Managerial Leadership - Leader Qualities - Leadership Theories

1. Meaning of Leadership.

Leading is i of import business office of administration only side past times side to planning as well as organizing. It is the liveliest chemical factor inward the administration process. It initiates actions to interpret the decisions into concrete actions. Managers receive got to Pb their subordinates through guiding as well as motivating. Leading involves directing, influencing as well as motivating employees to perform essential tasks.

Every managing director has to human activity every bit a leader inward his surface area of operation. This way he has to guide, instruct, Pb as well as motivate his subordinates then every bit to job their skills, efficiency, capacity etc. for the practice goodness of his Organisation. He has to influence the behaviour of his subordinates as well as acquire the piece of work done through their collective efforts. Leadership qualities are required inward monastic tell to conduct diverse managerial functions effectively. Each as well as every grouping of people engaged inward a item activity needs a leader inward monastic tell to guide, co-ordinate as well as command their efforts. In this sense, leadership is required for the conduct of economic, social, political or cultural activities. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 college principal, secretarial assistant of a co-operative fellowship or of a sports social club or cultural association human activity every bit leaders inward their respective fields. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandella, John F. Kennedy are globe known political leaders piece Henry Ford, J. R. D. Tata as well as S. L. Kirloskar are known leaders inward the line of piece of work organisation world. Here, nosotros are concerned only amongst the managerial leadership. Managerial leadership is that component subdivision of a manager's activities past times which he influences the behaviour of his subordinates towards a desired objectives or results.

Leadership is followership. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 skillful leader leads but does non push. Effective leadership tin guide a grouping towards for certain ideals without exerting much force. Managers who possess the character of guiding as well as directing the subordinates nether inspired impulses tin hold out called line of piece of work organisation leaders. Leadership is concerned amongst getting results through people as well as implies the Organisation of staff into productive teams, groups as well as departments. Leadership entrails the creation of human structures, their motivation as well as direction; the resolution of conflicts at the workplace, creating vision for the entire line of piece of work organisation as well as providing resources inward back upward of this.

Manager tin perform diverse managerial functions to a greater extent than effectively past times providing proper leadership to his subordinates. This makes leadership an inevitable aspect of administration procedure itself. Leadership is essential for the success as well as stability of a line of piece of work organisation enterprise. Managers possessing leadership qualities are called line of piece of work organisation leaders.

2. Definitions of Leadership.

1. According to Koontz as well as O'Donnell, "Leadership is the mightiness of a managing director to get subordinates (followers) to piece of work amongst confidence as well as zeal."
2. According to George Terry, "Leadership is the activity of influencing people to strive for mutual objectives."
3. According to Peter Drucker, "Leadership is the shifting of own's vision to higher sights, the raising of man's performance to higher standards, the edifice of man's personality beyond its normal limitations."

3. Characteristics of Leadership.

1. Involves guiding as well as motivating : Leadership is a managerial procedure of guiding as well as motivating the subordinates for achieving organizational goals/objectives. For motivating, communicating is necessary. Leadership is described every bit an fine art of influencing as well as inspiring subordinates to perform their duties efficiently.
2. Needs subordinates as well as mutual interests : It pre-supposes the being of subordinates. There must hold out mutual involvement for the leader as well as his followers due to which they cooperate as well as participate for achieving mutual objectives.
3. Promotes involvement inward the piece of work : The purpose of leadership is to influence, motivate as well as encourage subordinates to convey active involvement inward the piece of work assigned as well as give the best results.
4. Needs back upward from all : The leader must recognize the presence of all employees irrespective of their position. The leader cannot travel successful unless he obtains back upward from all.
5. Influences subordinates through personal qualities : Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 leader understands the problems of his subordinates as well as influences them past times his personal qualities.
6. Dynamic as well as continuous procedure : Leadership is a dynamic as well as continuous process. It is a regular activity of guiding as well as motivating subordinates for improving their performance as well as contribution towards organizational objectives.
7. Leadership is situational : An ideal leadership is e'er situational. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 leader has to written report the prevailing province of affairs as well as render appropriate leadership to his subordinates.
8. Assumes obligation : Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 leader e'er inspires followers. In the trial of failure, he does non shift the responsibleness to his subordinates but accepts his personal weaknesses inward performance. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 leader leads past times setting skillful example.
9. Needs interaction amongst followers : The objective of the leader as well as his subordinates should hold out the same. If the leader attempts for i purpose as well as his subordinates for some other purpose, it is no leadership. Their involvement must hold out identical.
10. Achievement of objectives : The success of a leader largely depends on his mightiness to orbit organizational objectives. When a leader fails to attain the objectives, he is of no utility to the management.

4. Qualities of a Good Leader / Leadership Qualities.

A leader needs audio wellness as well as physical capacity to perform his functions or duties assigned inward an efficient manner. In add-on to physical qualities, an ideal leader needs for certain qualities of caput as well as heart. The master copy qualities include Personal Traits as well as Managerial Traits which are shown inward the next chart:

5. Styles of Leadership.

There are unlike styles of leadership. This classification is based on the methods used past times the leaders.

