Leadership

ST.
XAVIER’S COLLEGE, KOLKATA

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
LEADERSHIP: COMPARISON BETWEEN THE INDIAN AND WESTERN MODELS
ABSTRACT
From time immemorial, human resource management has been a
vital aspect of management of resources within any organization –
social, political or economic. However, it is only in the recent past that
its significance has been realized and it has been accepted as a
formalized field of study.
Post the Industrial Revolution; mass production started taking place

under a formal production unit known as the ‘shop floor’. In those
days, human resource was treated at par with any other factors of
production, which could be manipulated by the management for profit
maximization.
With the emergence of the Marxist philosophy, management was

forced to take note of the immense potential lying dormant in the
labor, which, if not harnessed properly could kill any organization.
As the human capital is the most important but highly perishable

resource of any business enterprise, human resource management
plays a vital role in the success of any business, especially as there
exists tremendous scope for value addition to human resource which
cannot be easily duplicated.
Thus evolved the need for a leader who could successfully maintain
and develop the human aspect of the organization.
A leader is the friend, philosopher and guide. Similar to the pied piper
who entranced the mice to follow him leading them out of the
kingdom, so too a leader attracts his followers with his magnetic
personality. Thus, a leader aims at the attainment of common goals
by motivating and inspiring his followers.
Leadership is context based and varies across continents depending

upon the social and cultural ethos of its followers.
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ST. XAVIER’S COLLEGE, KOLKATA
1. I N T R O D U C T I O N
Leadership is all about harnessing people power for the attainment of

a desired goal and thus the concept of leadership cannot be
restricted to the organizational context. It pervades through all realms
of society, whether it be in politics, religion or the corporate world.
1.1. Definition Of Leadership
Leadership is the synthesis of two words – leader + ship, thus a

leader can be seen as one who leads the ship through troubled
waters. Even in turbulent weather, the captain of the ship can be
seen at the steering wheel, with a clear sense of direction and with a
deft twist of the wrist he can swing things around. So too, leadership
is about a vision of the future and the ability to energize others to
pursue it.
A distinction must however be made between leaders and managers.
Managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people
who do the right thing. - Warren Bennis, Ph.D. "On Becoming a
Leader"1
1.2. What Is Leadership?
Leadership is a process of getting things done through people. The

quarterback moves the team toward a touchdown. The senior patrol
leader guides the troop to a high rating at the camporee. The mayor
gets the people to support new policies to make the city better.
These leaders are getting things done by working through people --

football players, Scouts, and ordinary citizens. They have used the
process of leadership to reach certain goals.
Leadership is not a science. So being a leader is an adventure

because you can never be sure whether you will reach your goal -- at
least this time. The touchdown drive may end in a fumble. The troop
may have a bad weekend during the camporee. Or the city's citizens
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may not be convinced that the mayor's policies are right. So these
leaders have to try again, using other methods. But they still use the
same process - the process of good leadership.
Leadership means responsibility. It's adventure and often fun, but it

always means responsibility. The leader is the guy the others look up
to, to get the job done. So don't think your job as a troop leader or a
staff member will be just an honor. It's more than that. It means that
the other Scouts expect you to take the responsibility of getting the
job done. If you lead, they will do the job. If you don't, they may
expect you to do the job all by yourself.
Wear your badge of office proudly. It does not automatically make

you a good leader. But it identifies you as a Scout who others want to
follow -- if you'll let them by showing leadership.
You are not a finished leader. No one ever is, not even a president or
prime minister. But you are an explorer of the human mind because
now you are going to try to learn how to get things done through
people. This is one of the keys to leadership.
You are searching for the secrets of leadership. Many of them lie
locked inside you. As you discover them and practice them, you will
join a special group of people-skilled leaders.2
1.3. Leadership: A Concept
There are four major factors in leadership: 3
Follower
Different people require different styles of leadership. For example, a

new hire requires more supervision than an experienced employee. A
person who lacks motivation requires a different approach than one
with a high degree of motivation. You must know your people! The
fundamental starting point is having a good understanding of human
nature, such as needs, emotions, and motivation. You must become
to know your employees' be, know, and do attributes.
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Leader
You must have an honest understanding of who you are, what you
know, and what you can do. Also, note that it is the followers, not the
leader who determines if a leader is successful. If they do not trust or
lack confidence in their leader, then they will be uninspired. To be
successful you have to convince your followers, not yourself or your
superiors, that you are worthy of being followed.
Communication
You lead through two-way communication. Much of it is nonverbal.

For instance, when you "set the example," that communicates to your
people that you would not ask them to perform anything that you
would not be willing to do. What and how you communicate either
builds or harms the relationship between you and your employees.
Situation
All are different. What you do in one situation will not always work in
another. You must use your judgment to decide the best course of
action and the leadership style needed for each situation. For
example, you may need to confront an employee for inappropriate
behavior, but if the confrontation is too late or too early, too harsh or
too weak, then the results may prove ineffective.
Various forces will affect these factors. Examples of forces are your
relationship with your seniors, the skill of your people, the informal
leaders within your organization, and how your company is
organized.4
1.4. Evolution Of A Leader
Good leaders are made not born. If you have the desire and
willpower, you can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop
through a never-ending process of self-study, education, training, and
experience.
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To inspire your workers into higher levels of teamwork, there are

certain things you must be, know, and, do. These do not come
naturally, but are acquired through continual work and study. Good
leaders are continually working and studying to improve their
leadership skills; they are not resting on their laurels.
Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to

accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that
makes it more cohesive and coherent. Leaders carry out this process
by applying their leadership attributes, such as beliefs, values, ethics,
character, knowledge, and skills. Although your position as a
manager, supervisor, lead, etc. gives you the authority to accomplish
certain tasks and objectives in the organization, this power does not
make you a leader - it simply makes you the boss. Leadership differs
in that it makes the followers want to achieve high goals, rather than
simply bossing people around.
Bass' (1989 & 1990) theory of leadership states that there are three
basic ways to explain how people become leaders. The first two
explain the leadership development for a small number of people.
These theories are:
• Some personality traits may lead people naturally into

leadership roles. This is the Trait Theory.
• A crisis or important event may cause a person to rise to the
occasion, which brings out extraordinary leadership qualities in
an ordinary person. This is the Great Events Theory.
• People can choose to become leaders. People can learn
leadership skills. This is the Transformational Leadership
Theory. It is the most widely accepted theory today.
When a person is deciding if he respects you as a leader, he does

not think about your attributes, rather, he observes what you do so
that he can know who you really are. He uses this observation to tell
if you are an honorable and trusted leader or a self-serving person
who misuses authority to look good and get promoted. Self-serving
leaders are not as effective because their employees only obey them,
not follow them. They succeed in many areas because they present a
good image to their seniors at the expense of their workers.
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The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless

service to your organization. In your employees' eyes, your
leadership is everything you do that affects the organization's
objectives and their well-being. Respected leaders concentrate on
what they are (such as beliefs and character), what they know (such
as job, tasks, and human nature), and what they do (such as
implementing, motivating, and provide direction).
What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be

guided by those they respect and who have a clear sense of
direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction
is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future.
Hay's study examined over 75 key components of employee

satisfaction. They found that:
• Trust and confidence in top leadership was the single most

reliable predictor of employee satisfaction in an organization.
• Effective communication by leadership in three critical areas
was the key to winning organizational trust and confidence:
1. Helping employees understand the company's overall

business strategy.
2. Helping employees understand how they contribute to
achieving key business objectives.
3. Sharing information with employees on both how the
company is doing and how an employee's own division is
doing - relative to strategic business objectives.
So in a nutshell - you must be trustworthy and you have to be able to

communicate a vision of where the organization needs to go.5
1.5. The Process Of Great Leadership
The road to great leadership (Kouzes and Posner, 1987) that is

common to successful leaders:
• Challenge the process - first, find a process that you believe

needs to be improved the most.
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• Inspire a shared vision - next, share you vision in words that

can be understood by your followers.
• Enable others to act - give them the tools and methods to solve
the problem.
• Model the way - when the process gets tough, get your hands
dirty. A boss tells others what to do...a leader shows that it can
be done.
• Encourage the heart - share the glory with your followers' heart,
while keeping the pains within your own. 6
1.6. The ‘Be, Know, Do’ Principle Of Leadership
If you are a leader who can be trusted, then those around you will
grow to respect you. To be such a leader, there is a leadership
framework to guide you:
- Be a professional. Examples: be loyal to the organization,

perform selfless service, and take personal responsibility.
- Be a professional who possess good character traits.
Examples: honesty, competence, candor, commitment,
integrity, courage, straightforwardness, imagination.
- Know the four factors of leadership - follower, leader,
communication, situation.
- Know yourself. Examples: strengths and weakness of your
character, knowledge, and skills.
- Know human nature. Examples: human needs, emotions, and
how people respond to stress.
- Know your job. Examples: be proficient and be able to train
others in their tasks.
- Know your organization. Examples: where to go for help, its
climate and culture, who the unofficial leaders are.
- Do provide direction. Examples: goal setting, problem solving,
decision making, planning.
- Do implement. Examples: communicating, coordinating,
supervising, evaluating.
- Do motivate. Examples: develop moral and esprit de corps in
the organization, train, coach, and counsel. 7
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1.7. Leadership: Comparison Between The Indian And Western

