Theories of leadership

The ability to influence a group or individual toward the achievement of a vision or set of goal.
To many, leaders are not born, but made-Vince Lombardi. It is increasingly accepted, however,
that in order to be a good leader, one must have the experience, knowledge, commitment,
patience, and most importantly the skill to negotiate and work with others to achieve goals. Good
leaders are thus made, not born. Good leadership is developed through a never ending process of
self-study, education, training, and the accumulation of relevant experience .

Great Man Theory

 Leaders are born not made

 Great leaders arise when there is a great need.

 Leaders are often from aristocracy, rarely from lower classes

 In times of need great man would arise almost by magic. For example. – Jesus,
Mohammad & Buddah

Early research on leadership was based on the the study of people who were already great
leaders. These people were often from the aristocracy, as few from lower classes had the
opportunity to lead. This contributed to the notion that leadership had something to do with
breeding.

The idea of the Great Man also strayed into the mythic domain, with notions that in times of
need, a Great Man would arise, almost by magic. This was easy to verify, by pointing to people
such as Eisenhower and Churchill, let alone those further back along the timeline, even to Jesus,
Moses, Mohammed and the Buddah.

The 'great man' theory was originally proposed by Thomas Carlyle.

Gender issues were not on the table when the 'Great Man' theory was proposed. Most leaders
were male and the thought of a Great Woman was generally in areas other than leadership. Most
researchers were also male, and concerns about androcentric bias were a long way from being
realized.
It has been said that history is nothing but stories of great men. Certainly, much has this bias,
although there is of course also much about peoples and broader life.

The further implications of the theory that leaders are born and not made, are as follows:

(i) Leaders are gifts of God to mankind. A measure of divinity is attributed to leaders and their
actions.

(ii) Everyone cannot aspire to become a leader and to attain greatness.

(iii) The inborn leadership qualities alone are necessary and sufficient for a leader to exercise
influence over his followers and to become successful.

(iv) Leadership qualities and effectiveness are independent variables. Situational factors like the
nature and needs of followers, the demands of task and the general socioeconomic environment
have little or no influence on a leader’s emergence or effectiveness.

(v) The theory discounts the belief that individuals can be trained for assuming leadership
positions and roles. Leadership qualities cannot be transmitted through education and exposure.

Trait Theory

 People are born with inherited traits

 Some traits are particularly suited to leadership
 People who become good leaders have the right combination of traits

Identification of 4 traits by which leaders could succeed or derail:-

 Emotional stability & composer

 Admitting error
 Good interpersonal skills
 Intellectual wideness

 It basically differentiate leaders from non-leaders by focusing on their personal qualities

and characteristics.
Some common traits are:-

 Ambition and energy

 The desire to lead
 Honesty and integrity
 Self-confidence
 Intelligence
 High self-monitoring and
 Job-relevant knowledge
 It basically helps in the emergence of a leader. But it was very difficult to say that he/she
works effectively.
 Leaders born with the qualities by which people use to predict them, it can’t be taught.
 They were fail to lead in different situations.

So, in the search of effective leaders behavioral studies of people started and it changes the
beliefs and reached us to the conclusion that we can make effective leaders for us.

Thomas Carlyle and the Trait Theory of Leadership

According to Carlyle, history is shaped by extraordinary leaders.

This ability to lead was something that people were simply born with, Carlyle believed, and not
something that could be developed. Carlyle's ideas inspired early research on leadership, which
almost entirely focused on inheritable traits. Some of the implications of the trait theory of
leadership are that:

 Certain traits produce certain patterns of behavior

 These patterns are consistent across different situations
 People are born with these leadership traits

"The trait theory of leadership, generally considered the first modern theory of leadership,
became popular during the second half of the twentieth century and, despite scholarly criticism,
has continued to be popular,” explained authors Shriberg and Shriberg in their 2011 text
Practicing Leadership Principles and Applications. “The theory states that certain innate traits
are common to leaders. Although the identified traits vary, the most common are intelligence,
self-confidence, determination, integrity, and sociability."

Behavioural Theory of leadership

 Leaders can be made rather than are born

 Successful leadership is based in definable, learnable behavior
 Do not search for inborn qualities or capabilities rather they look at what
leaders actually do
 Easy to teach & learn then to adopt ‘traits’ or ‘capabilities’.

Assumptions

Leaders can be made, rather than are born.

