Organizational Leadership Exam 1

Understand the elements of symbolic leadership in an organization.

"Framing" describes how leaders encourage constituents to adopt one particular interpretation or frame instead of alternative explanations. Directing people's attention to future goals They pay close attention to the assumptions, values and symbols that create and reflect organizational culture Responsibilities of symbolic leaders shift as the organization matures

Be aware of cultural bias in the construction and interpretation of research on leadership.

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Identify your own philosophy and style of leadership.

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Recognize group expectations for members.

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Understand the role communication plays in the group decision making process.

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Identify the five basic components of human communication.

1. Communication is not a thing, it is a process. 2. Communication is not linear, it is circular. 3. Communication is complex. 4. Communication is irreversible. 5. Communication involves the total personality.

Path-goal theory

According to this theory, leaders influence followers' perceptions of the task and goal. Two factors are key when choosing a communication style: the nature of the followers and the nature of the task. Achievement-Oriented: Followers possess necessary skills. Task is unstructured. Participative: Followers are unsure (particularly if uncertainty prompts apprehension). Task is unstructured. Supportive: Followers are skilled, but lack confidence or commitment. Task is structured (particularly if task is stressful, tedious, frustrating, difficult, or dissatisfying). Directive: Followers are inexperienced or unsure. Task is unstructured.

Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership theory

According to this theory, you should focus on the job maturity and psychological maturity of followers. A telling style (high task/low relationship) succeeds with followers who are both unskilled at the tasks and unwilling to do the job. A selling style (high task/high relationship) should be used with followers who lack skills but are willing. A participating style (low task/high relationship) should be employed when dealing with skilled followers who are unwilling. A delegating style (low task/low relationship) generates the best results with followers who are both skilled and willing.

Recognize the elements that contribute to "good leadership."

All good leaders have a high degree of emotional intelligence. The Five Components of Emotional Intelligence at Work: Self-Awareness Self-Regulation Motivation Empathy Social Skill

Conformist followers

Committed to organizational goals but express few thoughts of their own Often referred to as "yes men/women" in popular culture May hold back their ideas out of fear or deference to authority

Identify key elements of organizational culture.

Cultures are made up of underlying assumptions, values, symbols, and symbolic creations called artifacts. The organization is a product of symbol using, and organizational leaders are symbolic leaders who use symbols to interpret events and to help determine the direction of the group. Assumptions Values Symbols

Passive followers

Demonstrate little original thought or commitment. Rely heavily on the leader's direction and meet only minimal expectations. Passivity may stem from a lack of skills or be a response to serving under authoritarian leaders. Can be found at many fast-food restaurants where teenagers with limited job experience work under highly directive supervisors.

Describe the traits approach to leadership.

Early social scientists believed that leadership qualities were innate; an individual was either born with the traits needed to be a leader, or he or she lacked the physiological characteristics necessary for successful leadership. This approach to leadership suggested that nature played a key role in determining leadership potential. Present-day researchers no longer accept the notion of the born leader but continue to be interested in the significance of interpersonal competency, intelligence, personality, motivation expertise, and other factors in shaping performance and the perceptions of leadership effectiveness.

Leaders do...

Establishing direction Aligning people Motivating and inspiring

Understand the "Power of Expectations."

Expectations shape motivation and performance. The Pygmalion Effect refers to our tendency to live up to expectations of others. Generally, the higher the expectancy, the higher the performance. Leaders communicate expectations through climate (social and emotional atmosphere), input (the number and type of assignments they give to employees), output (the number of opportunities that followers have to voice opinions), and feedback (the frequency of praise or criticism).

