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Business Leadership Program 1

Lots of people can have good ideas, but thats not leadership. A
real leader can turn those ideas into action, by inspiring and
motivating people and getting the very best out of them.
Leadership: Defnition
Organizations are like aircrafts. They dont run by themselves, except
during downfall. They need the right people to make them function
eficiently, and not ust any people. The efectiveness of an employee !
particularly individuals in leadership positions ! determines how the
organisational "machine will perform. #mployees need some guidance,
some suggestions about where to go and how to get there. #thological
studies also suggest that people have an actual need for leadership.
The $nglo%&axon root of the words "lead, "leader, and "leadership is
laed, which means "path or "road. The verb laeden means "to travel.
Thus a leader is one who shows fellow travelers the way by walking
ahead.
'eadership is the most important means of direction. To lead is to
guide, direct, integrate and energize the eforts of people towards a
common goal. $ leader is one who in(uences the attitudes and
behaviour of others in an organized activity. 'eadership is an art and as
such it must be felt, experienced and created. )ecognizing diversity in
corporate life helps us to connect the great variety of talents that people
bring to work and service of the organisation. *iversity allows each of
us to contribute in a special way, to make our special talent an art of the
corporate efort. The art of leadership lies in polishing and enabling
those talents.
'eadership deals more with ideas, beliefs and relationships. +ence, it
has to do with the ,why- of institutional and corporate life, rather than
the ,how-. .t is the art of liberating people to do what is re/uired of
them, in the most efective and humane way possible, something to be
learned over time.
'eadership is defned as ,a process in which one person sets the
purpose or direction for one or more other persons, and gets them to
move along together with him or her and with each other in that
direction with competence and full commitment.-
.n the #ncyclopedia of &ocial &ciences leadership has been defned as
,the relation between an individual and a group around some common
interest and behaving in a manner directed or determined by him.- .t is
thus the function of interaction between the leader, the subordinates
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Business Leadership Program 2
and the situation in which they interact with each other i.e. a purpose of
both, the traits and the situation.
Business Leadership yth or !eality
Business Leadership "he Paradigm #hi$t
)apid globalization and modernization in the prevailing scenario has
ushered in an all%round change in the business arena. $s a result there
has been an entire shift in the paradigm of management policies and
practices. 0arious concepts have been reformed, restructured and
reshaped into more applicable ones.
1usiness 'eadership is such a concept which has emerged from the
conventional theories of leadership to suit the existing set ups.
Todays business leader will increasingly be the orchestra leader of very
bright people doing their own activities and cheering them on, coaching
them to continue the same. +e wont be power based. +e must
continue to have a lot communication and energy. +e has to be focused
and mobile. 2learly, the idea of command and control structure is gone
with the disappearance of the power breaker.
%ho is an &'ective Business Leader(
The following are the characteristics of an efective business leader3
$n efective business leader actually dreams for the future of the
business and the exact path to take in order to make a reality. +e
should possess a crystal clear vision to communicate clearly with
hyper energy and a strong sense of commitment.
$ business leader casts himself as a role model and sets the tone of
action for everyone.
$ business leader has a positive outlook to the course of actions he
takes and the energy he invests in it. +e views life with a positive
spirit) which drives him to the course of action. +e has an obvious
belief in his business in future. .t is ultimately the sheer spirit he
possesses4
Thus the innate vision) action and spirit are the essence of 1usiness
'eadership.
*o+ to ,c-uire Business Leadership #.ills
To be a good business leader, one needs to develop an articulated vision.
*o not imbibe a rigid, "one size ! 5ts all approach to leadership. 'earn
the leadership principles, adopt them, modify and re%modify them with
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Business Leadership Program /
your one%of%a%kind style, uni/ue values and individual strengths. The
following are some pointers to efective 1usiness 'eadership3
One should treat people with respect and concern.
The leader should create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately
own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.
The leader should go up and down and around the organisation to
reach people.
One should not stick to the established channels.
One should be informal and straight with people.
The leader should assess others and their emotions or experience in
response to your vision and the courses of action. One should be
compassionate.
The leader should be inspirational for others and lead them to where
they want to be.
One should develop the ,art of listening-.
One should ac/uire efective communication skills and also be
pro5cient in conversations with others.
One should be ,emotionally intelligent-, i.e. recognize and manage
your moods as well as the moods of others.
,pproaches to Business Leadership #tyle
$ business leader is an in(uential person. +is ideas (ow into the
group and the group reciprocates accordingly.
$ business leader exhibits emotional leadership. +e recognizes the
fact that leadership is about generating those emotions that inspire
people to want to coordinate action with each other.
$ business leader is an acute observer of the result and action that
(ow into the group.
$ business leader is a ,2hange $gent-. +e discards the old ways of
responding and behaving in a particular situation and adopts various
ways to suit changes, events and circumstances.
$ business leader is always (exible and adaptable since organisations
re/uire continuous changes in order to survive in the existing
environment.
1usiness leaders have a measure of authority and power, as they are
accountable for the decisions they take and the roles they play.
$ business leader is participative by nature. +e participates with the
group in various activities and encourages suggestions.
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Business Leadership Program 0
*o+ a Business Leader Fosters ,chievement otivation
There is no substitute for "achievement motivation in an organisation.
The ideal business leader creates this driving force in the organisation
to make an idea or a dream succeed.
6ays by which a leader infuses sustained achievement motivation are3
7easuring motivation of each individual to provide an indication of
areas where motivational practices need to be improved.
#nsuring, as far as possible, that employees feel they are valued.
*eveloping behavioural commitment.
*eveloping an organisational climate that will foster motivation.
.mproving interpersonal skills.
8ob designing to suit the obholders, their aspirations, aptitudes and
skills.
#nhancing performance management.
#nhancing reward management.
2reating the use of behavioural modi5cation approaches.
9roviding both extrinsic and intrinsic motivating factors.
*o+ a Business Leader Creates an &nvironment $or "eam
Building
$ business leader creates a cohesive, dynamic team by3
2learly stating the teams mission and goals.
+elping the team members to operate creatively.
.ncreasing synergy of the team.
+elping the team to focus on the results.
2larifying the roles and responsibilities of the team members.
7aking the team well organized.
2oaching the team members to build upon individual strengths.
.n(uencing the team to support leadership strategies.
*eveloping a proper team climate.
)esolving disagreements.
2reating open communication.
7aking obective decisions.
#valuating the efectiveness of the team as a whole.
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2ssues in leadership traits) personality) styles etc
"he 3ey "raits o$ Leaders
Traits are behaviours and styles that are accumulated as one gets
trained to become a leader. They result either from training, habit or
inherent :genetic /ualities. They may be best understood as tendencies
or repeated behaviour patterns. #xamples of traits are intelligence,
e/uanimity and power.
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Traits are diferentiated from skills by the distinction that skills are
necessary whereas traits are useful and indicative. Traits are
characteristics and mannerisms, which tend to be associated with many
leaders, but cannot be considered essential in the same way that some
skills emphatically are. ;or example, a 5ne trait, for a leader, is lack of
the need to dominate people in situations or at meetings. .t is a trait to
have presence without noise, and a tendency to be more of a listener
than a talker. 1y contrast, it is a skill to ensure that one knows how to
be heard, whenever it is necessary, to make an important point.
The vital traits of a leader are3
- $bility to get into leadership positions.
- 2ompetency of good /uality udgment than any relevant peer group.
- 2apacity for survival.
- 9otential to select efective subordinates.
- 2apability to inspire "ordinary people to perform above par.
- #ficiency to make a profound diference to the organization.
"he a5ility to get into leadership positions % This is best observed in
cases of people who gain a reputation for always being "in the right
place at the right time. .t is not merely an accident that they are
present at the right place< they move rapidly and create more
opportunities to be there at the right time.
"he competency to arrive at good -uality 6udgment than any
relevant peer group ! The 5rst manifestation of these individuals is
often at school, where they rise as leaders. They are perceived as
mature individuals. These same /ualities can be observed when they
5rst go out to work. Their bosses soon exploit them to carry out
important tasks. They are the 5rst to be
promoted because they become known for being a "safe pair of hands.
.t is their good udgment, which is viewed as superior.
"he capacity $or survival ! 'eaders survive because they manage to
get everybody to realize that they have made the right udgment and
that dificult decisions have to be taken. The gravest decisions to be
executed usually re/uire the thickest skin. ;or example making the
larger investment decisions, or deciding to put the corporation up for
sale, or moving into or out of maor markets, are the types of decisions
which cause the greatest angst to leaders and their followers. The mark
of a great leader is his potential to convince the group as to understand
why a particular decision taken is considered to be best in that
situation. $ great leader does not confront people with a decision but
persuades and debates the issue, until people understand.
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Business Leadership Program 7
"he potential to select e'ective su5ordinates % +aving to dismiss a
friend who has become inefective or who is manifesting characteristics
which are detrimental to the organisation, is the toughest decision a
leader may have to take. This can be one of the worst forms of
leadership failure if the leader does not confront these problems. To
make the right decisions about people re/uires a special combination of
intuition and experience. The great leader usually has an intuition
about who could 5t a particular ob and when he will be ready for it.
"he capa5ility to inspire 8ordinary9 people to per$orm a5ove par !
The leaders normally make people perform above themselves, showing
them how to be better. This skill is closely aligned with the ability of
good leaders to attract followers. $ prime leadership skill is getting
people to follow, and the want to follow. .t results from a combination of
charisma, persuasiveness and sheer determination.
"he e'iciency to ma.e a pro$ound di'erence to the organisation %
This particular trait can often only be recognized post hoc, i.e. when the
leader has left the organisation or department. The feedback obtained
from the group helps to decide whether the particular leader brought
about a transformation and created an impact within the work group.
"he 3ey #.ills o$ Leaders
&kills are the /ualities that any individual can learn, as long as the
necessary aptitude is there. They are abilities and techni/ues that the
leaders need to have at their disposal. These are exempli5ed in team
skills, planning ability or understanding of accounts. +owever
characteristics are /ualities and values, which de5ne the actions and
styles of high /uality leaders, at all stages of their career. They are the
deep%rooted /ualities that de5ne grand leaders, such as moral courage,
determination to succeed and capacity to inspire.
The vital skills of leaders are as follows3
- 2ommunication skills
- =umerical skills
- &kill to assess 9eople
- 6ork efectively under pressure
- )elaxation
- .nspiring followers
Communication s.ills % $s competence is inefective without
conscience, so are words without behaviour. $ good leader leads by
example, supporting his or her behaviour by verbal persuasion. 'eaders
must communicate needs, missions, trends, concepts, and /uality%
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/uantity linkages much faster, to more and better%educated people and
groups. They must shape their message for each audience, and set an
example by acknowledging diferences as well as commonalties. #very
leader needs multilevel listening skills. This refers to the ability that
many leaders must have to listen to difering messages, carrying a
multitude of meanings from diferent types of people at every level in
the organisation. This skill is also used to understand the multiple
agendas from the same set of messages that are often being delivered to
leaders whenever people communicate with them.
;umerical s.ills % .n addition to the verbal ability, the leader in the
modern era also re/uires a facility with numerical skills >all businesses
measure themselves and are measured by others with numbers?.
'ikewise, most great strategic ideas need to be tested arithmetically for
their impact on the market and their value on the bottom line for the
business.
#.ill to assess People < $n ability to assess people and their skills
accurately is important. One needs to be able to focus upon a persons
best /ualities and make people realize that one cares about them.
%or. e'ectively under pressure % $ great leader has the ability to
undertake highly concentrated activity at intense pressure. .n the
present era, with vast communication capacity and the ability to move
large amounts of capital around the world almost instantaneously, both
crises and opportunities arise with little warning.
!ela=ation $ leader needs to know when to relax. This will be
necessary both between and even during the crises. .f one cannot relax
enough for some time each day, he : she is not going to remain 5t for the
important battles and wars.

2nspiring $ollo+ers % 'eaders who encourage people to strive for and
make achievements beyond their imagination are also creators of
immense ob satisfaction for others.
Common Characteristics o$ Leaders
'eaders share certain common characteristics which infuse the whole of
a leaders or an organisations culture.
2ntegrity3 .s the unyielding battle for what, rather than who is right. .t
is the seizing of responsibility, and the willing acceptance of the
accountability that comes with it. .ntegrity is much more than not
telling a lie< it is not living a lie4
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Compassion3 @ood leadership includes searching for, and identifying
people doing the right things as well as doing things right. .t is not
managing by exception i.e. followers never hear from their leader
except when something goes wrong.
Cogni?ance3 .s the power of knowledgeable perception that enables a
person to use information efectively. .t is an understanding of the past,
an awareness of the present, and a vision of the future. .t is the ability
to understand and use ever%changing, complex, and ambiguous
variables in the simplest and most productive way possible. .t means
studying the past, and using the present to prepare for the future.
Courage3 The fourth characteristic of leadership is courage ! the
courage to act upon your convictions with steadfast focus in the face of
unrelenting opposition< the courage to sacri5ce and risk, the courage to
give, to enoy, and to live4 .t is challenging adversity with grit and
grace< and those who move toward success, not away from failure.
Commitment3 One person with commitment has more power than a
multitude that has only interest. The level of commitment is the key
determinant. @etting others to commit to a common mission is one of
the leaders most dificult challenges. .n a committed culture, you wont
hear ,. ust work here- or ,&orry, my time is up.-
Confdence3 .s the steadfast reliance upon the values, beliefs, and
competence of oneself and others. 2on5dence is cultivated by using our
strengths and skills to extend others and us a little further each day.
2on5dence develops strong opinions, and leadership communication is
predicated on those opinions.
#tyles o$ Leadership
Per$ormance o$ the Leader9s !ole
.t would be wrong to conclude that ust anyone attempting to go
through the skills and traits of the leader described here, would
inevitably be an efective leader. +ow the leader performs these
necessary actions, his "style of leadership, is another factor and on this
will depend his acceptance or reection by the group and the individuals
composing it. +e must be suficiently sensitive to the needs of the
situation to know when it would be right, for example, to take decisions
and actions directly himself< when to consult the group before deciding<
when to delegate. +e also needs to learn to be (exible and to suit his
actions to the re/uirements of the often%changing occasion.
;actors afecting a leaders style of leadership include3
&ituation ! is it a precedentA 6ill company policy be afectedA
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.ndividuals and the group ! are they capable of contributing
usefully to a right decisionA .t is the overall advantage to push
more responsibility down to themA
The main factor, however, is that of the "person of the leader himself.
9erhaps a better word for this is integrity, in the sense of the "wholeness
and the wholesomeness of the person. This integrity is best seen
re(ected in the sort of comment a subordinate makes about a respected
leader3
+e is "human and treats us as human beings.
+e has no favorites< he doesnt bear grudges.
.t is easy to talk to him ! he listens and you can tell he listens.
+e keeps his word and he is honest.
+e doesnt dodge unpleasant issues.
+e explains why ! or else why he cant
+es fair with his praise as well as his criticisms and he criticizes
without making an enemy of you.
+e is fair to us as well as the company.
+e drives himself hard so you dont mind him expecting the best of
you.
&=ecutive Leadership
#xecutive leadership is an ability to in(uence the actions of others. This
in(uence must be one that includes the ability to recruit and to retain
loyal followers who are efective in the attainment of the companys
goals. The sources of in(uence of a leader stem initially from his power
base. That is, once he is hired and made manager in charge, he is given
a certain amount of power. $nd his staf : people will respond to his
wishes merely because he has that ,power.- Though in the long run, his
in(uence upon the personnel will depend on his ability to persuade
them, either by reasoning power or the power of his personality.
