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Leadership Fundamentals Organizations: Behavior, Structure, Processes Chapter 11

Learning Objectives Define the term leadership Describe why managers prefer the situational leadership theory Discuss whether leaders are really needed in work settings Compare situational factors used in discussions of the contingency and path-goal approaches to leadership Identify assumptions made about followers of the path-goal and the leader-member exchange theories

What is Leadership? Leaders influence others to do what they might not do otherwise They are agents of change They encourage goal accomplishment Their acts influence others more than the acts of others influence them

Leadership Effectiveness Effective leaders may have to deal with the goals of… Individuals, groups, the organization Effectiveness is typically measured by goal accomplishment Acceptance of a leader’s directives rests largely on… Followers’ expectations that a favorable response leads to an attractive outcome

Framework for Studying Leadership Leader’s Behavior Leader’s Traits Task-oriented Person-oriented Initiating structure Consideration Transactional Transformational Effective Results Abilities Personality Motivation Production Quality Efficiency Flexibility Satisfaction Competitiveness Development Survival Situational Variables Followers’ needs Task structure Position power Leader-follower trust Group readiness

Trait Theory of Leadership Attempts to identify characteristics linked to leadership success Physical attributes Mental attributes Personality

Effective Leader Traits Personality Alertness Energy level Stress tolerance Self-confidence Emotional maturity Integrity Motivation Socialized power orientation Strong need for achievement Weak need for affiliation Persuasiveness Ability Interpersonal skill Cognitive skill Technical skill Supervisory ability

Behaviors of Effective Leaders Leadership behavior is studied by analyzing… What leaders do in relation to accomplishing the task (job centered) What they do to maintain the efforts of the people doing the task (employee centered)

Behaviors of Effective Leaders Effectiveness criteria Productivity per work hour, or similar measures Organization members’ job satisfaction Turnover, absenteeism, grievance rates Costs Scrap loss Employee and managerial motivation

Behavior Theories The job-centered leader Focuses on completing the task Uses close supervision and specified procedures Relies on coercion, reward, legitimate power to influence behavior and performance

Behavior Theories The employee-centered leader Focuses on the people doing the work Delegates decision making Is concerned with subordinates’ advancement, growth, achievement

Behavior Theories Initiating structure (job-centered) Organizes and defines group relationships Establishes well-defined patterns and channels of communication Spells out ways to get the job done Consideration (employee-centered) Friendship, mutual trust, respect, warmth, and rapport between the leader and followers

Behavior Theory Shortcomings Generally accepted shortcomings The linkage between leadership and organization performance indicators has not been conclusively resolved The role of environmental variables in leadership effectiveness is ignored Situational variables not considered

Situational Theories of Leadership These theories Suggest that leader effectiveness depends on the fit between personality, task, power, attitudes, and perceptions Advocate that leaders understand their own behavior, the behavior of their subordinates, and the situation before utilizing a particular leadership style Require the leader to have diagnostic skills in human behavior

Situational Theories: Key Factors Managers aware of the forces they face can modify their style to cope with them Forces within managers Forces in the subordinates Forces in the situation

Contingency Leadership Model Group performance is dependant on the interaction between Leadership style Situational favorableness

Contingency Leadership Model Leader styles Task-oriented leadership Relationship-oriented leadership Situational factors Leader-member relations Task structure Position power

Situation Favorableness Situational Characteristics I II III IV V VI VII VIII Situation Leader-member relations Task structure Position power Good Good Good Good Poor Poor Poor Poor High High Low Low High High Low Low Strong Weak Strong Weak Strong Weak Strong Weak Preferred leadership styles Task-motivated (Low LPC) Relationship-motivated (High LPC) Low LPC Very Favorable Very Unfavorable

Changing Situations to Fit Leaders Modify Leader-Member Relations Spend more (or less) informal time with subordinates Request particular people for your group Volunteer to direct difficult or troublesome subordinates Suggest or affect transfers of particular subordinates into or out of your unit Raise morale by obtaining positive outcomes for subordinates