Models
In a bid to study the comparative styles of leadership in the two

hemispheres, we must realize that in India, leadership arises out of
introspection and attainment of material pursuits is regarded as only a
path to reach salvation. In the Western countries however, success is
measured solely on the basis of material prosperity.
One of the most significant differences in the approach towards

responding to changing environments can be seen in the form of a
proactive West vs. a reactive East. The West has an ability to
conceive and perceive an opportunity when none seem to exist,
whereas in India the reaction is in response to a stimulus, viz. an
opportunity is seized only after it actually presents itself in front of the
leaders.
Though it can be seen that the concepts of leadership have evolved

through the ages in both India and the West, the evolution has been
more rapid in the West. India still has miles to go before it can catch
up with the West.
1.8. Some Great Leaders
India has been witness to a host of good leaders, in the corporate,

religious, social and political sphere. Some prominent among them
are:
 Swami Vivekananda, who mesmerized the entire world and

single handedly awakened the spirit of India.
 Mahatma Gandhi, who through the power of ahimsa rocked the
British Throne.
 Shri J.R.D. Tata, who through his vision and mission to change
the face of India fought the might of the British and got India a
foothold in some of the sunrise industries.
 Shri Dhirubhai Ambani, rose from scratch in the License Permit
Raj, and made his presence felt worldwide.
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 Mr. Narayana Murthy, who is the epitome of modern day India’s

ethical leadership.
The West too has had its share of very successful leadership with
varying styles ranging from subtle to flamboyant. Some eminent
names that come to mind are:
 Hitler, a concrete example of how a leader can be the cause of

the boom and doom of his followers.
 Abraham Lincoln, listened to the call of his conscience, broke
ranks and successfully demolished the derogatory tradition of
slavery from the civilized world.
 Donald Trump, the real estate tycoon who forced his way into
the closed-ended club of land sharks of New York, using failure
as a stepping-stone to success.
 Bill Gates, who revolutionized the world with his contribution to
the software industry.
1.9. Thumb Rules Of A Successful Leader
Whether a leader is operating in the West or in India, these are some

of the thumb rules when it comes to successful leadership:
- The six most important words: "I admit I made a mistake."

- The five most important words: "You did a good job."
- The four most important words: "What is your opinion."
- The three most important words: "If you please."
- The two most important words: "Thank you,"
- The one most important word: "We"
- The least most important word: "I"8
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2. R E S E A R C H M E T H O D O L O G Y
This project is based on information gathered through secondary

data. Firstly, this topic “Leadership: Comparison Between The Indian
And Western Models.” was given to me by my professor. To
understand the matter well and to assimilate appropriate information
about the topic, I went through sufficient textbooks that I could
access. I also collected information from the Internet. After compiling
all the information available from the various sources, I made an
extensive study. This in-depth study helped me to understand the
concept of leadership in context to its varied application in the West
and in India. It was clear from the study that understanding these
changing concepts and styles of leadership are a key to successful
implementation of these styles in the future corporate scenario.
Using the Internet was very advantageous as the various sites

provided a detailed insight into the concepts of leadership. I also
came across some very interesting articles and speeches delivered
by prominent leaders about the changing styles of leadership, which
only added to my knowledge.
Through my project, I have made the best of my efforts to bring out

the differences in the concepts of leadership as applied in the West
and in India.
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3. H Y P O T H E S I S
Be it Luyten’s Delhi, or the car lovers’ Mecca, Seattle, the leader’s

agenda can only be one – to lead, albeit with a local flavor.
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4. A N A L Y S I S
Through the following analysis, I have tried my best to bring out a

clear distinction between the concepts of leadership as viewed in
India as against the West and highlight the need for synthesis of
these varying styles in the face of globalization.
4.1. Origin Of The Concept
Guru Brahma Gurur Vishnu

Guru Devo Maheshwaraha
Guru Saakshat Para Brahma
Tasmai Sree Gurave Namaha
Meaning: Guru is verily the representative of Brahma, Vishnu and

Shiva. He creates, sustains knowledge and destroys the weeds of
ignorance. I salute such a guru. 9
This shloka essentially describes the pedestal on which a leader was

placed in the traditional Indian society. The Indian society, being an
inward looking and highly philosophical society awarded the guru a
place even higher than God. It was the only form of recognized
leadership and everyone in the society, irrespective of his position,
would turn to the guru to seek advice on matters ranging from war
strategies to spiritual solace.
In the Indian society, after the thread ceremony, an important ritual

marking the beginning of the formal education of a child was being
sent to a gurukul. Here he would lead a life of a commoner,
regardless of his background, under the guidance of the guru. The
guru would condition his disciples both spiritually and mentally to help
them embark on the life of a grihastha once they attain the age of
twenty-five.
His word was a command in every sphere and everyone was

supposed to discharge his debts to the guru, in the form of a guru
dakshina, by carrying out his orders.
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In the post Aryan era, the balance of power shifted to the crown. The
king was now recognized as the ultimate leader who was responsible
for all his subjects.
The nineteenth century saw another turn and political leaders in the
form of revolutionaries fighting for the country’s independence came
to the fore.
The likes of Mahatma Gandhi mesmerized the country and shook the
British throne.
After independence, in a pledge to build the nation, the importance of

trade and commerce gained recognition. Thus evolved the concept of
business leadership in India, personified by late Shri G.D. Birla, Shri
J.R.D. Tata and a host of others.
The common thread running through these diverse personalities

represents the essence of Indian leadership. These elements can be
bulleted as under:
• Warm / informal
• Respect for the individual
• Introspection
• Inward looking
• Compassionate
• Sensitive
• Objective
• Collaborative
• Intellectual
• Ethical
• Aesthetic
• Recognition of social responsibility10
Indian forms of leadership stand in stark contrast to the western

philosophies of leadership, essentially comprising of the concepts
adopted by Northern America and Europe.
13
Here too, the first instances of leadership can be traced to a spiritual

leader or the Pope exercising a strict control over the entire Catholic
Christian population across the globe.
Constant conflict erupting in the form of the two world wars saw the
shift of power to political leadership represented by Hitler, Churchill,
Kennedy and so forth.
Controls shifted again with the government taking a back seat and
playing the role of a facilitator, business leadership took the lead and
emerged as the key form of leadership.
Henry Ford, J. Paul Getty, Warren Buffet and their likes now became
the names to reckon with.
The essence of the western leadership philosophy as portrayed by

them all can be enlisted as follows:
• Cold / impersonal
• Winning at any cost
• Admiration for power
• Drive for excellence
• Outward / aggressive
• Subjective
• Strict hierarchy
• System centric
• Technology based11
From the aforesaid discussion it emerges that leadership comprises

of personality-based attributes appealing to the masses and
channelises their energy towards a common end. Leaders always
emerge out of vacuum in a crisis situation when the masses are
confused and agitated to stake everything for the attainment of a
given goal. The leadership may emerge in any sphere, whether it is
political, religious, social or economic.
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It is also evident that although the trajectory of evolution of the

concept is similar in both India as well as the West, the shift of focus
towards business leadership was much quicker in the West.
4.2. Leadership Defined
Thus we can define leadership as:
 “The activity of influencing people to strive willingly for group

objectives.” - George R. Terry.12
 “It is interpersonal influence exercised in a situation and

directed through the communication process towards the
attainment of specialized goals.” – Robert Tannenbaum.13
 “Leadership is influencing people to follow in the achievement

of a common goal” – Koontz O’Donnell. 14
The above definitions as is evident all pertain to the Western views.