Blake and McCanse's Leadership Grid

Five plotted leader communication styles: 1, 1 Impoverished Management. Low concern for tasks and low concern for relationships. Exertion of minimum effort to get required work done is appropriate to sustain organization membership. 9, 1 Authority Compliance. Highly concerned with the completion of tasks, but little concern for personal relationships. Efficiency in operations results from arranging conditions of work in such a way that human elements interfere to a minimum degree. 5, 5 Middle-of-the-Road Management. Concerned with both production and people. Adequate organization performance is possible through balancing the necessity to get out the work with maintaining morale of people at a satisfactory level. 1, 9 Country Club Management. More concerned with interpersonal relationships than with the completion of tasks. Thoughtful attention to the needs of people for satisfying relationships leads to a comfortable, friendly organization atmosphere and work tempo. 9, 9 Team Management. High concern for both production and people. Work accomplishment is from committed people; interdependence through a "common stake" in organization purpose leads to relationships of trust and respect.

Interpersonal Leadership

Focuses on the people who do the work. Solicits opinions Recognizes the positions, ideas, and feelings of others Engages in flexible, open communication Listens carefully to others Makes requests Focuses on feelings, emotions, and attitudes as they relate to personal needs Emphasizes productivity through the acquisition of personal skills Most often communicates orally Maintains an "open door" policy

Task Leadership

Focuses on what needs to be done. Disseminates (spread or disperse widely) information Ignores the positions, ideas, and feelings of others Engages in rigid, stylized communication Interrupts others Makes demands Focuses on facts, data, and information as they relate to tasks Emphasizes productivity through the acquisition of technical skills Most often communicates in writing Maintains a "closed door" policy

Alienated followers

Highly independent thinkers who put most of their energies into fighting rather than serving their organizations because they've become disillusioned with their leaders or feel unappreciated. Provide a dose of healthy skepticism for the group but generally come off as cynical.

Fiedler's contingency model of leadership

Highly negative evaluations of a least-preferred coworker (LPC) result in lower LPC scores; favorable evaluations result in higher LPC scores. The effectiveness of a leader in a given situation is influenced by three primary factors that control the amount of influence a leader has over followers. These are: (1) the leader's position power, (2) task structure, and (3) the interpersonal relationship between leader and members.

Recognize the elements that contribute to "bad leadership." (7)

Incompetent Rigid Intemperate Callous Corrupt Insular Evil

Describe the link between communication style and information processing.

Information processing theory looks inside the mind of leaders and followers to determine how they select and respond to communication styles. A leader's selection of a particular style depends (1) on schemata (interconnected bits of symbolic knowledge) stored in memory, and (2) on the categorization of followers and other elements of the situation. Important implications of information processing approach include: (1) develop your knowledge and experience base as a leader; (2) acknowledge the power of categorization, (3) know your audience, (4) performance counts, (5) be flexible, and (6) focus attention on the "we," not the "me."

Understand the role communication plays in the conception of leaders and followers as relational partners.

Leaders and followers are relational partners who play complementary roles. Leaders exert a greater degree of influence and followers have more responsibility for carrying out the work. In shared leadership, responsibility for achieving shared goals is distributed throughout the group. Think of yourself as a leader-follower, routinely shifting between leader and follower functions. Following is excellent preparation for leadership, and leading can prepare you for the follower role. Viewing leadership from a communication perspective recognizes that your leadership effectiveness depends on your willingness to interact with others (the willingness to communicate) and on making skillful use of storytelling, emotional communication competencies, and impression management.

Illustrate how to communicate expectations.

Leaders communicate expectations through climate (social and emotional atmosphere), input (the number and type of assignments they give to employees), output (the number of opportunities that followers have to voice opinions), and feedback (the frequency of praise or criticism). To create high expectations/high performance cycle, build a warm climate, delegate important responsibilities, solicit ideas, and provide frequent positive feedback. Expectations are communicated through 4 important channels: Climate Input Output Feedback

Explain how and why leadership has been defined in so many different ways.

Leadership is a fundamental element of the human condition. Wherever society exists, leadership exists. Any definition of leadership must account for its universal nature. Leadership seems to be linked to what it means to be human. What makes us unique as humans is our ability to create and manipulate symbols - abstract, arbitrary representations of reality.

Describe how leadership is a special form of human communication.

Leadership is about... - who you are - how you act - what you do - how you work with others

Differentiate between a leader and a manager.

Managers are people who do things right and leaders are people who do the right thing.

