100 Years of Leadership Research

Leadership defined

• If you get people to do something they are not inclined to do,

• OR• You get people to not do that which they’d

really rather do …..• THAT is what leadership is about. (Influence)

The “Type” Approach

• Great “Man” theory – leaders are born, not made

• Cultural Determinism – unusual social circumstances create conditions where ordinary people become great leaders

The “Trait” Approach

• Great leadership can be discovered by analyzing specific traits that great leaders possess, but followers do not

• Ralph Stogdill’s point – leaders, followers and context ALL matter when studying leadership

Behavioral Approach

• Rather than study what leaders are like, instead study what leaders DO when effective

• Ohio State studies reveal 2 basic behaviors demonstrated by effective leaders– Consideration– Initiating Structure

Contingency Models

• Fred Fiedler’s “Contingency Model” – leading is a function of LPC and 3 situation factors

– Task Structure– Leader-member relations– Leader position power

Critiques of THE “Contingency” model

• Model misses the core of leadership – the mutual influence of leader and follower in an exchange relationship

• Independent researchers fail to find the results Fiedler and his students obtained

The Contingency Model - Fixed

• Study leaders, followers, context

• Focus on influence

• Recognize leadership as a “temporary” role – managing is a job title, leading is a temporary assignment

Current models

• Path-goal Theory – leaders clarify paths to obtain goals valued by person and company

• Situation Leadership – leaders should shift conduct based on the situation they face

• Charismatic leadership – throwback to Types

Current models (continued)

• Transformation leadership – leadership happens when a top officer transforms the entire enterprise (MBO definition)

• Transactional Leadership – focus on social exchange between leader and follower

• A lot of writers use the word “leadership” too broadly, when there are other factors that matter for company-wide success

Mintzberg’s Mgmt Roleshttp://www.edu-article.blogspot.com/2012/10/mintzbergs-10-managerial-

roles.html

Summary/Conclusion

• Leadership is a temporary influence process

• People attribute too much causal effect to actions of top management

• Judging leadership by financial outcomes is a fool’s errand