Types of Leadership: Autocratic Eclectic (Situational) Laissez-Faire Unknown
Types of Leadership: Autocratic Eclectic (Situational) Laissez-Faire Unknown
Types of Leadership: Autocratic Eclectic (Situational) Laissez-Faire Unknown
Autocratic
Eclectic (situational)
Laissez-faire
Unknown
Leadership Defined
Leadership is the ability and the willingness
Warren Bennis
WHY LEADERS CANT
LEAD
Research Approaches to
Leadership
Four distinct approaches:
Trait approach
Emphasizes the personal attributes of the leader
Assumes that some are born with elusive traits
Behavior approach
Examines the nature of managerial work
Compares behavior of effective and ineffective
leaders
Situational approach
Treats managerial behavior as the result of the type of
organization or position
Attempts to identify how different behavior patterns will be
effective in different situations
Source: LEADERSHIP IN ORGANIZATIONS
Gary Yukl
Integrating
Framework/Leadership
! Includes
! Leader power
! Leader traits
! Leader behavior
! Situational variables
! Intervening variables
! Success criteria
! Leadership in
Organizations
! G. Yukl
Transactional
Leadership
Issued rewards in
return for compliance
Made few changes
Managed what they
found
Left things much as
they were and moved
on
Management vs Leadership
(cont)
Characteristics of
Transformational
Leadership
Behavioral processcan be learned
Systemic process
Capacity to move
resources from areas of
lesser to greater
productivity
Found at all
organizational levels
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Transformational Leadership
New forms of leadership are:
-Americas scarcest natural resource
-Necessary for revitalization in
organizations and institutions
-Needed to create a new vision
-Prerequisite to institutionalizing change
Transformational Leadership
(cont)
Todays leadership
challenges center
around:
Change
Innovation
Entrepreneurship
Source: The
Transformational
Leader, Tichy &
Devanna
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Lecture 2, Slide 1
Before we continue our discussion of emerging leadership models and
concentrate on the focus of this early part of the course, lets briefly discuss
four very general types of leadership, which are identified primarily by the
definition of the term:
What is an autocratic leadership style? Can you think of a world government
leader who is autocratic in the operation of his/her office? What type of
government structure immediately comes to mind? Why is this style no longer
effective? What global changes have gradually resulted in the inability to
function in an autocratic manner, whether the environment is governmental, a
private corporation, an educational institution or a non-profit setting? Think
about the rapid growth of technology, methods of communication around the
worldas technology expands and reaches remote locations throughout the
world, people have more and more information available to them and it
becomes increasingly difficult to rule or govern or lead by intimidation.
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One statement you will hear (or see) repeatedly during this course is that
INFORMATION IS POWERas information is more and more available to
larger numbers of the population, it becomes increasingly difficult to control
by force or by positionthere is good and bad news connected to this
evolving environment of more self control. There is a much greater need for
individuals at all levels of organizations to solve problems quickly and to
think creatively. The older management factory model, where the
majority of the decisions were made by only the top of the organizational
pyramid are no longer effective. Our schools were patterned after this
factory model and are still trying to overcome this autocratic view of
leadership. As you begin your teaching careers, you will find that many
traditionally trained teachers consider decision making and leadership the
role of administration only. This mind set is difficult to change and calls for
a buy-in or ownership of the challenges facing todays schools.
What is an eclectic leader? Think of this style in terms of dealing with the
immediate situationthis is not as easy as it soundsit takes an astute and
seasoned individual to change hats and leadership style to fit the
situationthis style calls for the ability to assess the situation quickly and to
adjust to the people involved in the situation.
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How will this be useful to you in a typical classroom setting? Consider the
variety of environments available to you as a teacherdoes the socio
economics of the geographical area in which the school is located impact
the situation? Do children from varying backgrounds react in the same
manner to the same situation? Do youor will yoube fair in your
treatment of all kinds of students? Do you expect more from students who
come from affluent homes? Do these tendencies operate at the
administrative level in your school? If you are currently completing your
observation block at a junior high or senior high school, I am suggesting
that you become cognizant of these potential challengeslook for
situational leadership in the classroom and in the administrative officesif
you are privy to parent conferences, look for the expectations of the
administrator conducting the meeting as he/she relates to the parents of
your students.
