The Nature & Importance of Leadership (Ch. 1) - MGT 602

what are substitutes for leadership?

(1). closely knit teams of highly trained individuals -> don't need much leadership (2). intrinsic satisfaction -> strongly self-motivated (3). professional norms -> ex: CPAs don't need motivation to prepared tax return -> leadership becomes less important with these

studying the textbook assists with developing your personal leadership skills through the following elements:

(1). conceptual information and behavioral guidelines (2). conceptual information demonstrated by examples and brief descriptions of leaders in actions (3). experiential exercises (4). feedback on skill utilization, or performance, from others (5). practice in natural settings

whether or not a leader is effective depends on:

(1). leader characteristics and traits -> inner qualities that help the leader function effectively on many situations (2). leader behavior and style -> activities in which the leader engages, including characteristic approach (3). group member characteristics -> attributes of the group members (4). the internal and external environment (5). elements/forces of the situation that may or may not be within the leader's control

research shows that leadership matters when....

(1). leader is perceived to be responsible and inspirational (2). leaders change, company performance changes (3). study showed that sales performance improved by a combination of interacting with company leader and meeting with internal beneficiary

effective followers share the following four essential qualities:

(1). self-management (2). commitment (3). competence and focus (4). courage

the satisfactions of leadership

(1). a feeling of power and prestige (2). a chance to help others grow and develop (3). high income (4). respect and status (5). good opportunities for advancement (6). a feeling of being in on things (7). opportunity to control money and other resources

essential qualities of effective followers: courage

- effective followers establish themselves as independent, critical thinkers, and fight for what they believe is right

leadership roles: technical problem solver

- help team members solve technical problems

the meaning of leadership

- leadership is needed at all levels in an organization and can be practiced to some extent even by a person not assigned to a formal leadership position - change needs to come about from leaders at lower levels, rather than relying exclusively on leadership from the top - the widespread shift to team-based organizations makes it important to have leaders at all organizational levels

research and opinion: formal leadership does not make a difference

- the anti-leadership argument holds that the impact of the leader on organizational outcomes is smaller than the impact of forces within the situation - *substitutes exist for leadership*, and can be defined as factors in the work environment that make the leader's role almost superfluous (i.e., guidance and incentives) -> less important when there's roles in place - leaders can be irrelevant - factors outside the leader's control have a larger impact on business outcomes than do leadership actions -> leaders often face circumstances that strongly limit their ability to influence organizational performance - organizational systems are complex - forces outside the leader's control determine a company's fate - better to ask under what conditions a leader makes a difference, such as during a crisis - another argument for leadership being overrated is that in the modern organization, effective leadership means widespread collaboration in obtaining ideas

basic leadership framework

L = f(l, gm, s) WHERE: L = leadership process l = leader gm = group member s = situational variabes

the frustrations of leadership

(1). too much uncompensated overtime (2). too many headaches (3). facing perform-or-perish mentality (4). insufficient authority for responsibility (5). loneliness (6). too many people problems (7). too much organizational politics (8). pursuit of conflicting goals (9). being perceived as unethical (10). job fatigue and burnout

what are the types of followers? (classified by level of engagement)

*from decreasing to increasing level of engagement* (1). isolates (2). bystanders (3). participants (4). activists (5). diehards - a major challenge in being a leader is to recognize that followers differ substantially in talent and motivation

types of leadership roles? who created them?

- Created by Henry Mintzberg - a role in this context is an expect set of activities or behaviors stemming from one's job - *a common thread in the leadership roles of a manager is that the managerial leader in some way inspires or influences others * types: 1. figurehead 2. spokesperson 3. negotiator 4. coach and motivator 5. team builder 6. team player 7. inclusion facilitator 8. technical problem solver 9. entrepreneur 10. strategy developer 11. executor

leadership process

- a function of (a) the leader, (b) group members, and (c) other situational variables - the framework focuses on the major sets of variables that influence leadership effectiveness

collaboration between leaders and followers

- a key role for followers is to collaborate with leaders in achieving organizational goals, as reflected in the emphasis on collaborative leadership - the new leader and the led are close allies - great leaders are made by great groups - in the modern organization, leaders and followers often switch roles - Petros Galakyan says, "In reality, one cannot claim that he or she is a leader or follower t all times and in all circumstances"

