Psychology Chapter 12: Choosing an Appropriate Leadership Style

the theory that all great leaders share certain traits

great person theory of leadership

Workers in family-friendly organizations offering flexible-time hours reported feeling

greater loyalty to their employers

Social leadership is

good for morale, subordinates usually feel more satisfied and motivated when they can participate in decision making

Social leaders often have a

democratic style, they delegate authority and welcome the participation of team members

What type of leadership style works best may

depend on the the situation and the leader

Task leaders typically have a

directive style which can work well if the leader is bright enough to give orders

Managers think better of work they've

directly supervised

A leader's personality

does matter

The best leadership style for leading a discussion may not be the best style for leading troops on charge

example of how leadership style varies based on the situation and the leader

Effective leaders tend to

exude a self-confident charisma which is a mix of a vision of some goal, an ability to communicate it clearly and simply, and enough optimism and faith in their group to inspire others to follow

Task leaders are

goal-oriented and are good at keeping a group centered on its mission

Effective managers often exhbit a

high degree of both task and social leadership

Effective managers care about

how well work is done yet at the same time are sensitive to their subordinates' needs

Many successful businesses have also

increased employee participation in making decisions (common in Japan and Sweden)

Transformational leaders are typically

natural extroverts who articulate high standards, inspire people to share their vision, and offer personal attention which results in more engaged, trusting, and effective workers

group-oriented leadership that builds teamwork, mediates conflict, and offers support

social leadership

Consensus decision making can

take longer but when a decision is made, it gets implemented quickly and the commitment is by the group leading to more engaged workers and more satisfied stockholders

goal-oriented leadership that sets standards, organizes work, and focuses attention on goals

task leadership

Because effective leadership styles vary with the situation and the person,

the once-popular great person theory of leadership seems overstated

type of leadership style that motivates others to identify with and commit themselves to the group's mission

transformational leadership

The highest morale in firms were those with

transformational leadership (chief executives inspired their colleagues to give up self-interests for the sake of the collective)

Harley-Davidson was able to turn its company around by

transforming from a command-and-control management process to a joint-vision process in which decision-making, planning, and strategizing was spread throughout the organization

Leadership,

varies from a boss-focused directive style to a democratic style that empowers workers in setting goals and strategies

if given a chance to voice their opinion during a decision-making process, people will respond more positively to the decision

voice effect