This is because leadership as a formalized field of study and analysis
with a structured syllabus has not yet been established in India as it is
in the West.
Here one still goes by the old Hindu tradition of the son wearing his
father’s shoes. Needless to say, this usually proves to be a ‘hit or
miss’ approach as it is not necessary that the leadership skills will be
passed down the generations automatically.
4.3. Leadership Styles
Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction,

implementing plans, and motivating people. The U.S. Army
Handbook, 1973 identifies three styles of leadership: 15
4.3.1. Authoritarian or Autocratic

4.3.2. Participative or Democratic
4.3.3. Delegative or Free Reign
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Although good leaders use all three styles, with one of them normally
dominate, bad leaders tend to stick with one style.
4.3.1. Authoritarian (Autocratic)
This style is used when the leader tells his employees what he wants
done and how he wants it done, without getting the advice of his
followers. Some of the appropriate conditions to use it are when you
have all the information to solve the problem, you are short on time,
and your employees are well motivated.
Some people tend to think of this style as a vehicle for yelling, using
demeaning language, and leading by threats and abusing their
power. This is not the authoritarian style – rather, it is an abusive,
unprofessional style called ‘bossing’ people around. It has no place in
a leaders repertoire.
The authoritarian style should normally only be used on rare

occasions. If you have the time and want to gain more commitment
and motivation from your employees, then you should use the
participative style.
4.3.2. Participative (Democratic)
This type of style involves the leader including one or more

employees in on the decision making process (determining what to
do and how to do it). However, the leader maintains the final decision
making authority. Using this style is not a sign of weakness; rather it
is a sign of strength that your employees will respect.
This is normally used when you have part of the information, and your
employees have other parts. A leader is not expected to know
everything - this is why you employ knowledgeable and skillful
employees. Using this style is of mutual benefit - it allows the
employees to become part of the team and allows you to make better
decisions.
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4.3.3. Delegative (Free Reign)
Also known as laissez faire, which is the noninterference in the affairs

of others. In this style, the leader allows the employees to make the
decision. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that
are made. This is used when employees are able to analyze the
situation and determine what needs to be done and how to do it. You
cannot do everything! You must set priorities and delegate certain
tasks.
This is not a style to use so that you can blame others when things go
wrong; rather this is a style to be used when you have the full trust
and confidence in the people below you. One should not be afraid to
use it, however, to be effective, it must be used wisely! 16
There are a number of different approaches, or 'styles' to leadership

and management that are based on different assumptions and
theories. The style that individuals use will be based on a
combination of their beliefs, values and preferences, as well as the
organizational culture and norms, which will encourage some, and
discourage others.
In this context, the various approaches could also be classified under

the following heads.
4.3.4. Charismatic Leadership

4.3.5. Participative Leadership
4.3.6. Situational Leadership
4.3.7. Transactional Leadership
4.3.8. Transformational Leadership
4.3.9. The Quiet Leader
4.3.10. Servant Leadership
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4.3.4. Charismatic Leadership
Attributes of charismatic leaders that indicate a more transformational

viewpoint:
• Vision and articulation;

• Sensitivity to the environment;
• Sensitivity to member needs;
• Personal risk taking;
• Performing unconventional behavior.
Musser (1987) notes that charismatic leaders seek to instill both

commitment to ideological goals and also devotion to themselves.
The extent to which either of these two goals is dominant depends on
the underlying motivations and needs of the leader.
4.3.5. Participative Leadership
A participative leader, rather than taking autocratic decisions, seeks

to involve other people in the process, possibly including
subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders. Often,
however, as it is within the managers' whim to give or deny control to
his or her subordinates, most participative activity is within the
immediate team. The question of how much influence others are
given thus may vary on the manager's preferences and beliefs, and a
whole spectrum of participation is possible.17
There are many varieties on this spectrum, including stages where

the leader sells the idea to the team. Another variant is for the leader
to describe the 'what' of objectives or goals and let the team or
individuals decide the 'how' of the process by which the 'how' will be
achieved (this is often called 'management by objectives').
The level of participation may also depend on the type of decision

being made. Decisions on how to implement goals may be highly
participative, whilst decisions during subordinate performance
evaluations are more likely to be taken by the manager.
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4.3.6. Situational Leadership
When a decision is needed, an effective leader does not just fall into
a single preferred style, such as using transactional or
transformational methods. In practice, as they say, things are not that
simple.
Factors that affect situational decisions include motivation and

capability of followers. This, in turn, is affected by factors within the
particular situation. The relationship between followers and the leader
may be another factor that affects leader behavior as much as it does
follower behavior.
The leaders' perception of the follower and the situation will affect
what they do rather than the truth of the situation. The leader's
perception of themselves and other factors such as stress and mood
will also modify the leaders' behavior.
Yukl (1989) seeks to combine other approaches and identifies six

variables:
• Subordinate effort: the motivation and actual effort expended.

• Subordinate ability and role clarity: followers knowing what to
do and how to do it.
• Organization of the work: the structure of the work and
utilization of resources.
• Cooperation and cohesiveness: of the group in working
together.
• Resources and support: the availability of tools, materials,
people, etc.
• External coordination: the need to collaborate with other
groups.
Leaders here work on such factors as external relationships,

acquisition of resources, managing demands on the group and
managing the structures and culture of the group.
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4.3.7. Transactional leadership
The transactional leader works through creating clear structures

whereby it is clear what is required of their subordinates, and the
rewards that they get for following orders. Punishments are not
always mentioned, but they are also well understood and formal
systems of discipline are usually in place.
The early stage of transactional leadership is in negotiating the

contract whereby the subordinate is given a salary and other benefits,
and the company (and by implication the subordinate's manager)
gets authority over the subordinate.
When the transactional leader allocates work to a subordinate, they

are considered to be fully responsible for it, whether or not they have
the resources or capability to carry it out. When things go wrong, then
the subordinate is considered to be personally at fault, and is
punished for their failure (just as they are rewarded for succeeding).
The transactional leader often uses management by exception,
working on the principle that if something is operating to defined (and
hence expected) performance then it does not need attention.
Exceptions to expectation require praise and reward for exceeding
expectation, whilst some kind of corrective action is applied for
performance below expectation.
Whereas transformational leadership has more of a 'selling' style,

transactional leadership, once the contract is in place, takes a 'telling'
style.
4.3.8. Transformational leadership
Working for a transformational leader can be a wonderful and uplifting

experience. They put passion and energy into everything. They care
about you and want you to succeed.
Transformational leadership starts with the development of a vision, a

view of the future that will excite and convert potential followers. This
vision may be developed by the leader, by the senior team or may
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emerge from a broad series of discussions. The important factor is

the leader buys into it, hook, line and sinker.
The next step, which in fact never stops, is to constantly sell the
vision. This takes energy and commitment, as few people will
immediately buy into a radical vision, and some will join the show
much more slowly than others. The transformational leader thus
takes every opportunity and will use whatever works to convince
others to climb on board the bandwagon.
In order to create followers, the transformational leader has to be very

careful in creating trust, and their personal integrity is a critical part of
the package that they are selling. In effect, they are selling
themselves as well as the vision.
Parallel to the selling activity is seeking the way forward. Some

transformational leaders know the way, and simply want others to
follow them. Others do not have a ready strategy, but will happily lead
the exploration of possible routes to the Promised Land.
The route forwards may not be obvious and may not be plotted in
details, but with a clear vision, the direction will always be known.
Thus finding the way forward can be an ongoing process of course
correction, and the transformational leader will accept that there will
be failures and blind canyons along the way. As long as they feel
progress is being made, they will be happy.
The final stage is to remain up-front and central during the action.
Transformational leaders are always visible and will stand up to be
counted rather than hide behind their troops. They show by their
attitudes and actions how everyone else should behave. They also
make continued efforts to motivate and rally their followers, constantly
doing the rounds, listening, soothing and enthusing.
It is their unswerving commitment as much as anything else that

keeps people going, particularly through the darker times when some
may question whether the vision can ever be achieved. If the people
do not believe that they can succeed, then their efforts will flag. The
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transformational leader seeks to infect and reinfect their followers

with a high level of commitment to the vision.
One of the methods the transformational leader uses to sustain

motivation is in the use of ceremonies, rituals and other cultural
symbolism. Small changes get big hurrahs, pumping up their
significance as indicators of real progress.
Overall, they balance their attention between action that creates

progress and the mental state of their followers. Perhaps more than
other approaches, they are people-oriented and believe that success
comes first and last through deep and sustained commitment.
4.3.9. The Quiet Leader
The approach of quiet leaders is the antithesis of the classic

charismatic (and often transformational) leaders in that they base
their success not on ego and force of character but on their thoughts
and actions. Although they are strongly task-focused, they are neither
bullies nor unnecessarily unkind and may persuade people through
rational argument and a form of benevolent transactional leadership.
The 'level 5' leader: In his book “Good To Great”, Jim Collins,
identified five levels of effectiveness people can take in
organizations.
At level four is the merely effective leader, whilst at level five the
leader who combines professional will with personal humility.
The 'professional will' indicates how they are far from being
timid wilting flowers and will march against any advice if they
believe it is the right thing to do. In 'personal humility' they put
the well-being of others before their own personal needs, for
example giving others credit after successes but taking
personal responsibility for failures.
The quiet leader is not a modern invention and Lao Tzu, who, in the
classic Taoist text ‘Tao Te Ching’, was discussing the same
characteristic around 500 BC:
22
The very highest is barely known by men,