Edwin Flippo has defined leadership trend every bit "a pattern of behaviour designed to integrate organizational as well as personal involvement inward pursuit of some objectives."

Basically, the styles of leadership tin hold out divided into ii broad groups. These are: (a) Task-oriented styles, as well as (b) People-oriented styles.

1. In the chore oriented styles of leadership, to a greater extent than importance is given to getting the piece of work done past times subordinates. Task-oriented leaders are interested inward the completion of piece of work as well as practice non give importance/attention to subordinates or their desires, interests as well as then on. Dictatorial leader as well as autocratic leader are the examples of this category.
2. People-oriented trend of leadership is basically democratic. Here, the leader gives importance to the interests, thoughts, problems, etc. of subordinates. He tries to orbit objectives amongst their back upward as well as co-operation. Participative or democratic leader comes nether this category.

6. Theories of Leadership.

1. Trait Approach Theory (The Traits Approach),
2. Behavioral Approach Theory, and
3. Contingency / Situational Approach Theory.

7. Trait Approach Theory (The Traits Approach).

The traits approach theory was i of the rootage attempts to explicate the leadership based on personal traits. Traits are inborn or acquired personal qualities of an individual. They include physical qualities as well as the qualities of caput as well as heart.

Traits theory refers to for certain traits/characteristics which separate leaders from non-leaders. Such traits enable some to rising inward a higher house their followers.

The basic traits useful for leadership include height, energy, looks, noesis as well as intelligence, imagination, self-confidence, integrity, fluency of speech, mental balance, enthusiasm, courage, sociability, as well as friendliness as well as then on.

According to the traits theory, an private possessing such traits is usually able to influence others as well as gets the status of a leader. This suggests that a leader is quite unlike from an average someone inward regard to personal qualities such every bit intelligence, perseverance as well as overall personality including physical features.

The traits theory suggests that leaders are inward a higher house the followers inward regard to personal traits. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 fair combination of such traits makes them influential as well as impressive every bit compared to others.

Traits theory indirectly supports the thought that leaders are born as well as non made. Researchers receive got suggested unlike traits of leaders. Such traits are like to physical, psychological, mental, intellectual as well as other qualities which are ordinarily treated every bit essential inward the instance of an ideal leader. It may hold out noted that some traits are innate piece some others tin hold out acquired through especial efforts.

The traits theory is based on the personal qualities (inborn/acquired) of an individual. Such qualities play a positive role inward edifice leadership. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 someone becomes leader due to such traits. The theory is based exclusively on personal traits as well as their contribution inward developing leadership.

7.1 Limitations of Traits Approach Theory / Criticism of Traits Theory.

1. Examples of leaders without for certain traits are mutual : According to this theory, leadership is based on for certain traits such every bit personality, intelligence, self-confidence, courage as well as then on. However, it is really hard to notice out a item leadership trait inward the greatest leaders of the world. Some known globe leaders receive got had quite unlike traits. People amongst express education, express preparation as well as without good developed personality receive got proved to hold out bully leaders. History is total of such examples of leaders.
2. Traits are non absolutely essential for leadership : As per the theory, many traits are desirable inward the instance of leaders. However, none seems to hold out absolutely essential. Many leaders are extremely pop fifty-fifty without for certain useful traits.
3. Situational aspect is ignored : The theory fails to convey into consideration the province of affairs inside which the leaders receive got to function. There are instances inward which a leader is successful inward i province of affairs but may non hold out inward some other fifty-fifty when traits are same on both the occasions. For example, Winston Churchill was Prime Minister of England as well as was too state of war hero during the Second World War but was defeated inward the full general elections nether novel province of affairs i.e., afterwards the cease of World War II.
4. No reference to essential qualities : The theory fails to give the listing of essential qualities (innate as well as acquired) required for leadership purpose.
5. Superiority is non clearly stated : The theory states that a leader has superior personal traits every bit compared to his followers. However, the nature or extent of superiority is non given inward a clear manner.

8. Behavioural Approach Theory.

The behavioral approach theory is an extension of the traits theory as well as is superior inward for certain respects. The traits theory failed to explicate what caused effective leadership. The behavioral approach is based on the written report of behaviour of a leader.

Leadership grows/develops non past times traits but past times the acts or sense of a person. The behavioral theory is based on the supposition that leaders are non born but they develop gradually past times sense as well as maturity. The attending is given to what leaders practice (i.e., their behavior) rather than to what they are. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 leader learns novel traits through his sense (behavior or acts). The focus point, here, is on what the leader does piece leading.

This behavioral theory suggests that a leader practice non send inward the same fashion nether all situations. Similarly, his actions are non identical nether all situations which he faces. He adjusts his behaviour every bit per the demand of the situation. There is an chemical factor of flexibility inward his approach as well as behavior. He studies the province of affairs as well as adjust his leadership trend accordingly. He adopts unlike leadership styles to reckon the demand of unlike situations.

The most pop behavioral theories are:

1. Douglas McGregor's Theory 'X' as well as Theory 'Y', as well as
2. Dr. Rensis Likert's Four Management Systems.

The behavioral approach theory is practical inward nature. It gives to a greater extent than attending to acts as well as behaviour of a someone as well as non to the personal traits. Leadership develops past times sense as well as non past times inborn traits. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 leader has to acquire for certain qualities past times sense only.