Of course, to be an efective leader in business, one has to have a
fundamental grasp of key management areas, such as 5nance,
marketing, and administration. 1eyond that, creativity and common
sense udgment certainly are essential. 6hen executive leadership is
proposed along these lines, leadership improvement can be approached
with optimism. .t presumes that leadership, as a personal skill, can be
ac/uired and improved. $n aspiring executive can "learn leadership,
which is de5ned by ones behaviour ! what to do and how to do it. $ll it
takes is a little inspiration mixed in with a little perspiration.
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Business Leadership Program 11
#ituational Leadership
$ccording to &ituational 'eadership, there is no one best way to
in(uence people. 6hich leadership style a person should use with
individuals or groups depends on the maturity level of the people the
leader is attempting to in(uence, as illustrated in the following 5gure3
#tyles o$ a Leader #ituational Leadership
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aturity o$ Follo+er AsB
"as. 5ehaviour is the extent to which a leader provides direction for
people. Telling them what to do, when to do it, where to do it, and how
to do it. .t means setting goals for them and de5ning their roles.

!elationship 5ehaviour is the extent to which a leader engages in
two%way communication with people3 providing support,
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Business Leadership Program 12
encouragement, ,psychological strokes-, and facilitating behaviours. .t
means actively listening to people and supporting their eforts.
The 5gure portrays the relationship between task%relevant maturity and
the appropriate leadership styles to be used as followers move from
immaturity to maturity. The appropriate leadership style >style of
leader? for given levels of follower maturity is portrayed by the
prescriptive curve going through the four leadership /uadrants. This
bell%shaped curve is called a prescriptive curve because it shows the
appropriate leadership style directly above the corresponding level of
maturity. #ach of the four leadership styles % ,telling,- ,selling,-
,participating,- and ,delegating- ! identi5ed in the 5gure is a
combination of task and relationship behaviour.
The maturity of followers is a /uestion of degree. $s can be seen in the
5gure, some bench marks of maturity are provided for determining
appropriate leadership style by dividing the maturity continuum below
the leadership model into four levels3 low >7E?, low to moderate >7C?,
moderate to high >7B?, and high >7D?.
anagerial Crid #tyles
One very popular approach to identifying leadership styles of practicing
managers is )obert ). 1lake and 8ane &. 7outons 7anagerial @rid. .t
shows that the two dimensions of grid are 2oncern for 9eople along the
vertical axis and 2oncern for 9roduction along the horizontal axis. The
5ve basic styles identi5ed in the grid represent varying combinations of
2oncern for 9eople and 9roduction3
"eam Leadership: 9roduction is achieved by the integration of task
and human relationship re/uirements. The leaders maor responsibility
is to attain efective production and high morale through the
participation and involvement of people in a team approach.
Practical Leadership: The aim is to maintain a balance between high
productivity and good human relations. The leader strives to 5nd the
middle ground so as to have reasonable production with good morale.
"as.<Oriented Leadership: @ood relations are incidental to high
production. The leader emphasizes production goals by focusing on the
planning, direction and controlling of all activities.
!elationship<Oriented Leadership: 9roduction is incidental to good
human relations. The leader focuses on the development of harmonious
group relations so that work organisation is pleasant.
2mpoverished Leadership: 7inimum in(uence is exerted in
interaction with others. 'ittle concern for production or people is
expressed. 7ost activities performed are routine.
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$ 7anager should aim to move towards Team 'eadership, which is ideal
for excellence in management, as a dominant style.
Formal and 2n$ormal Leadership
;ormal leadership occurs when a manager leads by exercising formal
authority. The exercise of formal authority through such acts as
assigning duties derives from the managers oficial position within the
organizations hierarchy of authority. $ny employee who is assigned a
managerial position has the opportunity and responsibility to exercise
formal leadership in relation to subordinates.
&ome managers have a better understanding of the authority and formal
relationship with subordinates provided by a managerial position< they
are more in(uential in ensuring that subordinates work eforts are
productive. These managers are better leaders.
.nformal leadership arises when a person without formal authority is
in(uential in directing the behaviour of others. $lthough not formally
appointed or elected, he becomes a leader through his actions or
personal attractions.
;ormal and informal leadership coexist in almost every work situation.
7anager must often work with subordinates who refer to a strong
informal leader within their peer group. 7anagers themselves may act
as formal leaders in some situations and as informal leaders in others.
6hen acting as a formal leader, the manager follows the chain of
command and exerts in(uence downward in the hierarchy of authority
from manager to subordinates. 1y contrast, when acting as an informal
leader, the manager in(uences employees outside the formal
organizational chain of command. .nterpersonal charisma or
persuasiveness is re/uired for informal leadership because the informal
leader lacks formal authority.
, "ypology o$ Leaders
Charismatic : This style is most successful when a particular
business re/uires spending a few years to take important decisions
and decisive action. 2harismatic leaders persuade people to agree to
their strategies and are the most skilled at convincing people that
they can outperform their self%perception.
#uperior 2ntelligence : &uperior intelligence is most successful in
businesses where there are large numbers of highly /uali5ed or
bright people, where they 5nd it easier to accept a leader with
superior intelligence. They tend to develop an exaggerated respect
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Business Leadership Program 10
for brainpower as they have invested so much of their lives in
achieving /uali5cations.
,utocratic : The autocratic style is most successful in a crisis, when
an organisation has to change rapidly, whether growing or turning
itself from decline to growth. .t can also be useful during periods of
highly competitive battle for market share, when new products are
battling it out in the market place.
#hepherd : The shepherd style is most akin, in its behaviour
patterns, to the shepherd who tends his (ock. This type of leader
treats his or her employees, customers and other stakeholders with
care and solicitude. +e :she tends to push rather than pull and
allows people time to come alongside the leaders point of view. The
shepherd tends to be a gentle but strong soul, who usually
understands people very well and attracts much love and devotion
from the staf and personnel in general. They are usually spoken of in
terms such as "strong but gentle and "dependable.
,rmy Ceneral : This style follows the classical army analogy. The
army general type of leader, like his army counterpart, tries to set
great examples but expects his people to follow his commands
un/uestioningly. They assume obedience and followership. They
exude an air of having a total grasp of the situation and exhibit
supreme con5dence that their solutions and explanations are right,
appropriate and need not be /uestioned.
Their command style does not come from a need to order people, or
an inability to listen to others, but from self%con5dence in their right
to lead and ability to do so. .n the same way that many lower ranks
in the armed forces accept their positions un/uestioningly >especially
after suitable training?, so also do the subordinates of this style of
leader. Fsually the general is a decent sort, who has a good sense of
community and social values of a conservative nature.
Princely leader : The princely leader is seen as a natural aristocrat.
+e : she appears to have been born to lead and emanates a natural
style of leadership, with an easy sense of knowing the right thing to
do and when. This type of leader is attractive, radiating a sense of
dignity and a natural right to be the leader. This serves to facilitate a
preference to be carefully selective about whom he or she talks to,
meets or takes data from. This can be useful, in terms of managing
his or her time, but can lead to problems with subordinates or
business associates who 5nd the style annoying or who are easily
intimidated.
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The princely leader is most successful in long%established businesses
that have powerful brands and dependable market share. They are
most vulnerable when under attack, because they 5nd it hard to
respond with eagerness.
;ature9s native : The natures native leader is one who always looks
comfortable in the leading position. $ typical leader with this style
would be Fnited Gingdoms 9rime 7inister, Tony 1lair or former
Fnited &tates 9resident 8ohn ;. Gennedy. They look as if leadership is
what they were born to do. 9eople who work for these natures
native leaders cannot possibly imagine having them as their
subordinate. They are envied for the naturalness of their gifts and
/ualities of leadership, but are rarely resented ! they dont excite that
type of shallow response in people who work with and for them.
=atures natives are efective under most circumstances. +owever,
they excel in large%scale, multinational or global organizations,
because their style transcends local or national culturally narrow
behaviour and enables them to 5t into most nationalities and
cultures.
Facets o$ &'ective Leadership
6hether in business, industry, government, or academia, leaders
achieve results with and through others. 6hether called management,
supervision, or administration, the underlying process is to establish
direction and the coordination in accomplishing results. .n everyday
settings the exercise of leadership may generate a range of emotional
responses like enthusiasm, apathy, anger, commitment etc. These varied
emotions merely tell us that leadership is demonstrated in many
diferent ways.
The 5rst three elements, initiative, in/uiry, and advocacy, reveal how a
leader shapes his or her in(uences, on outer events. The other three,
con(ict solving, decision%making, and criti/ue, are concerned with how
the leader utilizes the resources of others through which results are
accomplished.
2nitiative3 $ leader exercises initiative whenever he or she
concentrates efort on a speci5c activity % to start something, to stop
something, or to shift the direction or character of a current activity.
6hen leadership is exercised in a vigorous way and others pick up the
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Business Leadership Program 14
spirit of it and oin in, much can be accomplished. .f a leader exerts
vigorous efort but others ignore it, then the obvious conclusion is that
the initiative is inefective.
2n-uiry3 The leader needs to have a full and comprehensive grasp of
the situations for which he:she is responsible. This involves the element
of in/uiry through learning about the background and current status of
problems, procedures, proects, and so on, and about the facts
regarding the people involved in them. 6ithout sound knowledge of
situations in all these relevant aspects, it is clear that the exercise of
leadership will be less efective than it might have been.
,dvocacy3 &everal people who are together in a working relationship
are likely to have diferent points of view on how to approach or deal
with various issues. $dvocacy conveys the idea that the leader
expresses his or her convictions and stimulates others to do likewise.
$ll the members of the group let each other know where they stand,
what they think, and how they feel about issues facing them.
ConDict #olving3 6henever an issue is complex and there is no self%
evident solution, various participants are likely to have diferent
perspectives on what to do. &uch conditions often lead to con(ict. The
approach of 5nding reasons:causes of con(ict permits con(ict solving by
getting to the roots of disagreement or controversy and reaching
consensus based on understanding and agreement. The advantages are
numerous, and yet it is noteworthy that this approach to con(ict solving
is rare. The main advantage comes from eliminating the source of
tensions. .n the absence of tensions, people can continue to deal with
one another in an open way without withholding, ridiculing,
manipulating, or being defensive.
Decision a.ing: The act most commonly associated with leadership
involves making decisions. *ecision making, however, can be no
stronger than the initiative behind it, the in/uiry on which it is based,
the advocated positions that have been deliberated, and the resolution
of disagreements and controversies through insight.
Criti-ue: 2riti/ue means learning about how things have been done
and how they or similar activities might be undertaken in a sounder
manner in the future. 6hen past experience proves sound, it becomes
possible to get /uicker results, to improve /uality, to innovate ! to do
whatever is basic to success better than it has been done previously.
2riti/ue fre/uently is confused with criticism, but the two are not the
same. 2riticism implies evaluation and udgments of good or bad,
relative to personal worth. 2riti/ue involves learning from experience
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Business Leadership Program 17
what is sound and what is unsound. 2riticism is person% centered, while
criti/ue is work%centered. .n the latter case people are studying how to
increase their efectiveness.
Enderstanding sel$ and $ollo+ers
The most fre/uently used words in any individuals vocabulary are ". or "me
or "myself. 1ut when asked what "self means there is confusion in
explaining the concept. This represents a barrier, inhibiting from realizing
the individuals full potential and achieving peak performance.
&elf *evelopment is essential to reach and sustain peak performance and
become aware of ones capabilities in order to achieve the desired
performance.
#el$ Development incorporates:
- .ncreasing skills to be more efective on the present ob
- .ncreasing promotion potential in the same organisation
- To add value to the self so that the inter organisational mobility can be
facilitated
.t is with these ends that both the organisation and individual need to view
"&elf *evelopment and leadership in an organisation.
,reas o$ #el$ Development
$n individual needs to identify the areas for his &elf *evelopment. The crucial
areas for &elf *evelopment can be as follows3
- *eveloping an aspiration to attain higher competence and results, in other
words, inculcating values of "achievement orientation. This re/uires
de5nition of goals for the self in consonance with the goals of the
organisation as well as the future looking orientation.
- *evelop initiative in the form of "anticipating instead of "confronting
problems of future. 7any a times individuals do not perceive their
responsibility as identifying "new areas which need attention as well as
developing "new methods for solving these problems.
- #nvironment of business can threaten its safety and result in the redundancy
of the present operations. $ signi5cant proportion of time and energy needs
to be devoted towards visualizing and identifying any threats from the
competitive environment.
- Huite often individuals are completely unaware of the principles applicable in
their functional area. #ven when they are aware of the principles, they lack
the abilities to apply such principles to the particular situations, because they
5nd it dificult to identify the crucial and the changeable factors in the
organisation. .t is such applicability of principles that they have to develop.
- The most important /uality is to be able to make efective decisions. *ecision%
making re/uires the "awareness of the alternative courses of action along
with their relative importance and implications. .t also re/uires the
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awareness of and the ability to device "criteria for selecting between these
alternatives.
Personal &'ectiveness
1eing personally efective is one of the important aspects in &elf *evelopment.
One pre%condition for personal efectiveness is self%awareness. $ person who
understands himself is likely to be more efective. 9ersonal efectiveness
depends partly on self%understanding and partly on the use of such
understanding with care. &everal factors contribute to personal efectiveness3
E. &elf%*isclosure3 6illingness of a person to be open to others and to share
the relevant feelings, knowledge etc. with others.
C. ;eedback3 .t is feedback< a person receives from others so that he may
become aware of some strengths and some weaknesses, which only others,
who observe and are afected by his behaviour, may be able to communicate.
B. 9erceptiveness3 .t is perceptiveness of the person in making both self%
disclosure and feedback efective in improving ones behaviour.
9erceptiveness would mean a persons sensitivity to feelings of the other
person, and the situation in which both interact. .t also means being
sensitive to the cues, which he may pick up to determine both the extent and
the manner of self%disclosure as well as feedback.
$ combination of these makes for interpersonal efectiveness. This
combined with high initiative and action%orientation enhances ones
leadership efectiveness.
eeting 2ndividual ;eeds
$ leader must not forget that each member of the group needs to
continue to live and express himself as an individual< to provide for
those dependent upon him< to 5nd satisfaction in his work and his
recreation< to win acceptance by those groups of which he feels a
member. .n order to satisfy these needs he must exert himself ! he must
get involved. ;ortunately for the leader, there is a high coincidence
between these needs and his own obligation to achieve results through
the best use of resources ! in this case, human.
.f the degree of motivation is to be suficient to give satisfaction at work
the leader must create an environment that ensures that his
subordinates3
;eel a sense of personal achievement in the ob they are doing,
that they are making a worthwhile contribution to the obectives of
the group
;eel that the ob itself is challenging, is demanding the best of
them, is giving them the responsibility to match their capability
)eceive ade/uate recognition for their achievements
+ave control over the delegated obs
;eel that they, as individuals, are developing, that they are
advancing in experience and ability.
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To provide the right "climate and the opportunities for these needs to be
met for each individual in the group is probably the most dificult but
certainly the most challenging and rewarding task of the leader.
eghna "echni-ues to address Bloc.agesF O5stacles in
"eams
$lthough companies on the basis of individual contracts employ people,
it is in groups or teams that the maority of their work is conducted.
1lockages are a continual fact of life for teams. They occur from the
moment a potential team gathers until the team comes to an end.
Obstacles also difer as much as the teams, performance challenges,
organisational settings, and business contexts that produce them.
The threat posed by any particular obstacle depends as much on the
team leaders readiness and capability as the obstacle itself. Iet, while
some teams are stronger than others, teams ! as a unit of performance !
surpass individuals as well as larger organisational groupings in the
resourcefulness and (exibility with which they overcome barriers to
performance.