Successful leadership is based in definable, learnable behavior.

Description

Behavioral theories of leadership do not seek inborn traits or capabilities. Rather, they look at
what leaders actually do.
If success can be defined in terms of describable actions, then it should be relatively easy for
other people to act in the same way. This is easier to teach and learn then to adopt the more
ephemeral 'traits' or 'capabilities'.

Discussion

Behavioral is a big leap from Trait Theory, in that it assumes that leadership capability can be
learned, rather than being inherent. This opens the floodgates to leadership development, as
opposed to simple psychometric assessment that sorts those with leadership potential from those
who will never have the chance.

A behavioral theory is relatively easy to develop, as you simply assess both leadership success
and the actions of leaders. With a large enough study, you can then correlate statistically
significant behaviors with success. You can also identify behaviors which contribute to failure,
thus adding a second layer of understanding.

Contingency Theory

 The leader's ability to lead is dependent upon various situational factors, including
the leader's preferred style, the capabilities and behaviors of followers and also
various other situational factors.
 leaders who are very effective at one place and time may become unsuccessful
either when transplanted to another situation or when the factors around them
change.

Contingency theory is similar to situational theory. The main difference is that

situational theory tends to focus more on the behaviors that the leader should adopt, given
situational factors, whereas contingency theory takes a broader view that includes
contingent factors about leader’s capabilities and other variables within the situation.
Pro's

 Theories based on contingencies take account of unique circumstances, albeit in a general

way.
 The theory is a common-sense view of the world to those realizing that context and
system dynamics are integral aspects of a leader-led situation.
 Contingency theories motivate thinking about a particular aspect of a leader-led situation
that need more intense focus.

Con's

 A contingency theory may be expressed in too general a way to have specific applicative
value.
 Identifying the aspects of a situation can be highly subjective and may not capture the
reality of a leader-led situation
 Any verification and validation of a modeled system is inherently difficult.

Transformational Leadership Theory

Transformational leaders motivate and inspire people by helping group members see the
importance and higher good of the task. These leaders are focused on the performance of group
members, but also want each person to fulfil his or her potential. Leaders with this style often
have high ethical and moral standards.
Pro's

 Transformational leadership theories emphasizes the task and organizational integrity and
this helps focus one's attention to more appropriately defining a task.
 The transformational theories emphasizes cooperation, ethics and community in addition
to the higher human values.
 Long-range goals are emphasized which leads to increasing the survivability of a system.
 It has been showed in studies, such as in gaming theory, that cooperation, as opposed to
competition, is more successful in achieving goals.
 Transformational leadership theories are adaptive and can be tailored to support the
fulfillment of the most pressing of needs in people.
 There is greater stability of a leader's position, as there is greater support by those who
are being led.
 Transformational leadership theories can bring harmony to a situation that could
otherwise be exacerbated by a quarrelsome organization.
 If one has an educated population, transformational leadership theories are more likely to
work.
Con's

 Even if everyone is motivated to do a task it does not assure a successful completion of

that task. Over-enthusiasm for the leader may cloud the group's judgment as to whether
the objectives of an organization are realistic.
 There can be over-dependence upon the leader.
 Members of the organization may resent that their ability to act as individuals has been
restricted.
 People have different personalities, and some may be more ambitious than others may,
with the latter feeling as if they are being pushed beyond their capacities.
 Some individuals may work better as individuals as opposed to collaborating in a team
environment.
 There may be cases when it is difficult to assess whether there is cooperation or mere
conformity. People may want simply to "go along to get along".
 There is the danger of the presence of personality cults, where a leader is so revered that
s/he is only the personality that drives activity.
 The enormity of a task and a fractious or highly competitive environment may
compromise the ability of a leader, applying the concepts of transformational leadership
theories, to gain consensus

Charismatic Leadership

 Charm and grace are all that is needed to create followers.

 Self-belief is a fundamental need of leaders.

 People follow others that they personally admire.

Style

The Charismatic Leader gathers followers through dint of personality and charm, rather than any
form of external power or authority.
The searchlight of attention

It is interesting to watch a Charismatic Leader 'working the room' as they move from person to
person. They pay much attention to the person they are talking to at any one moment, making
that person feel like they are, for that time, the most important person in the world.

Charismatic Leaders pay a great deal of attention in scanning and reading their environment, and
are good at picking up the moods and concerns of both individuals and larger audiences. They
then will hone their actions and words to suit the situation.

