LEADERSHIP

What is Leadership ? Leadership is a process of influence on a group. It is the ability of a manager to induce ( bring, encourage, tempt ) subordinates to work with confidence and zeal.

Definition of Leadership
Peter F Drucker Leadership as a human characteristics which lifts a mans vision to higher sights, raises a mans performance to higher standards and builds mans personality beyond its normal limitations. Alford & Beatty It is the ability to secure desirable actions from a group of followers voluntarily, without the use of coercion (compulsion ). Terry A Leader shows the way by his own example. He is not a pusher, he pulls rather that pushes.

Leadership is also :
Ability to awaken in others the desire to

follow a common objective

Giving direction to his followers Influencing the behaviours of followers

Nature or Characteristics of Leadership

1. It implies the existence of followers. 2. It involves a community( same purpose ) of interest between the leader and his followers. 3. It involves an unequal distribution of authority among leaders and group members. 4. It is a process of influence,it shows direction 5. It is a function of stimulation. 6. A Leader must be exemplary ( set an example ) 7. A Leader ensures absolute justice,should be impartial, not follow unfair practise, bias etc.

Importance of Leadership
Leadership in an organisation is very important and cannot be denied. People working in an organisation need individuals ( leaders ) who could be instrumental in guiding the efforts of groups of workers to achieve goals and objectives of both the individuals and the organisation. A good leader guides the action of others in accomplishing these tasks.

Importance of Leadership :
1. It is the process of influencing the activities of an individual or a group towards the achievement of a goal. 2. A effective leader, motivates the subordinates for higher level of performance. 3. Leadership promotes team-spirit and team work which is quite essential for the success of any organisation. 4. Leadership is an aid to authority. Leadership helps in the effective use of formal authority. 5. Leadership creates confidence in the subordinates by giving them proper guidance and advice.

Functions of a Leader
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. To take the initiative He identifies Group goals He represents the organisation He acts as a arbitrator ( mediator ) To assign reasons for his action. To interpret he convinces followers, creates confidence, reviews followers etc. 7. To guide and direct 8. To encourage team work 9. He manages the organisation by forecasting, planning, organising, direction, co-ordination of all activities.

Leadership Skills
The skills necessary for an industrial leader may be summarised under three heads : 1) Human Skill 2) Conceptual Skill 3) Technical Skill 4) Personal Skill

HUMAN SKILL This skill involves the following :1) Empathy He should respect the rights, belief and sentiments of others. He should have empathy towards his followers so that he can carefully judge their strenghts, weakness, ambitions and give them attention they deserve. Fair & Objectivity A good leader is fair and objective in dealing with subordinates. He must be free from bias. Honesty, fairplay, justice and integrity of character are expected of any good leader. Communication Skill A leader should be able to persuade, inform, stimulate and convince his followers. Good Communication helps to perform better. Teaching Skill A leader should have the ability to demonstrate how to accomplish a particular task. Social Skill A leader should understand his followers. He should be helpful, sympathetic and friendly. He should be able to win the confidence of his followers.

2)

3)
4) 5)

Conceptual Skill This skill includes :1) The understanding of the organisation behaviour. 2) Understanding the competitors of the firm and 3) Knowing the financial status of the firm.

Technical Skill
A Leader should have a thorough knowledge of and competence in, the principles, procedures and operations of a job. Technical skill involves specialized knowledge of the process and also the knowledge of tools, machines and techniques of a specific discipline.

Personal Skill Personal Skill includes : 1) Intelligence- Higher level of intelligence than his followers. 2) Self Confidence , Maturity, Rational, Tolerant etc. 3) Personal Motivation Enthusiasm, Posses inner motivational drive. 4) Integrity, Honesty, Truthful, 5) Flexible of Mind Should be able to accomodate others view points and modify his decisions. 6) Should have a Dynamic Personality and Aimful

Types of Leaders
The different types of Leadership Styles are :-

1) Autocratic or task Management Leadership 2) Participative or Democratic Leadership 3) Free rein or Laissez faire Leadership 4) Paternalistic Leadership

Autocratic or Task Management Leadership

1) He centralizes authority in himself and does not delegate authority to his subordinates. 2) He gives orders which should be obeyed. 3) He determines policies for group without consulting them and does not give information about future plans but simply ask them to follow. 4) He is Dictatorial by nature.

Participative or Democratic Leadership

1) He consults and invites his subordinates to participate in decision-making. 2) He gives orders only after consulting the group 3) He sees to it that policies are worked out in group decisions and with the acceptance of the group. 4) He doesnt use his power to get the work done. 5) He assigns a fair work load to his people and recognizes the job that is well done. 6) He believes in team effort for attainment of goal.