)eal teams adapt to challenges remarkably well. The frustrations
associated with stuck teams include3
$ loss of energy or enthusiasm
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Business Leadership Program 2@
$ sense of helplessness
$ lack of purpose or identity
'istless, unconstructive and one%sided discussions without candour
7eetings in which the agenda is more important than the outcome
2ynicism and mistrust
.nterpersonal attacks made behind peoples backs and to outsiders
'ots of 5nger pointing at top management and the rest of the
organisation
.n the worst cases, stuck groups stop trying for team performance
altogether and become pseudo%teams. The costs are high. =ot only is
the speci5c team performance opportunity lost, but such episodes
demoralize people, resulting in much of the reluctance people have
regarding the team approach in general.
There is no way to completely avoid stuck teams ! obstacles really are a
fact of life for teams and sometimes they will be insurmountable.
.ndeed, unless a teams own purpose and performance goals present a
signi5cant challenge, there may not be a foundation for a real team
efort. #ven team%friendly environments include barriers that can, at
times, cause teams to get stuck and self%destruct. ;inally, all potential
teams have hierarchical, functional, and individual diferences that are
at once a source of strength and a source of problems
Team development is sometimes obstructed by some commonly
observed behaviours as mentioned below3
&aboteur ! $n individual engages in malicious behaviours designed to
destroy or signi5cantly impair the progress made by the team.
&niper ! @roup productivity tends to reduce if a member takes stingy
shots at group members by throwing verbal:non%verbal "barbs.
$ssistant trainer ! The team mate tries to demonstrate his awareness
of group process by making interventions in order to impress the
others. +e may make procedural suggestions at the point of being
obnoxious.
*enier ! 6hen an individual of a team is confronted he plays the "who
me game, i.e. he backs of immediately. This kind of a person
generally refuses to take a strong stand on a problem.
$nxious 7ember ! &uch an individual may engage in counter
productive behaviours as smoothing over con(ict, and avoiding
confrontations.
*ominator ! &ome team members simply take up too much of time by
talking. They control the group through their verbosity.
&ide Tracker ! The groups energy is siphoned of by new concerns,
which de(ect rather than work on the problem that is being solved.
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Business Leadership Program 21
9olarizer ! These are individuals point out diferences among team
members rather then help them see similarities thus preventing the
cohesion of the group.
$ttention &eeker ! The behaviour is designed to cover up the group
members anxiety by excessive oking, or by sharing experiences to
convey good impression.
2lown ! The behaviour is loud and boisterous that sets a tone of play
rather than problem solving.
$part from the team behavioural obstacles the various other blockages
faced by a team are as follows3
, +ea. sense o$ direction: Teams lose their way when they pursue
inappropriate or ill%de5ned goals. They also get lost when they
assume that everyone in the team understands and agrees on why
and how they are working together. .t is not that diferent
interpretations by themselves are bad for teams< indeed, when
discussed openly, varying perspectives can enrich a teams sense of
purpose and approach. 1ut when those diferences remain
unexpressed and unresolved, they generate confusion about the
teams fundamental reason for being and undercut the incentive to
work together to achieve common goals.
2nsu'icient or une-ual commitment to team per$ormance: .n
stuck teams, interpersonal con(icts and entrenched positions often
get interpreted as a lack of commitment on the part of one or more
individuals to work as a team. The team gets diverted from its
performance goals and falls into endless conversations about
personal styles and biases. This, in turn, further weakens the trust
and respect which is critical to the mutual accountability and
commitment re/uired for team performance.
Critical s.ill gaps: &kill gaps are an inevitable part of teams. ;ew
teams start with every skill completely developed and in place. Iet,
there are also no teams that succeed with a signi5cant, unresolved
skill de5ciency relative to its obectives. Often the most troublesome
gaps have to do with technical or functional competencies. 1ut teams
also get stuck when they lack the necessary team skills of problem
solving, decision making, and interpersonal relations needed for
performance.
&=ternal con$usion) hostility) or indi'erence: $ll organisations,
whether friendly or hostile to teams, inevitably create some obstacles
for them. &ome might confuse the team with contradictory or overly
ambitious sets of demands. Others might overtly or covertly 5ght the
team. &till others might seemingly care less about what the team
does or whether or not it succeeds. &ometimes, an atmosphere can
energize a team. 1ut it can also prevent a potential team from ever
getting of the ground, or wear out the team once it does.
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Business Leadership Program 22
Leadership in need o$ help: This is perhaps ust a special category
of skill gap. 7ost people can learn to be efective team leaders. 1ut,
like teams themselves, team leaders most often begin their roles
without all the needed skills in place. 6hen team leaders themselves
need help, it falls to other members to 5ll the gap until the leaders
skills develop.
,pproaches to Cetting Enstuc.
The key to getting unstuck lies in addressing particular obstacles that
confront the team. There are 5ve approaches that work well, often in
some combination. The 5rst two, revisiting team basics and going for
small wins, address performance directly. The other three ! exposing
the team to new information and diferent approaches, seeking outside
counsel or training, and reforming the team ! provide indirect spurs
that, when successful, trigger a renewed team focus on performance.
#ach of these approaches lie within the team leaders own grasp. The
leader needs to orchestrate this process carefully and systematically.
E. !evisit the 5asics: =o team can rethink its purpose, approach, and
performance goals too many times. $ll teams ! and certainly, stuck
teams ! bene5t from going back to ground zero and spending the
time to undercover all hidden assumptions and diferences of opinion
that, when assessed by the full team, might provide the foundation
for clarifying the teams mission and how to accomplish it.
C. Co $or small +ins: =othing galvanizes a stuck team as well as
performance itself. #ven the act of setting a clear and speci5c goal
can lift a team out of the morass of interpersonal con(ict and despair.
$chieving speci5c goals is even better.
B. 2n6ect ne+ in$ormation and approaches: ;resh facts, diferent
perspectives, and new information play a maor role in the
development of teams. 2ompetitive benchmarks, internal case
histories, best practices, front%line work measures, customer
interviews ! these and other sources of insight can provide stuck
teams with the fresh perspective needed to reshape their purpose,
approach, and performance goals.
D. "a.e advantage o$ $acilitators or training: 6hether they are
complete outsiders or company employees outside the team itself,
facilitators, can get stuck teams moving in a constructive direction.
Fsually, successful facilitators bring problem%solving, communication,
interpersonal, and teamwork skills to teams who lack them. The
ultimate key, however, to whether a facilitator provides enduring help
depends entirely on how efectively the facilitators eforts help the
team turn its collective attention back to its purpose and performance
challenge. &tuck teams, like any potential team, can bene5t from any
good training program that highlight the importance of key skills,
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Business Leadership Program 2/
common team purposes, good teamwork, clear goals, and the role of
the leader.
J. Change the team9s mem5ership: 7any teams avoid getting or
staying stuck by changing their own membership. &ometimes this
occurs when teams literally separate or add members. &ome teams
actually set rules of membership that re/uire periodic rotation of
members to ensure fresh input and vitality over time.
#ach of the 5ve approaches to unfreezing a team can either spring
from the teams own eforts or happen as a result of management
intervention. .f done well, such intervention can be a boon to a stuck
team. .f done poorly, however, such actions can get interpreted as
management intrusions that pose yet one more burden on the team.
.t is good for teams to ,stay stuck for awhile- because of what they
learn through overcoming obstacles on their own, without help from
outside. )eal teams thrive on obstacles. The trick, however, is to
distinguish between those teams that are constructively and
energetically trying to 5gure out how to get beyond some barrier to
performance and those that either have given up or are in danger of
doing so. .f a team is really stuck beyond its collective capability, the
leader: management must intervene.
Characteristics and #.ills o$ &'ective "eam Leaders
'eadership is the key to making organisational life not only more
productive but more humane. The team leader has a uni/ue and crucial
role in the development of the group. Team members invariably watch
their leaders management style and evaluate his or her ability to
promote openness, co%operation and team debate. 6ithout efort,
personal integrity and trust, a team cannot be developed.
The successful leader understands that a group has its own personality,
attitudes, standards and needs. +e achieves his success by taking these
things into account. +e has constantly to respond to the needs of the
group. $t times this means withdrawing from his position "way out
front and concentrating on "serving those who serve him. On these
occasions he is prepared to represent the group and speak with its
voice. $t the same time, he avoids "over%identifying with the group.
The team leader must be aware of the needs of the group and have
suficient understanding of the concept of team building to steer the
group through a series of developmental states. $n open approach is
vital. $ll issues afecting the group must be talked through, feedback
given and received and time spent clarifying expectations. The team
leader must demonstrate the high level of openness that is an essential
characteristic of the team approach and be watchful towards team
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Business Leadership Program 20
members, identifying their individual needs and enabling each to be
developed and strengthened as the work of the team continues.
The key functions of the business leader in meeting the teams needs
are3
To set and maintain group obectives and group standards.
To involve the group as a whole in the achievement of obectives.
To maintain the unity of the group and to see that dissident activity
is minimized
+ere are some points to consider3
3no+ the team mem5ers $ good team leader must know all the
team mates by their names. +e should know their expectations and
their diferences. +e needs to identify the key persons to secure
group support.
#tay in contact 'eaders need to mix and move around, since
problems crop up when they lose contact with their members.
Be a good listener The ability to listen to team mates is one of the
most appreciated /ualities of a team leader.
"a.e appropriate decisions $ leader should make sure that
necessary decisions are made, whether by him or others. 2onsensus
decision%making should be encouraged.
Foresee pro5lems < 'ook forward to the dificulties that could be
faced in implementing the decisions.
Be concerned $or production and people < The best and most
productive leader is the one who is person%centered as well as
production%minded. &uch teams are able to accomplish much more
because the team members see production goals as their goals
because they are treated with trust and respect.
3eep cool The team leader must control his temper when his team
mates are angry and try to help them to calm down.
"reat all e-ually ;air and unbiased practices must be followed in
order to attain obectivity of udgments.
"a.e responsi5ility The team leader must take charge and
accountability of the entire group processes.
Leadership &nvironment
Leadership concerns the total manner in which a leader in(uences
actions of subordinates. ;irst, it includes the issuing of orders that are
clear, complete, and within the capabilities of subordinates to
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Business Leadership Program 21
accomplish. &econd, it implies a continual training activity in which
subordinates are given instruction to enable them to carry out the
particular assignment in the existing situation. Third, it necessarily
involves the motivation of workers to try to meet the expectations of the
manager. ;ourth, it consists of maintaining discipline and rewarding
those who perform properly. .n short, leading is the 5nal action of a
manager in getting others to act after all preparations have been
completed.
$s some of the older methods of motivation become less efective, the
importance of the leader increases. 1onuses and similar 5nancial
incentives are limited in what they can achieve< and as the amounts rise,
men can aford to take value udgments as to whether to work less hard
for less money. @ood fringe bene5ts and welfare provisions may attract
people to an organization, but they will not, in the long term, afect
performance on the ob. 7oreover, in many 5elds the satisfaction
provided by the ob itself is no longer an incentive as the skills, which
gave the ob its interest, are superseded by new machinery or automatic
control mechanisms.
The responsibility for ensuring that each person gives of his best to his
work rests s/uarely with the leader. The leader should be responsible
and accountable for the work of his subordinates. +e has to get work
done through them, and his aim must be to make full use of their
strengths, abilities and /ualities, minimize the efects of their
de5ciencies and, where possible, constantly try to improve their
performance. This is the obect of efective leadership. .t makes sense
both psychologically and economically. ;or most individuals it is
important that their abilities should be fully used. ;or the enterprise
and for the country it is essential that manpower shall not be wasted.
The efectiveness of a leader depends on this ability to in(uence, and be
in(uenced by, the group and its members in the implementation of a
common task.
.n practice this means that the leader 3
>E?#nsures that the re/uired tasks are continually achieved
>C?7eets the needs of his group for team%work and team%spirit
>B?7eets the needs of each individual member of the group.
The successful leader functions in all three areas, often simultaneously.
These three areas interact upon each other. 1elow is a simple model
that illustrates the above explained3
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Task
Business Leadership Program 24
The three circles overlap. .f the task circle is backed out, so too are
large segments of the group and individual circles. Thus lack of
attention to the task causes disruption in the group and dissatisfaction
to the individual. 2onversely, achievement of obectives is essential if
group and individual morale is to be high. .f we black out the group
needs circle from the model then the other two needs are afected.
Fnless the leader actively sees that the needs of the group, as a group,
are satis5ed, his chances of achieving the re/uired results, in the long
term, are eopardized. .gnore the needs of the individual and the
efectiveness of both task and team is reduced.
The areas of group and individual needs may also be looked on as
storage batteries, which may from time to time become exhausted ! for
instance after a period of high pressure. .n this case the leader must see
that they are re%charged by paying them extra attention.
$ leader has to be natural. $n arti5cial presence can prevent the leader
from being natural, balanced, and rounded. 'eaders need each of those
/ualities, because if they have to waste energy constraining their
natural selves then the necessary freedom to be creative and intuitive
will be destroyed. The leader needs to be relatively obective in
udgments. $lthough great leaders do not need to be perfect, they need
to know how to take the organisation to ever%greater heights of
achievement.
The leader needs to be strategic, visionary, attractive, and fun to work
for. $bove all, the leader needs to be creative, because creativity is the
vital catalyst for the creation of wealth, excitement and fun. 2reativity
is one of those special attributes that give meaning to life.
Todays organisation needs liberating leadership, enabling those in
managerial roles to harness the skills and talents of everyone in their
particular section. $s liberating leaders, they create situations where
continuous improvement can occur. They demonstrate, by their own
behaviour, how people can be liberated to maximize their skills. They
recognize the need for continuing change and urge everyone to meet
the challenges that brings, supporting and encouraging them to reach
their full potential.
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Team
7aintenanc
e
.ndividual
=eeds
Business Leadership Program 27
.n a liberating environment, managers no longer have to take command
and control of everything, with a responsibility for all decision%making.
.nstead, they must become facilitators, coaches, enablers and
supporters, encouraging those closest to the tasks to take their own
decisions. 'iberating leadership should be promoted at all levels of an
organisation. .t represents a radically new form of leadership that
reects position, status and hierarchy. .n short, liberating leadership is
*emocracy at 6ork.
$ leader listens to the ideas, needs, aspirations, and wishes of the
followers and then within the context of his well%developed system of
beliefs, responds to these in an appropriate fashion. The 5rst
responsibility of a leader is to de5ne reality. The true leader enables his
followers to realise their full potential, both personal and corporate. +e
is responsible, for identifying, developing and nurturing future
leadership. #fective leaders encourage contrary opinions, which to
them is an important source of vitality. 'eaders owe a clear statement
of values to the organisation. These values should be well understood,
be agreed to and shape out corporate and individual behaviour. @ood
leaders owe their followers certain maturity and corporate rationality.
7aturity is expressed in a sense of self%worth and belonging, a sense of
expectancy and responsibility, a sense of accountability and e/uality.
#fective leaders owe their people space, in the sense of freedom.
;inally, the most important of all, leaders are responsible for
efectiveness. They are responsible for doing the right thing and must
deal with it personally< realising efectiveness comes through enabling
people to reach their potential % both, personal and corporate potential.
Leader as a Change ,gent
There is a distinct link between leadership and change, especially
change, that is imposed and can be seen as unwanted but necessary
change. 6e can think of change as being confronted with diferent
circumstances re/uiring diferent responses and behaviours on our part,
which need to become ingrained ways of how we conduct ourselves.
*ealing efectively with change is essentially about being able to alter
previous behaviour and develop diferent behavioural practices that are
ade/uate for changed circumstances. This re/uires learning, which
presupposes the development of diferent ways of observing and taking
action.
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$ leader should be (exible and adaptable in being able to foresee and
deal with change in order to stay competitive. The notion of the
learning organisation was popularized a number of years ago, and what
is re/uired now are leaders who are (exible and adaptable learners.
