situation may be new to them.
D3: High Competence, Variable Commitment - They are experienced and capable, but may lack the confidence to go it alone, or the motivation to do it well or quickly.
D4: High Competence, High Commitment - They are experienced at the job, and comfortable with their own ability to do it well. They may even be more skilled than the leader.
According to Hersey, Blanchard, & Johnson (2008) the development level is now called the performance readiness level . It is based on the Development levels and adapted from Hersey's Situational Selling and Ron Campbell of the Center for Leadership Studies has expanded the continuum of follower performance to include behavioral indicators of each readiness level.
R1: Unable and Insecure or Unwilling - Follower is unable and insecure and lacks confidence or the follower lacks commitment and motivation to complete tasks.
R2: Unable but Confident or Willing - Follower is unable to complete tasks but has the confidence as long as the leader provides guidance or the follower lacks the ability but is motivated and making an effort.
R3: Able but Insecure or Unwilling - Follower has the ability to complete tasks but is apprehensive about doing it alone or the follower is not willing to use that ability.
R4: Able and Confident and Willing - Follower has the ability to perform and is confident about doing so and is committed.
CONTINGENCY THORY
According to FIEDLER, HERSEY & BLANCHARD, VROOM & YETTON contingency theories are a class of behavioral theory defined as optimal organization/ leadership style is contingent upon various internal and external constraints. These constraints are the size of the organisation, how it adapts to its environment, differences among resources and operation activities, managerial assumptions about employees, strategies, technologies used, etc. in contingency leadership theory, the success of the leader is a function of various contingencies in the form of subordinate, task, and group varibles. The effectiveness of a given pattern of leader behaviour is contingent upon the demands imposed by the situation.
FIEDLER contingency theory: group performance is contingent on the leaders psychological orientation and on the three contextual varibles: group atmosphere, task structure, leaders power position.
ACTION CENTERED LEADERSHIP MODEL
According to ADAIR, the Action Centred Leadership model in which consist of three elements
- achieving the task
- managing the team or group
- managing individuals
There are valuable elements of management not necessarily found in leadership, eg administration and managing resources. Leadership on the other hand contains elements not necessarily found in management, eg, inspiring others through the leader's own enthusiasm and commitment.
Adair set core functions of leadership and says they are vital to the Action Centered Leadership model:
- Planning - seeking information, defining tasks, setting aims Initiating - briefing, task allocation, setting standards
- Controlling - maintaining standards, ensuring progress, ongoing decision-making
- Supporting - individuals' contributions, encouraging, team spirit, reconciling, morale
- Informing - clarifying tasks and plans, updating, receiving feedback and interpreting
- Evaluating - feasibility of ideas, performance, enabling self assessment
· Physical vitality and stamina
· Intelligence and action-oriented judgement
· Eagerness to accept responsibility
· Task competence
· Understanding of followers and their needs
· Skill in dealing with people
· Need for achievement
· Capacity to motivate people
· Courage and resolution
· Trustworthiness
· Decisiveness
· Self-confidence
· Assertiveness
· Adaptability/flexibility
Conclusion
Progress has been made in improving the quality of products and services in organizations, but this progress has been limited. As organizations strive to achieve quality in relationships, both inter-and intra-organizational, they increase their abilities to survive in a global economy.
Leadership is the heart and soul of organizations, and quality communication is the avenue by which leaders clarify their visions and foster participative management within organizations, no matter which approach best describes their leadership styles.
In mastering the role of leadership, leaders must strive for attitude modification in their followers to effect lasting change. Attitudes, feelings, and opinions of employees must be in sync with those of their leaders. To accomplish this lasting change, trust must be established between leaders and employees, and quality communication plays an important role in initiating and maintaining this trust.
Quality leadership can be exercised only through quality communication at all levels-upper, middle, lower – in organizations. If quality communication is in place, the organization will achieve delighted customers, empowered employees, higher revenues, and lower costs.
REFERENCES
Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership.
Fiedler, F. E. (1997) ‘Situational control and a dynamic theory of leadership’ in K. Grint (ed.) (1997) Leadership. Classical, contemporary and critical approaches,
Hersey, P. and Blanchard, K. H. (1977) The Management of Organizational Behaviour 3e,
nHersey, P.,Blanchard, K., & Johnson, D. (2008). Management of Organizational Behavior: Leading Human Resources (9th ed.).
Ivancevich J.M, Konopaske R, and Matteson M.T (2008),Organisationalbehaviour and management,newyork,8th edition, Pg no: 413-426, McGraw-Hill companies,Inc.
Luthans F (2008), organizational Behaviour,11th edition, Pg no: 413- 426,
Stogdill, R. M. (1948) ‘Personal factors associated with leadership. A survey of the literature’, Journal of Psychology 25, Pg no: 35-71.
Vecchio R.P (1997), “Leadership”, Understanding the Dynamics of power and Influence in Organizations,Pg no: 318-321 Notre Dame,
Wright P.L and Taylor S.D (1994), “Improving Leadership Performance”, Interpersonel skills for effective leadership, 2nd edition, Pg no: 3-6,
www.1 -----www.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/outdoor/pages/styles.htm
www.2 -----www.businessballs.com/action.htm
www.3------www.infed.org/leadership/traditional_leadership.htm
www.4www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/1050030203.html
www.5--www.gregbryen.com/ClassNotes/ORG636/org1.doc