Abstract

What is leadership? What is good leadership? What is successful leadership? Answers

emerge from our study of a formal model in which followers face a coordination problem:
they wish to choose the best action while conforming as closely as possible to the actions of
others. Although they would like to do the right thing and do it together, followers are unsure
about the relative merits of their options. They learn about their environment and the likely
moves of others by listening to leaders. These leaders bridge differences of opinion and
become coordinating focal points. A leader's influence increases with her judgement (her
sense of direction) and her ability to convey ideas (her clarity of communication). A leader
with perfect clarity enjoys greater influence than one with a perfect sense of direction. When
followers choose how much attention to pay to leaders, they listen only to the most coherent
communicators. However, power-hungry leaders who need an audience sometimes
obfuscate their messages, but less so when their followers place more emphasis on
conformity than on doing the right thing.

Efficiency of an organisation depends on the effectiveness and efficient

utilization of the
resources such as raw materials, various machines, money etc. The utilization,
in turn,
depends on the efficient and effective utilization of the input namely the human
resource in
an organisation. The efficiency of all the raw materils and the human resource is
determined
by the quality of the leadership

Essay on Leadership: Meaning, Nature and Importance of

Leadership!
Leadership is the quality of behavior of individuals whereby they
guide people or their activities in organising efforts Chester I.
Barnard

Leadership is the ability of a superior to induce subordinates to work

with confidence and I zeal Koontz and Donnell
Leadership is the process by which an executive imaginatively
directs, guides and influences the work of others in attaining specified
goals. Theo Haimann
Leadership may be defined as a position of power held by an
individual in a group, which provides him with an opportunity to
exercise interpersonal influence on the group members for miobilising
and directing their efforts towards certain goals. The leader is at the
centre of groups power structure, keeps the group together, infuses
life into it, moves it towards its goals and maintains its momentum.
He may emerge in a group by virtue of his personality characteristics
and qualities or by virtue of common consent by group members. In
the latter case, the leader derives his power from the group members.
He continues in the leadership position at the pleasure of group
members collectively. Leadership position exists in most group
settings irrespective of the size of the group.
For example, a leader of national or international standing commands
widespread influence over a large number of people while the
influence of the leader of a small work group in an organisation is very
limited. Both are leaders in their own right and fulfill our definition of
leadership.

Leadership is an influential process. The leader is in a position to

shape, regulate, control and change the attitudes, behaviour and
performance of his group members. The latter are supposed to
comply with the formers desires and directives and partially suspend
their own judgment and discretion. There exists a particular
relationship between the leader and his group members which is
characterised by interpersonal and social interaction.
In a group, the leader and his followers play the roles expected of
them and thereby seek to justify their respective positions. Some
leaders may be able to play their role effectively whereby they
succeed in getting the willing cooperation and commitment of their
followers, beyond the normal call of duty.
In any group situation, the leader has a few bases of power by
virtue of which he is in a position to influence the behaviour of
group members. They are:
(i) Knowledge, information and experience
(ii) Resources for dispensing favours, rewards and penalties
(iii) Formal authority
(iv) Charisma

(v) Distinct personality characteristics like for example, will to

dominate, ability to establish rapport, skill to communicate, identity
with and understanding of people, decisiveness and soon.
Skillful use of these power bases by a leader is likely to bring success
to him; and success in some cases adds to the power of the leader. A
successful leader gains more credibility in the eyes of people; they
often tend to ignore other deficiencies in him; they resolve to adhere to
him and allow themselves to be further exposed to his influence
attempts.
In this way some leaders entrench themselves in their positions. Some
even misuse their power and often get away with it. Power carries with
it an equal amount of responsibility. Leaders who relate their power
with responsibility in a consistent manner are more successful in their
influence than otherwise.

Importance of Leadership:
The following points highlight the importance of leadership:
(i) Effective direction:
An organisation comes into existence with certain objectives. To attain
the objectives, the activities of the organisation must be directed.
Direction of the activities is effected through leadership. In short,
effective leadership directs the activities of an organisation towards
the attainment of the specified organisational goals.

(ii) Source of motivation:

Leadership is the motivating power to group efforts. Effective
leadership motivates the subordinates for higher productivity.
(iii) Confidence:
Leadership creates confidence in-the subordinates by giving proper
guidance and advice.
(iv) High morale:
Good leadership increases the morale of the employees which, in
turn, contributes to higher productivity.
(v) Development of team spirit:
Effective leadership promotes team-spirit and teamwork which is quite
essential for the success of any organisation.
(vi) Encouraging initiative:
A progressive, forward and democratic minded leader, always
encourages initiative on the part of the followers.
(vii) Overcoming resistance to change:
A leader overcomes resistance, if any on the part of followers to
organisational changes; through explaining to them the utility of such
changes to boththe enterprise and the employees.