Then comes that, which they know and love,
Then that, which is feared,

Then that which is despised.
He who does not trust enough will not be trusted.
When actions are performed
Without unnecessary speech,
People say, “We did it!”
Here again, the highest level of leadership is virtually invisible.
4.3.10. Servant Leadership
The servant leader serves others, rather than others serving the
leader. Serving others thus comes by helping them to achieve and
improve.
Principles of servant leadership defined by the alliance for servant

leadership are:
• Transformation as a vehicle for personal and institutional

growth.
• Personal growth as a route to better serves others.
• Enabling environments that empower and encourage service.
• Service as a fundamental goal.
• Trusting relationships as a basic platform for collaboration and
service.
• Creating commitment as a way to collaborative activity.
• Community building as a way to create environments in which
people can trust each other and work together.
• Nurturing the spirit as a way to provide joy and fulfillment in
meaningful work.
An excellent example of a servant leader is Ernest Shackleton, the

early 20th century explorer who, after his ship became frozen in the
Antarctic life, brought every one of his twenty-seven crew members
home alive, including an eight hundred mile journey in open boats
across the winter Antarctic seas. It took two years, but Shackleton's
sense of responsibility towards his men never wavered.18
23
4.4. Selection Of A Style
A good leader uses all three styles, depending on what forces are
involved between the followers, the leader, and the situation.
Some examples include:
• Using an authoritarian style on a new employee who is just

learning the job. The leader is competent and a good coach.
The employee is motivated to learn a new skill. The situation is
a new environment for the employee.
• Using a participative style with a team of workers who know
their job. The leader knows the problem, but does not have all
the information. The employees know their jobs and want to
become part of the team.
• Using a delegative style with a worker who knows more about
the job than you. You cannot do everything! The employee
needs to take ownership of her job. Also, the situation might call
for you to be at other places, doing other things.
• Using all three: telling your employees that a procedure is not
working correctly and a new one must be established
(authoritarian). Asking for their ideas and input on creating a
new procedure (participative). Delegating tasks in order to
implement the new procedure (delegative). 19
4.4.1. Factors Influencing The Selection Of A Style
Forces that influence the style to be used included:
• How much time is available.

• Are relationships based on respect and trust or on disrespect?
• Who has the information – the leader, employees, or both?
• How well the employees are trained and how well the leader
knows the task.
• Internal conflicts.
• Stress levels.
• Type of task. Is it structured, unstructured, complicated, or
simple? 20
24
4.5. Different Approaches
A leader may use a variety of different approaches depending on the

situation and the employees in question.
4.5.1. Positive Vs. Negative Approach
There is a difference in ways leaders approach their employee.

Positive leaders use rewards, such as education, independence, etc.
to motivate employees. While leader adopting the negative approach
emphasize penalties.
While the negative approach has a place in a leader's repertoire of

tools, it must be used carefully due to its high cost on the human
spirit.
Negative leaders act domineering and superior with people. They

believe the only way to get things done is through penalties, such as
loss of job, days off without pay, reprimand employees in front of
others, etc. They believe their authority is increased by freighting
everyone into higher lever of productivity. Yet what always happens
when this approach is used wrongly is that morale falls; which of
course leads to lower productivity.
It is of vital significance that most leaders do not strictly use one or

another, but are somewhere on a continuum ranging from extremely
positive to extremely negative. People who continuously work out of
the negative are ‘bosses’ while those who primarily work out of the
positive are considered ‘real leaders’. 21
4.5.2. Consideration Vs. Structured Approaches
Two other approaches that leaders use are:
Consideration (Employee Orientation) - leaders are concerned

about the human needs of their employees. They build teamwork,
help employees with their problems, and provide psychological
support.
25
Structure (Task Orientation) - leaders believe that they get results

by consistently keeping people busy and urging them to produce.
There is evidence that leaders who are considerate in their leadership

style are higher performers and are more satisfied with their job
(Schriesheim, 1982).
One must appreciate that consideration and structure are

independent of each other, thus they should not be viewed on
opposite ends of a continuum. For example, a leader who becomes
more considerate does not necessarily mean that he has become
less structured. 22
4.5.3. Paternalism
Paternalism has at times been equated with leadership styles. Yet

most definitions of leadership normally state or imply that one of the
actions within leadership is that of influencing. For example, the army
uses the following definition:
“Leadership is influencing people -- by providing purpose, direction,

and motivation -- while operating to accomplish the mission
and improving the organization."
The army further goes on by defining 'influence' as a: means of

getting people to do what you want them to do.
It is the means or method to achieve two ends: operating and

improving. But there¹s more to influencing than simply passing along
orders. The example you set is just as important as the words you
speak. And you set an example -- good or bad -- with every action
you take and word you utter, on or off duty. Through your words and
example, you must communicate purpose, direction, and motivation.
While 'paternalism' is defined in the Webster’s dictionary as “A
system under which an authority undertakes to supply needs or
regulate conduct of those under its control in matters affecting them
as individuals as well as in their relationships to authority and to each
other.”
26
Thus paternalism supplies needs for those under its protection or

control, while leadership gets things done. The first is directed
inwards, while the latter is directed outwards.
Geert Hofstede's (1977) studied culture within organizations. Part of

his study was on the dependence relationship or power difference --
the extent to which the less powerful members of an organization
expect and accept that power is distributed unequally. Hofstede gave
this story to illustrate this power difference:
The last revolution in Sweden disposed of King Gustav IV, whom they
considered incompetent, and surprisingly invited Jean Baptise
Bernadotte, a French general who served under Napoleon, to
become their new king. He accepted and became king
Charles XIV. Soon afterward he needed to address the
Swedish parliament. Wanting to be accepted, he tried to do
the speech in their language. His broken language amused
the Swedes so much that they roared with laughter. The
Frenchman was so upset that he never tried to speak Swedish
again.
Bernadotte was a victim of culture shock -- never in his French

upbringing and military career had he experienced subordinates who
laughed at the mistakes of their superior. This story has a happy
ending as he was considered a very good ruled the country as a
highly respected constitutional monarch until 1844 (his descendants
still occupy the Swedish throne).
Sweden differs from France in the way its society handles inequality
(those in charge and the followers). To measure inequality or power
difference, Hofstede studied three survey questions from a larger
survey that both factored and carried the same weight:
• Frequency of employees being afraid to express disagreement

with their managers.
• Subordinates perception of their boss' actual decision-making
style (paternalistic style was one choice).
27
• Subordinates' preference for their boss' decision-making style

(again, paternalistic style was one choice).
He developed a Power Difference Index (PDI) for the 53 countries

that took the survey. Their scores range from 11 to 104. The higher
the number a country received, the more autocratic and/or
paternalistic the leadership, which of course relates to employees
more afraid or unwilling to disagree with their bosses. While lower
numbers mean a more consultive style of leadership is used, which
translates to employees who are not as afraid of their bosses.
For example, Malaysia has the highest PDI score, being 104, while
Austria has the lowest with 11. And of course, as the story above
illustrates, Sweden has a relative low score of 31, while France has a
PDI of 68, the USA's is 40.
One must however note that these scores are relative, not absolute,
in that relativism affirms that one culture has no absolute criteria for
judging activities of another culture as 'low' or 'noble'. 23
Keeping the above in mind, it seems that some picture paternalistic

behavior as almost a barbaric way of getting things accomplished.
Yet, leadership is all about getting things done for the organization.
And in some situations, a paternalistic style of decision-making might
be required; indeed, in some cultures and individuals, it may also be
expected by not only those in charge, but also the followers. That is
what makes leadership styles quite interesting -- they basically run
along the same continuum as Hofstede’s PDI, ranging from
paternalistic to consultive styles of decision-making. This allows a
wide range of individual behaviors to be dealt with, ranging from
beginners to peak performers. In addition, it accounts for the fact that
not everyone is the same.
However, when paternalistic or autocratic styles are relied upon too

much and the employees are ready and/or willing to react to a more
consultive type of leadership style, then it normally becomes quite
damaging to the performance of the organization.24
28
4.6. Comparison Between The Indian And Western Models
The differences in leadership in India and the West can be seen not
only in the adoption of different styles but also in their difference in
approaches to the various criteria. 25
4.6.1. Basic Styles Of Leadership Adopted By The West And In

