CHAPTER 1: APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF

MODERN LEADERSHIP
INTRODUCTION
GENERAL OUTLINE
DETAILED OUTLINE
KEY TERMS
ANSWERS TO “QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND REVIEW”
ACTIVITY/EXERCISE 1-1

Introduction
This chapter begins by providing several definitions of leadership. Then it
categorizes and puts into context the pertinent literature and multiple approaches to
leadership. In a recently completed mega-analysis, Shriberg developed a schema for the
12 elements of leadership. Each is briefly described and references are made to how these
elements are presented in the book.

General Outline
Definition of Leadership
Categorization of Leadership Approaches
Leadership Profile
Miep Gies: Hider, Helper
King Hussein: A Monarch Turns International Peacemaker
Nelson Mandela: Enduring To Triumph

Detailed Outline

Definition of Leadership
The essential theme of this section is that there is not one universal definition of
leadership. Several definitions offered by others are presented, including the author’s
favorite, which is, “Leadership is an influence relationship among leaders and followers
who intend real changes that reflect their shared purposes.” The authors state that
perhaps the most accepted definition of leadership is, “a leader is defined as any person
who influences individuals and groups within an organization, helps them in the
establishment of goals and guides them towards the achievement of these goals…”
(Nahavandi, 2003).
The authors note that just as there is no one universally accepted definition of
leadership, there are also numerous ways to categorize the literature on leadership, which
is discussed in the next section.

Categorization of Leadership Approaches

This section details a schema the authors have created to categorize modern
approaches to leadership as reflected in the leadership literature. In this model,
leadership study is divided into twelve categories. These categories do not reflect a
particular hierarchy (e.g., the first category is not necessarily more important than the
second category) but they do reflect, in a general sense, the historical popularization of
each of the approaches.
The twelve categories are listed and briefly described below:

Twelve Approaches to Leadership

1. Trait Theory and Other Psychological Approaches

Trait theory approaches leadership by examining the individual characteristics of

leaders and attempts to glean from these characteristics common factors found in
leaders. Psychological approaches to leadership are discussed in much depth in
Chapters Four and Five, which focus on intelligence theories, motivational theories,
and personality theories as they relate to leadership.

2. Group and Team Leadership

The concept of teams and team building is now central to leadership. Teams are
defined by the authors as two or more people who have developed processes to
accomplish one or more specific goals. Teams can take a variety of forms and
directions and effective team functioning is discussed at numerous points in the text,
in particular Chapter 10.

3. Situational Leadership Theories

Situational leadership theory posits that the most skilled leaders are able to adapt
their approach to specific situations. For example, some people and some situations
will respond more positively to a supportive approach, while other persons and other
situations require more directive techniques. Situational leadership is discussed in
more depth in Chapter 9.

4. Organizational Development, Change, and Leadership

This branch of leadership theory focuses primarily on the process of helping an

organization to effectively meet its goals. In this text, there are original essays by
several leaders (Gordon Barnhart, John Pepper, Stephen Covey, James Kouzes, and
Barry Posner) who have made their mark by writing about the process of large-scale
change or leading organizational change efforts.
.
5. Leadership Versus Management

This text takes the position that leadership and management overlap but also have
different functions. To complete a task or administer an organization successfully,
both leadership skills and management skills are needed. Chapter 9 is devoted to
management in relation to leadership. In this text it is argued that the world is over-
managed and under-led.

6. Politics, Power, and Leadership

2
 The term politics implies understanding and resolving human factors involved in
decision-making. The field of political science is often seen as “applied leadership”
and good leaders clearly must be politically savvy. Power theorists are often divided
into “power over” and “power with” approaches. “Power over” theorists often
discuss authority and responsibility and whether or not they can be delegated. They
discuss using power wisely and appropriately to accomplish goals and objectives.
“Power with” writers believe in empowering others.
Chapter 8 discusses Power and Leadership from the Top and, along with Chapters
11 and 12, presents a variety of approaches to power sharing and empowering.

7. Charismatic Leadership

This branch of leadership study focuses on those leaders who lead by inspiration
and often by sheer personality (e.g., John F. Kennedy). Models of charismatic
leadership are discussed in greater depth in Chapter 6.

8. Vision, the Human Condition, and Leadership

Can a leader lead if there is no goal to lead toward? Increasingly, the field of
“visioning” has been coming into vogue and leaders who both articulate and move
society toward a vision for the future are often widely admired. The concept of vision
is discussed throughout our text and highlighted in Chapters 13 and 14.

9. Leadership Formulas

Scan any bookstore and you will see a variety of books that provide formulas for
successful leadership (e.g., Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People). This text includes lists in several places, but also explicitly challenges
readers to create their own theory of leadership and, by extension, to create their own
formula that guides their approach to leadership.