Organisations have been likened to living systems. 8ust as living
systems need to adapt to changes in the environment in order to
survive, so do people and the groups they are part of. 1iologically it has
been shown that adapting is about learning, about not remaining
trapped in habitual ways of being and responding. The demands
nowadays are for business leaders to be willing to become diferent
observers of what is re/uired< it is through observing diferently that
creative and innovative responses are generated.
'eaders are also, re/uired to do more than that. Their way of being,
their ways of observing and acting, also need to be in(uential in shifting
others as learners. To be able to move others out of their traditional
ways of observing and learning without alienating them, so that the
collective wisdom that resides with many organisational employees
becomes an invaluable resource in dealing with the change process.
6ays to detect whether a leader can be a change agent
+ow clearly is there an articulated visionA
.s there ,buy in- to the vision and does it address the primary
concerns of employeesA
+ow acutely are the leaders listening to others, and if they arent
what are they missingA
+ow do the moods of leaders afect the workplaceA
+ow do the leaders rate as learnersA and
To what extent do their conversational actions generate new insights,
productive actions and positive results from othersA
Leadership in *igh <"ech &nvironment
Technical professionals are highly specialized and managing them
according to traditional principles may meet with only minimal success.
"echnical pro$essionals +ant autonomy:
They are fre/uently achievement%orientated people who seek motivation
from their work.
Technical professionals desire for autonomy usually means that they
want a large role in setting goals and making decisions. 7any would
prefer to manage themselves.
"echnical pro$essionals need a sense o$ achievement:
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Business Leadership Program 2>
They often 5nd the greatest challenge in tasks that re/uire high levels
of skill and efort< they want to do dificult obs well and make
signi5cant accomplishments.
&upport and recognition from management and colleagues also
generates commitment, along with their organisations and their
professions acceptance and recognition of the results they achieve.
"echnical pro$essionals $ear 5urnout:
1urnout happens when the professional loses a sense of accomplishment
from work, is emotionally exhausted, and feels powerless to in(uence
change.
$ fear of obsolescence often accompanies this. 6hen skills are
underutilized, apathy, burnout, or alienation may result.
"echnical pro$essionals are loyal to their pro$ession frst:
'oyalty to the company often is second. 2ollege graduates in entry%level
marketing positions, for example, are more apt to align career
obectives with the company promotion path than are entering
engineers or accountants.
"echnical pro$essionals resist participating in company missions:
6ith their tendency to pursue professional goals 5rst and their need for
control over their work, technical professionals are more resistant than
are most occupational groups to committing to mandate organisation
goals.
"echnical pro$essionals need collegial support) stimulation) and
sharing:
The potential for competition is high among bright, ambitious people
with strong egos. .t can cause insecurity for some. That insecurity can
reduce risk taking and, in time, take a toll on innovation.
2ollegial support is important to these professionals, many of whom
seek an environment that uses the energy derived from diferent
knowledge and experience base. Technical leaders must manage a
productive balance between teamwork and individual creativity.
"he Leadership Challenge
&pecial knowledge, strategies, and tactics would be a substantial
challenge to leadership candidates with high levels of interpersonal skill
and aptitude. The challenge is even greater for most technical leaders,
who often come to management positions because of their technical
competence, not their inter%personal abilities. 7any such leaders
assume their responsibilities without ade/uate role models. $nd while
superior technical ability can in(uence short%term managerial success,
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interpersonal efectiveness is necessary for a technical leaders long%
term achievement.
.n general, technical leaders who come from technological backgrounds
have abilities, personalities, and interests that are oriented more
towards things than people. They can manage the technical aspects of
the ob but are not adept at managing the people involved in it. 1ut the
fast%paced, competitive world of technology re/uires balanced leaders
who are responsive to the needs of technical professionals and to the
organisations strategic obectives.
7ost technical professionals have aptitudes that do not focus on
interpersonal skills< their education leaves little room, if any, for courses
in behaviour science. .n addition, the organisation hires them on the
basis of technical competence, and most of them work for someone
whose orientation is similar ! heavily technical, and light on people
skills. The training functions in technology%orientated organisations
must know how to compensate for that lack.
&uccessful leaders 3
2oach for peak performance
)un organisational interference
Orchestrate the professional development of their subordinates
#xpand individual productivity through team work
;acilitate self%management
Technical professionals are more self%directed than most occupational
groups, so classic management prescriptions ! with the manager as a
controller of work ! are likely to be demotivating.
Coach $or pea. per$ormance
The most efective technical leaders are coaches< they listen, ask
/uestions, facilitate, integrate, and provide administrative support.
They develop ideas rather than demonstrate power by withholding it.
They encourage self%management rather than promote dependency.
2oaching strategies and their accompanying skills are most notable in
three critical leadership situations3
$ligning individual and organisational goals3 The most efective
technical leaders are sensitive to blending individual and
organisational goals through a balanced leadership approach that
relies heavily on coaching. They are able to use technology to serve
market needs while remaining sensitive to the needs of the technical
professional.
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7aking performance analysis3 &uccessful technical leaders bring
their critical and logical thinking to the analysis of performance
problems ! missed deadlines and cost overruns, for example. They
are good at determining whether a performance discrepancy is due to
a skill de5ciency >rarely the case? or to inappropriate performance
conse/uences >usually the case?.
$s a result, the technical professionals they manage /uickly address
and correct performance de5ciencies.
7anaging 2hange3 2hange is a way of life in the technical
organisation< the leader is often the one who determines whether
people resist or welcome it.
7any technical professionals welcome change, challenge, and variety.
1ut further investigation usually turns up a leader who coaches them
through change by making certain that they know the reasons for it.
$n efective coach also involves technical professionals extensively in
the implementation of change.
!un organisational inter$erence
&uccessful leaders teach subordinates how to take advantage of
organisational opportunities, such as engaging in a high%visibility
proect that might resolve a maor /uality issue. They are also /uick to
remove organisational obstructions from the path to innovation. They
do so by the following means3
9roviding resources to support creative endeavors
9reventing the organisational bureaucracy from interfering with the
technical professionals work
Taking steps to gain management support for a professionals idea or
proposal.
Orchestrate pro$essional development
#nriching the ob is an important strategy for motivating the technical
professional. 0ariety, an emphasis on performance over process, and
challenge must be integral parts of the work. The most efective
technical leaders address three critical components of professional
development3
They provide3 the business perspective. Technical professionals
often generate ideas, become absorbed in following them, and
wander of the organisations strategic path. The leader must focus
that energy by providing a vision of where the organisation is today
and where it is heading.
They build3 and encourage champions. Taking ownership of an
innovative idea and running with it is a powerful professional
development experience. The leaders responsibility is to nurture and
protect the fragile growth of ideas that might otherwise be trampled
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by the bureaucracy or uprooted by someone uneasy with the
unfamiliar.
They facilitate3 career development. $lthough career development is
primarily the technical professionals responsibility, efective leaders
take a proactive role in encouraging it.
&=pand individual productivity through team+or.
#ncouraging innovation re/uires shifts in fundamental management
techni/ues< the most important of which may be the use of teamwork.
&cience and technology are becoming too complex for most technical
professionals to be able to make meaningful contributions on their own.
7ore and more basic inventions, minor and maor breakthroughs, and
creative inspirations come from group collaborations.
Facilitate sel$<management
The technical professionals need for autonomy, achievement,
professional growth, and challenge 5nds its fullest satisfaction when the
structure of the ob and the relationship with the manager promote and
support self%management for the employee.
#haring in$ormation: .nformation enhances a sense of
empowerment. 9rofessionals who receive as much information as
possible about a proect have much higher motivational levels.
Delegating responsi5ility: The delegation of meaningful tasks and
responsibilities is enriching and empowering. Technical leaders who
seek opportunities to delegate and who skillfully communicate and
transfer responsibilities maintain motivated proect teams.
&ncouraging up+ard communication: #ndorsing and reinforcing
two%way communication plays a maor role in facilitating self%
management. This builds trust and an increased sense of ownership
in proects and organisational obectives.
Conclusion
There is a need to look into training within technology%ridden
organisations to develop technical leaders who can address the special
needs of professionals. &uch training will enable organisations to
realize the highest degrees of innovation, teamwork, and sustained
commitment among technical professionals.
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ROUG !O"#
GLeadership is the capacity to translate vision into realityH
< %arren CI Bennis

Lots of people can have good ideas, but thats not leadership. A real leader can turn
those ideas into action, by inspiring and motivating people and getting the very best
out of them.
$ntroduction
Organisations are like aircrafts. They dont run themselves, except during downfall. They
need the right people to make them work, and not just any people. The efectiveness of an
employee particularly individuals in leadership positions determines how the
organisational machine will perform. !mployees need some guidance, some suggestions
a"out where to go and how to get there. !thological studies also suggest that people have an
actual need for leadership.
The #nglo$%axon root of the words lead, leader, and leadership is laed, which means path or
road. The ver" laeden means to travel. Thus a leader is one who shows fellow travellers
the way "y walking ahead.
&eadership is the most important means of direction. To lead is to guide, direct, integrate and
energi'e the eforts of people towards a common goal. # leader is one who in(uences the
attitudes and "ehaviour of others in an organised activity. &eadership is an art and as such it
must "e felt, experienced and created. )ecognising diversity in corporate life helps us to
connect the great variety of talents that people "ring to work and service of the organisation.
*iversity allows each of us to contri"ute in a special way, to make our special talent an art of
the corporate efort. The art of leadership lies in polishing and ena"ling those talents.
&eadership deals more with ideas, "eliefs and relationships. +ence, it has to do with the
,why- of institutional and corporate life, rather than the ,how-. .t is the art of li"erating
people to do what is re/uired of them, in the most efective and humane way possi"le,
something to "e learned over time.
!oncept of Leadership
&eadership is the process "y which an executive in(uences the work and "ehaviour of others
in choosing and attaining speci0ed o"jectives for the "ene0t of an organisation as well as its
mem"ers. # person is said to have an in(uence on others when others are willing to carry out
his wishes, accept his advice, guidance and direction. &eadership is thus a function of
in(uencing the "ehaviour of su"ordinates for the attainment of group goals and personal
o"jectives. # leader is the one who guides and directs other people and provides purpose and
direction to human eforts. # leader, like the conductor of an orchestra, is a part of the group,
yet distinct from it. +e integrates, guides and inspires the mem"ers of the group towards the
accomplishment of common o"jectives. Thus leadership is more than personal a"ility and
skill. # good leader should "e competent, "ut he can "e a true leader only when he possesses
a sense of fair play, o"jectivity, integrity and a sense of responsi"ility.
&eadership is de0ned as ,a process in which one person sets the purpose or direction for one
or more other persons, and gets them to move along together with him or her and with each
other in that direction with competence and full commitment.-
.n the !ncyclopedia of %ocial %ciences leadership has "een de0ned as ,the relation "etween
an individual and a group around some common interest and "ehaving in a manner directed
or determined "y him.- .t is thus the function of interaction "etween the leader, the
su"ordinates and the situation in which they interact with each other i.e. a purpose of "oth,
the traits and the situation.
&eadership may "e formal or informal. 1ormal leadership is institutional in nature while
informal leadership is personal. 1ormal leaders are those appointed to positions within a
formal organisation structure. The executive is a formal leader in the sense that he occupies
a position and holds delegated authority. 2y using this authority, he can in(uence and direct
su"ordinates. .nformal leaders are those who exercise in(uence "ecause of their personality
and competence.
%hat is &'ective Leadership(
#n efective leader is one who really makes things happen in his organisation and explores
new paths. +e makes the jo" exciting as he makes sure that the entire workday has structure
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and meaning and the workforce understands the rationale of their work. This kind of a leader
will make his shareholders and workforce rich and his customers happy with the product. +e
understands that organi'ations are more than just economic entities. 3nlike any politician or
social worker a leader he runs an organisation that has more realities than just economic
ones. +e is a fertile imagineer a"out the organisations future.
)he *ey )raits of Leaders
Traits are "ehaviours and styles that are accumulated as one gets trained to "ecome a leader.
They result either from training, ha"it or inherent received genetic /ualities. They may "e
"est understood as tendencies or repeated "ehaviour patterns. !xamples of traits are
intelligence, e/uanimity, decency and power.
Traits are diferentiated from skills "y the distinction that skills are necessary whereas traits
are useful and indicative. Traits are characteristics and mannerisms, which tend to "e
associated with many leaders, "ut cannot "e considered essential in the same way that some
skills emphatically are. 1or example, a 0ne trait, for a leader, is not to need to dominate
people, situations, or at meetings. 2y contrast, it is a trait to have presence without noise,
and a tendency to "e more of a listener than a talker. .t is a skill to ensure that one knows
how to "e heard, whenever it is necessary, to make an important point.
The vital traits of a leader are the4
- a"ility to get into leadership positions
- competency of good /uality judgement than any relevant peer group
- capacity for survival
- potential to select efective su"ordinates
- capa"ility to inspire ordinary people to perform a"ove par
- eficiency to make a profound diference to the organisation
The a"ility to get into leadership positions $ This is "est o"served in cases of people who gain
a reputation for always "eing in the right place at the right time. .t is not merely an accident
that they are present at the right place5 they move rapidly and create more opportunities to
"e in the right time.
The competency to arrive at good /uality judgement than any relevant peer group The 0rst
manifestation of these individuals is often at school, where they rise as leaders. They are
perceived as mature individuals. These same /ualities can "e o"served when they 0rst go out
to work. Their "osses soon exploit them to carry out important tasks. They are the 0rst to "e
promoted "ecause they "ecome known for "eing a safe pair of hands. .t is their good
judgement, which is viewed as superior.
The capacity for survival &eaders survive "ecause they manage to get every"ody to reali'e
that they have made the right judgement and that dificult decisions have to "e taken. The
gravest decisions to "e executed usually re/uire the thickest skin. 1or example making the
larger investment decisions, or deciding to put the corporation up for sale, or moving into or
out of major markets, are the types of decisions which cause the greatest angst to leaders and
their followers. The mark of a great leader is his potential to convince the group as to
understand why a particular decision taken is considered to "e "est in that situation. # great
leader does not confront people with a decision "ut persuades and de"ates the issue, until
people understand.
The potential to select efective su"ordinates $ +aving to dismiss a friend who has "ecome
inefective or who is manifesting characteristics, which are detrimental to the organisation, is
the toughest decision a leader may have to take. This can "e one of the worst forms of
leadership failure if the leader does not confront these pro"lems. To make the right decisions
a"out people re/uires a special com"ination of intuition and experience. The great leader
usually has an intuition a"out who could 0t a particular jo" and when will he "e ready for it.
The capa"ility to inspire ordinary people to perform a"ove par $ They normally make people
perform a"ove themselves, showing them how to "e "etter. This skill is closely aligned with
the a"ility of good leaders to attract followers. # prime leadership skill is getting people to
follow, and the want to follow. .t results form a com"ination of charisma, persuasiveness and
sheer determination.
The eficiency to make a profound diference to the organisation $ This particular trait can
often only "e recogni'ed post hoc, i.e. when the leader has left the organisation or
department. The feed"ack o"tained from the group helps to decide whether the particular
leader "rought a"out a transformation and created an impact within the work group.
)he *ey +,ills of Leaders
%kills are the /ualities that any individual can learn, as long as the necessary aptitude is
there. They are a"ilities and techni/ues that the leaders need to have at their disposal. These
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are exempli0ed in team skills, planning a"ility or understanding of accounts. +owever
characteristics are /ualities and values, which de0ne the actions and styles of high /uality
leaders, at all stages of their career. They are the deep$rooted /ualities, such as moral 0"re,
courage, determination to succeed and capacity to in spire, that de0ne grand leaders.