Pulling all of the strings

Charismatic Leaders use a wide range of methods to manage their image and, if they are not
naturally charismatic, may practice assiduously at developing their skills. They may engender
trust through visible self-sacrifice and taking personal risks in the name of their beliefs. They
will show great confidence in their followers. They are very persuasive and make very effective
use of body language as well as verbal language.

Deliberate charisma is played out in a theatrical sense, where the leader is 'playing to the house'
to create a desired effect. They also make effective use of storytelling, including the use of
symbolism and metaphor.

Many politicians use a charismatic style, as they need to gather a large number of followers. If
you want to increase your charisma, studying videos of their speeches and the way they interact
with others is a great source of learning. Religious leaders, too, may well use charisma, as do cult
leaders.

Leading the team

Charismatic Leaders who are building a group, whether it is a political party, a cult or a business
team, will often focus strongly on making the group very clear and distinct, separating it from
other groups. They will then build the image of the group, in particular in the minds of their
followers, as being far superior to all others.
The Charismatic Leader will typically attach themselves firmly to the identify of the group, such
that to join the group is to become one with the leader. In doing so, they create an
unchallengeable position for themselves.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP

1. Follow procedures and adhere to policies: Effective leaders are essentially good
followers. They understand that they are accountable to those in authority. They know it
is not a good idea to behave as a lone wolf, but that they must instead keep their work
priorities aligned with the organization’s goal and have an appropriate sense of self-
importance. People who lead in place value the necessity of following procedures and
adhering to established policies.

2. Submit to the authority of others: Closely related to number 10 is the recognition that
we are all under the authority of someone, whether it is a supervisor, director, president,
board of governors, or whomever else.

3. Take risks: sometimes it is necessary for leaders to step outside the box, to be
innovative. Leaders must be flexible enough to know when it is time to try a new
procedure or implement a new policy. For many taking a risk is frightening, but such
behavior can be invaluable, benefiting the entire group.

4. Commitment: Any person who assumes a leadership role needs to be committed to the
group. The group’s vision and mission must be internalized by the leader. An effective
leader is a person who can commit to using his or her ability to lead others, perform
technical skills, and conceptualize situations, thus helping to ensure goal achievement.

5. Be proactive: Covey (1989) points out the need to be proactive. Individuals who assume
 leadership must take the proverbial bull by the horns and move forward to be successful.

6. Expect conflict: Conflict among people is a natural, inevitable, and constant factor of
human interaction. An effective leader expects conflict and is able to manage it in a
productive manner.

7. Tell the truth, but with compassion: To some degree conflicts occur because people
are not able to differentiate between task-related conflict issues and their personal
investment in a given situation. Bracey, Rosenblum, Sanford, and Trueblood (1990) point
out the importance of truthfulness in leadership. Yet at the same time the leader must
compassionately tell the truth (e.g., about a faculty member’s job performance, etc.).

8. Listen: Communication plays a vital role in the achievement of interpersonal and

organizational goals. Communication is a two-way process. Effective communication
requires leaders capable of effective listening. Covey’s (1989) Habit #5, Seek First to
Understand, Then Seek to Be Understood, reflects the epitome of effective listening.
Ineffective listening undermines people’s self-esteem, self-confidence, and creativity.
Remember, hearing and listening are not synonymous terms.

9. Love people: Roger D’Aprix stated that leaders must be “loving in [their] organizational
relationships” (cited in Goldhaber, 1993, p. 217). “Loving” in this context means that we
acknowledge the value of our co-workers and respect them with the dignity they deserve.
We let them know that we care for them whether we like them or not. The bottom line is
that individuals must value people and relationships with them if they are to claim their
“authority” to lead.
CONCLUSION

Within the essay above I critically analyzed each theory, provided examples of specific leaders
and participants whose leadership would have been described based upon each approach and
critically assessed each theory for its relevance in today's work place. Each theory listed before
after being studied was not wrong nor was it 100% right, it was just appropriate for a particular
situation. Each theory changed because the environment and individuals thinking evolved
(PESTLE) and because these theories developed both the individuals (followers) and the
mangers (leaders) needs are met resulting in a progressing business.

A review of leadership theories shows a progression from great man and trait theories to new
leadership theories including transformation and transaction theories. Research shows that each
of these theories has its strengths and weaknesses and there is no ideal leadership theory.