Lider Shipp

Download as docx, pdf, or txt
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 5

Chapter One

Introduction to Leadership
1.1. Leadership Defined
Although many definitions of leadership could be cited, the most would depend on the
theoretical orientation taken. Besides influence, leadership has been defined in terms of group
processes, personality, and compliance particular behavior, persuasion, power, goal achievement,
and interaction, role differentiation, initiation of structure, and combination of two or more of
these (Bernard 1990) leaders has an ability to lead effectively. He is visionary and accomplishes
objective by using discretion (authority). It is generally seen that good leader achieves willing
obedience of their subordinates. They follow the leader unquestioned because he fulfills their
desires, wants and needs.

Leadership can be defined as influence, that is, the area or process of influencing people so that
they will strive willingly and enthusiastically towards achievement of group goals. Leadership
is the process of influencing others and the process of facilitating individual and collective
efforts to accomplish shared objectives. While almost everyone seems to agree that leadership
involves an influence process! Differences tend to center around whether leadership must be non
coercive (as opposed to using authority, rewards, and punishments to exert influence over
followers) and whether it is distinct from management. The latter issue has been a particularly
heated topic of debate in recent years, with most experts arguing that leadership and management
are different. We use a broad definition of leadership, one that can encompass all the current
approaches to the subject. Thus we define leadership as the ability to influence a group toward
the achievement of goals. The source of this influence may be formal, such as that provided by
the possession of managerial rank in an organization.

Since management positions come with some degree of formally designated authority, a person
may assume a leadership role simply because of the position he or she holds in the organization.
But not all leaders are managers; nor, for that matter, are all managers leaders. Just because an
organization provides its managers- with certain formal rights is no assurance they will be able to
lead effectively.

1.2. Leadership versus Management


Leadership and management are two terms that are often confused. What is the difference
between them? A key way of differentiating between the two is to argue that the role of
management is to promote stability or to enable the organization to run smoothly, whereas the
role of leadership is to promote adaptive or useful changes. Persons in managerial positions
could be involved with both management and leadership activities, or they could emphasize one
activity at the expense of the other. Both management and leadership are needed, however, and if
managers do not assume responsibility for both, then they should ensure that someone else
handles the neglected activity. The point is that when we discuss leadership, we do not assume it
is identical to management. John Kottler of the Harvard Business School argues that “managers
promote stability while leaders press for change and only organizations that embrace both sides
of the contradiction can survive in turbulent times. Professor Rabindra Kanungo at McGill
University sees a growing consensus emerging “among management scholars that the concept of
‘leadership’ must be distinguished from the concept of ‘supervision/management. Leaders
provide vision and strategy; managers implement that vision and strategy, coordinate and staff
the organization, and handle day-to-day problems.

1.2. Leadership from Management


Management
1. Engages in day-to-day caretaker activities: Maintains and allocates resources
2. Exhibits supervisory behavior: Acts to make others maintain standard job behavior
3. Administers subsystems within organizations
4. Asks how and when to engage in standard practice
5. Acts within established culture of the organization
6. Uses transactional influence: Induces compliance in manifest behavior using rewards,
sanctions, and formal authority
7. Relies on control strategies to get things done by subordinates
8. Status quo supporter and stabilizer

Leadership
1. Formulates long-term objectives for reforming the system: Plans strategy and tactics
2. Exhibits leading behavior: Acts to bring about change in others congruent with long term
objectives
3. Innovates for the entire organization
4. Asks what and why to change standard practice
5. Creates vision and meaning for the organization
6. Uses transformational influence: Induces change in values, attitudes, and behavior using
personal examples and expertise
7. Uses empowering strategies to make followers internalize values
8. Status quo challenger and change creator

Generally, Leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary systems of
action. Each has its own function and characteristic activities. Both are necessary for success in
an increasingly complex and volatile business environment. Management promotes stability,
order, and problem solving within existing organizational structure and systems; it brings order
and predictability to a situation. And it takes care of where you are. But, that’s no longer enough-
to succeed, companies must be able to adapt to change.
Leadership, then, is about learning how to cope with rapid change. Leadership promotes vision,
creativity, and change. And it takes you to a new place.