The vital skills of leaders are as follows4
!ommunication s,ills $ #s competence is inefective without conscience, so are words
without "ehaviour. # good leader leads "y example, supporting his or her "ehaviour "y ver"al
persuasion. &eaders must communicate needs, missions, trends, concepts, and /uality$
/uantity linkages much faster, to more and "etter$educated people and groups. They must
shape their message for each audience, and set an example "y acknowledging diferences as
well as commonalties. !very leader needs multilevel listening skills. This refers to the a"ility
that many leaders have to listen to difering messages, carrying a multitude of meanings from
diferent types of people at every level in the organisation. This skill is also used to
understand the multiple agendas from the same set of messages that are often "eing
delivered to leaders whenever people communicate with them.
-umerical s,ill $ .n addition to the ver"al a"ility, the leader in the modern era also re/uires
a facility with numerical skills 6all "usinesses measure themselves and are measured "y
others with num"ers7. &ikewise, most great strategic ideas need to "e tested arithmetically
for their impact on the market and their value on the "ottom line for the "usiness.
Assess "eople . #n a"ility to assess people and their skills accurately is important. One
needs to "e a"le to focus upon a persons "est /ualities and make people reali'e that one
cares a"out them.
%or, e'ectively under pressure $ # great leader has the a"ility to undertake highly
concentrated activity at intense pressure. .n the present era, with vast communication
capacity and the a"ility to move large amounts of capital around the world almost
instantaneously, "oth crises and opportunities arise with little warning.
Rela/ # leader needs to know when to relax. This will "e necessary "oth "etween and even
during the crises. .f one cannot relax enough for some time each day, he 8 she is not going to
remain 0t for the important "attles and wars.
$nspiring follo0ers $ &eaders who encourage people to strive for and make achievements
"eyond their imagination are also creators of immense jo" satisfaction for others.
!ommon !haracteristics of Leaders
&eaders share certain common characteristics which permeate the whole of a leaders or an
organisations culture.
$ntegrity4 is the unyielding "attle for what, rather than who is right. .t is the sei'ing of
responsi"ility, and the willing acceptance of the accounta"ility that comes with it. .ntegrity is
much more than not telling a lie5 it is not living a lie9
!ompassion4 :ood leadership includes searching for, and identifying people doing the right
things as well as doing things right. .t is not managing "y exception. ,;anaging "y
exception,- means followers never hear from their leader except when something goes wrong.
!ogni1ance4 is the power of knowledgea"le perception that ena"les a person to use
information efectively. .t is an understanding of the past, an awareness of the present, and a
vision of the future. .t is the a"ility to understand and use ever$changing, complex, and
am"iguous varia"les in the simplest and most productive way possi"le. .t means studying the
past, and using the present to prepare for the future.
!ourage4 The fourth characteristic of leadership is courage the courage to act upon your
convictions with steadfast focus in the face of unrelenting opposition5 the courage to sacri0ce
and risk, and not to take yourself too seriously5 the courage to give, to enjoy, and to live9 .t is
challenging adversity with grit and grace5 and it is demonstrated "y those who move toward
success, not away from failure.
!ommitment4 One person with commitment has more power than a multitude who have only
interest. The level of commitment is the key determinant. :etting others to commit to a
common mission is one of a leaders most dificult challenges. .n a committed culture, you
wont hear ,. just work here- or ,%orry, my time is up.-
!on2dence4 is the steadfast reliance upon the values, "eliefs, and competence of oneself and
others. <on0dence is cultivated "y using our strengths and skills to extend others and
ourselves a little further each day. <on0dence is "eing guided "y the stars, not "y the lights
of passing ships.
<on0dence develops strong opinions, and leadership communications are predicated on those
opinions.
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)he 3i'erence bet0een 4anagers 5 Leaders
,&eaders dont manage and managers dont lead- $ This implies that the roles of leadership
and management are almost contradictions of each other. ;anagers need to "e team players.
They have to get groups of people to work together to achieve and set o"jectives5 they are
coordinators of others. #lternatively leaders, have to satisfy their stakeholders, the people
who have power to judge them or have rights over the assets they control. The leadership jo"
is not merely a coordination role as5 an act of leadership itself involves poising many peoples
interests. The leaders should know how to set examples, change cultures and atmospheres to
evolve the organisation into the form of the future vision. They dont manage people towards
a result5 they manipulate the entire set of resources people, assets, and streams of income.
The ultimate responsi"ility for success lies in the leaders hands. #t the end of the day, all
managers have some"ody a"ove them to take the 0nal decision and ultimate responsi"ility for
some aspects of their role. .t may "e their 0nance director, technical research managers or
their own line manager who gives them their instructions on strategy.
3ltimately it is the real leader who, alone, "ears total responsi"ility for the "urden of all the
facets of the organisations future and its results.
There is also a clear distinction "etween a nominal leader and a strategic leader. #
nominal leader is the one who is appointed to posts 8 jo"s which calls for real leadership "ut
does not know how to execute that leadership. %uch a leader will always remain a manager.
=hile he can organise others to get things done, he cannot ful0ll the ultimate leadership role,
which com"ines strategic vision, o"jective judgement and pro0t$creating "usiness skills.
#lthough nominal leaders are the managerial fa"ric of every organisation, they will never
"ecome strategic leaders, or movers and shakers. &eaders need to understand how to handle
people.
#nother important diference "etween nominal and strategic leaders, is that the latter
understand people and the former dont. %trategic leaders understand how people react to
decisions and news. They see what is not o"vious, when people are hurt or weighed down "y
personal pro"lems. They also accept weaknesses as a part of the fa"ric of corporate society.
Leader 4anager
.nterested in <hange >refers sta"ility
&ong$term oriented 1ocus on %hort$term
<oncerned a"out vision >reoccupied "y )ules ? )egulations $ .nstruction
*eals with the whys *eals with the hows
!mpower %u"ordinates Tends to control
@nows how to simplify !njoys <omplexity
3ses intuition )elies only on logic
=ide outlook social concerns >reoccupied "y <orporate <oncerns
Leadership Roles and 6unctions
&eadership roles are classi0ed under three headings vi'. group task roles, group "uilding and
maintenance roles, and individual roles. #ny leader is expected to carry out the
predetermined tasks of the group and he has his own roles to play in this respect. +e is also
concerned with the roles relating to group "uilding and its maintenance. #long with the task
roles and group "uilding roles he has his own individual roles. Thus, a leader has multifarious
roles to play.
Leadership Roles
:roup Task )oles :roup 2uilding and
;aintenance )oles
.ndividual )oles
.nitiator contri"utor
.nformation seeker
Opinion seeker
.nformation giver
Opinion giver
!la"orator
<oordinator
Orienter
!valuator$critic
!nergi'er
>rocedural technician
)ecorder
!ncourager
+armoni'er
<ompromiser
:atekeeper and !xpeditor
%tandard setter
:roup o"server and
<ommentator
1ollower
#ggressor
2locker
)ecognition seeker
%elf confessor
>lay "oy
*ominator
+elp seeker
%pecial interest >leader
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Leadership 6unctions
"rimary Leadership 6unctions Accessory Leadership 6unctions
!xecutive
>lanner
>olicy maker
!xpert
!xternal group representative
<ontroller of internal relations
>urveyor of rewards and punishments
#r"itrator and mediator
!xemplar
%ym"ol of the group
%u"stitute for individual responsi"ility
.deologist
1ather 0gure
%capegoat
#ctual leaders must "e visionaries. They must have a proper vision and perception of the
relations of the present and future, and must articulate the possi"ilities of the people. The
leaders role is conspicuously identi0ed "y the position he occupies, which may provide a high
degree of coordination and eficiency. The "ureaucratic content of the group management in
the .ndian "usiness, on the contrary, has "rought with it some sort of ready$made leadership.
%uch a philosophy assigns each individual his functions, the area of his authority, and the
standards of pro0ciency. #ny mem"er or group leader is harnessed to ensure the exact
performance essential to keep the system under control.
$ne'ective Leadership 7ehaviour
#n o"vious 0rst characteristic that a leader should possess is ruthless honesty with himself.
This is a rare /uality in most failing leaders 6and even in some successful ones7. The following
are the most visi"le signals of failure in a leader4
- if one cannot see where the short or long$term pro0ta"ility will come from
- if an individual feels under pressure after the 0rst three months in his jo" 6it is normal
to feel that way during the 0rst three months7
- when one feels that the su"ordinate 6s7 can certainly do the jo" "etter
- when one feels continuously tired and depressed
- when one thinks more a"out past triumphs than future achievements
- when one wishes that no"ody sitting in the "oard room should reali'e that he8she
doesnt have a clue what to do next.
&/ecutive Leadership 83e2ned9
!xecutive leadership is an a"ility to in(uence the actions of others. This in(uence must "e
one that includes the a"ility to recruit and to retain loyal followers who are efective in the
attainment of the companys goals. # leaders sources of in(uence stem initially from his
power "ase. That is, once he is hired and made manager in charge, he is given a certain
amount of power. #nd his staf people will respond to his wishes merely "ecause he has that
,power.- Though in the long run, his in(uence upon the staf personnel will depend on his
a"ility to persuade them, either "y reasoning power or the power of his personality.
Of course, to "e an efective leader in "usiness, one has to have a fundamental grasp of key
management areas, such as 0nance, marketing, and administration. 2eyond that, creativity
and common sense judgment certainly are essential. =hen executive leadership is proposed
along these lines, leadership improvement can "e approached with optimism. .t presumes
that leadership, as a personal skill, can "e ac/uired and improved. &eadership, which is
de0ned "y ones "ehaviour what to do and how to do it can "e learned "y an aspiring
executive. #ll it takes is a little inspiration mixed in with a little perspiration.
+ituational Leadership
#ccording to %ituational &eadership, there is no one "est way to in(uence people. =hich
leadership style a person should use with individuals or groups depends on the maturity level
of the people the leader is attempting to in(uence, as illustrated in the following 0gure.
%tyle of &eader
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;aturity of 1ollower 6s7
The preceding 0gure portrays the relationship "etween task$relevant maturity and the
appropriate leadership styles to "e used as followers move from immaturity to maturity. #s
indicated, the readers should keep in mind that the 0gure represents two diferent
phenomena.
The appropriate leadership style 6style of leader7 for given levels of follower maturity is
portrayed "y the prescriptive curve going through the four leadership /uadrants. This "ell$
shaped curve is called a prescriptive curve "ecause it shows the appropriate leadership style
directly a"ove the corresponding level of maturity. !ach of the four leadership styles $
,telling,- ,selling,- ,participating,- and ,delegating- identi0ed in the a"ove 0gure is a
com"ination of task and relationship "ehaviour.
Task "ehaviour is the extent to which a leader provides direction for people 4 telling them
what to do, when to do it, where to do it, and how to do it. .t means setting goals for them
and de0ning their roles.
)elationship "ehaviour is the extent to which a leader engages in two$way communication
with people 4 providing support, encouragement, ,psychological strokes-, and facilitating
"ehaviours. .t means actively listening to people and supporting their eforts.
The maturity of followers is a /uestion of degree. #s can "e seen in the 0gure, some "ench
marks of maturity are provided for determining appropriate leadership style "y dividing the
maturity continuum "elow the leadership model into four levels 4 low 6;D7, low to moderate
6;B7, moderate to high 6;A7, and high 6;C7.
4anagerial Grid +tyles
One very popular approach to identifying leadership styles of practicing managers is )o"ert
). 2lake and Fane %. ;outons ;anagerial :rid. .t shows that the two dimensions of grid are
<oncern for >eople along the vertical axis and <oncern for >roduction along the hori'ontal
axis. The 1ive "asic styles identi0ed in the grid represent varying com"inations of <oncern
for >eople and >roduction4
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)eam Leadership :;,;< = >roduction is achieved "y the integration of task and human
relationship re/uirements. The leaders major responsi"ility is to attain efective production
and high morale through the participation and involvement of people in a team approach.
"ractical Leadership :>,><= The aim is to maintain a "alance "etween high productivity and
good human relations. The leader strives to 0nd the middle ground so as to have reasona"le
production with good morale.
)as,.Oriented Leadership :;,?<= :ood relations are incidental to high production. The
leader emphasi'es production goals "y focusing on the planning, direction and controlling of
all activities.
Relationship.Oriented Leadership :?,;<= >roduction is incidental to good human
relations. The leader focuses on the development of harmonious group relations so that work
organisation is pleasant.
$mpoverished Leadership :?,?<= ;inimum in(uence is exerted in interaction with others.
&ittle concern for production or people is expressed. ;ost activities performed are routine.
# ;anager should aim to move towards Team &eadership, which is ideal for excellence in
management, as a dominant style.
A )ypology of Leaders
<harismatic
This style is most successful when a particular "usiness re/uires spending a few years to take
important decisions and decisive action. <harismatic leaders persuade people fast to agree to
their strategies and are the most skilled at convincing people that they can outperform their
self$perception.
%uperior .ntelligence
%uperior intelligence is most successful in "usinesses where there are large num"ers of
highly /uali0ed or "right people, where they 0nd it easier to accept a superior intelligence
leader. They tend to develop an exaggerated respect for "rainpower as they have invested so
much of their lives in achieving /uali0cations in contrast to the emotional intelligence, which
is more important for leaders than plain .G.
#utocratic
The autocratic style is most successful in a crisis, when an organisation has to change rapidly,
whether growing or turning itself from decline to growth. .t can also "e useful during periods
of highly competitive "attle for market share, when new products are "attling it out in the
market place.
%hepherd
The shepherd style is most akin, in its "ehaviour patterns, to the shepherd who tends his
(ock. This type of leader treats his or her employees, customers and other stakeholders with
care and solicitude. +e 8she tends to push rather than pull and allows people time to come
alongside the leaders point of view. The shepherd tends to "e a gentle "ut strong soul, who
usually understands people very well and attracts much love and devotion from the staf and
personnel in general. They are usually spoken of in terms such as strong "ut gentle and
dependa"le.
#rmy :eneral
This style follows the classical army analogy. The army general type of leader, like his army
counterpart, tries to set great examples "ut expects his people to follow his commands
un/uestioningly. They assume o"edience and followership. They exude an air of having a
total grasp of the situation and exhi"it supreme con0dence that their solutions and
explanations are right, appropriate and need not "e /uestioned.
Their command style does not come from a need to order people, or an ina"ility to listen to
others, "ut from self$con0dence in their right to lead and a"ility to do so. .n the same way
that many lower ranks in the armed forces accept their positions un/uestioningly 6especially
after suita"le training7, so also do the su"ordinates of this style of leader. 3sually the
general is a decent sort, who has a good sense of community and social values of a
conservative nature.
>rincely leader
The princely leader is seen as a natural aristocrat. +e 8 she appears to have "een "orn to lead
and emanates a natural style of leadership, with an easy sense of knowing the right thing to
do and when. This type of leader is attractive, radiating a sense of dignity and a natural right
to "e the leader. This serves to facilitate a preference to "e carefully selective a"out whom
he or she talks to, meets or takes data from. This can "e useful, in terms of managing his or
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Business Leadership Program 01
her time, "ut can lead to pro"lems with su"ordinates or "usiness associates who 0nd the style
annoying or who are easily intimidated.
The princely leader is most successful in long$esta"lished "usinesses that have powerful
"rands and dependa"le market share. They are most vulnera"le when under attack, "ecause
they 0nd it hard to respond with alacrity.
Hatures native
The natures native leader is one who always looks comforta"le in the leading position. #
typical leader with this style would "e 3@s >rime ;inister, Tony 2lair or 3% >resident Fohn
@ennedy. They look as if leadership is what they were "orn to do. >eople who work for these
natures native leaders cannot possi"ly imagine having them as their su"ordinate. They are
envied for the naturalness of their gifts and /ualities of leadership, "ut are rarely resented
they dont excite that type of shallow response in people who work with and for them.
