Q50611 Write about the Theories of Leadership.

Question based on Anna University Assignment Solution and other course

Answer:

Areas of leadership whether social, political or organizational is attracted by many theorist and thinkers. Several theories have been developed for to explain the phenomenon of leadership.

• Personality Theories
  • Great Man‘s Theory of Leadership
  • Trait Theory
• Behavioral Theories
  • Ohio State Studies
  • Michigan Leadership Studies
  • Managerial Grid
• Contingency Theories
  • Fiedler Model
  • Hersey and Blanchard ‘s Situational Leadership Theory
  • Path Goal Theory
  • LMX Theory
• Decision Theory
  • Vroom and Yetton’s Leadership-Participation Model

A Personality Theory:

It focuses on various personal qualities of a leader. It consists of two theories:

1. Great Man‘s Theory of Leadership: (Charismatic Leadership Theory) One of the early notions of the leadership was that a leader is born and the qualities of leadership are inborn. The great man‘s theory of leadership asserts that great leaders are born and not made. According to this theory leaders have qualities such as charm, commanding personality, influential personality, judgment, courage, intelligence and aggressiveness are such that they cannot be taught or learnt in a formal sense. One can either have them or not. Leadership qualities run in the family. It is something which is inherited from generations to generations. People turn to them instinctively for inspiration, solace and support. It is aid that history of the world is nothing but the biography is great men and women.

Example: Napoleon Bonaparte the French King and a great military and political leader, Mahatma Gandhi and Steve Jobs of Apple Inc. are a great example of great man theory of leadership

Critique: There were no scientific basis for the Great man‘s theory of leadership. This theory was rejected on the basis of the following assumptions:

1. There is nothing like inborn leadership qualities. Inborn leaders are a misfit in the modern changing scenario and cannot prove their worth.
2. Leadership qualities can be achieved by proper training and education.
3. Situational factors along with leadership qualities are necessary to make decisions in any situation.

4. The Great Man‘s Theory does not have a scientific basis.

2. Trait Theory: It is a modification of great man‘s theory of leadership which states that there are certain traits that can be achieved or acquired through proper training and education.

Big Five Traits Model: These traits are very different traits of personality of a person but can be mixed in various proportions to form a personality of a leader.

1. Extroversion: Extroverts are social, assertive, open for new relationships, gregarious. It determines the comfort levels of a person with relationships and other persons. It helps in development of better interpersonal skills. It leads to enhanced leadership.
2. Agreeableness: It refers to the person’s ability to get along with others. It describes someone who is good natured, cooperative and trusting. These persons are better liked by others.
3. Conscientiousness: It refers to the number of goals a person focuses at a particular time. It describes someone who in responsible, dependable, persistent and organized. It results in better organized and planned paths to achieve goals.
4. Emotional Stability: It focuses on individual‘s ability to cope up with stress. It describes someone as calm, composed, confident and emotionally strong person. It ensures less negative thinking of a person and helps in job satisfaction.
5. Openness to Experience: It describes one‘s personality in terms of personality, sensitivity, curiosity and interest. It increases learning and helps person in becoming more flexible and adaptive to change.

Thus we can find out that traits can be predictable in determining the leaders and the appearance of the leadership qualities.

Critique: The traits theory can be questioned on:

1. It is not a scientific process
2. One cannot distinguish between the traits applied at different times by different people.
3. An individual‘s traits cannot make up his personality nor it fully reveal about his attitudes, values etc.

B Behavioral Theory

Behavior theories focuses on how the behavior of a leader influence other people and how they can behave to become effective leaders. It moves from traits or personality of a leader to actual behavior of a leader.

1. Ohio State Studies: The research began in late 1940s in Ohio State University. The researchers developed a questionnaire known as Leaders Behavior Development Questionnaire (LBDQ). The researchers found out two broad groups indicating most of the leadership behavior described by the employees. Those two groups were:
   1. Consideration (People Oriented Behavioral Leaders) : It is described as the extent to which a leader acts in friendly or supportive manner, respect for subordinate‘s ideas, concern for welfare of subordinates and a relationship of mutual trust.

Examples: Doing personal favors to subordinates, Leader is helpful and approachable, treating a subordinate as equal etc.

