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Introduction
Good leaders are made not born. If you have the desire and willpower, you
can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never-
ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience. Our todays
presentation will help you understand this.
To inspire your people into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things
you must be, know, and, do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired
through continual work and study. The best leaders are continually working
and studying to improve their leadership skills.
Bass' (1) theory of leadership states that there are three basic ways to
explain how people become leaders. The first two explain the leadership
development for a small number of people. These theories are:
Some personality traits may lead people naturally into leadership roles.
This is the Trait Theory.
A crisis or important event may cause a person to rise to the occasion,
which brings out extraordinary leadership qualities in an ordinary person.
This is the Great Events Theory.
People can choose to become leaders. People can learn leadership skills.
This is the Transformational Leadership Theory. It is the most widely
accepted theory today and the premise on which this guide is based.
There are several different leadership styles that can be identified within each of the
following Management techniques. Each technique has its own set of good and not-so-
good characteristics, and each uses leadership in a different way.
The Autocrat
The Laissez-Faire Manager
The Democrat
References
The Autocrat
There are, however, some instances where an autocratic style of leadership may not be
inappropriate. Some situations may call for urgent action, and in these cases an autocratic
style of leadership may be best. In addition, most people are familiar with autocratic
leadership and therefore have less trouble adopting that style. Furthermore, in some
situations, sub-ordinates may actually prefer an autocratic style.
The Laissez-Faire manager exercises little control over his group, leaving them to sort out
their roles and tackle their work, without participating in this process himself. In general,
this approach leaves the team floundering with little direction or motivation.
Again, there are situations where the Laissez-Faire approach can be effective. The
Laissez-Faire technique is usually only appropriate when leading a team of highly
motivated and skilled people, who have produced excellent work in the past. Once a
leader has established that his team is confident, capable and motivated, it is often best to
step back and let them get on with the task, since interfering can generate resentment and
detract from their effectiveness. By handing over ownership, a leader can empower his
group to achieve their goals.
The Democrat
The democratic leader makes decisions by consulting his team, whilst still maintaining
control of the group. The democratic leader allows his team to decide how the task will
be tackled and who will perform which task.
A good democratic leader encourages participation and delegates wisely, but never loses
sight of the fact that he bears the crucial responsibility of leadership. He values group
discussion and input from his team and can be seen as drawing from a pool of his team
members' strong points in order to obtain the best performance from his team. He
motivates his team by empowering them to direct themselves, and guides them with a
loose reign.
However, the democrat can also be seen as being so unsure of himself and his
relationship with his sub-ordinates that everything is a matter for group discussion and
decision. Clearly, this type of "leader" is not really leading at all.
References
This Factsheet takes a close look at the concept of leadership. It will give leaders who volunteered,
were elected or appointed, a number of guidelines to help them effectively lead their groups.
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Leadership is a process that helps a group to achieve its goals. Leaders and group members can
mutually influence each other's ideas.
"The person who exhibits leadership is ... someone that makes things happen that
would not happen otherwise."
(A.D. Edwards and D. Jones)
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Teamwork
Visioning
Passion
Holder of Values
Creativity - Leaders think outside the box. They are not afraid to try solutions that are new or different.
Intellectual Drive and Knowledge - Leaders are perpetual students of their craft. They read, they learn,
and they get ideas from others.
Confidence and Humility - Leaders have confidence that their vision is correct, yet they are humble
enough to accept better ideas from other people.
Communicator - Leaders speak and write in ways that encourage others to follow.
Interpersonal Skills
To answer this question, I believe, one should ask, " Who wants me to be a leader?" "Am
I supposed to be a leader?" "If I have qualities of a leader then, why I am not a leader?"
Although most leaders use all three styles, one of them becomes the dominate
one.
Some people think that this style includes yelling, using demeaning language,
and leading by threats and abuse of power. This is not the authoritarian style...it
is an abusive, unprofessional style of leadership.
However, if you have the time and you want to gain more commitment and
motivation from your employee, then you should use the participative style.
Participative (democratic)
This type of style involves the leader including one or more employees in on the
decision making process (determining what to do and how to do it). However, the
leader maintains the final decision making authority. Using this style is not a sign
of weakness, it is a sign of strength that your employees will respect.
This is normally used when you have some of the information, and your
employees have some of the information. This allows them to become part of the
team and allows you to make a better decision.
NOTE: Also known as lais·sez faire (or lais·ser faire) which is the noninterference
in the affairs of others. [French : laissez, second person pl. imperative of laisser,
to let, allow + faire, to do.]
Also note that a leader is not strictly one or another, but is somewhere on a
continuum ranging from extremely positive to extremely negative. Leaders who
continuously work out of the negative are bosses while those who primarily work
out of the positive are real leaders.
Difference b\w leaders and managers
What is leadership, and what is the difference between leadership and management? This
article considers the basic difference between the two. We have many other articles at our
website on leadership, which you can find by using the navigation menus above or by
searching our site.
• Leadership is setting a new direction or vision for a group that they follow, ie: a
leader is the spearhead for that new direction
Also, the absence of leadership should not be confused with the type of leadership that
calls for 'no action' to be taken. For example, Gandhi's calls for protests to stop
demonstrated great leadership, because taking no action was a new direction for the
Indian people at that time.
Symbolic Leadership
When a leader acts as a figure-head without setting any direction, technically this is not
leadership. However, the figure head may be viewed as a leader. For example, in the UK,
the monarch is often viewed as a leader, but actually provides very little leadership (most
of the 'leadership' in the UK comes from political figures).