other leadership definitions

- a process in which an individual influences a group to achieve a common goal - the influential increment over and above mechanical compliance with directions and orders - an act that causes others to act or respond in a shared direction - the art of influencing people by persuasion or example to follow a line of action - mobilizing people in an organization around common goals to achieve impact - the principal dynamic force that motivates and coordinates the organization in the accomplishment of its objectives - the exercise of social influence between and among many sources of leadership working toward a common goal by using various mechanisms

followership: being an effective group member

- about 70-90% of work in organizations is performed by people in follower roles - to be an effective leader, one needs good followers - leaders are also followers, and followers also exhibit leadership - followers differ in their individual engagement approach to be a group member - training in followership often focuses on how to take responsibility for shared goals, being a self-starter, and providing constructive feedback to leaders when they make mistakes

a framework for understanding leadership

- according to this model, leadership can best be understood by examining its key variables: (1). leader characteristics and traits, -> self-confidence and problem-solving ability (2). behavior and style, (3). group member characteristics, and -> attributes that could have a bearing on how effective the leadership attempt will be (4). the internal and external environment -> influences leadership effectiveness

leadership roles: team builder

- build an effective team activities include: - ensuring that team members are recognized for their accomplishments, such as through letters of appreciation - initiating activities that contribute to group morale, such as giving parties and sponsoring sports teams - holding periodic staff meetings to encourage team members to talk about their accomplishments, problems, and concerns

types of followers: isolates

- completely detached - passively supports the status quo - do not care much about their leaders - need coaching

types of followers: activists

- considerably engaged - heavily invested in people and process - eager to demonstrate their support or opposition - feel strongly, either positively or negatively, about their leader and the organization and act accordingly - have a tendency to be whistleblowers - the leader has to stay aware of whether the activities is for or against the company

essential qualities of effective followers: commitment

- effective followers are committed to something beyond themselves, be it a cause, product, department, organization, idea, or value

essential qualities of effective followers: competence and focus

- effective followers build their competence and focus their efforts for maximum impact

leadership roles: strategy developer

- enables the manager to practice strategic leadership - the strategist role is concerned with shaping the future of the organization, or a unit within the larger organization activities: - setting a vision and direction for the organization and providing innovating ideas to pursue - helping the firm deal with the external environment - helping develop organizational policies

types of followers: bystanders

- free riders who are typically detached when it fits their self-interest - have low internal motivation - the leader has t work hard to find the right motivators to spark the bystander into action

emergent leaders

- group members who significantly influence other group members even though they have not been assigned formal authority - one can therefore exert leadership by being an influential co-worker (stand up and take charge) - you can also rise to leadership when people come to respect your opinion and personal characteristics and are thus influenced by you

leadership roles: entrepreneur

- have some responsibility for suggesting innovating ideas or furthering the business aspects of the firm activities: - reading trade publications and professional journals to keep up with what is happening in the industry and profession - talking with customers or others in the organization to keep aware of changing needs and requirements - getting involved in situations outside the unit that could suggest ways of improving the unit's performance, such as visiting other firms, attending professional meetings or trade shows, and participating in educational programs

leadership roles: coach and motivator

- inspire large groups of people inside the organization behaviors: - informally recognizing team members' achievements - providing team members with feedback concerning ineffective performance - ensuring that team members are informed of steps that can improve their performance - implementing rewards and punishments to encourage and sustain good performance - inspiring people through such means as being charismatic, creating visions, telling interesting stories, and being highly ethical

tolerance for ambiguity

- leaders encounter considerable ambiguity - world of work has become more uncertain and is rapidly changing - the complexity of workplace problems makes clear-cut answers elusive - *tolerating ambiguity* is being able to accept and profit from vague, uncertain, or inconsistent information or situation. -> one "manages the gray" because you recognize that tough and complex decisions are not black and white - storms of uncertainty will never cease - tolerating ambiguity has crept its way into a job qualification for some leadership and management positions -> ambiguity depends on context and situation

leadership roles: figurehead

- leaders, particularly high-ranking managers, spend some of their time engaging in ceremonial activities, or acting as a figurehead - entertaining clients or customers as an official representative of the organization - making oneself available to outsiders as a representative of the organization - serving as an official representative of the organization at gatherings outside the organization - escorting official visitors