Hatures natives are efective under most circumstances. +owever, they excel in large$scale,
multinational or glo"al organi'ations, "ecause their style transcends local or national,
culturally narrow "ehaviour and ena"les them to 0t into most nationalities and cultures.
6acets of Leadership &'ectiveness
=hether in "usiness, industry, government, or academia, leaders achieve results with and
through others. =hether called management, supervision, or administration, the underlying
process is to esta"lish direction and the coordination in accomplishing results. .n everyday
settings the exercise of leadership may generate a range of emotional responses like
enthusiasm, apathy, anger, commitment etc. These varied emotions merely tell us that
leadership is demonstrated in many diferent ways.
The exercise of efective leadership is a poorly understood process5 however, it can "e
descri"ed "y identifying six elements, or aspects of leadership.
The 0rst three elements, initiative, in/uiry, and advocacy, reveal how a leader shapes his or
her in(uences, on outer events. The other three, con(ict solving, decision$making, and
criti/ue, are concerned with how the leader utili'es the resources of others with and through
whom results are accomplished.
$nitiative4 # leader exercises initiative whenever he or she concentrates efort on a speci0c
activity $ to start something, to stop something, or to shift the direction or character of a
current activity. =hen leadership is exercised in a vigorous way and others pick up the spirit
of it and join in, much can "e accomplished. .f a leader exerts vigorous efort "ut others
ignore it, then the o"vious conclusion is that the initiative is inefective.
$n@uiry4 The leader needs to have a full and comprehensive grasp of the situations for which
he8she is responsi"le. This involves the element of in/uiry4 thorough learning a"out the
"ackground and current status of pro"lems, procedures, projects, and so on, and a"out the
facts regarding the people involved in them. =ithout sound knowledge of situations in all
these relevant aspects, it is clear that the exercise of leadership will "e less efective than it
might have "een.
Advocacy4 %everal people who are together in a working relationship are likely to have
diferent points of view on how to approach or deal with various issues. #dvocacy conveys the
idea that the leader expresses his or her convictions and stimulates others to do likewise. #ll
the mem"ers of the group let each other know where they stand, what they think, and how
they feel a"out issues facing them.
!onAict +olving4 =henever an issue is complex and there is no self$evident solution, various
participants are likely to have diferent perspectives on what to do. %uch conditions often
lead to con(ict. The approach of 0nding reasons8causes of con(ict permits con(ict solving "y
getting to the roots of disagreement or controversy and reaching "ased on understanding and
agreement.
The advantages are numerous, and yet it is noteworthy that this approach to con(ict solving
is rare. The main advantage comes from eliminating the source of tensions. .n the a"sence of
tensions, people can continue to deal with one another in an open way without withholding,
ridiculing, manipulating, or "eing defensive.
3ecision 4a,ing= The act most commonly associated with leadership involves making
decisions. *ecision making, however, can "e no stronger than the initiative "ehind it, the
in/uiry on which it is "ased, the advocated positions which have "een deli"erated, and the
resolution of disagreements and controversies through insight.
!riti@ue= <riti/ue means learning a"out how things have "een done and how they or similar
activities might "e undertaken in a sounder manner in the future. =hen past experience
proves sound, it "ecomes possi"le to get /uicker results, to improve /uality, to innovate to
do whatever is "asic to success "etter than it has "een done previously.
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Business Leadership Program 02
<riti/ue fre/uently is confused with criticism, "ut the two are not the same. <riticism implies
evaluation and Is of good or "ad, relative to personal worth. <riti/ue involves learning from
experience what is sound and what is unsound. <riticism is person$ centered, while criti/ue
is work$centered. .n the latter case people are studying how to increase their efectiveness.
)he Role of the )eam Leader
The team leader has a uni/ue and crucial role in the development of the group. Team
mem"ers invaria"ly watch their leaders management style and evaluate his or her a"ility to
promote openness, co$operation and team de"ate. =ithout efort, personal integrity and
trust, a team cannot "e developed.
The team leader must "e aware of the needs of the group and have suficient understanding
of the concept of team "uilding to steer the group through a series of developmental states.
#n open approach is vital. #ll issues afecting the group must "e talked through, feed"ack
given and received and time spent clarifying expectations. The team leader must
demonstrate the high level of openness that is an essential characteristic of the team
approach and "e watchful towards team mem"ers, identifying their individual needs and
ena"ling each to "e developed and strengthened as the work of the team continues.
.t is important to ensure that the following guidelines are followed 4
#ll team mem"ers are clear a"out the o"jectives of the team
.ndividual skills are identi0ed and roles clari0ed
The team is structured appropriately for the needs of the task
The team re(ects on its work methods and sets targets for improvement
The team develops a self$discipline that uses time and resources well
The team has suficient opportunities to meet and work through any pro"lems
The team supports mem"ers and develops close relationships
The team has open relationships and is prepared to confront dificulties and "lockages to
efectiveness
Leader as a !hange Agent
There is a distinct link "etween leadership and change, especially change, that is imposed and
can "e seen as unwanted "ut necessary change. =e can think of change as "eing confronted
with diferent circumstances re/uiring diferent responses and "ehaviours on our part, which
need to "ecome ingrained ways of how we conduct ourselves. *ealing efectively with change
is essentially a"out "eing a"le to alter previous "ehaviour and develop diferent "ehavioural
practices that are ade/uate for changed circumstances. This re/uires learning, which
presupposes the development of diferent ways of o"serving and taking action.
# leader should "e (exi"le and adapta"le in "eing a"le to foresee and deal with change in
order to stay competitive. The notion of the learning organisation was populari'ed a num"er
of years ago, and what is re/uired now are leaders and who are (exi"le and adapta"le
learners. Organisations have "een likened to living systems. Fust as living systems need to
adapt to changes in the environment in order to survive, so do people and the groups they are
part of. 2iologically it has "een shown that adapting is a"out learning, a"out not remaining
trapped in ha"itual ways of "eing and responding. The demands nowadays are for "usiness
leaders to "e willing to "ecome diferent o"servers of what is re/uired5 it is through o"serving
diferently that creative and innovative responses are generated.
&eaders are also, re/uired to do more than that. Their way of "eing, their ways of o"serving
and acting, also need to "e in(uential in shifting others as learners. To "e a"le to move
others out of their traditional ways of o"serving and learning without alienating them, so that
the collective wisdom that resides with many organisational employees "ecomes an invalua"le
resource in dealing with the change process.
%ays to detect 0hether a leader can be a change agent
+ow clearly is there an articulated visionJ
.s there ,"uy in- to the vision and does it address the primary concerns of employeesJ
+ow acutely are the leaders listening to others, and if they arent what are they missingJ
+ow do the moods of leaders afect the workplaceJ
+ow do the leaders rate as learnersJ #nd
To what extent do their conversational actions generate new insights, productive actions
and positive results from othersJ
&eadership in +igh $Tech !nvironment
Technical professionals are highly speciali'ed and managing them according to traditional
principles may meet with only minimal success.
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Technical professionals want autonomy4
They are fre/uently achievement$orientated people who seek motivation from their work.
Technical professionals desire for autonomy usually means that they want a large role in
setting goals and making decisions. ;any would prefer to manage themselves.
Technical professionals need a sense of achievement4
They often 0nd the greatest challenge in tasks that re/uire high levels of skill and efort5 they
want to do dificult jo"s well and make signi0cant accomplishments. %upport and recognition
from management and colleagues also generates commitment, along with their organisations
and their professions acceptance and recognition of the results they achieve.
Technical professionals fear "urnout4
2urnout happens when the professional loses a sense of accomplishment from work, is
emotionally exhausted, and feels powerless to in(uence change. # fear of o"solescence
often accompanies this. =hen skills are underutili'ed, apathy, "urnout, or alienation may
result.
Technical professionals are loyal to their profession 0rst4
&oyalty to the company often is second. <ollege graduates in entry$level marketing positions,
for example, are more apt to align career o"jectives with the company promotion path than
are entering engineers or accountants.
Technical professionals resist participating in company missions4
=ith their tendency to pursue professional goals 0rst and their need for control over their
work, technical professionals are more resistant than are most occupational groups to
committing to mandate organisation goals.
Technical professionals need collegial support, stimulation, and sharing4
The potential for competition is high among "right, am"itious people with strong egos. .t can
cause insecurity for some. That insecurity can reduce risk taking and, in time, take a toll on
innovation. <ollegial support is important to these professionals, many of whom seek an
environment that uses the energy derived from diferent knowledge and experience "ase.
Technical leaders must manage a productive "alance "etween teamwork and individual
creativity.
)he Leadership !hallenge
%pecial knowledge, strategies, and tactics would "e a su"stantial challenge to leadership
candidates with high levels of interpersonal skill and aptitude. The challenge is even greater
for most technical leaders, who often come to management positions "ecause of their
technical competence, not their inter$personal a"ilities. ;any such leaders assume their
responsi"ilities without ade/uate role models. #nd while superior technical a"ility can
in(uence short$term managerial success, interpersonal efectiveness is necessary for a
technical leaders long$term achievement.
.n general, technical leaders who come from technological "ackgrounds have a"ilities,
personalities, and interests that are oriented more toward things than people. They can
manage the technical aspects of the jo" "ut are not adept at managing the people involved in
it. 2ut the fast$paced, competitive world of technology re/uires "alanced leaders who are
responsive to the needs of technical professionals and to the organisations strategic
o"jectives.
;ost technical professionals have aptitudes that do not focus on interpersonal skills5 their
education leaves little room, if any, for courses in "ehaviour science. .n addition, the
organisation hires them on the "asis of technical competence, and most of them work for
someone whose orientation is similar heavily technical, and light on people skills. The
training functions in technology$orientated organisations must know how to compensate for
that lack.
+uccessful leaders =
<oach for peak performance
)un organisational interference
Orchestrate the professional development of their su"ordinates
!xpand individual productivity through team work
1acilitate self$management
Technical professionals are more self$directed than most occupational groups, so classic
management prescriptions with the manager as a controller of work are likely to "e
demotivating.
!oach for pea, performance=
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The most efective technical leaders are coaches5 they listen, ask /uestions, facilitate,
integrate, and provide administrative support. They develop ideas rather than demonstrate
power "y withholding it. They encourage self$management rather than promote dependency.
<oaching strategies and their accompanying skills are most nota"le in three critical
leadership situations4
#ligning individual and organisational goals4 The most efective technical leaders are
sensitive to "lending individual and organisational goals through a "alanced leadership
approach that relies heavily on coaching. They are a"le to use technology to serve market
needs while remaining sensitive to the needs of the technical professional.
;aking performance analysis4 %uccessful technical leaders "ring their critical and logical
thinking to the analysis of performance pro"lems missed deadlines and cost overruns,
for example. They are good at determining whether a performance discrepancy is due to a
skill de0ciency 6rarely the case7 or to inappropriate performance conse/uences 6usually
the case7.
;anaging <hange4 <hange is a way of life in the technical organisation5 the leader is
often the one who determines whether people resist or welcome it. ;any technical
professionals welcome change, challenge, and variety. 2ut further investigation usually
turns up a leader who coaches them through change "y making certain that they know the
reasons for it. #n efective coach also involves technical professionals extensively in the
implementation of change.
Run organisational interference
%uccessful leaders teach su"ordinates how to take advantage of organisational opportunities,
such as engaging in a high$visi"ility project that might resolve a major /uality issue. They are
also /uick to remove organisational o"structions from the path to innovation. They do so "y
the following means4
>roviding resources to support creative endeavours
>reventing the organisational "ureaucracy from interfering with the technical
professionals work
Taking steps to gain management support for a professionals idea or proposal.
Orchestrate professional development
!nriching the jo" is an important strategy for motivating the technical professional. Eariety,
an emphasis on performance over process, and challenge must "e integral parts of the work.
The most efective technical leaders address three critical components of professional
development4
They provide4 the "usiness perspective. Technical professionals often generate ideas,
"ecome a"sor"ed in following them, and wander of the organisations strategic path. The
leader must focus that energy "y providing a vision of where the organisation is today and
where it is heading.
They "uild4 and encourage champions. Taking ownership of an innovative idea and
running with it is a powerful professional development experience. The leaders
responsi"ility is to nurture and protect the fragile growth of ideas that might otherwise "e
trampled "y the "ureaucracy or uprooted "y someone uneasy with the unfamiliar.
They facilitate4 career development. #lthough career development is primarily the
technical professionals responsi"ility, efective leaders take a proactive role in
encouraging it.
&/pand individual productivity through team0or,
!ncouraging innovation re/uires shifts in fundamental management techni/ues5 the most
important of which may "e the use of teamwork. %cience and technology are "ecoming too
complex for most technical professionals to "e a"le to make meaningful contri"utions on their
own. ;ore and more "asic inventions, minor and major "reakthroughs, and creative
inspirations come from group colla"orations.
6acilitate self.management
The technical professionals need for autonomy, achievement, professional growth, and
challenge 0nds its fullest satisfaction when the structure of the jo" and the relationship with
the manager promote and support self$management for the employee.
%haring information4 .nformation enhances a sense of empowerment. >rofessionals who
receive as much information as possi"le a"out a project have much higher motivational
levels.
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Business Leadership Program 01
*elegating responsi"ility4 The delegation of meaningful tasks and responsi"ilities is
enriching and empowering. Technical leaders who seek opportunities to delegate and who
skill fully communicate and transfer responsi"ilities maintain motivated project teams.
!ncouraging upward communication4 !ndorsing and reinforcing two way communication
plays a major role in facilitating self$management. This "uilds trust and an increased
sense of ownership in projects and organisational o"jectives.
3ealing 0ith "roblem 4embers
# great deal has "een written a"out pro"lem mem"ers of a group. There are an in0nite
num"er of these, "ut the most common are the overly vocal mem"er and the silent mem"er.
:ive time, the group may in its own way silence the vocal mem"er. .f not, the leaders can
incorporate the following4
#void eye contact with him or her, thus decreasing the opportunity for admission to
discussion
*eli"erately call on other mem"ers of the group5
%ay, ,;r. %hah, weve heard a great deal from you lets hear some other viewpoints.-
.f all else fails, the leader can take the vocal mem"er aside at a "reak and suggest
privately that others have contri"utions to make, which he or she is inhi"iting.
To encourage a silent mem"er, it is helpful to know the reasons for the silence. *oes he or
she feel too inexperiencedJ The leader can suggest, ,&ets hear from someone else who
has a fresh viewpoint.- *oes the silent mem"er feel ,a"ove it all-J One solution is to say,
,;r. ;ehta has had a great deal of experience in this-. <ould you give us some of your
views, KKKKJ-
Or may"e the silent mem"er just doesnt feel like participating at the moment. +e or she
should "e left alone for a while.
!onclusion
There is a need to look into training within technology$ridden organisations to develop
technical leaders who can address the special needs of professionals. %uch training will
ena"le organisations to reali'e the highest degrees of innovation, teamwork, and sustained
commitment among technical professionals. .t will also ena"le to develop the individuals with
the successful /ualities of a leader.
# leader has to "e natural. #n arti0cial presence can prevent the leader from "eing natural,
"alanced, and rounded. &eaders need each of those /ualities, "ecause if they have to waste
energy constraining their natural selves then the necessary freedom to "e creative and
intuitive will "e destroyed. The leader needs to "e relatively o"jective in judgements.
#lthough great leaders do not need to "e perfect, they need to know how to take the
organisation to ever$greater heights of achievement.
