Leadership Status Power

AGENDA Leadership Leadership exercise Leadership Styles: The good, the bad, and the ugly! The importance of using an effective leadership style The key elements for motivating teams Steps to improving leadership in organizations Theories concerning leadership skills

“The successful organization has one major attribute that sets it apart from unsuccessful organizations: dynamic and effective leadership.” P. Hersey and K. Blanchard

Leadership Groups/teams need effective leadership Effective leaders perform combinations of the task and maintenance roles and demonstrate role versatility Designated leader – person given the authority Achieved leader –effective leadership without being appointed

Leadership Defined Leadership is the ability to influence others, either positively or negatively. Positive: facilitation of task accomplishment Negative: task accomplishment inhibited. Leaders emerge naturally appointed/hired for the position, or task. The key role for the leader is setting the context, or the environment

Management vs. Leadership focused on the control of existing operations/functions Leadership strategic and visionary The primary role of the leader, is to guide the team towards a future, strategically defined goals and objectives.

Theories of Leadership Trait theory – leaders are people who were born to lead Special built-in, identifiable leadership traits Functional theory – several group members should be ready Any task or maintenance activity can be considered leadership

Situational Leadership A theory that stipulates that leadership is situation dependent. The leadership style used is dependent upon the needs of the team, the individual, or in response to a particular problem. Can be affected by the nature of the problem, social climate, personalities of group members, size of the group, and time available to accomplish the task Adapting leadership style to the need of the group. Requires the ability to accurately assess the situation and react appropriately. This style of leadership employs the type Y, autocratic/controller, laissez-faire, democratic leadership styles as they are perceived to be needed by the team, or individual members.

Group Exercise Split into four equal teams The team process is important to this exercise, so everyone must participate. Follow the instructions of your leader carefully. Using the provided Tinker Toy sets, your team will have five minutes to build something that works…does something…has a purpose.

Leadership Exercise What happened in your groups? Was the leadership effective? Why/Why not? What characteristics did the leader of your group display? What would have worked better? How did the leadership style impact the end result?

Leadership Styles Autocratic/controller Laissez-faire Democratic leadership Type X The Performer Type Y The Transformer

Autocratic/Controller Leader Controls ALL aspects of the process to ensure end result is predictable. Individual team member assignments can be limited, or specific in nature Team needs are secondary to the leader’s needs. Responsibility is not shared. Decisions are made by the leader only. Motivation is through fear or intimidation Highly productive team, but when leader is away, no work occurs Sabotage could occur with this type of group Teams with autocratic/controlling leaders are often more aggressive, or apathetic (depending on the group) Generals/Admirals in the armed forces must be controllers to win wars Size of group might require this leadership style

Laissez-faire Leader Complete freedom for group or individual decision; minimum of leader participation Leader supplies various materials, making it clear that information will be supplied only when asked by the group, or its members Compete nonparticipation of leader Leader makes infrequent, spontaneous comments on member activities unless questioned; makes no attempt to appraise or regulate course of events Often uses “hallway delegation” to assign tasks Teams with this type of leader are less satisfied with the group as a whole, and what is produced as a result of their work

Democratic Leader Democratic process where all participants have equal voice. Information is freely shared. Authority is delegated and responsibility is shared by all members. Individual team assignments are often complex, giving the team member a feeling of contribution to the team goal. When the leader is away, work continues to occur. Best in small group situation where collaborative work is allowed and time is available Teams with this style of leader report more satisfaction with the process and task. Team work is more functional and positive in nature. Each person feels productive and part of the success of the team

Leadership Styles Quiz The assumption we make about how people work together influences the type of leadership style we will adopt. The next slide will list eight assumptions that a leader might make about how and why people work. Choose the four with which you are most comfortable.

2. The average group member views work as a natural activity. 1. The average group member will avoid working if he/she can do so. 2. The average group member views work as a natural activity. 3. The typical group member must be forced to work and must be closely supervised. The typical group member is self-directed when it comes to meeting performance standards and realizing group objectives. A group member should be threatened with punishment to get him/her to put forth an adequate effort. A group member’s commitment to objectives is related not to punishment, but to rewards. The average person prefers to avoid responsibity and would rather be led. The average person not only can learn to accept responsibility, but actually seeks responsibility.

So…what’s the difference? If you picked the odd-numbered items in the previous list, you represent the type X leader If you picked the even-numbered items in the previous list, you represent the type Y leader So…what’s the difference?