leadership as a relationship

- leadership is a relationship between the leader and those being led - a theoretical analysis explains that leadership is not a trait or behavior of an individual, but a phenomenon generated in the interactions among people acting in a given setting -> the given setting refers to the *context of the relationship* - the social actions between and among people enable them to work together in meaningful ways to produce leadership outcomes - how leaders build relationships has changed somewhat in the modern era and its emphasis on interacting with people electronicaly - it is common practice for leaders to give recognition and praise via email or a posting on the company social media site, or a public social media such (i.e., Facebook or Twitter) - the late Steve Jobs, Apple's cofounder, however, emphasized that leaders should not let communication technology block them from interacting face-to-face with work associates

leadership as shared responsibility and collaboration

- leadership theorists and managers agree that the leadership role within a team is *seldom the responsibility of one person* - several individuals within the team may serve as leaders, both by formal assignment and informally - leadership may shift, depending on whose expertise is the most relevant at the moment - the essence of shared and collaborative leadership is reflected in this comment by Nick Petrie, who conducted a study on leadership development: "There is a transition occurring from the old paradigm in which leadership resided in a person or role, to a new one in which leadership is a collective process that is spread throughout networks of people." - a key forced driving collaborative leadership is the hyperconnected organizational world fostered by email and social media along with globalization

leadership roles: inclusion facilitator

- makes a deliberate effort to assume that all team members, group members, or other employees feel included and welcome within the organization

leadership effectiveness

- refers to attaining desirable outcomes such as productivity, quality, and satisfaction in a given situation - depends on (a) leader characteristics, (b) leader behavior and style, (c) group member characteristics and behavior, & (d) internal and external environment

leadership roles: team player

- related to the team-builder role behaviors: - displaying appropriate personal conduct - cooperating with other units in the organization - displaying loyalty to superiors by fully supporting their plans and decisions

types of followers: participants

- show enough engagement to invest some of their own time and money to make a difference - participants are sometimes for, and sometimes against, the leader and the company - the leader has to review their work and attitudes carefully to determine whether or not the participant is being constructive - regarded as active followers, or those who make a major contribution to the mission of the group

types of followers: diehards

- super-engaged to the point that they are willing to go down for their own cause, or willing to oust the leader if they feel the leader is headed in the wrong direction - can be an asset or a liability to the leader - have a stronger tendency to be whistleblowers than do activists - leaders have to stay in touch with diehards to see if their energy is being pointed in the service of the organization

leadership definition

- the ability to *inspire* (transformational) confidence and support among the people who are needed to achieve *organizational goals* (common goals) - linked to charisma - difference between leadership & management: -> mgt = telling -> leadership = charismatic and people want to do it

leadership roles: spokesperson

- the emphasis is on answering letters or inquiries and formally reporting to individuals and groups outside the managers' direct organizational unit - keeps groups informed about unit's activities, plans, capabilities, and possibilities (vision)

leadership vs management

- the functions of management are planning, organizing, directing (or leading), and controlling -> leading is a major part of a manager's job; yet a manager must also plan organization and control - leadership deals with the *interpersonal* aspects of a manager's job: change, inspiration, motivation, and influence - the administrative aspects of a manager's job are planning, organizing, and controlling - effective leaders also manage, and effective managers also lead - a study found that leaders focus more on people, managers more on results

essential qualities of effective followers: self-management

- the key to being a good follower is to think for oneself and to work well without close supervision

leadership roles: executor

- the leader makes things happen, often helping translate plans into action

leadership roles: negotiator

- trying to make deals with others for needed resources

what are key aspects of an effective group member?

- types of followers - the characteristics of productive followers - the collaboration between leaders and followers

research and opinion: leadership does make a difference

- widely believed that leaders do influence organizational performance - leaders are commonly credited with the ability to profoundly affect, even control, significant organizational outcomes - leadership actions can affect performance - another contributor to organizational performance was promoting an environment in which employees have a sense of responsibility for the entire organization - the leader might be responsible for somewhere between 15-45% of a firm's performance -> there's not one best approach for leadership