The leader needs to "e strategic, visionary, attractive, and fun to work for. #"ove all, the
leader needs to "e creative, "ecause creativity is the vital catalyst for the creation of wealth,
excitement and fun. <reativity is one of those special attri"utes that give meaning to life.
Todays organisation needs li"erating leadership, ena"ling those in managerial roles to
harness the skills and talents of everyone in their particular section. #s li"erating leaders,
they create situations where continuous improvement can occur. They demonstrate, "y their
own "ehaviour, how people can "e li"erated to maximi'e their skills. They recogni'e the need
for continuing change and urge everyone to meet the challenges that "rings, supporting and
encouraging them to reach their full potential.
.n a li"erating environment, managers no longer have to take command and control of
everything, with a responsi"ility for all decision$making. .nstead, they must "ecome
facilitators, coaches, ena"lers and supporters, encouraging those closest to the tasks to take
their own decisions. &i"erating leadership should "e promoted at all levels of an
organisation. .t represents a radically new form of leadership that rejects position, status and
hierarchy. .n short, li"erating leadership is *emocracy at =ork.
# leader listens to the ideas, needs, aspirations, and wishes of the followers and then within
the context of his own well$developed system of "eliefs, responds to these in an appropriate
fashion. The 0rst responsi"ility of a leader is to de0ne reality. The true leader ena"les his
followers to realise their full potential, "oth personal and corporate. +e is responsi"le, for
identifying, developing and nurturing future leadership. !fective leaders encourage contrary
opinions, which to them is an important source of vitality. &eaders owe a clear statement of
values to the organisation. These values should "e well understood, "e agreed to and shape
out corporate and individual "ehaviour. :ood leaders owe their followers certain maturity
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Business Leadership Program 04
and corporate rationality. ;aturity is expressed in a sense of self$worth and "elonging, a
sense of expectancy and responsi"ility, a sense of accounta"ility and e/uality.
!fective leaders owe their people space, in the sense of freedom. 1inally, the most important
of all, leaders are responsi"le for efectiveness. They are responsi"le for doing the right thing
and must deal with it personally5 realising efectiveness comes through ena"ling people to
reach their potential $ "oth, personal and corporate potential.
2k >DAL >g. D,A,C,M,DD,DC,DN
!ficiency in industry and commerce depends upon the maximi'ation of the resources
availa"le 0nancial, technical and human. The most important and the most dificult is the
maximi'ation of the human resources, which, at its "est, amounts to efective leadership.
Too often a man is made a foreman "ecause he is a good craftsman, or he is made a manager
"ecause he is a good chemist, engineer, accountant or salesman, "ut he receives no training
in management skills. &ittle wonder he sometimes fails or manages without distinction. #
manager must, of course, have the technical competence necessary to achieve the results
re/uired, "ut he must also have the re/uisite understanding and skill needed in his uni/ue
position of having to get work done "y others, that is, to lead others.
#s some of the older methods of motivation "ecome less efective, the importance of the
leader increases. .n an era of high employment, fear of the sack is fortunately no longer the
driving force it once was. 2onuses and similar 0nancial incentives are limited in what they
can achieve5 and as the amounts rise men can aford to take value judgments as to whether to
work less hard for less money. :ood fringe "ene0ts and welfare provisions may attract people
to an organi'ation, "ut they will not, in the long germ, afect performance on the jo".
;oreover, in many 0elds the satisfaction provided "y the jo" itself is no longer an incentive as
the skills which gave the jo" its interest are superseded "y new machinery or automatic
control mechanisms.
;ore and more the manager has to stand or fall "y his own performance as a leader. The
responsi"ility for ensuring that each person gives of his "est to his work rests s/uarely with
him, whether he "e called departmental head, chief accountant, ofice manager,
superintendent or foreman. +e is responsi"le and accounta"le for the work of his
su"ordinates. +e has to get work done through them, and his aim must "e to make full use of
their strengths, a"ilities and /ualities, minimi'e the efects of their de0ciencies and, where
possi"le, constantly try to improve their performance.
This is the o"ject of efective leadership. .t makes sense "oth psychologically and
economically. 1or most individuals it is important that their a"ilities should "e fully used. 1or
the enterprise and for the country it is essential that manpower shall not "e wasted.
There is an ever increasing demand for managers who are also efective leaders.
+ow then can a manager improve his performance as a leaderJ 2asically his efectiveness as
a leader depends on this a"ility to in(uence, and "e in(uenced "y, the group and its mem"ers
in the implementation of a common task.
.n practice this means4
6C7 ensuring that the re/uired T#%@% are continually achieved
6N7 meeting the H!!*% O1 +.% :O)3> for team$work and team$spirit
6O7 meeting the H!!*% O1 !#<+ .H*.E.*3#& mem"er of the group.
The successful leader functions in all three areas, often simultaneously. 6!xamples of actual
leadership actions in each of them are given in the respective check lists on pages O, L and
DB.7
These three areas interact upon each other. # simple model illustrates this4
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Task
Team
;aintenance
.ndividual
Heeds
Business Leadership Program 07
The circles overlap. .f the task circle is "acked out, so too are large segments of the group
and individual circles. Thus lack of attention to the task causes disruption in the group and
dissatisfaction to the individual. <onversely, achievement of o"jectives is essential if group
and individual morale is to "e high.
2lack out the group needs circle from the model and the other two are afected. 3nless the
leader actively sees that the needs of the group, as a group, are satis0ed, his chances of
achieving the re/uired results, in the long term, are jeopardi'ed.
.gnore the needs of the individual and the efectiveness of "oth task and team is reduced.
The areas of group and individual needs may also "e looked on as storage "atteries, which
may from time to time "ecome exhausted for instance after a period of high pressure. .n
this case the leader must see that they are re$changed "y paying them extra attention.
4eeting $ndividual -eeds
=e must not forget that each mem"er of the group needs5 to continue to live and express
himself as an individual5 to provide for those dependent upon him5 to 0nd satisfaction in his
work and his recreation5 to win acceptance "y those groups of which he feels a mem"er. .n
ofer to satisfy these needs he must exert himself he must get involved.
1ortunately for the manager, there is a high coincidence "etween these needs and his own
o"ligation to achieve results through the "est use of resources in this case, human.
.f the degree of motivation is to "e suficient to give satisfaction at work he4
must feel a sense of personal achievement in the jo" he is doing, that he is making a
worthwhile contri"ution to the o"jectives of the group or section
must feel that the jo" itself is challenging, is demanding the "est of him, is giving him
the responsi"ility to match his capa"ility
must receive ade/uate recognition for his achievements
must have control over those aspects of his jo" which have "een delegated to him
must feel that he, as an individual, is developing, that he is advancing in experience
and a"ility.
To provide the right climate and the opportunities for these needs to "e met for each
individual in the group is pro"a"ly the most dificult "ut certainly the most challenging and
rearding task of the leader.
)eam 4aintenance
#lthough we are employed "y companies on the "asis of individual contracts, it is in groups or
teams that the majority of our work is conducted in the design ofice, the purchasing
section, the twilight shift, the heavy gang.
# group exists as an entity and, as with individuals, no two groups are alike. # group has
power to set its own standards of "ehaviour and performance and to impose them even when
contrary to the interest of the individual and the organi'ation.
The successful leader understands that a group has its own personality, its own personality, its
own paper, its own attitudes, its own standards and its own needs. +e achieves his success "y
taking these things into account. +e has constantly to respond to the needs of the group. #t
times this means withdrawing from his position way out front and concentrating on serving
those who serve him. On these occasions he is prepared to represent the group and speak
with its voice. #t the same time he avoid over$identifying with the group.
The key functions of the leader in meeting group needs are4
To set and maintain group o"jectives and group standards.
To involve the group as a whole in the achievement of o"jectives.
To maintain the unity of the group and to see that dissident activity is minimi'ed
"erformance of the Role
;ost of what has "een said up till now in this "ook, and in particular the check lists, concern
the leaders analysis of the task, of the group, and of the individual needs. The leader then
takes a decision and acts.
.t would "e wrong to conclude, however, that just anyone attempting to go through the
actions, the function of the leader descri"ed here, would inevita"ly "e an efective leader.
+ow he performs these necessary actions, his style of leadership, is another factor and on
this will depend his acceptance or rejection "y the group and the individuals composing it.
+e must "e suficiently sensitive to the needs of the situation to know when it would "e right,
for example, to take decisions and actions directly himself5 when to consult the group "efore
deciding5 when to consult the group "efore deciding5 when to delegate. +e also learns to "e
(exi"le and to suit his actions to the re/uirements of the often changing occasion.
1actors afecting his style of leadership include4
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Business Leadership Program 0:
those in the situation is it a precedentJ =ill company policy "e afectedJ
Those in the individuals and the group are they capa"le of contri"uting usefully to a
right decisionJ .t is the overall advantage to push more responsi"ility down to themJ
The main factor, however, is that of the person of the leader himself. >erhaps a "etter word
for this is integrity, in the sense of the wholeness and the wholesomeness of the man.
This integrity is "est seen re(ected in the sort of comment a su"ordinate makes a"out a
respected manager who is also a successful leader4
+e is human and treats us as human "eings.
+e has no favourites5 he doesnt "ear grudges.
.t is easy to talk to him he listens and you can tell he listens.
+e keeps his word and he is honest.
+e doesnt dodge unpleasant issues.
+e explains why or else why he cant
+es fair with his praise as well as his criticisms and he critici'es without making an
enemy of you.
+e is fair to us as well as the company.
+e drives himself hard so you dont mind him expecting the "est of you.
2k. GNM >g. LM,LL
Leadership concerns the total manner in which a manager in(uences actions of
su"ordinates. 1irst, it includes the issuing of orders that are clear, complete, and within the
capa"ilities of su"ordinates to accomplish. %econd, it implies a continual training activity in
which su"ordinates are given instruction to ena"le them to carry out the particular
assignment in the existing situation. Third, it necessarily involves the motivation of workers
to try to meet ht expectations of the manager. 1ourth, it consists of maintaining discipline
and rewarding those who perform properly. .n short, leading is the 0nal action of a manager
in getting others to act after all preparations have "een completed.
The manner is which activities are directed depends upon the managers own personal traits
and the situation involved. .n leadership, more than any other function. The manager must
determine an approach alone, after surveying the possi"ilities that are open. !ach manager
will do well to act as an individual and not to try to act as others act or to proceed according
to the text"ook. ;oreover, a manager will "e involved in various situations calling for
diferent approaches. .f su"ordinates are unskilled and need detailed instructions, the
manager may 0nd the direct, simple order advisa"le. .f the su"ordinates are highly educated
persons in a research activity, a permissive and consultative approach may "e advisa"le. .n
cases of emergency, the manager may assume a take charge role and give short, clear
authoritative commands, whereas if action is not pressing, a deli"erate and analytical attitude
may "e appropriate.
2k >DDD >g. BLA
,&eadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality- $ =arren :. 2ennis
2k >DDD >g. BLN$BLL
Leadership is a 4utual $nAuence "rocess
The discussion on the nature of leadership till now makes a reader "elieve that leadership is
unidirectional, i.e., the leader in(uencing his followers. .t is true that leadership refers to the
in(uence of the leader on followers. #t the same time, the characteristics of employees and
their tasks do yield in(uence on the leader. &eadership is, therefore, a mutual in(uence
process.
Leaders $nAuence on 6ollo0ers4 =hy is leader a"le to in(uence his followersJ =hat
makes followers simply o"ey whatever their leader saysJ # leader is a"le to change the
"ehaviour of his followers "ecause he enjoys power which comes to him from at least 0ve
sources. They are4 6D7 re0ard po0er which refers to the leaders capacity to reward
followers. 6B7 coercive po0er which is the (ip side of reward power and refers to the leaders
capacity to coerce or punish followers, 6A7 legitimate po0er which refers to the power a
leader possesses as a result of occupying a particular position or role in the organi'ation, 6C7
e/pert po0er that refers to power that a leader possesses as a result of his knowledge and
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expertise regarding the tasks to "e performed "y su"ordinates5 and 6N7 referent po0er which
is dependent upon the extent to which su"ordinates identify with, look up to, and wish to
emulate the leader.
6ollo0ers $nAuence on Leader4 The fact that the followers and situations will in(uence
their leader is a recent discovery. %everal sources of in(uence on the leaders "ehaviour are
identi0ed. The more important of them are4 6D7 responses or performance of su"ordinates5
6B7 characteristics of su"ordinates, namely, male or female, young or old, personal
"ackground, and the like5 6A7 the nature of the task5 6C7 organi'ational policy and climate5 6N7
peers and their in(uence on the leader5 and 6O7 in(uence of superiors on the leader.
The importance of leadership is too well$known to need any emphasis.
&eadership is the process of committing a group of people to speci0c goals. =ithout
leadership, an organi'ation would "e what the sage Ealmiki wrote in the )amayana4
,&ike a heard of cattle without a keeper
&ike an army without a general
&ike a night without moon
&ike a group of cows without a "ull
%uch would "e the country
=here the king is not seen.
# leader not only commits his followers to organi'ational goals, he also pools needed
resources, guides, and motivates su"ordinates to reach the goals.
The leadership process is similar in efect to that of the secret chemical that turns the insect
pupa into a "utter(y with all the "eauty that was the pupas potential. &eadership, then,
transforms potential into reality. This role is often seen in giant 0rms and tiny units. .n all
cases, leadership is the ultimate act that identi0es, develops, and uses the potential that is in
an organi'ation and its people.
&eadership is not the mere using of people and their potential for reali'ing an organisations
goals. .t has the ultimate aim of raising the level of human conduct and ethical aspiration of
"oth the leader and the led. This aspect of leadership is what 2urns calls the transforming
leadership. The leader should elevate, inspire, and evangeli'e his followers to higher things
in life.
+igh sounding words indeed9 .n reality, efect of leadership on organi'ational efectiveness
seems to "e relative "ecause of the following possi"ilities
>oorly performing organi'ations 0nd it dificult to attract "est leaders.
Hot all leaders have the same a"ilities and experience.
!nvironmental and organi'ational factors can override any efects the leader may
have.
Organi'ations continue to (ourish even after the change of leadership.
6ormal and $nformal Leadership
1ormal leadership occurs when a manager leads "y exercising formal authority. The exercise
of formal authority through such acts as assigning duties derives, from the managers oficial
position within the organi'ations hierarchy of authority. #ny employee who is assigned a
managerial position has the opportunity and responsi"ility to exercise formal leadership in
relation to su"ordinates. %ome managers have a "etter understanding of the authority and
formal relationship with su"ordinates provided "y a managerial position5 they are more
in(uential in ensuring that su"ordinates work efort are productive. These managers are
"etter leaders.
.nformal leadership arises when a person without formal authority is in(uential in directing
the "ehaviour of others. #lthough not formally appointed or elected, he "ecomes a leader
through his actions or personal attractions.
1ormal and informal leadership coexist in almost every work situation. ;anager must often
work with su"ordinates who defer to a strong informal leader within their peer group.
;anagers themselves may act as formal leaders in some situations and as informal leaders in
others. =hen acting as a formal leader, the manager follows the chain of command and
exerts in(uence downward in the hierarchy of authority from manager to su"ordinates. 2y
contrast, when acting as an informal leader, the manager in(uences employees outside the
formal organi'ational chain of command. .nterpersonal charisma or persuasiveness is
re/uired for informal leadership "ecause the informal leader lacks formal authority.