However, if a new group sets a direction of its own accord, it will often express that new
direction in the form of a leader. For example, Nelson Mandela was regarded as a great
leader even though he was in prison and unable to communicate with his followers! And
he had been historically classified as a "terrorist"! Yet his symbolic power grew across
the world. This was because he was a symbolic spearhead of the anti-apartheid
movement.
However, Nelson Mandela was more than just a symbolic leader. When he was released
from prison, he showed great leadership in the statesmanship he showed, and in reaching
out a hand of friendship to his oppressors. This landed a double-whammy blow against
the apartheid regime, because:
• During the period when Nelson Mandela was imprisoned (when his ability to
provide personal, direct leadership was limited) he continued to grow in power
and influence as the symbolic leader for the anti-apartheid movement.
• Following his release from prison, he demonstrated actual leadership.
Leadership is about setting a new direction for a group; management is about directing
and controlling according to established principles. However, someone can be a symbolic
leader if they emerge as the spearhead of a direction the group sets for itself.
In summary
This table summarizes the above (and more) and gives a sense of the differences between
being a leader and being a manager. This is, of course, an illustrative characterization,
and there is a whole spectrum between either ends of these scales along which each role
can range. And many people lead and manage at the same time, and so may display a
combination of behaviors.
Subject Leader Manager
Essence Change Stability
Focus Leading people Managing work
Have Followers Subordinates
Horizon Long-term Short-term
Seeks Vision Objectives
Approach Sets direction Plans detail
Decision Facilitates Makes
Power Personal charisma Formal authority
Appeal to Heart Head
Energy Passion Control
Dynamic Proactive Reactive
Persuasion Sell Tell
Style Transformational Transactional
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leadership.htm> ership.htm>
Exchange Excitement for work Money for work
Likes Striving Action
Wants Achievement Results
Risk Takes Minimizes
Rules Breaks Makes
Conflict Uses Avoids
Direction New roads Existing roads
Truth Seeks Establishes
Concern What is right Being right
Credit Gives Takes
Blame Takes Blames
Leadership is just one of the many assets a successful manager must possess. Care must
be taken in distinguishing between the two concepts. The main aim of a manager is to
maximise the output of the organisation through administrative implementation. To
achieve this, managers must undertake the following functions:
• organisation
• planning
• staffing
• directing
• controlling
Leadership is just one important component of the directing function. A manager cannot
just be a leader, he also needs formal authority to be effective. "For any quality initiative
to take hold, senior management must be involved and act as a role model. This
involvement cannot be delegated." [1]
In some circumstances, leadership is not required. For example, self motivated groups
may not require a single leader and may find leaders dominating. The fact that a leader is
not always required proves that leadership is just an asset and is not essential.
Differences In Perspectives
Managers think incrementally, whilst leaders think radically. "Managers do things right,
while leaders do the right thing." [2]. This means that managers do things by the book
and follow company policy, while leaders follow their own intuition, which may in turn
be of more benefit to the company. A leader is more emotional than a manager . "Men
are governed by their emotions rather than their intelligence" [3]. This quotation
illustrates why teams choose to follow leaders.
"Leaders stand out by being different. They question assumption and are suspicious of
tradition. They seek out the truth and make decisions based on fact, not prejudice. They
have a preference for innovation." [4]
Subordinate As A Leader
Often with small groups, it is not the manager who emerges as the leader. In many cases
it is a subordinate member with specific talents who leads the group in a certain direction.
"Leaders must let vision, strategies, goals, and values be the guide-post for action and
behaviour rather than attempting to control others." [5]
When a natural leader emerges in a group containing a manager, conflict may arise if
they have different views. When a manager sees the group looking towards someone else
for leadership he may feel his authority is being questioned.
Loyalty
Groups are often more loyal to a leader than a manager. This loyalty is created by the
leader taking responsibility in areas such as:
"The leader must take a point of highlighting the successes within a team, using charts or
graphs, with little presentations and fun ideas" [6]
"Leaders are observant and sensitive people. They know their team and develop mutual
confidence within it." [7]
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The Leader Is Followed. The Manager Rules
A leader is someone who people naturally follow through their own choice, whereas a
manager must be obeyed. A manager may only have obtained his position of authority
through time and loyalty given to the company, not as a result of his leadership qualities.
A leader may have no organisational skills, but his vision unites people behind him.
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Management usually consists of people who are experienced in their field, and who have
worked their way up the company. A manager knows how each layer of the system works
and may also possess a good technical knowledge. A leader can be a new arrival to a
company who has bold, fresh, new ideas but might not have experience or wisdom.
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Conclusion
Managing and leading are two different ways of organising people. The manager uses a
formal, rational method whilst the leader uses passion and stirs emotions. William
Wallace is one excellent example of a brilliant leader but could never be thought of as the
manager of the Scots!
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References
[2] Richard Pascale, ‘ Managing on the Edge’, Penguin Book, pp 65, 1990
[3] John Fenton, ‘ 101 Ways to Boost Your Business Performance’, Mandarin Business,
pp 113, 1990
[4] John Fenton, ‘ 101 Ways to Boost Your Business Performance’, Mandarin Business,
pp 113, 1990
[5] Daniel. F. Predpall, ‘Developing Quality Improvement Processes In Consulting
Engineering Firms’, Journal of Management in Engineering, pp 30-31, May-June 1994
[6] John Fenton, ‘ 101 Ways to Boost Your Business Performance’, Mandarin Business,
pp 114, 1990
[7] John Fenton, ‘101 Ways to Boost Your Business Performance’, Mandarin Business,
pp 113, 1990