Leadership Styles Type X - “The Performer” –a “transactional” leader who does not trust group members, and are not concerned with their personal achievement Type Y - “The Transformer” – more of a risk taker, more trusting of the group, and is concerned with their personal achievement

Type X Leader A leader who does not trust team members to work and is unconcerned with the personal achievement of team members. Does ALL of the work because no one else can do it as fast, or as well as him/her No confidence in the ability of the group. Only concerned with their own grade, or evaluation and not willing to have that compromised by group failure to perform. The group lacks confidence, since the leader communicates to them their lack of ability to perform up to standard. Reactive leadership that often responds to problems in a punitive manner Emergency situations require performers

Type Y Leader A leader who displays trust in team members and is concerned with their sense of personal achievement. Transformational leaders: are more of a risk taker more trusting of the group, and are concerned with each person’s personal achievement Proactive-not reactive Charismatic leadership that inspires exceptional performance

Task Leadership A group leader has the responsibility to keep the members on-task. Initiating: Generating ideas to solve problems Coordinating: Communicative behavior that helps a group explore the contributions of each member and the value of those contributions to the whole. Summarizing: The ability to make long explanations precise, and reduce group uncertainty concerning the problem and its solution. Elaborating: Exploring ideas that are presented to their fullest.  

  Process Leadership Tension release: Knowing when to work, and when to take a break Gate keeping: Coordinating the discussion to ensure all members can express their views. Encouraging: Recognizing individual contributions Mediating: Managing conflict and keeping it issue oriented, rather than person-oriented.  

Does Leadership Style Really Make a Difference? Superman style outdated Today’s leader leads a team decisions collectively common good of organization is key

Eastern Philosophy of Leadership “The wicked leader is he who the people despise. The good leader is he who the people revere. The great leader is he who the people say ‘We did it ourselves.!’”

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AGENDA Review: Leadership Status Power Trust Primary/Secondary Tension Improving group communication

Leadership What did you learn last session about leadership? Why is having an effective leader important to a group, or an organization? What are the theories associated with leadership? Why are these important to understand?

Leadership Defined Leadership is the ability to influence others, either positively or negatively. Positive: facilitation of task accomplishment Negative: task accomplishment inhibited. Leaders emerge naturally appointed/hired for the position, or task. The key role for the leader is setting the context, or the environment

Management vs. Leadership focused on the control of existing operations/functions Leadership strategic and visionary The primary role of the leader, is to guide the team towards a future, strategically defined goals and objectives.

Status Status is an individual’s importance to the group High Status Low Status Status Achievers Status Seekers

High Status Shown more deference Are listened to more often Asked for advice more often Rewarded with greater share of goods Bigger car/office/salary Receive more recognition for contributions High Status group members talk more often to other high status members/total group Are more likely to have a leadership role-person with the highest status is usually the leader Have more influence on the process than low status members

Low Status Direct conversation to high status, not low status group members. Communicate more positive messages to high status members More likely to complain about the task they have been assigned (victim mentality) Are more likely to have comments ignored Communicate more irrelevant information

Power Bases Legitimate Power Referent Power Expert Power Reward Power Those elected/chosen Referent Power Those we allow to have power because we admire them Expert Power Those with knowledge/experience Reward Power Those able to reward other’s performance (grades) Coercive Power Those able to use threats/blackmail

Power/Status and Gender Do men and women have different power bases in our society? How does culture impact the issue of power/status and gender?

Trust Trust must be earned Trust develops when you can predict how another will behave under certain circumstances-and they do as expected Trust is always a gamble Previous experiences in small group settings will influence how you are able to trust others to do tasks as agreed

Self Disclosure The deliberate communication of information about yourself to others. Should be appropriate for the time, setting and people in the group It is a function of an ongoing relationship It is reciprocal

Levels of Self Disclosure Level 5: Cliché Communication “Hi, how are you” Level 4: Facts/biographical information Non threatening information Level 3: Personal attitudes/fears – Where you agree and disagree concerning topics Level 2: Personal feelings Feelings concerning yourself and others Can make you more vulnerable Level 1: Peak Communication Closest friends and family only Requires time and trust

Primary Tension The social unease and stiffness that accompanies getting acquainted. Speaking is more soft and extremely polite Long pauses are common

Secondary Tension Usually establishes group norms, or patterns of behavior that occur without discussion Arises from the differences of opinion that occur naturally in the small group process Personality differences Disagreements Power struggles

Improve Group/Team Communication Encourage an open, supportive environment Contributions and communication from all members Establish a cooperative climate Coordination, not manipulation Be ready to perform needed leadership and membership roles Task roles present and accounted for Maintenance roles effectively carried out Negative, individual, self-centered roles deemphasized Encourage continual improvement Develop insights needed to facilitate more effective interaction

Status and Power: Only the Strong Survive Response #2 Status and Power: Only the Strong Survive You are to discuss how power and status impact the group process. Use personal experiences to describe the manner in which each has had a positive, and/or negative impact on group work. How do you rate in status and power? Remember, the response sheet must be typed, using a font no larger than 12 pt, and margins set at 1”. The default setting is usually fine. Use single spaced paragraphs. Your response should have a title, and introduction, body, and conclusion. A MINIMUM OF FOUR QUOTES FROM YOUR TEXT IS REQUIRED. DUE IN ONE WEEK

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