2k >DDD >g. ABA$ABM
)ransformational Leadership
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.n explaining the concept of transformational leadership, two styles of leadership are talked
of. The are 4 transactional and transformational. Transactional leaders determine what
su"ordinates needs to do to achieve their own and organi'ational o"jectives, classify those
re/uirements, and help su"ordinates "ecomes con0dent that they can reach their o"jectives
"y expending the necessary eforts. The styles leadership we discussed till now "elong to the
transactional leadership. Transformational leadership implies a process where"y an
individual attempts to elevate his or her consciousness 6 chetana 7 so that various common
place con(icts and dualities "egin at higher levels of synthesis. %tated diferently,
transformational leadership attempts to change the whole organi'ation from one ,style- or
,culture- to another. #s was pointed in the "eginning of this chapter, transformational
leadership has the ultimate aim of raising the level of human conduct and ethical aspiration of
"oth the leader and the led. The leaders main thrust is to elevate, inspire, and evangeli'e his
followers 6 and himself or herself 7 to higher things in life.
The late F.).*. Tata comes to ones memory in the context. +is /ualities of head and heart
moved every"ody who ever came into contact with him. .f Tata group of companies stand
distinct in our corporate world in terms of pro0ta"ility, professional management and social
responsiveness credit goes to the transformational leadership of F.).*. Transformational
leaders are characteri'ed "y distinct skills. They are4 6D7 anticipatory skills foresight into a
constantly changing environment5 6B7 visionary skills a process of persuasion and example
"y which a person or leadership team induces a group to take action in accord with the
leaders purposes or, more likely the shared purposes of a larger group5 6A7 value
congruence skills the need of corporate leader to "e in touch with employees5 economic,
safety, psychological, spiritual, sexual, aesthetic, and physical needs tin order to engage
people on the "asis of shared motives, values, and goals5 6C7 empowerment skills the
willingness to share power and to do so efectively5 and 6N7 self$understanding introspective
or self$understanding skills as well as frameworks within which leaders understand "oth their
own needs and goals of those of their employees.
+ituation.style match
+ituation Recommended Leadership +tyle
D. >eople in a state of confusion or panic
"ecause of crisis such as materials
shortage, e/uipment failure, or natural
disaster.
+igh task and low relationship or
authoritarian.
B. <omplex technology, inexperienced
employees.
+igh task and low relationship at the outset.
A. 3ndesira"le, repetitive jo", average
employees.
+igh relationship and low task.
C. %elf$suficient, capa"le, workers
performing jo" they enjoy.
&ow task and low relationship or free$rein.
N. !mployees dislike working, jo" is
undesira"le.
+igh relationship and high task.
O. %tart$up of new operation, jo"
descriptions are vague.
+igh relationship and high task.
P. :roup of people ,doing time- until
retirement.
+igh relationship and low task.
M. .nexperienced "ut well meaning
employees.
+igh relationship and high task.
L. )epetitive work5 employees with
average motivation.
+igh relationship and low task.
DQ. !mployees are performing independent
tasks re/uiring coordination "y leader.
+igh task5 emphasis on relationship depends
on emotional maturity of employees.
DD. !motionally immature employees5
average skill level.
+igh task and low relationship.
DB. !mployees are child like or ,prima
donnas- "ut talented.
+igh relationship and low task.
=e need more of transformational leaders for our economy. Our economy is now thrown open
for glo"al competition. 1oreign companies are entering our country in a large num"er. .n
order to maintain our own identity and to sustain our ethos and at the same time to accept
what is good for our "usiness we need more transformal leaders. %peci0cally, we need more
of F.).*. Tatas.
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!harismatic Leadership
<harisma is a leadership trait that can help in(uence employees to take early and sustained
action. <harismatic leaders are dynamic risk$takers who show their expertise and self$
con0dence, express high performance expectations, and use sym"ols and language of inspire
others. They can also "e warm mentors who treat employees individually and guide them to
take action.
=hat is the efect of charismatic leadership on followers performance and satisfactionJ
There is positive correlation "etween charismatic leadership and high performance and
satisfaction among followers. >eople working for charismatic leaders are motivated to work
extra, "ecause they like their leader, express greater satisfaction.
2ut charismatic leadership may not always "e needed to achieve high levels of employee
performance. .t may "e most appropriate when the followers task has an ideological
component. This may explain why, when charismatic leaders surface, it is more likely to "e in
politics, religion, wartime, or when a "usiness 0rm is introducing a radically new product or
facing a life$threaturning crisis. %uch conditions tend to involve ideological concerns.
2ehavioural components of charismatic and noncharismatic leaders
-oncharismatic Leader !harismatic Leader
)elation to %tatus Guo !ssentially agrees with status /uo
and strives to maintain it
!ssentially opposed to status
/uo and strives to change it
1uture :oal :oal not too discrepant from
status /uo
.deali'ed vision which is highly
discrepant from status /uo
&ika"leness %hared perspective makes
him8her lika"le.
%hared perspective and
ideali'ed vision makes him8her
a lika"le and honora"le hero
worthy of identi0cation and
imitation.
Trust worthiness *isinterested advocacy in
persuasion attempts
*isinterested advocacy "y
incurring great personal risk
and cost.
!xpertise !xpert in using availa"le means
to achieve goals within the
framework of the existing order
!xpert in using unconventional
means to transcend the
existing order.
2ehaviour <onventional, conforming to
existing norms
3nconventional or
counternormative
!nvironmental
%ensitivity
&ow need for environmental
sensitivity to maintain status /uo
+igh need for environmental
sensitivity for changing the
status /uo
#rticulation =eak articulation of goals and
motivation to lead
%trong articulation of future
vision and motivation to lead
>ower 2ase >osition power and personal
power 6"ased on reward,
expertise, and liking for a friend
who is a similar other7
>ersonal power 6 "ased on
expertise, respect, and
admiration for a uni/ue hero 7
&eader$1ollower !galitarian, consensus seeking,
or directive
Hudges or orders people to share
his8her views
!litist, entrepreneur, and
exemplary
Transforms people to the
radical changes advocated
<harismatic leaders may "ecome a lia"ility to an organi'ation once the crisis and need for
dramatic change su"side. This is so "ecause, in times of peace, charmistic leaders
overwhelming self$con0dence often "ecomes a lia"ility. +e or she is una"le to listen to others,
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Business Leadership Program 12
"ecomes uncomforta"le when challenged "y aggressive su"ordinates, and "egins to hold an
unjusti0a"le "elief in his or her ,rightness- or issues.
>eter 1. *rucker o"serves that charisma makes a leader in(exi"le convinced of his own
infalli"ility, with ina"ility to change. ,+istory @nows- writes he, ,no more charismatic leaders
than this centurys triad of %talin, +itler, and ;ao the misleaders who in(icted as much evil
and sufering on humanity as have ever "een recorded. This is what happened to %talin,
+itler and ;ao, and it is a commonplace in the study of ancient history, that only #lexander
the :reats early death saved him from "ecoming an inefectual failure-.
Leader as a Change ,gent
There is a distinct link "etween leadership and change, especially change, that is imposed and
can "e seen as unwanted "ut necessary change. =e can think of change as "eing confronted
with diferent circumstances re/uiring diferent responses and "ehaviours on our part, which
need to "ecome ingrained ways of how we conduct ourselves. *ealing efectively with change
is essentially a"out "eing a"le to alter previous "ehaviour and develop diferent "ehavioural
practices that are ade/uate for changed circumstances. This re/uires learning, which
presupposes the development of diferent ways of o"serving and taking action.
# leader should "e (exi"le and adapta"le in "eing a"le to foresee and deal with change in
order to stay competitive. The notion of the learning organisation was populari'ed a num"er
of years ago, and what is re/uired now are leaders and who are (exi"le and adapta"le
learners. Organisations have "een likened to living systems. Fust as living systems need to
adapt to changes in the environment in order to survive, so do people and the groups they are
part of. 2iologically it has "een shown that adapting is a"out learning, a"out not remaining
trapped in ha"itual ways of "eing and responding. The demands nowadays are for "usiness
leaders to "e willing to "ecome diferent o"servers of what is re/uired5 it is through o"serving
diferently that creative and innovative responses are generated.
&eaders are also, re/uired to do more than that. Their way of "eing, their ways of o"serving
and acting, also need to "e in(uential in shifting others as learners. To "e a"le to move
others out of their traditional ways of o"serving and learning without alienating them, so that
the collective wisdom that resides with many organisational employees "ecomes an invalua"le
resource in dealing with the change process.
=ays to detect whether a leader can "e a change agent
+ow clearly is there an articulated visionJ
.s there ,"uy in- to the vision and does it address the primary concerns of employeesJ
+ow acutely are the leaders listening to others, and if they arent what are they missingJ
+ow do the moods of leaders afect the workplaceJ
+ow do the leaders rate as learnersJ #nd
To what extent do their conversational actions generate new insights, productive actions
and positive results from othersJ
Leadership in *igh <"ech &nvironment
Technical professionals are highly speciali'ed and managing them according to traditional
principles may meet with only minimal success.
)echnical professionals 0ant autonomy=
They are fre/uently achievement$orientated people who seek motivation from their work.
Technical professionals desire for autonomy usually means that they want a large role in
setting goals and making decisions. ;any would prefer to manage themselves.
)echnical professionals need a sense of achievement=
They often 0nd the greatest challenge in tasks that re/uire high levels of skill and efort5 they
want to do dificult jo"s well and make signi0cant accomplishments.
%upport and recognition from management and colleagues also generates commitment, along
with their organisations and their professions acceptance and recognition of the results they
achieve.
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)echnical professionals fear burnout=
2urnout happens when the professional loses a sense of accomplishment from work, is
emotionally exhausted, and feels powerless to in(uence change.
# fear of o"solescence often accompanies this. =hen skills are underutili'ed, apathy,
"urnout, or alienation may result.
)echnical professionals are loyal to their profession 2rst=
&oyalty to the company often is second. <ollege graduates in entry$level marketing positions,
for example, are more apt to align career o"jectives with the company promotion path than
are entering engineers or accountants.
)echnical professionals resist participating in company missions=
=ith their tendency to pursue professional goals 0rst and their need for control over their
work, technical professionals are more resistant than are most occupational groups to
committing to mandate organisation goals.
)echnical professionals need collegial support, stimulation, and sharing=
The potential for competition is high among "right, am"itious people with strong egos. .t can
cause insecurity for some. That insecurity can reduce risk taking and, in time, take a toll on
innovation.
<ollegial support is important to these professionals, many of whom seek an environment that
uses the energy derived from diferent knowledge and experience "ase. Technical leaders
must manage a productive "alance "etween teamwork and individual creativity.
)he Leadership !hallenge
%pecial knowledge, strategies, and tactics would "e a su"stantial challenge to leadership
candidates with high levels of interpersonal skill and aptitude. The challenge is even greater
for most technical leaders, who often come to management positions "ecause of their
technical competence, not their inter$personal a"ilities. ;any such leaders assume their
responsi"ilities without ade/uate role models. #nd while superior technical a"ility can
in(uence short$term managerial success, interpersonal efectiveness is necessary for a
technical leaders long$term achievement.
.n general, technical leaders who come from technological "ackgrounds have a"ilities,
personalities, and interests that are oriented more towards things than people. They can
manage the technical aspects of the jo" "ut are not adept at managing the people involved in
it. 2ut the fast$paced, competitive world of technology re/uires "alanced leaders who are
responsive to the needs of technical professionals and to the organisations strategic
o"jectives.
;ost technical professionals have aptitudes that do not focus on interpersonal skills5 their
education leaves little room, if any, for courses in "ehaviour science. .n addition, the
organisation hires them on the "asis of technical competence, and most of them work for
someone whose orientation is similar heavily technical, and light on people skills. The
training functions in technology$orientated organisations must know how to compensate for
that lack.
%uccessful leaders 4
<oach for peak performance
)un organisational interference
Orchestrate the professional development of their su"ordinates
!xpand individual productivity through team work
1acilitate self$management
Technical professionals are more self$directed than most occupational groups, so classic
management prescriptions $with the manager as a controller of work are likely to "e
demotivating.
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Business Leadership Program 10
!oach for pea, performance
The most efective technical leaders are coaches5 they listen, ask /uestions, facilitate,
integrate, and provide administrative support. They develop ideas rather than demonstrate
power "y withholding it. They encourage self$management rather than promote dependency.
<oaching strategies and their accompanying skills are most nota"le in three critical
leadership situations4
#ligning individual and organisational goals4 The most efective technical leaders are
sensitive to "lending individual and organisational goals through a "alanced leadership
approach that relies heavily on coaching. They are a"le to use technology to serve market
needs while remaining sensitive to the needs of the technical professional.
;aking performance analysis4 %uccessful technical leaders "ring their critical and logical
thinking to the analysis of performance pro"lems missed deadlines and cost overruns,
for example. They are good at determining whether a performance discrepancy is due to a
skill de0ciency 6rarely the case7 or to inappropriate performance conse/uences 6usually
the case7.
#s a result, the technical professionals they manage /uickly address and correct
performance de0ciencies.
;anaging <hange4 <hange is a way of life in the technical organisation5 the leader is
often the one who determines whether people resist or welcome it.
;any technical professionals welcome change, challenge, and variety. 2ut further
investigation usually turns up a leader who coaches them through change "y making
certain that they know the reasons for it. #n efective coach also involves technical
professionals extensively in the implementation of change.
Run organisational interference
%uccessful leaders teach su"ordinates how to take advantage of organisational opportunities,
such as engaging in a high$visi"ility project that might resolve a major /uality issue. They are
also /uick to remove organisational o"structions from the path to innovation. They do so "y
the following means4
>roviding resources to support creative endeavors
>reventing the organisational "ureaucracy from interfering with the technical
professionals work
Taking steps to gain management support for a professionals idea or proposal.
Orchestrate professional development
!nriching the jo" is an important strategy for motivating the technical professional. Eariety,
an emphasis on performance over process, and challenge must "e integral parts of the work.
The most efective technical leaders address three critical components of professional
development4
They provide4 the "usiness perspective. Technical professionals often generate ideas,
"ecome a"sor"ed in following them, and wander of the organisations strategic path. The
leader must focus that energy "y providing a vision of where the organisation is today and
where it is heading.
They "uild4 and encourage champions. Taking ownership of an innovative idea and
running with it is a powerful professional development experience. The leaders
responsi"ility is to nurture and protect the fragile growth of ideas that might otherwise "e
trampled "y the "ureaucracy or uprooted "y someone uneasy with the unfamiliar.
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Business Leadership Program 11
They facilitate4 career development. #lthough career development is primarily the
technical professionals responsi"ility, efective leaders take a proactive role in
encouraging it.
&/pand individual productivity through team0or,
!ncouraging innovation re/uires shifts in fundamental management techni/ues5 the most
important of which may "e the use of teamwork. %cience and technology are "ecoming too
complex for most technical professionals to "e a"le to make meaningful contri"utions on their
own. ;ore and more "asic inventions, minor and major "reakthroughs, and creative
inspirations come from group colla"orations.
6acilitate self.management
The technical professionals need for autonomy, achievement, professional growth, and
challenge 0nds its fullest satisfaction when the structure of the jo" and the relationship with
the manager promote and support self$management for the employee.
+haring information= .nformation enhances a sense of empowerment. >rofessionals who
receive as much information as possi"le a"out a project have much higher motivational
levels.
3elegating responsibility= The delegation of meaningful tasks and responsi"ilities is
enriching and empowering. Technical leaders who seek opportunities to delegate and who
skillfully communicate and transfer responsi"ilities maintain motivated project teams.
&ncouraging up0ard communication= !ndorsing and reinforcing two$way
communication plays a major role in facilitating self$management. This "uilds trust and an
increased sense of ownership in projects and organisational o"jectives.
!onclusion
There is a need to look into training within technology$ridden organisations to develop
technical leaders who can address the special needs of professionals. %uch training will
ena"le organisations to reali'e the highest degrees of innovation, teamwork, and sustained
commitment among technical professionals.
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