India
While leadership essentially is a personality-based attribute, it does

derive a distinct flavor from the social, political and cultural weave of
the environment.
Hitler, Napoleon and Stalin were the epitome of autocratic leadership

in the West. However, with the emergence of Winston Churchill and
Abraham Lincoln, the West saw a more humane and democratic
leader.
The winds of change were not restricted to the political scenario, but
swept thee business world as well. With the advent of the Industrial
Revolution coupled with the emergence of a strong culture of trade
unionism, autocracy was no longer acceptable.
Theory X was replaced by Theory Y in the form of a participative
leadership style. Henry Ford was replaced by Bill Gates and Sam
Walton.
With structured and systematic research on leadership, the West

continued reinventing and reformulating the rules of the game.
In severe contrast, India being a closed and insulated economy,

leadership was oblivious of the changes sweeping the West.
Here the emphasis was on managing the system and not the people.
Lack of an effective political opposition ensured continuance with
centralized economy where business was an instrument of politics.
29
As a result, the cultivation of connections in Delhi was the sole

function of the top leadership with the management consisting of the
old faithfuls to do lala’s bidding.
Reliance successfully challenged the system and Infosys opened the

window to the world. This, however, was only the tip of the iceberg
and the glacier is yet to melt.
Sunshine sectors where intellectual property power is evident and
which constantly interact with the West stand apart from the majority
which still believes in seniority and not meritocracy,
A burning example is visible in the form of the leadership of the
Congress party, which despite being in existence for 75 years has to
still rely on Nehru- Gandhi family for vote catching.
In Bihar the only qualification Smt Rabridevi had for being chief
minister, was her relationship with Shri Laluprasad.
Just like it is darkest before dawn, hopefully things will look up sooner
than later.
4.6.2. The Basic Differences Between The Western And Indian

Perspective
The following is the differentiation of leadership approaches and

concepts with respect to various important aspects, as I perceived
them.
4.6.2.1. Approach To Problem Solving
The West tends to take a more rational approach towards problem

solving, backing its decisions with hard data and strong systems.
The Indian perspective being a more inward looking one, hunch,

intuition and gut feeling play a bigger role in making decisions.
People, as a result tend to sleep over decision. Very often a well is
dug only on the outbreak of fire.
The fatalistic attitude proves fatal for the Indian managers; for
Instance, Mohammed Gazani looted the Somnath Temple seventeen
times. His armies were always shielded by a herd of cows. Instead of
30
fighting and in the process causing cow slaughter, able-bodied

warriors permitted themselves to be slaughtered and the temple was
vandalized. This gross act of cowardliness being meek surrender
without fighting was glorified as a path to salvation in order to save

the dharma.
History is witness that India has never attacked others but has not
been able to defend herself despite being quite capable due to its
fatalistic attitude, infighting & jealousy.
4.6.2.2. Key Drivers To Action
The key motivator in the West is material prosperity and in its quest,
leaders tend to be ruthless, aggressive, brazen and high-risk takers.
India is traditionally conservative and thus intangible factors play a
significant role. Self esteem, conscience and self-satisfaction form a
major part of the driving force behind ones work. Thus managers tend
to be more sensitive and try to take the middle path, avoiding conflicts
to the greatest extent possible, at times even at the cost of
productivity.
Indians believe in the theory of rebirth and accumulation of karma.
In contrast in the West people believe that a person gets only one life
and tend to work hard and play harder. For them, the end is important
irrespective of the means, the motto being “All’s fair in love and war.”
The go-getter attitude breeds selfishness and people tend to be self-
centered, though true achievers.
4.6.2.3. Response To Changing Environment
The West has a clinical approach to change and take it in their stride.
They are the proactive leaders and therefore always ready to respond
to changes quickly and positively, using it to their advantage.
India, due to its laidback attitude towards changes tends to

procrastinate and take bold decisions only in the moment of crisis.
31
The leaders in general have a more reactive approach to the

changing environment.
A case in point: major reforms and an opening up of the economy

were forced by an acute foreign exchange crisis.
In the West adventure is the spirit of life whereas in India it is

regarded as rash and foolhardy.
4.6.2.4. Quest For Excellence
In the West, it is always about “being the best”, “being the biggest”,
“being the largest’, which basically means being market leaders. It is
always ‘myself against the world’.
The Indian leaders are more content by just making optimum use of
the available resources without much ado about what the others are
doing.
They compete with themselves and are satisfied with the fruits of their
labor so long as they have done their best.Materialism is associated
with chasing a mirage or Maya.
This is the reason that major scientific discoveries have taken place
in the West whereas India is known for spiritual evolution, art and
culture.
Seekers of wealth have migrated to the West and seekers of solace

have migrated to the East.
Alexander despite conquering the world came to India searching for
a guru.
It is believed that both Christ and Hazarat Mohammed visited India in

search of enlightenment.
4.6.2.5. The Division Between Professional And Personal Life
In the West, people tend to draw a clear division between their

personal and professional life. The employer - employee relationship
32
is purely commercial in nature where money is paid for the services

rendered. The relationship is formal and strictly business like. Any
attempt by the employer to delve into the personal life of the
employee is considered to be invasion of privacy and is subject to

costly litigation.
‘Hire and fire’ is the order of the day. People change jobs very
casually and a long tenure of service with a single employer is
considered to be a sign of timidity, inefficiency or both. One has to
either shape up or he is shipped out.
In India the concept of Vasudev Kutumbakam preaches that the

entire world is one big family with the employer being regarded as the
head of the family. It thus becomes his duty to ensure that all the
needs of his employees are taken care of. In return the employees
are supposed to be totally devoted to the employer. Often the
relationship extends to a number of generations. Lifetime
employment is the norm. Frequent change of jobs is discouraged.
Due to the seamless integration between personal and professional

life, it becomes difficult for the managers to take tough decisions.
People work till their end as a result there are limited opportunities for
the infusion of young blood and the organization is deprived of a fresh
perspective.
Firing some one is difficult and mass firing sacrilege. As a result an

organization keeps accumulating dead wood at the cost of efficiency,
nullifying the efforts of productive members in the process.
4.6.2.6. Mobility Of Labor
In the West, the factors of production are mobile. People are always
in search of the elusive pot of gold under the rainbow and are
prepared to risk every thing if the rewards are suitable.
It is only in search of the land of milk and honey that Columbus

discovered America.
33
In contrast, in India, status quo is the done thing. People inherently

dislike instability and constant change.
4.6.2.7. Risk Taking Ability
In the West it is common to see flatter organizations in real terms, as

a result of effective delegation of both responsibility and authority.
This in turn being a direct outcome of the hire and fire policy.
Managers being risk takers, failure is tolerated as long as the right

decisions are taken at the right time. People are encouraged to learn
from failure and move on.
Risk management and control, not risk avoidance is the order of the
day - as long as the risk : rewards ratio and the management’s
appetite for the risk are in unison.
For Instance Pharmaceutical companies are known to pump in

billions of dollars for research and development even when they are
incurring losses and the management, for this purpose, has to take
expensive debts or dilute its holdings in the hope that the company
will come out with a winner.
The motto is ‘doomed if we do damned if we do not’ - so why not do?
In India people are generally risk averse and are reluctant to

delegate. Even after formal delegation, real transfer of authority does
not take place though the delegatee becomes a sitting duck to face
the bullet if things go wrong.
Some reasons why effective delegation does not take place are:
• People have a king size ego about their capabilities and are
unwilling to trust easily.
• As a result of the seamless integration of personal and
professional life, any failure is taken to be personal and the
manager is marked for life.
• A direct outcome of the expensive and slow legal procedures is
that any failure cannot be reversed easily and assets are locked
34
in a failed venture for a lifetime facing rapid value erosion, not

to speak of the opportunity cost.
• The quest for spiritual solace ensures that people do not want
to undergo stress and strain
4.7. Need For Synthesis
With the rapid progress in strategically vital areas such as