10. Ethical Leadership

Scandals such as those faced by Enron, Arthur Anderson, and the Roman Catholic
Church, are becoming a regular feature of daily news coverage and these and other
scandals have raised the issue of what must leaders do to be ethical? Chapter 2 of this
text is entitled “Ethical Leadership” and this chapter, along with Chapter 3,
“Leadership in a Global and Multicultural Society,” form the foundational chapters of
this text. If leaders are not ethical, they cannot be considered effective leaders no
matter their other skills.

11. Leadership in Limited Time and Space

Leaders do not have an infinite amount of time to bring about the goals they seek.
In the real world, much of everyone’s time is invested with projects that are limited in
time—they begin and they end! Project leadership requires all the skills and

3
 understandings discussed in this text, but, in addition, it requires that these skills be
applied in limited time. It also adds the skill of “closure.” See Kloppenborg,
Shriberg, and Venkatraman’s Project Leadership to learn about leadership challenges
at every stage of a project. Chapter 10 focuses on teaming, and two of the main foci
of this chapter are project leadership and leading a virtual team(e.g., the team meets
and communicates via the internet from different locales).

12. Multicultural and Global Leadership

The greatest challenge of the modern era is to lead and follow people who are
different. We argue that all leadership must be based upon a respect and
understanding of human differences. Chapter 3, “Leadership in a Global and
Multicultural Society,” focuses on this dimension of leadership in greater depth.

Leadership Profiles
Miep Gies: Hider, Helper

Miep Gies, one of many Dutch nationals who risked their lives hiding
Jews during World War II, brought food daily to Anne Frank and her family until their
discovery in the summer of 1945. Her great courage and selflessness in times which
would break anyone’s spirit has continued to the present day; she wants to let no one
forget the horrors that she fought so tirelessly against and so continues to lecture all over
the world.

Martin Luther: A Hammer for Religious Expression

Martin Luther’s bold stance on religious expression ensured that he is remembered to this
day as an incredibly controversial and influential religious leader. In 1517, Luther’s 95
Theses made its famous public appearance on the doors of the Wittenberg Castle Church
and its influence spread quickly across Europe, challenging the supremacy of the church.
Martin Luther persevered in spreading his word in spite of the Vatican’s efforts to stop
him. His story is an example of how one man’s courage made a profound impact on the
world even centuries later.

King Hussein: A Monarch Turns International Peacemaker

Nearly killed at the age of 16 when an assassin killed his grandfather,

King Hussein formally ascended the throne at age 18. By his 21st birthday, this 5’4”
leader had already ousted the British army commander he inherited and fended off an
attempted military coup. In a region not known for stability, King Hussein would become
by the time of his death in 1999 the longest ruling head of state in the world (43 years). If
his legacy were simply consolidating his authority while a teenager and building Jordan
up to its current extremely influential role in the Middle East, that alone would be the
story of an extraordinary leader. However, what transformed King Hussein into a leader
for the ages was his ability to become a living symbol of hope for peace in the Middle

4
East through his ability to reconcile both with a man who led a war against his rule
(Yassir Arafat) and with a man (Yitzhak Rabin) who led—in self-defense—the most
damaging military defeat against his nation.

Nelson Mandela: Enduring to Triumph

South African President Nelson Mandela demonstrated incredible patience and

strength in times of great adversity, including twenty-seven years in prison. In the end, he
not only maintained his dignity, but triumphed, bringing his people to freedom and
himself to his country’s helm, setting an example for any aspiring leader.

Key Terms:

Charismatic leader: A charismatic leader is one that leads by sheer force of his / her
personality and inspire people to do their best.

Multicultural leadership: This is practiced when a person is able to respond to diverse

cultures by increasing his or her insights into a different population’s needs and world
view; equipping one to mobilize an entire group

Organizational development: Organizational development is an approach to help

organizations be effective by unfreezing them, creating necessary changes, and refreezing
them.

Politics: Politics refers to the understanding and resolving of human factors involved in
decision-making and conflict processes.

Power over: This is an approach to power that emphasizes domination of leader over
followers.

Power with: This is an approach to power that emphasizes empowerment of followers.

Project leadership: This is about leading teams created for short periods of time to
accomplish a specific task.

Situational leadership: This is an approach to leadership that involves balancing the needs
of the leader, the needs of the followers, the needs of the situation, and the needs of key
stakeholders in the organization.

Trait Theory: This is an approach to leadership that involves studying the traits of great
leaders and imitating them.

Virtual leadership: This is about leading teams comprised of members spread over
geographically remote areas.