Changing Situations to Fit Leaders Modify Task Structure To work with less structured tasks Ask the boss to give you new or unusual problems Bring problems and tasks to your group and ask members to contribute to planning and decision-making To work with highly structured tasks Ask for more structured tasks or more detailed instructions Break jobs into subtasks that can be more highly structured

Changing Situations to Fit Leaders Modify Position Power To raise your position power Fully exercise the powers that the organization provides Channel information through you To lower your position power Allow group members to participate in planning and decision-making Let assistants exercise more power

Path-Goal Leadership Model Leaders are effective because of their positive impact on followers’… Motivation Ability to perform Satisfaction This model focuses on how the leader influences followers’ perceptions of… Work goals Self-development goals Paths to goal attainment

Path-Goal Leadership Model Specifies four specific leader behaviors Directive Supportive Participative Achievement-oriented

Path-Goal Leadership Model Leader behavior is effective To the extent that subordinates perceive such behavior as a source of immediate or future satisfaction Leader behavior is motivational if it Makes satisfaction of subordinates’ needs contingent on effective performance Provides the guidance, clarity of direction, and rewards necessary for effective performance

Path-Goal Leadership Model Follower Characteristics Locus of control Experience Ability Leader Behavior Follower Outcomes Directive Supportive Participative Achievement- oriented Perceptions Motivation Satisfaction Performance Environmental Factors Tasks Formal authority Work group

Path-Goal Situational Factors Contingency variables Personal characteristics of subordinates Perceptions of ability Locus of control Environmental pressures and demands The tasks The formal authority of the organization The work group

Path-Goal Situational Factors A leader who reduces the uncertainties of the job is a motivator Increases subordinates’ expectations that effort leads to desirable rewards

Situational Leadership Model Emphasis is on followers and their level of maturity Leaders must judge followers’ maturity levels, then use appropriate leadership style Readiness is the ability and willingness of followers to take responsibility for directing their own behavior Job readiness Psychological readiness

Situational Leadership Model Hersey and Blanchard developed four leadership styles: Telling Selling Participating Delegating

Situational Leadership Model Degree of follower’s readiness to assume personal responsibility: R1 Unable Unwilling R2 Unable Willing R3 Able Unwilling R4 Able Willing S1 Telling: Instructing & supervising S2 Selling: Explaining & clarifying S3 Participating: Sharing & facilitating S4 Delegating: Coaching & assisting Leadership behavior appropriate to the situation

Leader-Member Exchange Theory There is no consistent leader behavior across subordinates Each relationship has a uniqueness One-on-one relationships determine subordinates’ behaviors Subordinates are classified into groups In-group members Out-group members

Learning Objectives In-Group Members Out-Group Members Share a common bond and value system Interact with the leader regularly Get more challenging assignments and more meaningful rewards Are more positive about the organization Have higher job performance and satisfaction Have less in common with the leader Have limited interaction with the leader Receive less challenging work and little positive reinforcement Become bored Often quit

Comparing Situational Approaches Model Leader Qualities Contingency Task- or relationship-oriented. The job should be engineered to fit the leader’s style. Path-Goal Can increase followers’ effectiveness by applying proper motivational techniques. Situational Leadership Must adapt style in terms of task and relationship behavior on the basis of followers. Leader-Member Exchange Must be adaptive, because there is no such thing as consistent leader behavior across subordinates

Comparing Situational Approaches Model Assumptions About Followers Contingency Prefer different leadership styles, depending on task structure, leader-member relations, and position power Path-Goal Have different needs that must be fulfilled with the help of a leader Situational Leadership Maturity (readiness) to take responsibility and ability influence the leadership style that is adopted Leader-Member Exchange Categorized as in-groups and out-groups

Comparing Situational Approaches Model Leader Effectiveness Contingency Determined by the interaction of the environment and personality factors Path-Goal Effective leaders are those who clarify for followers the paths or behaviors that are best Situational Leadership Effective leaders are able to adapt directing, coaching, supporting, and delegating style to fit the followers’ levels of maturity Leader-Member Exchange The perceptive leader is able to adapt his/her style to fit followers’ needs