technology, communication and transportation, the world has become
a more closely knit place and there is a greater mobility of the factors
of production.
Globalization and a virtually boundary-less world is no longer a

dream, but reality.
Friedman has tried to differentiate the various phases of

globalization and its impact on society.
The current phase is globalization 3.0. In globalization 1.0, which

began around 1492, the world went from size large to size
medium. In globalization 2.0, the era that introduced us to
multinational companies, it went from size medium to size small.
And then around 2000 came globalization 3.0, in which the world
went from being small to tiny, affecting countries, companies and
individuals in the process.26
Convergence of other countries to become part of the global

supply chain for services and manufacturing, creating an explosion
of wealth in the middle class of India has created new challenges
and opportunities for leadership, giving them a huge new stake in
the success of globalization. And with this "flattening" of the globe,
which requires us to run faster in order to stay in place, has the
world gotten too small and too fast for human beings and their
political systems to adjust in a stable manner? This is the question
leaders are supposed to ask themselves and other stakeholders.
It means to countries, companies, communities, and individuals that

the burning issue of constant change and need to cope with the
seamlessly and continuously integrating borders is no longer a threat
but a reality.
35
A hands-on, in your face approach of the West has to be merged with

the reflective, conciliatory policy of the East.
Globalization has thus become a catalyst to change in our leadership

styles.
As the germs of the problem have originated from the West, the
curative vaccine too must come from there, though the patient, doctor
and the hospital may be Indian.
Geographical boundaries are loosing their economic significance

rapidly and the world has come to be known as a global village. In the
fiercely competitive scenario companies have to constantly better
their best.
In order to concentrate on their core competence, which also keeps

on changing the companies, have to keep outguessing their
customers and competitors.
Being half the world away from the ‘haves’ India has encashed its
competitive advantage of a highly intelligent, English speaking
population, hungry to work hard and deliver goods at a fraction of its
cost in the developed word.
With the grafting of the worlds back office in India; the color of the
problem has also changed.
Now there is a two way process of in and outsourcing, brain drain and
reverse brain drain.
Previously the cream of Indian talent had to migrate to the West to

learn and earn, draining India of its vital brainpower. However, with
the integration of India with the West now there is no dearth of
opportunity back home, in fact IIT/IIM have become world-class
institutions reinforced with videoconference and online tuition with our
own comparable case studies. The Indian Railways have become a
topic of discussion in Harvard.
36
Not only are the Indian students abstaining from going abroad to
study, even those who do go return after gaining a couple of years of
experience and apply the techniques learnt thereof. This provides a
bridge for the crossing over of cultures.
Western kids have Indian tutors; Western patients are being treated
by Indian doctors.
The color of one’s skin and accent of speech no longer matter.

This is what globalization is all about.
India has become an interesting destination for medical tourism,

attracting the affluent Middle East and poor LDC’s to travel in the
different classes of the same plane, being situated in the center of the
flat field.
In order to stay competitive India has also started collaborating with

further low cost economies, its potential rivals. This requires a very
strong global supply chain management with Just In Time tightly
controlled deliveries coupled with zero tolerance for defects.
As a result, leaders have to ensure a foolproof contingency plan and

a robust disaster recovery system.
It is said, “Uneasy lies the head which wears the crown”. The tiring
act of sleeping with its enemy has taken its toll on Indian leadership
which is at a cross road of confusion right now.
Having reaped the benefit of being the global back office, India
cannot let go of its initial advantage by its ostrich like approach by
refusing to integrate with the world.
Today, a company like Infosys or Ranbaxy can no longer be termed

as ‘Indian’, as its business, employees, manufacturing and
development centers are spread throughout the world.
Shri Laxmi Mittal has become the largest steel maker of the world,
and Tata Steel has bid for a company many times larger its size.
37
All this has been possible only because India has broadened its
vision and business mission.
Competition is, however, not far behind. China and various other
countries are already galloping to bridge the gap and India has to
give its best to maintain its lead if not widen it.
Hence fusion of its leadership style with the Western world is crucial
in order to balance the often-conflicting interests of its different
stakeholders.
We are sure that the off spring arising from the cross fertilization of
different DNA will take the best practices of both the worlds, blending
their strengths to neutralize their weaknesess, a standard tactic in
any martial art.
With the global clock ticking 24x7, the sun never sets in the business
empire. The division between the East and the West is thus no longer
significant. Russia and China having joint the WTO has ensured the
wiping off of the definition of closed economies in the world.
With the spread of multinational corporations, having footprints

across the globe and integrating people from diverse cultures, what
seems to be the need of the hour is the emergence of a global
leadership style blending the best practices of the East and the West.
The aggression, risk taking ability and go-getting attitude of the West
has to be accompanied by the sensitive, reflective, compassionate
and caring oriental touch, without loosing contact with the ground
reality and making terrain based adjustments all the time.
A manager, who on one hand must act as an international leader,

should also be able to understand the cultural intricacies of the
environment. A global leader must therefore tear a page from the
success formula of Mac Donald’s, which adapted its international
menu to suit the local taste buds.
A leading example of what a truly global leader should aspire to be

can be seen in the form of Ms. Indra Nooyi, CEO, Pepsi Corp. who
brings to the boardroom Eastern wisdom coupled with Western
aggression.
38
5. E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y
Leadership is an important aspect of Human Resource Management.
A leader emerges in a crisis situation and channelises collective

energies towards an acceptable solution to tide over the crisis.
Though it is essentially based on personal attributes, to bring out the

best, they must be honed and practiced. Leadership styles thus differ
across the world, and are based on the social, cultural and political
context.
In this paper I have tried to cover diverse aspects of leadership

ranging from its origin, to the need for integration of styles. The
aspects covered are as under:
 Definition Of Leadership
 What Is Leadership?
 Leadership: A Concept
 Evolution Of A Leader
The Process Of Great Leadership
 The ‘Be, Know, Do’ Principle Of Leadership
 Leadership: Comparison Between The Indian And Western
Models
Some Great Leaders
 Thumb Rules Of A Successful Leader
In the analysis section, I have tried to emphasize the various aspects

in context to a comparative study between India and the West. Some
aspects covered are:
 Origin Of The Concept

 Leadership Defined
39
 Leadership Styles
Authoritarian or Autocratic
- Participative or Democratic
- Delegative or Free Reign
- Charismatic Leadership
- Participative Leadership
- Situational Leadership
- Transactional Leadership
- Transformational Leadership
- The Quiet Leader
- Servant Leadership
 Selection Of A Style
Factors Influencing The Selection Of A Style
 Different Approaches
- Positive Vs. Negative Approach
- Consideration Vs. Structured Approaches
- Paternalism
 Comparison Between The Indian And Western Models
- Basic Styles Of Leadership Adopted By The West
And India
- The Basic Differences Between The Western
And Indian Perspective
o Approach To Problem Solving
Key Drivers To Action
Response To Changing Environment
o Quest For Excellence
o The Division Between Professional And

o Personal Life
o Mobility Of Labor
o Risk Taking Ability
 Need For Synthesis
In a bid to defend my hypothesis, my focus has been on the need for

integration across cultures and an emergence of a ‘global leadership’
style that can be applied in all situations and destinations alike,
although with a cultural twang.
40
Globalization is a burning issue today and in the face of a seamlessly

integrated world, one single leadership style is a must- a leader must
think global and act local, thus the importance of my topic cannot be
overemphasized.
6. C O N C L U S I O N
A study of leadership involves the synthesis of a number of areas as

diverse as Management, Psychology, Political Science, Literature
and so on.
It is too wide in scope to be covered in one term paper – as it is a

subject for doctoral studies.
Thus there are a number of aspects remaining to be covered, such as

theories of leadership, case studies, models of leadership and the
likes. The primary reason for not touching upon these aspects were
the time, cost and resource constraints in addition to the reason
already stated.
I have however tried my best to sketch the personality profile of a

global leader by bringing out the differences between the West and
India with respect to the various aspects and emphasizing the need
for fusion os the two cultures in order to have a synergistic effect.
41
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leaddef.html
2. http://www.pinetreeweb.com/whatis.htm
3. Refer to annexure: Figure 1
4. ibid 1
5. ibid 1
6. ibid 1
7. ibid 1
8. ibid 1
9. http://www.eaisai.com/baba/docs/slguru.html
10. Chakraborty Debangshu, Chakraborty S.K. (2004),