Pragmatist followers

Moderately independent and engaged Pragmatism is a way of coping with organizational uncertainty caused by frequent changes of leadership, layoffs, and restructuring These organizational survivors hold on to their jobs but are not likely to be promoted

Explain the dimensions of leadership communication style.

One factor that contributes to variations in leader effectiveness is communication style. Leadership communication style is a relatively enduring set of communicative behaviors in which a leader engages when interacting with followers. A leader's communication style may reflect a philosophical belief about human nature or may simply be a strategy designed to maximize outcomes in a given situation.

Describe what makes a collective or an assembly into a group or organization.

Organizations are formed through the process of communication.

Managers do...

Planning and budgeting Organizing and staffing Controlling and problem solving

Exemplary followers

Rate highly as both critical thinkers and active participants, contributing innovative ideas and going beyond what is required Add value to the organization by helping it reach its objectives "Weave a web of relationships" through joining teams, building bridges to others throughout the organization, and working partners with leaders. Cultivate a courageous conscience by making the right ethical judgments and then following through on those choices Anticipate and eliminate ethical problems before they pose a significant threat and disobey leaders who issue directives that put the organization at risk

Outline the Galetta effect.

Self-expectations (called the Galetta effect) also influence performance. Protect yourself from the power of negative leadership expectations by setting high standards for yourself.

Develop and articulate your own definition of leadership.

Someone who has the ability to translate their vision into reality through the correct use of communication

Identify what constitutes task and interpersonal leadership.

Task leadership: focuses on what needs to be done. Interpersonal leadership: focuses on the people who do the work.

Understand the relational approach to leaderships.

The relational approach to leadership shifts the focus from the characteristics of leaders and followers (traits and situational) and the leadership behaviors (functional) to the relationships between leaders and followers. According to vertical dyad linkages (VDL) theory, some followers (in-group members) enjoy a closer relationship or linkage with their leaders than other followers (members of the out-group). In-group leader-follower exchanges are marked by higher levels of trust, mutual influence, and support than out-group exchanges.

Outline what is encompassed by the situational approach.

The situational approach argues that the traits, skills, and behaviors necessary for effective leadership vary from situation to situation. The most commonly studied situational approaches are Fiedler's contingency model of leadership, path-goal theory, and Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership theory.

Describe the transformational approach to leadership.

The transformational approach contrasts traditional leadership, labeled as transactional, with a more "complex" and "potent" type of leadership known as transformational. The motivational appeals of the transactional leader are designed to satisfy basic human needs; the appeals of the transformational leader go beyond those basic needs to satisfy a follower's higher-level needs.

Explain the functional approach to leadership.

The underlying assumption of this approach is that leaders perform certain functions that allow a group or organization to operate effectively. You will likely be considered a leader if you perform (a) task-related roles that contribute to the organization and completion of group tasks and/or (b) group building and maintenance roles that develop and maintain supportive and health interpersonal relationships. However, you will undermine your group's effectiveness if you play selfish individual roles that are disruptive.

Outline the characteristics of transformational leadership.

Transformational leaders are creative, interactive, visionary, empowering, and passionate. Further, since transformational leadership can convert followers into leaders in their own right, these five primary characteristics are often filtered throughout transformed groups and organizations.

Identify specific behaviors of transformational leaders.

Uses power to serve others Aligns vision with the needs and aspirations of followers Considers and learns from criticism Stimulates followers to think independently and to question the leader's view Engages in open, two-way communication Coaches, develops, and supports followers Relies on internal moral standards to satisfy organizational and societal interests

The Michigan leadership studies

a. "Product-oriented" style of leadership communication: these leaders focus on accomplishing tasks by emphasizing technical procedures, planning, and organization. They are primarily concerned with getting work done. b. "Employee-oriented" style of leadership communication: these leaders focus on relationships between people and are particularly interested in motivating and training followers. They demonstrate a genuine interest in the well-being of followers both on and off the job. c. Michigan researchers believed that a leader could only choose either one of these styles or a neutral leadership style. d. Found that employee-oriented leaders had more productive and satisfied work groups. e. Short-lived theory. Someone found that you can actually be both a product-oriented and employee-oriented leader.

McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y

a. Theory X managers believe that the average person has an inherent dislike for work and will avoid engaging in productive activities whenever possible. Managers must coerce, control, direct, and threaten workers in order to ensure performance. § Assumes that most people actually desire strict supervision as a means of insuring security. § If workers are told what to do, they can have little doubt that they are performing as expected. § This approach emphasizes task supervision with little or no concern for individual needs. § Task-oriented b. Theory Y managers work to integrate organizational and individual goals. § Assumes that work is as natural as play or rest. § Work is not viewed as inherently unpleasant but rather as a source of satisfaction. § Personal commitment and pride are sufficient to ensure quality workmanship. § Argues that the average person seeks responsibility as an outlet for imagination and creativity. § This approach emphasizes individual commitment by recognizing individual needs as well as organizational needs. § Interpersonal-oriented

The Ohio State leadership studies

a. Two primary dimensions of leadership: consideration and initiating structure b. Consideration: interpersonal-oriented communication designed to express affection and liking for followers; the consideration of followers' feelings, opinions, and ideas; and the maintenance of an amiable working environment c. Initiating structure: task-related behaviors involved in the initiation of action, the organization and assignment of tasks, and the determination of clear-cut standards of performance d. Two separate dimensions of leadership that a leader could rate high or low on e. Findings are inconsistent

Differentiate between democratic, authoritarian, and laissez-faire styles of leadership and the types of communication embodied in each style. Democratic leaders...

engage in supportive communication that facilitates interaction between leaders and followers. The leader adopting the democratic communication style encourages follower involvement and participation in the determination of goals and procedures. Democratic leaders assume that followers are capable of making informed decisions. The democratic style of leadership is often most effective, being associated with increased follower productivity, satisfaction, and involvement/commitment.

Leadership is...

human (symbolic) communication, which modifies the attitudes and behaviors of others in order to meet shared group goals and needs.

Differentiate between democratic, authoritarian, and laissez-faire styles of leadership and the types of communication embodied in each style. Authoritarian leaders...

maintain strict control over followers by directly regulating policy, procedures, and behavior. Authoritarian leaders create distance between themselves and their followers as a means of emphasizing role distinctions. Many authoritarian leaders believe that followers would not function effectively without direct supervision. The authoritarian leader generally feels that people left to complete work on their own will be unproductive. Authoritarian leadership can boost output, but it reduces follower satisfaction and commitment.

Explain the different perspectives of charisma.

o Charismatic leaders are the "superstars" of leadership. We usually reserve the label "charismatic" for well-known political, social, and business leader who have had significant impact on the lives of others. o Weber's sociological approach to charisma included five key components: a leader with extraordinary talents; an unstable or crisis situation; a radical vision for providing a solution to the crisis; a group of followers who believe the extraordinary leader links them to powers that exceed usual limits; and a validation of the extraordinary leader's talents and power through repeated success. o By describing charisma as a set of behaviors, the behavioral approach attempts to clarify what charisma is and to predict the effects of charismatic leadership. The attribution approach defines charisma by the perception of followers. o The communication approach suggests that charisma is a specific form of communication. Charismatic leaders excel in three core functions of communication: relationship building, visioning, and influencing.

Differentiate between democratic, authoritarian, and laissez-faire styles of leadership and the types of communication embodied in each style. Laissez-Faire

refers to a form of leader communication that has been called nonleadership by some. An ineffective version of this leadership communication style involves abdication of responsibility on the part of the leader; leaders withdraw from followers and offer little guidance or support. As a result, productivity, cohesiveness, and satisfaction often suffer. A more positive form of the laissez-faire leadership communication style affords followers a high degree of autonomy and self-rule while, at the same time, offering guidance and support when requested. The laissez-faire leader providing guided freedom does not directly participate in decision making unless requested to do so by followers or if such intervention is deemed necessary to facilitate task completion. The laissez-faire approach works best when used with highly knowledgeable and motivated experts.