1.3. What makes an Effective leader?


For over a century scholars have attempted to identify the key characteristics that separate
leaders from non-leaders. Much of this work stressed traits.
Traits are distinguishing personal characteristics, such as intelligence, values, and appearance
that a leader possesses. Trait perspectives assume that traits play a central role in differentiating
between leaders and non-leaders in those leaders must have the “right stuff.” The great person-
trait approach reflects the attempt to use traits to separate leaders from non-leaders. This list of
possible traits identified only became longer as researchers focused on the leadership traits
linked to successful leadership and organizational performance.
Unfortunately, few of the same traits were identified across studies. Part of the problem was
inadequate theory, poor measurement of traits, and the confusion between managing and leading.
Key traits of leaders include ambition, motivation, honesty, self-confidence, and a high need for
achievement. They crave power not as an end in itself but as a means to achieve a vision or
desired goals. At the same time, they have to be emotionally mature enough to recognize their
own strengths and weaknesses, and oriented toward self improvement.
Furthermore, to be trusted, they must have authenticity; without trust, they cannot hope to
maintain the loyalty of their followers. Leaders are not easily discouraged and stick to a chosen
course of action as they push toward goal accomplishment. At the same time, they must be able
to deal with the large amount of information they receive on a regular basis. They do not need to
be brilliant, but usually exhibit above-average intelligence. In addition, leaders have a good
understanding of their social setting and possess extensive knowledge concerning their industry,
firm, and job. Even with these traits, however, the individual still needs to be engaged. To lead is
to influence others, and so we turn to the question of how a leader should act. The following
traits have positive implications for successful leadership.
Energy and adjustment or stress tolerance: Physical vitality and emotional resilience
Pro-social power motivation: A high need for power exercised primarily for the benefit of
others
Achievement orientation: Need for achievement, desire to excel, drive to success, willingness
to assume responsibility, concern for task objectives
Emotional maturity: Well-adjusted, does not suffer from severe psychological disorders
Self-confidence: General confidence in self and in the ability to perform the job of a leader
Integrity: Behavior consistent with espoused values; honest, ethical, trustworthy
Perseverance or tenacity: Ability to overcome obstacles; strength of will
Cognitive ability, intelligence, social intelligence: Ability to gather, integrate, and interpret
information; intelligence, understanding of social setting
Task-relevant knowledge: Knowledge about the company, industry, and technical aspects
Flexibility: Ability to respond appropriately to changes in the setting.
In addition to these, effective leaders have good Communication skills, ability to motivate
people, honesty, ability to listen, team-building expertise, analytical skills, and aggressiveness in
business.

1.4. Importance of Leadership for good governance


Governance was created out from the word govern, which means; to rule a country, to control or
direct the public affair of a city, control, influence something or somebody and to determine
something. Governance is the activity or manner of governing. On the other hand, leadership was
also created out from the word leader, which means, someone who shows people or something,
the way to follow, especially by going in the front, to hold and guiding someone or a group of
people to particular direction.
Taking cognizance of both words, it is obvious that they are pointing at the same thing, and that
is direction and leading. This means that, in leadership and governance, the followers look up to
the leader, hold him high esteem, trust him because he is the eyes with which they see.
Now, a good leader will not disappoint his followers, he must have the interest of his people at
heart, he must be passionate, feel the pains of the followers, hear the cry of the helpless and
come for help.
A good leader must be able to render selfless service and desist from selfishness, he must make
provision for training and empowering his people and encourage self employment, he must be
serious with issues that concerns the youths as they are the future leaders and should not look
down on the adults.
 At all costs, good governance and leadership promotes education/learning
 It helps to bring about unity, equal opportunity, right and justice
 It motivates members of the organization
Very important in the qualities of governance and leadership is passion.
Passion is the bearing of good governance and leadership, and without it, leadership is baseless
because a good leader must see him or herself as a servant, be always close to his or her
followers, feel their pains, put himself or herself in the shoes of his followers, give solution to
their problems and always guild them well.

You might also like