“Leadership And Motivation Cultural Comparisons”, Rupa &
Co.. p 16,17.
11. ibid 10
12. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership
13. ibid 12
14. ibid 12
42
16. ibid 1
17. Refer to annexure: Table 1
18. http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/styles/charismat
ic_leadership.htm
19. ibid 1
20. ibid 1
21. ibid 1
22. ibid 1
24. ibid 1
25. Refer to annexure: Article
26. Friedman Thomas L.(2995,2006), “The World Is Flat –

The Globalized World In The Twenty – First Century”, p 10.
43
ANNEXURE
Figure 1: The Concept Of Leadership
Figure 2: Primary Leadership Styles
44
Table 1: Participative Leadership
Leader
Team
proposes
proposes Joint Full
Autocratic decision,
decision, decision delegation
decision by listens to
leader has with team of decision
leader feedback,
final as equals to team
then
decision
decides
45
Figure 3: Leadership Styles: A Broader Perspective
Asian And American Leadership Styles: How Are They Unique?
Business leadership is at the core of Asian economic development,

says HBS Professor D. Quinn Mills. As he explained recently in
Kuala Lumpur, the American and Asian leadership styles, while
very different, also share important similarities.
Political connections and family control are more common in Asian

businesses than in the United States. In addition, says HBS professor
d. Quinn mills, American CEOs tend to use one of five leadership
styles: directive, participative, empowering, charismatic, or celebrity.
Which styles have Asian business leaders adopted already, and
which styles are likely to be most successful in the future?
In a talk in Kuala Lumpur on June 15 at the invitation of the
Star/Bizweek Publication and the Harvard Club of Malaysia, Mills
explained the differences and similarities between American and
Asian leadership. Below is the transcript of his talk, "leadership Styles
In The United States: How Different Are They From Asia?"
The rapid economic development of Asia in recent decades is one of

the most important events in history. This development continues
today and there is every reason to anticipate that it will continue
indefinitely unless derailed by possible but unlikely international
conflicts. At the core of Asian economic development is its business
leadership—managers and entrepreneurs who sustain and create
46
Asian companies. Do they exhibit the same leadership styles as top

executives in the west?
There are important differences. Are differences attributable to

different cultures or to different stages of corporate development?
But first, what are we talking about?
Roles in organizations involve more than just leadership. It is useful,
but not yet common in our literature and discussion of business, to
distinguish among leadership, management, and administration. They
are in fact very different; each is valuable and has its place.
Briefly, leadership is about a vision of the future and the ability to

energize others to pursue it. Management is about getting results and
doing so efficiently so that a financial profit or surplus is created.
Administration is about rules and procedures and whether or not they
are being followed.
These distinctions are very important to clear communications among

us about how organizations are run—when they are not made, we
become very confused, as is much of the discussion around our
topic.
Briefly, running an organization effectively involves:
• Leadership:
vision
energizing
• Management:
efficiency
results
• Administration:
rules
procedures
Our focus today is on leadership: how an executive sets direction and

energizes his organization to pursue the direction. This is appropriate
because managerial techniques are being spread fast by imitation,
adoption, and MBA education. Administrative techniques were
47
generalized around the world decades ago. So what is much different

now is leadership.
Family and political connections
Cultural differences are important, but primarily as a matter of

emphasis. For example, family leadership of business enterprises,
including large companies, occurs in very similar ways in both
regions, but is more common in Asia.
Li Ka-Shing of the Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa and

Cheung Kong Holding Group, for example, runs his companies
closely and is planning to pass the leadership of his firms to his two
sons. Similarly, the heads of some of America’s largest firms, both
publicly held and private, are the scions of the families that founded
the firms.
There is less freedom of action for executives and boards in

America than in Asia.
But more common in America are firms that are run by professional
managers who are replaced by other professional managers, either
as a consequence of retirement or of replacement by the board of
directors of the firm. The better companies have sophisticated
programs for developing executives within the firm, and ordinarily
choose a next chief executive officer from among them. American
CEOs average about thirty years with their firms and own less than
four percent of its shares. There is a small number of firms, which get
a great deal of publicity and so seem more numerous than they are,
that hire CEOs directly from the outside, with no previous experience
with the firm. These CEOs are driven by a need to excel in a
competitive environment (they want to win), and they insist that
money is less important to them than professional achievement; but
it's hard to credit that given the enormous inflation of top executive
compensation packages in America in the last decade.
Many American firms, especially most of the large ones, are more
dependent on capital markets for their capital (equity and debt) and
so pay much more attention to Wall Street than is yet common in
48
Asia. Wall Street has strong expectations about the behavior and
performance of executives and about succession. There is less
freedom of action for executives and boards in America than in Asia.
In Asia, succession usually is passed on to the siblings. In Li's case,

he is handing it to his two sons, while Jack Welch developed a talent
machine to groom CEOs for General Electric.
To a significant degree, large American firms are at a later stage of

development than many Asian firms—they have passed from
founders' family leadership to professional management and to
capital obtained from the capital markets (rather than obtained from
government—directly or indirectly—or from family fortunes). In this
transition they have adopted particular styles of leadership
responsive to boards (often led by outside directors) and to Wall
Street.
It is possible, but not certain, that Asian firms will follow this
evolutionary path. The political connections so important for top
business leaders in Asia, whether in democracies or one-party states,
are not unknown but are much less important in America. It is a
characteristic of Asian top executives that they have such
connections that are important to their businesses. In America, the
chief executive officers of very large firms often have virtually no
direct connections to top politicians—the government is treated at
arm's length and business is done by business people. There are, of
course, exceptions, and deep political involvement is still a route to
business success in America, but it is much less common than in

Asia.
Leadership styles in America
Leadership styles are more varied in America today than in Asia. In

America there are five:
• Directive
• Participative
• Empowering
• Charismatic
49
• Celebrity (Superstar)
The first four reflect how an executive deals with subordinates in the
company; the final one is directed at people outside the firm.
Directive leadership is well known in America, but is declining in

frequency. It stresses the direction given by executives to others in
the firms. The leader is very much in charge. This style is very
common in Asia.
Participative leadership, which involves close teamwork with others,

is more common in Europe, where it is sometimes required by law (as
in Northern Europe, especially Germany) than in America. It is also
common in a variant colored by national cultural norms, as in Japan.
Empowering leadership is relatively new, and stresses delegation of

responsibility to subordinates. American companies that operate with
largely autonomous divisions employ this style of leadership. A few
younger Asian business leaders now espouse this style, for example,
the CEO of Banyan Tree Resorts.
At the core of empowering leadership is the ability to energize the

people in a company. Jack Welch commented, "you may be a great
manager, but unless you can energize other people, you are of no
value to general electric as a leader." energizing others is the core of
the new leadership in America.
Charismatic leadership is the leader who looks like a leader. People

follow such a leader because of who he is, not because of good
management or even business success; nor because the people are
offered participation, partnership, or empowerment. Human
magnetism is the thing, and it is very different in different national
cultures. What looks like a charismatic leader to Americans may
appear to be something very different to people from other societies.
Celebrity leadership is very different. It looks outside the company to

the impact on others—customers and investors. The CEO becomes a
star and is sought after by the media like a screen star. Ordinarily it
50
requires good looks, a dramatic style, and an ability to deal effectively

with the media. It is in a bit of a slump in the United States right now
due to the corporate financial reporting scandals, which have focused
attention on CEOs with the ability to get things done right in the
company; but celebrity leadership will make a recovery. Boards
looking for top executives to revitalize a firm look for superstars; they
seek outgoing personalities.
Corporate governance in the west means oversight from regulators,

boards of directors, even institutional shareholders. While Asia now
has most of these institutions, they are ordinarily not as well
established and not as significant in the minds of top executives. Asia
is bedeviled by official corruption that reaches far into business.
America has less of this, but has in its place considerable financial
reporting fraud. Both are very dangerous to the economic success of
the nations involved. Graft tends to destroy an economy first by
undermining the trust that is required for transactions to occur, and by
distorting the economic calculus that underlies sensible business
decisions. As it continues, graft destroys the national political entity.
Long-established graft is a way of life that is very hard to root out.
Politicians promise to eliminate it, but are unable or unwilling to do so.
The role models available for business leadership in the different

regions of the world are significant. In America, with its longstanding
experience with professional business leadership, the most readily
available role model for the head of a company is the corporate CEO.
In India and many other Asian businesses it is the head of the family.
In France it remains the military general. In Japan it is the consensus