Like the traits theory, the behavioral approach oversimplifies the complexities of the leadership process. However, the behavioral approach is responsible for the evolution of a classification of leadership styles which has provided managers suitable opportunities to secure greater insight into their ain behavior.

9. Contingency / Situational Approach Theory or Blanchard's Situational Leadership Theory.

Situational/Contingency Theory is a novel add-on to the existing theories of leadership. It is a combination of unlike leadership styles such every bit autocratic, democratic as well as then on. An ideal leader studies the overall prevailing situation, draws conclusions close the whole province of affairs as well as adopts the leadership trend which is most appropriate to the prevailing situation. He is non concerned amongst i specific leadership trend but volition job whatever trend every bit per the available situation. He is interested inward achieving his objectives as well as is willing to job suitable way for this purpose. Sometimes he may hold out democratic but may hold out autocratic on some other occasions. "Different strokes for unlike folks" is his leadership approach. He volition consider the grouping of employees (skilled, unskilled, supervisory, etc.) to hold out handled as well as adjust his leadership trend accordingly. He volition non job i leadership trend for controlling/motivating all categories of employees. On the other hand, he volition hold out democratic amongst some categories of employees as well as autocratic amongst the employees working at the other level. In other words, adjusting the leadership trend every bit per the demand of the province of affairs or every bit per the grouping of employees/subordinates to hold out handled is the essence of situational leadership style. In brief, he studies the province of affairs as well as adjust his leadership trend accordingly. He adopts a practical approach inward monastic tell to acquire his piece of work done i.e. achievement of organizational objectives. In brief, inward the situational leadership style, the leader adopts practical as well as flexible approach inward decision-making. This is the essence of situational/contingency theory or approach.

Contingency approach concludes that in that location is no "one best style" of leadership nether all conditions. Efficient leadership trend varies amongst situations as well as an efficient leader is i who studies the prevailing province of affairs as well as finds out the leadership trend which would hold out most suitable for the given situation. This is natural every bit a uncomplicated cookbook approach for selecting the best leadership trend does non exist. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 skillful leader has to written report the province of affairs as well as adjust his leadership trend accordingly. Here, the focus is on the province of affairs as well as non on the personal qualities as well as behaviour of a leader.

Situational leadership trend is flexible/adjustable as well as is ordinarily to a greater extent than effective every bit compared to other types of leadership. The situational theory of leadership was developed past times Hersey as well as Blanchrd at the Centre for Leadership Studies inward Ohio State University.

9.1 Important Features of Situational Leadership.

1. Situational leadership is novel add-on to the existing styles of leadership.
2. An ideal leader (according to this theory) studies the overall situation, draws conclusions as well as adopts the leadership trend which is most appropriate to the prevailing situation. This is the essence of situational leadership theory.
3. The best leadership trend according to this theory is situational.
4. An ideal leader is i who tin adjust his trend of functioning every bit per the province of affairs inside which he has to operate. This way the internal as well as external environs to the enterprise.
5. A leader may human activity every bit a dictator at i fourth dimension as well as too every bit a democratic leader on some other occasion. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 skillful leader is i who studies the province of affairs or then him as well as adopts the most suitable leadership style.
6. A situational leadership is a combination of all types of leadership.
7. A situational leader knows unlike leadership styles but selects i item style, which is most, appropriate to a given situation/environment.
8. A situational leader adopts flexible approach inward his trend of functioning. This makes his leadership effective as well as result-oriented. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 situational leader knows when to job autocratic trend as well as when to job democratic style. He makes corresponding adjustment inward his style. This makes him effective/successful every bit a leader.

The situational theory suggests that a manager's leadership trend should vary amongst the situation. This leadership model is uncomplicated as well as appealing. However, it ignores several other critical elements that create upward one's heed leadership trend as well as it does non receive got a broad accepted inquiry base. Inspite of the limitations, this leadership model achieved considerable popularity as well as too awakened many managers to the thought of contingency approaches to leadership style.

9.2 Merits of Situational Leadership.

1. The situational leadership theory is a practical i as well as is based on existent facts of life. The best leadership trend is situational.
2. The situational theory has universal acceptance.
3. It focuses attending non on the personality of the leader, but on the personality of the Organisation every bit a whole.
4. The situational leadership theory is flexible as well as adaptable. It tin operate inward whatever trend (autocratic, democratic, etc.) every bit per the demand of the situation.

9.3 Limitations of Situational Leadership.

1. In situational leadership, to a greater extent than importance is given to the province of affairs as well as less to personal traits. Leadership should involve both traits as well as situations. However, the theory gives importance to province of affairs only.
2. The theory offers an incomplete explanation of the leadership process.

10. Question Bank On Leadership.

1. What is leadership? Explain its functions.
2. Explain the importance of or role of leadership inward business.
3. State as well as explicate the qualities of a skillful leader.
4. "Best type of leadership is situational" Explain.
5. Write brusk notes on:
   • Blanchard’s situational leadership theory
   • Qualities of an ideal leader
   • Leadership is situational