Mod 4: Readings
Required
· Chapters 2, 3, & 4 in Leadership: Theory and Practice
Supplemental
· Drodge, E.N., & Murphy, S.A. (2002). Interrogating emotions in police leadership. Human Resource Development Review, 1, 420-438. Retrieved from.sagepub.com/northouse5e/study/articles/pdfs/2-Drodge_Article.pdf”>http://www.sagepub.com/northouse5e/study/articles/pdfs/2-Drodge_Article.pdf
· Martin, M.J., Aupperle, K.E., & Chen, R. (1996). Strategic leadership and skill usage by academic presidents. The Journal of Leadership Studies, 3(1), 139-150. Retrieved from.sagepub.com/northouse5e/study/articles/pdfs/3-Martin.pdf”>http://www.sagepub.com/northouse5e/study/articles/pdfs/3-Martin.pdf
I. Traits
An audio version of this entire lecture is available. You can listen by using the embedded player below. Or .blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-1688471-dt-content-rid-9353707_2/courses/SEU_MGT560/courseModules_winter2014d/MGT560_4/media/MGT560_Module2_Page1a.mp3″>CLICK HERE to download the file to your computer or portable audio player:
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Multiple theorists have studied how traits can impact leadership. Traits are those characteristics that are somewhat personality-driven. These can include such things as intelligence, integrity, sociability, and confidence. Of course, not all theorists have the same list of traits they feel are consistent with good leadership. However, you will notice that the ones just mentioned are all on a list of the most common traits amongst the theorists.
So, what does this mean? Well, what it means from a trait perspective is that the best leaders tend to have these traits. For example, if you looked at the best leaders within your organization, would you agree that they are intelligent? Are they social? Are they confident? Do they have integrity? If you answered yes to these questions, you are not alone. Many of the best leaders tend to have specific traits or characteristics in common. Does this mean that these characteristics are all that are needed to be a great leader? The answer to that question is no. In addition to common characteristics, leaders must also develop skills for leadership, and must also have a specific leadership style that works within the organizational setting.
II. Skills
In addition to having specific traits or characteristics that are common amongst great leaders, leaders must also develop specific skills in order to be successful. One such type of skill the leader must have is technical skill. Technical skill refers to proficiency in a specific area. Leaders must have technical skill in order to gain a following. An example of this would be the supervisor on an assembly line in a factory. If the supervisor of the assembly line did not know what the line did or how the people working on the line did their jobs, they would not have enough faith in his abilities to follow him. They would not trust his decision making ability, and the leader-follower relationship would not be successful.
Although the technical skill is important, it cannot be the overall determining factor in what makes a great leader. In one such case, an employee in the IT department within an organization was extremely good at what he did for a job. He was the network administrator, and he knew every component of the network very well. The network was running very smoothly, and he was extremely competent when it came to technical skills. So, as a reward for his great work in that position, he was promoted to a formal leadership position within the department. Although he had great technical skill, he did not succeed in the leadership role. He did not have many of the other necessary traits and skills necessary for such a position. Many times, people are promoted solely on the basis of their technical skill, only later to realize they are weak in some of the most vital components of successful leadership.
So, although technical skill is very important in leadership roles, it should not be the sole basis for making a decision on who becomes a leader. It is only one component of a good leader.
III. Styles
An audio version of this entire lecture is available. You can listen by using the embedded player below. Or .blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-1688471-dt-content-rid-9353707_2/courses/SEU_MGT560/courseModules_winter2014d/MGT560_4/media/MGT560_Module3_Page1a.mp3″>CLICK HERE to download the file to your computer or portable audio player:
The style approach to leadership talks about tasks and relationships and the balancing act between the two. Like the other approaches discussed in this module, relationship-oriented leaders are not more or less successful than task-oriented leaders. What leaders have to do is balance between task-orientation and relationship-orientation.
Of course, you are probably more dominant in either task or relationship orientation, and you should often play to your strengths. However, there are times when you will need to rely on your less dominant style, and that is why you must really work on improving your areas of where you are not as strong.
Have you ever had a leader who was very task-oriented? He or she would always want to know only about the tasks that got done, what got accomplished, how it got accomplished, and what the next thing to accomplish was? They were not concerned with the relationship aspects of the job. They never asked about you, your family, your interests, or your life. They simply wanted to know about the tangible tasks that were done in the department. Unfortunately, although tasks get accomplished, chances are that the leader is not very well respected by the followers.
On the other hand, have you ever had a leader that was all about the relationship he or she had with followers? That leader would not force the issue on tasks, deadlines, project management, or goals, because he or she did not want to sound pushy and risk losing the relationship with the followers. This happens sometimes when friends become boss and subordinate. The leader does not want to risk the friendship over tasks within the department, so tasks do not get done and deadlines to not get met.
Neither of these situations is good for leaders, followers, or organizations. That is why it is important to balance the tasks and the relationships. Of course, this is not easy, because usually people have one dominant style. However, it is necessary to really use both styles for a balanced leadership style for the good of the organization and the subordinates.
IV. Followers
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Of course leaders would not exist without followers. Just because you are in a formal leadership role does not mean that all of your subordinates will follow you. They may do what they have to in their job, but followers are actually supporters of the leader, which may not be the case in formal leadership roles.
For those informal leaders, followership is very important. They do not have the formal power to exert to get something done. They have to rely on their traits and skills to try to influence followers. Additionally, if the followers do not agree with the leader, they can choose to not follow that leader in an informal leadership setting. People were not required by job duty to follow Martin Luther King, Jr., but they did because they believed in him and what he stood for.
It is important for leaders to always keep in mind that they would not be leaders, either formal or informal, if they did not have followers. Followers deserve respect, encouragement, and support in their roles as followers, and it is up to the leader to ensure the followers understand how much they are appreciated in both formal and informal leadership settings.
Assignment 4
Leadership
Based solely on past knowledge and education, describe what you feel your personal leadership style is in a one-page essay. Make sure to discuss the setting in which you can apply this style. Explain how you feel you adopted this leadership style, how you feel it has helped or hindered you as a leader, and what you hope to develop in terms of leadership skills.
Submit a Word document with your answers written as an essay using Saudi Electronic University academic writing standards and APA style guidelines, citing references as appropriate.
It is strongly encouraged that you submit all assignments to the Turnitin Originality Check prior to submitting it to your instructor for grading. If you are unsure how to submit an assignment to the Originality Check tool, please review the.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-1699812-dt-content-rid-9370014_4/xid-9370014_4″>TurnItIn Originality Check Student Guidefor step-by-step instructions.