builder. In Germany today it is the coalition builder.
There are nine key qualities that research shows people seek in a
successful leader:
• Passion
• Decisiveness
• Conviction
• Integrity
• Adaptability
• Emotional toughness
51
• Emotional resonance
• Self-knowledge
• Humility
The emotionalism that goes with passion is more common in America

than elsewhere. Europeans see it as a sort of business
evangelicalism and are very suspicious of it. Decisiveness is common
to effective executives in all countries: in this regard European and
Japanese chief executives are the most consensus-oriented, and
Chinese and American top executives are more likely to make
decisions personally and with their own accountability.
Conviction is common to all.Integrity is a complex characteristic very

much determined by national cultures. What is honest in one society
is not in another, and vice versa.
Adaptability is a pronounced characteristic of American leadership

generally. It is less common and less valued in Asia and Europe. It
will be needed everywhere soon enough.
Emotional toughness is common to all top executives; Americans

spend more time trying not to show it.
Deep political involvement is still a route to business success

in America, but it is much less common than in Asia.
Emotional resonance, the ability to grasp what motivates others and

appeal effectively to it, is most important in the United States and
Europe at this point in time. It will become more important in Asia as

living standards improve, knowledge workers become more
important, professional management gets greater demand, and
CEOs have to compete for managerial talent.
Self-knowledge is important in avoiding the sort of over-reach so

common in America; it is less common a virtue in America than in
Asia, and is a strength of the Asian executive.
Humility is a very uncommon trait in the American CEO. It is

sometimes found in Asia. It is often a trait of the most effective
52
leaders, as it was in the best respected of all American political

leaders, Abraham Lincoln. Once, when the civil war was not going
well for the union side, a high-ranking general suggested that the
nation needed to get rid of Lincoln and have a dictatorship instead.
The comment came to Lincoln’s ears. Lincoln promoted the general
to the top command in the army anyway and told him, "i am
appointing you to command despite, not because, of what you said.
Bring us victories, and i'll risk the dictatorship."
What's next for Asia
The "New Asian Leader"? There are three prototypes:
1) Li Ka-Shing of Hutchison Whampoa-Cheung Kong: Old Chinese

leadership in transition like Li Ka-Shing. Rags-to-riches in one
generation; handing over his business empire to his two sons who
are western-trained. There are many such examples in Asia. Li ka-
Shing is in different areas of business—telecommunications, security,
and high-end IT—and is very interested in becoming a contractor in
the emerging homeland security construct in America. With Li Ka-
Shing, the threat to success is his reliance on an international
concern to be a significant contractor in the establishment of the U.S.
homeland security hierarchy. Li's personal story is an amazing tale of
success. After the death of his father, Li—at age twelve—went to
work in a plastics factory. Within a decade he started his own plastics
company, which he later leveraged into a real estate and investment
concern. It then was an early entrant into China's telecom and it wave
of the early 1990s, and became a market leader.
Li is a man who seeks to establish a positive legacy. He created a

foundation in 1980 to help young Chinese students have the
educational and other opportunities he had to make for himself at age
twelve. He also started his own university, Shantou University, in
1981, with a similar purpose.
2) William and Victor Fung of Li and Fung: Old traditional Chinese

family-owned companies now run by the third generation of the
family, western- and highly-educated, who use western technology
extensively to face globalization and succeed. Very much western-
centric in approach yet Asian in practice, the Fungs of Li and Fung
53
have mastered techniques of getting maximum efficiency out of the

supply chain, taking raw materials and making low-cost, high-demand
consumer goods, particularly clothing, much more cheaply than in the
United States.
What the Fungs have accomplished is similar to what Japanese

automakers accomplished a generation ago. By strictly adhering to
principles of quality control—principles that were espoused by
American business consultant Edward Deming—Nissan and Toyota
made cheaper, better cars than the Americans did, eventually
causing the big three U.S. automakers to follow suit. William and
Victor Fung are interested in being business consultants, teaching
others how to do what they've done. Both men are harvard-educated
and have a desire to be open and forthcoming about their business
model.
As Asian companies seek access to world capital markets, they

will move toward professional managers who will employ
leadership styles more akin to those now used in the United
States.
The main threats with Li and Fung are driving down labor costs, and
concerns about relying on suppliers who potentially abuse the human
rights of workers or pay less than a standard living wage. Victor and
William Fung are the new type of Asian leaders—will they soon be
the only type?
3) New economy business leaders. Information technology and the

Internet are bringing out a high-tech type of leadership that is
common in America’s high-tech sector. Entrepreneurial, innovative,
hard-driving, very flexible, ambitious, optimistic, visionary in the
technology and business aspects, they will play a good, but not
dominant role. N. R. Narayana Murthy of India’s Infosys and Stan
Shih of Acer are good examples. They have adopted an almost
entirely western style of leadership and are succeeding in Asia.
What is the conclusion? Styles of leadership are currently different

between Asia and America. Culture colors the way things are done,
54
but less so what is done. The differences in styles most markedly

reflect the stage of development of the economies and companies of
Asia. As Asian companies seek access to world capital markets, they
will move toward professional managers who will employ leadership
styles more akin to those now used in the United States.
As Asian companies rely more on professional employees of all sorts,

and as professional services become more important in Asian
economies, the less autocratic and more participative and even
empowered style of leadership will emerge. Asian leadership will
come to more resemble that of the west. But significant cultural
differences will remain—economic and geopolitical rivalries within
Asia and between Asian countries and the west will continue and
perhaps grow. Economies will retain characteristic national features.
Convergence in a leadership style does not guarantee likeness of
results nor even peace. We will continue to have to work for
economic progress and peace; it will not come automatically.
55
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ST.

XAVIER’S COLLEGE, KOLKATA

Post the Industrial Revolution; mass production started taking place

With the emergence of the Marxist philosophy, management was

As the human capital is the most important but highly perishable

Leadership is context based and varies across continents depending

Leadership is all about harnessing people power for the attainment of

1.1. Definition Of Leadership

Leadership is the synthesis of two words – leader + ship, thus a

A distinction must however be made between leaders and managers.

1.2. What Is Leadership?

Leadership is a process of getting things done through people. The

These leaders are getting things done by working through people --

Leadership is not a science. So being a leader is an adventure

Leadership means responsibility. It's adventure and often fun, but it

Wear your badge of office proudly. It does not automatically make

1.3. Leadership: A Concept

There are four major factors in leadership: 3

Different people require different styles of leadership. For example, a

You lead through two-way communication. Much of it is nonverbal.

1.4. Evolution Of A Leader

To inspire your workers into higher levels of teamwork, there are

Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to

• Some personality traits may lead people naturally into

When a person is deciding if he respects you as a leader, he does

The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless

What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be

Hay's study examined over 75 key components of employee

• Trust and confidence in top leadership was the single most

1. Helping employees understand the company's overall

So in a nutshell - you must be trustworthy and you have to be able to

1.5. The Process Of Great Leadership

The road to great leadership (Kouzes and Posner, 1987) that is

• Challenge the process - first, find a process that you believe

• Inspire a shared vision - next, share you vision in words that

1.6. The ‘Be, Know, Do’ Principle Of Leadership

- Be a professional. Examples: be loyal to the organization,

1.7. Leadership: Comparison Between The Indian And Western

In a bid to study the comparative styles of leadership in the two

One of the most significant differences in the approach towards

Though it can be seen that the concepts of leadership have evolved

1.8. Some Great Leaders

India has been witness to a host of good leaders, in the corporate,

 Swami Vivekananda, who mesmerized the entire world and

 Mr. Narayana Murthy, who is the epitome of modern day India’s

 Hitler, a concrete example of how a leader can be the cause of

1.9. Thumb Rules Of A Successful Leader

Whether a leader is operating in the West or in India, these are some

- The six most important words: "I admit I made a mistake."

This project is based on information gathered through secondary

Using the Internet was very advantageous as the various sites

Through my project, I have made the best of my efforts to bring out

Be it Luyten’s Delhi, or the car lovers’ Mecca, Seattle, the leader’s

Through the following analysis, I have tried my best to bring out a

4.1. Origin Of The Concept

Guru Brahma Gurur Vishnu

Meaning: Guru is verily the representative of Brahma, Vishnu and

This shloka essentially describes the pedestal on which a leader was

In the Indian society, after the thread ceremony, an important ritual

His word was a command in every sphere and everyone was

After independence, in a pledge to build the nation, the importance of

The common thread running through these diverse personalities

Indian forms of leadership stand in stark contrast to the western

Here too, the first instances of leadership can be traced to a spiritual