2. Initiating Structure ( Task Oriented Leaders): The extent to which the leader defines and structures his role and those of employees in search of goal attainment.

Example: Maintaining working standards, assigning subordinates to task, asking to follow the standard procedures etc.

2. Michigan Leadership Studies: This study was concluded three types of behavioral characteristics for leaders:
   • Task Oriented behavior: Managers concentrate more on task related activities like planning and scheduling the work, providing equipment and technical assistance etc. These behaviors are similar to initiating structure of OHIO state studies.
   • Relations Oriented behavior: The managers are more supportive and helpful for employees. These behaviors are similar to consideration of OHIO state studies.
   • Participative Leadership: Leaders were more group oriented rather than individual subordinate oriented. Group meetings helps subordinate participation in various decision making process. Role of the manager it to guide the subordinates.
3. Blake & Mount Managerial Grid/ Leadership grid: It is based on styles of concern of people

and concern of production.

• Concern for production: Means attitude of managers towards factors considering production such as products, procedures etc.
• Concern for people: Means the level up to which the commitment towards goal achievement, maintaining self esteem of the workers etc.

Leadership Styles Associated With Managerial Ggrid:

1. The Indifferent or Impoverished (Low Production/Low People 1,1) : Manager shows low concern for people. Managers use this style to save job and job seniority, protecting themselves by avoiding getting into trouble. As a result, disorganization, dissatisfaction and disharmony due to lack of effective leadership are present.
2. Country Club Style (Low Production/ High People 1,9): The relationship-oriented manager has a high concern for people, but a low concern for production. He pays much attention to the security and comfort of the employees. He is almost incapable of employing the more punitive, coercive and legitimate powers. The organization will end up to be a friendly atmosphere, but not necessarily very productive.
3. Produce, Dictatorial or Perish Style ( (High Production / Low People 9,1): An authoritarian or compliance leader. A task-oriented manager, he has a high concern for production and a low concern for people. He finds employee needs unimportant and simply a means to an end. He pressures his employees through rules and punishments to achieve the company goals.
4. The Middle-of-the-road or The Status-quo Style ( (Medium Production / Medium People 5,5).: Balance and compromise. The manager tries to balance between the competing goals of the company and the needs of the workers. The manager gives some concern to both people and production, hoping to achieve acceptable performance. Consequently, compromises occur where neither the production nor the people needs are fully met.
5. The Team or Sound Style (High Production / High People 9,9).: Contribute and commit. It is the ultimate. The manager pays high concern to both people and production. Motivation is high. This method relies heavily on making employees feel they are constructive parts of the company. Better employees and better working conditions results in higher production.

C Contingency Theory

The personality and behavioral theories ignores situational factors in determining the success or effectiveness of leaders. Many later theorists assert that the emergence and success of leader is determined by several situational factors along with qualities and behavior of the leader itself

a) Fiedler’s Contingency Model: This model works on the theory that leadership effectiveness depends upon the situation. Fiedler advocated that any single style is not appropriate in all the situations. Different situations require different style of leadership. This model consists of three elements: leadership style, situational variables and their interrelationship.

Leadership Styles: Fiedler identified leadership styles on two dimensions:

Task Directed style: It is primarily concerned with the achievement of task performance.

Human Relations style: It is concerned with achieving good interpersonal relations and achieving a position of personal prominence.

He used two types of scores of scores to measure the style adopted by leader: scores on least preferred co- worker (LPC) and scores on assumed similarity (AS) between opposites. Rating on LPC was based on individual’s liking or disliking of working with other individuals and was measured on sixteen itemssuch as pleasant-unpleasant, friendly-unfriendly, accepting-rejecting and so on. Rating on assumed similarity was based on degree to which leader perceived group members to be like him

Situational Variables: Fiedler identified three situational variables:

Leader member relations refers to degree to which followers have trust and confidence in the leader and the degree to which the leader understands his followers.

Position Power refers to the power associated with the job and the influence that go with the job.

Task Structure refers to the degree of the structured job tasks.