Free- rein or Laissez faire Leadership

1) He gives complete freedom to the group. 2) He does not lead but leaves the group entirely to itself. 3) The leader avoids using power and interest the decision-making authority to his subordinates 4) He relieves himself from responsibility and is ready to blame the subordinates if something goes wrong. 5) He has no clear ideas of the goals to be attained.

Paternalistic Leadership
1) He assumes that his function is fatherly. 2) His attitude is that of treating the relationship between the leader and his group that of a family with the leader as the head of the family. 3) He helps, guides, protects and keep his followers happy as members of a family. 4) He provides them with good working conditions, fringe benefits, employee services etc., 5) It is said that under such leadership, people work harder out of gratitude.

Transactional / Transformational Leadership

Transactional Leaders Leaders who guide or motivate his followers in the direction of established goals by clarifying role and task requirements. Transformational Leaders Leaders who provide individualized consideration intellectual stimulation and who possess charisma. Visionary Leaders Leaders who have the ability to create and articulate a realistic, credible, attractive vision of the future of the organisation or grows out of and improves upon the present.

Theories of Leadership
1) 2) 3) 4) Trait theory of Leadership Behavioural theory of Leadership Situational theory of Leadership Great Man theory of Leadership.

Trait Theory of Leadership

Trait theory seeks to determine personal characteristics of effective leaders. It points out that the personal traits or personal characteristics of a person make him an effective or successful leader. Six major traits of leaders are ambition and energy, the desire and willingness to lead, honesty and integrity, self confidence, intelligence and job related knowledge.

Trait Theory of Leadership

According to the Trait theory the persons who possess the following traits or personal characteristics could become successful leaders : 1) Good Personality- Physical characteristics and level of maturity determine the personality of an individual. Good Personality is an important factor in determining the success of a leader. 2) Intellectual ability A leader must have a higher level of intelligence than the average follower. 3) Imagination A leader should have the ability to imaginatively visualize trends and device his policies and programmes. 4) Desire to accept responsibilities

5) Self-confidence Self confidence is essential to motivate the followers and boost up their morale. 6) Flexibility A leader should be prepared to accommodate others viewpoints. He should have a open mind, ready to absorb and adopt new ideas and views of others. 7) Fairness and objectivity Honesty, fairplay, justice and integrity are expected of a good leader. 8) Considerate A good leader should be considerate to his followers as a leader largely depends on his followers for co-operation.

Limitation of the Trait Theory

1) It assumes that leadership is an inborn quality. This is not true because leadership qualities may be developed through training also. 2) A leader may prove very successful in one situation due to some traits but may fail in another situation. 3) The theory also fails to mention which traits are necessary to maintain leadership. Measurement of a trait usually occur after a person becomes a leader. 4) There cannot be any common trait found in all successful leaders.

Behavioural Theory of Leadership

According to this theory, a particular behaviour of a leader provides greater satisfaction to the followers and so they recognise him as a good leader. The behavioural approach is based on the premise that effective leadership is the result of effective role behaviour. A leader uses conceptual, human and technical skills to influence the behaviour of his subordinates. The Behavioural theory does not concentrate on the traits of a leader, they study the behavioural patterns.

Limitations of Behavioural Theory

1) The behavioural appraoch has failed to explain why a particular leadership is effective in one situtation but fails in another situation.

2) The behavioural theory does not concentrate on the traits of leaders. But there are certain traits which makes leaders successful.

Situational Theory of Leadership

This theory is strongly affected by the situation from which a leader emerges and in which way he works. It emphasizes that the entire action between the group and the leader is the main factor which makes a leader successful.

Thus a leader recognizes the need of the situations and then acts accordingly.

Limitations of Situational theory

1) This theory stresses that the leadership ability of a person in a given situation. But it is silent on the question whether he will fit in the another situation. 2) If the leader adopts same style under all situations, he may not be successful.

Greatman Theory of Leadership

The theory states that leaders are born not made. This is especially so with great leaders who are natural leaders.

This leaders have qualities like commanding, personality, charm, courage, intelligence, persuasiveness and aggressiveness. This qualities are such that they cant be taught or learnt in a formal sense.

Implementation of Greatman Theory

Leaders have certain inborn leadership qualities Inborn qualities are sufficient for a leader to be successful. Ordinary people cannot become leaders

Leadership qualities cannot be acquired.

These qualities are Gift of God.

Limitations of Greatman Theory

1) The theory is now regarded as almost absolute and absurd because it has little scientific and practical basis.

2) The theory does not explain who are leaders, how they emerge, how they behave, and achieve effectiveness.