1. Topic 6
LEADER TRAITS AND SKILLS

2. Nature of Traits and Skills
Trait – Variety of individual attributes, including aspects of personality, temperament, needs, motives and values
Skill – The ability to do something in an effective manner

3. Research on Leader Traits and Skills Stogdill’s Review of the Research

4. Universal Theory of Leadership
Certain leadership traits are universally important; that is, they apply in all situations

5. Do Traits Matter?
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, “great man” leadership theories were highly popular
In the 20th century, the great man theories evolved into trait theories
Evidence indicates that there are certain core traits which significantly contribute to business leaders’ success
Traits alone, however, are not sufficient for successful business leadership – they are only a precondition .

6. Six Traits Corresponding to Leadership
Drive
Motivation
to Lead
Knowledge
of the
Business
Honesty and
Integrity
Cognitive
Ability
Self-confidence

7. Other Traits Charisma Creativity/ Flexibility Originality
The following traits may have a less significant or measurable impact on leadership:
Charisma
Creativity/
Originality
Flexibility

8. Figure 2-1 General Personality Traits of Effective Leaders

9. Trait Approach Strengths Limitations
Serves as a guide to leader selection
Can guide individuals in preparing for leadership responsibility
Limitations
Does not identify which characteristics are absolutely needed
Does not specify how much of a trait or characteristic is needed
Can breed an elitist conception of leadership

10. Nature versus Nurture Are leaders born or are they made? Both.
Individuals inherit a basic capacity to develop personality traits and mental ability that sets an outer limit on how extensively these traits can be developed
Environmental influences, in turn, determine how much of an individual’s potential will be developed

11. Cognitive Factors
Cognition refers to the mental process or faculty by which knowledge is gathered
Leaders must have problem-solving and intellectual skills to effectively gather, process, and store essential information
Six cognitive factors related to leadership effectiveness have been identified

12. Cognitive Factors and Leadership

13. The WICS Model of Leadership in Organizations
This model of leadership encompasses and synthesizes
wisdom
intelligence, and
creativity
to explain leadership effectiveness

14. The WICS Model (cont’d)
According to the WICS model, a leader needs the following for the successful utilization of intelligence:
Creative skills to generate new ideas
Analytical skills to evaluate whether the ideas are good ones
Practical skills to implement the ideas and to persuade others of their value.

15. Three-Factor Taxonomy of Skills

16. Skills and Effectiveness
Technical Skills – Include knowledge about methods, processes, and equipment for conducting the specialized activities of the manager’s organizational unit
Conceptual Skills – Involve good judgment, foresight, intuition, creativity, and the ability to find meaning and order in ambiguous, uncertain event
Interpersonal Skills – Include knowledge about human behavior and group processes, ability to understand the feelings, attitudes, and motives of others, and ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.

17. Communication
The systems view of communication depicts a process of :Intention-Expression-Reception-Interpretation-Feedback. Specific practices to improve communication include the following:
(a) Know what your purpose is;
(b) Choose an appropriate context and medium;
(c) Send clear signals;
(d) Actively ensure others understand the message.

18. Listening
An integral part of good communication, listening is considered separately for emphasis. Active listening skills include:
(a) Demonstrate the nonverbal signals
associated with active listening;
(b) Actively interpret the sender’s message;
(c) Be aware of the sender’s nonverbal
behavior;
(d) Avoid becoming defensive.

19. Assertiveness
Assertiveness is a skill where one is able to stand up for one’s own rights but also recognize the rights of others. In dealing with conflict, assertiveness is distinct from acquiescence (giving in) and aggression (attacking to hurt others and/or protect oneself).

20. Abilene Paradox
The Abilene Paradox describes a “groupthink” type of situation where assertiveness is needed. To behave more assertively , one should:
(a) Speak for what you need;
(b) Learn to say No;
(c) Monitor your inner dialogue for
counterproductive self-talk;
(d) Be persistent.

21. Giving Constructive Feedback to Others
(a) Make it helpful;
(b) Be specific;
(c) Be descriptive;
(d) Be timely;
(e) Be flexible;
(f) Give positive as well as negative feedback;
(g) Avoid blame or embarrassment.

22. Guidelines for Effective Stress Management
Stress is the process by which one appraises and responds to challenging or threatening events. Stressors are the factors in individuals, tasks, organizations, or the environment which threaten or challenge. The leader’s role can be stressful, and leaders can increase their followers’ stress level or take action to help them cope. An individual’s optimal level of stress can facilitate performance, while excessive stress reduces job performance and affects physical and emotional well-being.

23. Building Technical Competence
Technical competence is the knowledge and expertise a person brings to bear to successfully complete a task. Followers need technical competence because it often determines performance (and the appraisal of performance), gives expert power, and may bring the follower into the leader’s in-group. Leaders need technical competence because it relates to managerial advancement, helps in training followers, reduces role ambiguity and conflict in the group, and stimulates follower problem-solving, thus increasing motivation and organizational climate.

24. Building Effective Relationships with Superiors
Important for less conflict, greater support, more satisfaction, higher ratings, and because the success of followers and leaders is interdependent:
Understanding the Superior’s World: Know the superior’s personal and organizational goals, recognize their strengths and weaknesses, and keep then informed.
Adapting to the Superior’s Style: Clarify expectations, initiate discussion, and be honest and dependable.