Relation Between Style and Situation Fiedler advocated that effectiveness of leadership depends on the situation. Task directed and human relations oriented styles tend to be effective in different situations. Task- directed leadership style tends to be better in group situations that are either very favorable or very unfavorable to the leader. Human relations leadership styles tends to be in group situations that are intermediate in favorableness.

Implications:

1. The favorableness of leadership situations should be assessed
2. Candidates for leadership positions should be evaluated using the LPC scale
3. If a leader is being sought for a particular leadership position, a leader with the appropriate LPC profile should be chosen
4. If a leadership situation is being chosen for a particular candidate, a situation should be chosen which matches his/her LPC profile

(b) Hersey-Blanchard’s Situational Model: The basic concept is that the most effective leadership style should vary with the “maturity level” of the subordinates.

Maturity Level refers to the following:

i)    The need for achievement, or motivation level of subordinates

i) Subordinate’s willingness and ability to accept more responsibility.

iii) Education and/or experience of subordinates with respect to the job.

When bothcomponents of maturityi.e. willingness and ability are combined we get the following combinations:

1. Low ability and low willingness- low maturity
2. Low ability and high willingness- low to moderate maturity.
3. High ability and low willingness- moderate to high maturity

4. High ability and high willingness- high maturity

If we combine leadership style and maturity, we get the four leadership styles as follows:

1. Telling: When the subordinates have low ability and low willingness, they require telling leadership

i.e. subordinates must be instructed in their tasks.

2. Selling: For subordinates who have high willingness but low ability selling leadership is required where, high employee-oriented behaviors are chosen.
3. Participating: Subordinates who have high ability but lack willingness requires high level of motivation. Here participating leadership is required where high support of leader is present.
4. Delegating: Subordinated have high level of maturity. Participative leadership in which low leadership support is required is use.

c) Path-Goal Theory: This theory is developed by Robert House. The basis of this theory is that it is the leader’s job to give their followers information, support or other resources necessary for achievement of resources. It is a combination of situational leadership and Vroom’s expectancy theory of leadership.

i) Leader Behaviors: House developed four leadership styles:

• Directive: The leader gives subordinates orders and makes it clear what he expects from his subordinates.

• Supportive: The leader exhibits the friendly behavior with the subordinates. He shows concern for his employees.
• Participative: The leader makes decision with active participation of the employees.
• Achievement Oriented: The leader sets challenges, seeks improvement of performance by displaying confidence in the abilities of the subordinates

ii) Situational Variables: The leader must consider two group situational variables-

1. Characteristics of Subordinates: There are three important variables in each employee relevant to effectiveness of leadership—centre of control, willingness to accept influence and self perceived task ability.
2. Work Environment: It consist of nature of task, formal authority system and work group.

According to path goal theory, leaders, to be effective, need to do the following: recognize the needs of those they manage and try to satisfy these needs through the workplace, reward people for achieving their goals, help subordinates identify the most effective paths they need to take to reach their goals, and clear those paths so that subordinates can reach their goals. The particular style of leadership that is effective in achieving these outcomes will depend on the contingency factors described above.

d) LMX Theory ( Leader Member Exchange Theory): This theory focuses on the relationship developed by the leader with each member of the work group. It makes a dyadic relations between leader and follower. There are two distinct types of relationship between leader and the followers:

i) In-Group: These are the members who go beyond their formal job description and leader in turn does more for these followers. They receive additional benefits or attention by the leaders.

ii) Out- Group: Here the followers only try to work enough to fulfill their contractual obligations. They are more concern about the fulfillment of self interest.

Strengths:

1. It is very practical. It is very easy to find out the members of in-group and out-group.
2. It is the only theory which helps to find out the dyadic relationship between the leader and followers.
3. It notes the importance of communication in leadership.

D Decision Theory

This theory says about what and how a leader makes decision.

Vroom and Yetton’s Leader-Participation Theory: It is a normative model which gives a set of rules which should be followed in determining the form and amount of participation in decision making. This model is a decision tree incorporating seven contingencies and five alternative leadership styles. Vroom along with Arthur Jago improvised this theory. They expand the contingencies to 12. Vroom and Jago also developed a computer program to evaluate the problems and make the decisions. Vroom and associates have developed some specific, empirically supported contingency variables should be used while choosing the leadership styles.