25. Building Effective Relationships with Peers
Workers are typically interdependent and must often “influence without authority.”
Recognizing Common Interests and Goals:Acknowledging shared aspirations, expectations, and values can be facilitated by forging informal communication links and socializing with people outside the work context.
Understanding Peers’ Tasks, Problems, and Rewards: One can learn others’ tasks by helping with problems, and can better understand positive and negative behaviors by considering reinforcing factors.
Practicing a Theory Y Attitude: Assuming the best on others helps bring out the best and encourages them to look at you in the same light.

26. Setting Goals
Goals and action plans are vital for people at work together:
Goals Should be Specific and Observable: God goals are specific, not general; focus on observable behavior; and should be time-limited.
Goals Should be Attainable But Challenging: Good goals are difficult but realistic.
Goals Require Commitment: For goals to be meaningful, they must have followers’ acceptance and commitment. Participation in goal setting increases acceptance and satisfaction; it may increase commitment and performance, but not above the level f a goal assigned by a competent leader.
Goals require Feedback: Goals can best affect behavior if regular, performance-based feedback is provided.

27. Conducting Meetings
Meetings are a necessary but costly reality of organizational life. Seven helpful tips for organizing and running good meetings are:
(a) Ensure a meeting is necessary; (b) List objectives and develop an agenda; Distribute in advance; (c) Provide support materials well ahead of meeting; (d) Pick a convenient time and place; (e) Stay with the agenda; (f) Manage participation of group members; (g) Record minutes for a future record of the meeting.

28. Delegating
Passing responsibility and authority from the leader to a follower for completing tasks or engaging in activities; leaders who delegate skillfully have more satisfied and higher performing groups.

29. Why Delegating is Important
It frees time for other activities.
Facilitates follower development in problem solving, decision making, etc.
Strengthens the organization by increasing motivation, satisfaction, development, and innovation.

30. Common Reasons for Avoiding Delegation
It takes too much time- does cost in the short term but saves in the long term if a recurring task
Is risky- some loss of control, but requires leader to set expectations, provide training, and monitor status
Job will not be done as well- again a cost in the short term, but necessary for development
Task is a desirable one- important to convey trust
Others are already too busy- requires reviewing tasks and priorities

31. Principles of Effective Delegation
Decide what to delegate based on analysis of activities and time spent
Decide whom to delegate to based on matching opportunities with individual needs, skills, and goals
Make the assignment in clear and specific terms for someone who has never done it before
Assign an objective (what to do), not a procedure (how to do it)
Allow autonomy but monitor performance
Five authority to do the job; then give credit if things go well, not blame if they go wrong

32. Managing Conflict
Conflict is a fact of organizational life, and negotiation and resolving conflict are important leadership skills
What is conflict? Conflict occurs when two parties have incompatible interests or goals. Conflict is more difficult with bigger issues, when people are personally invested in the problem, when hidden agendas exist, if it is a win-lose or zero sum situation, or if parties see the conflict as unresolvable.

33. Managing Conflict
Is Conflict Always Bad? Conflict may stimulate innovation and productivity but can also negatively influence organizational climate and turnover.
Conflict Resolution Strategies: Five approaches are described based on two independent dimensions – seeking to satisfy the other party’s concerns (cooperativeness) or one’s own concerns (assertiveness): Avoidance (low, low, on the two dimensions, respectively), Accommodation (high,low), Competition (low, high), Compromise (moderate, moderate) and Collaboration (high, high).
There are relative advantages and disadvantages to each approach, and situations where each is appropriate.

34. Five General Approaches to Managing Conflict
1. Competition- reflects a desire to achieve one’s own ends at the expense of someone else. This is domination, also known as a win-lose orientation.
2. Accommodation- reflects a mirror-image of competition, entirely giving in to someone else’s concerns without making any effort to achieve one’s own ends. This is a tactic if appeasement.

35. Five General Approaches to Managing Conflict
3. Sharing- is an approach that represents a compromise between domination and appeasement. Both parties give up something; yet both parties get something. Both parties are moderately, but incompletely, satisfied.
4. Collaboration- reflects an effort to fully satisfy both parties. This is a problem-solving approach that requires the integration of each party’s concerns.

36. Five General Approaches to Managing Conflict
5. Avoidance- involves indifference to the concerns of both parties. It reflects a withdrawal from or neglect of any party’s interests.

37. Negotiation
Leaders can use negotiation to help resolve conflicts between others. Some useful suggestions include:
Take the time to prepare for the session
Separate people from problems
Focus on people’s basic interests, not just their initial positions
Seek win-win outcomes

38. Providing Online Leadership
Challenges of Online Leadership
Communication
Choosing the right words, structure, tone, and style for digital communications.
Performance management
Defining, facilitating, and encouraging performance.
Trust
Creating a culture where trust among all participants is expected, encouraged, and required,

39. Empowering Employees Empowerment
Involves increasing the decision-making discretion of workers such that teams can make key operating decisions in develop budgets, scheduling workloads, controlling inventories, and solving quality problems.
Why empower employees?
Quicker responses problems and faster decisions.
Addresses the problem of increased spans of control in relieving managers to work on other problems.