Laissez-faire or hands-off leadership is often apparent in organizations
whose primary focus is product research and developmentscientific
groups where creativity is nurtured. While on the surface it may appeal to
your individuality and independence to seek out a leader who leaves you
alone, it is important to remember that effective leadership does not
discard the expectations of efficient managementto direct, to control, to
delegate, to developeffective leadership goes beyond efficient
management.
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Have you ever worked for someone whose leadership style seemed to
be unknown? The danger here rests with the lack of consistency
experienced by the followers of the unknown leaderI caution you
if this is your preferred style, that it is usually not effective in a
classroom settingstudents need boundariesstudents are still
developing their independence from parental control and authority in
general. Their maturation level will not allow them too much freedom
in the school setting.
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Lecture 2 slide 2
Does this sound like some attribute you may need in the typical classroom?
What would you consider the key components to meet this definition of
leadership? Lets discuss----three componentsthe ability to influence
others. This ability can be taught. Leadership skills cluster around three
areasvisioning, garnering the commitment of others, and monitoring and
measuring progress toward the vision. This involves a concern for what
might be and could be identifying signposts along the way. It includes the
ability in some sense to dream to see clearly a desirable picture of the future
and to articulate that picture to others.
Skills that cluster around garnering the commitment of others include your
communication style, patterns, and abilities. It includes your level of
trustworthiness and the quality of the relationships that you develop with
others. It also includes the ability to listen-- to understand and respect the
goals and dreams of others so that you can find ways to match those goals
with your own.
The second element of our definition is willingness to lead. Some people
who have the ability to be leaders choose not to exert influence. Some people
are hesitant to lay out their ideas and creative thoughts for people to accept or
reject. Clearly, you must develop some mental toughness and ability to
endure criticism in order to accept a leadership role.
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The third key element of this definition lies in the willingness of the
followers to follow. When followers are coerced or forced into doing
something, leadership ceases to exist and something else takes its place.
If you get people to do what you want them to do but they do not realize it,
you have moved into the realm of manipulation. Leadership is not about
dictatorship. Leadership is about winning more than the behavior of
people, it is about winning their minds and hearts. DISCUSS: What are
the implications in public education?
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Lecture 2, Slide 3
Warren Bennis is considered an expert on organizational management &
leadership. The influence of the organizational culture on the success of the
leader is one area he has examined at length. His research on culture has been
extensive and this quote from his book, Why Leaders Cant Lead,
acknowledges that the aspects of the organizations culture is unique to each
organization, regardless of whether it is governmental, bureaucratic or
corporate. The point he is making is that no two cultures are alike and that the
culture is a combination of the location, history, technology and philosophy of
that particular organization. For example, no two school districts are
alikesome are very traditional in their philosophy, while others are more
innovative and willing to embrace change more easilythis is not just a result
of the administrative leader and his/her stylethe followers are part of this
philosophy as well. Teachers in a traditional high school setting will influence
the culture of the school and impact the decisions of the leaderin most cases
the principal.
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As we discuss your leadership project for the course, someone in the class
might want to research organizational cultureif so, Warren Bennis is a
good source of informationnumerous publications. Another author who
has studied culture in depth is E. H. Schein (1992) who defines culture as
the basic assumptions and beliefs shared by members of a group or
organization. These assumptions and beliefs involve the groups view of
the world and their place in it. The underlying beliefs representing the
culture of a group or organization are learned responses to problems of
survival in the external environment and problems of internal integration
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Lecture 2, Slide 4
It is clear that we will be using the Clawson model for our direction in this
class; however, it is worth our time to make some distinctions between the
four research approaches to leadership.
As we look at the trait approach, you will recall our earlier discussion about
whether or not leaders are born leaders as opposed to the concept of
leadership development.
The behavior approach looks at the nature of the managerial
workremember that we have talked about the difference between
management and leadership, but have stressed that being a leaderformal
or informaldoes not dispense with management duties and
responsibilities. To compare behavior of effective and ineffective leaders,
based on what can be observed assumes that we are dealing with Clawsons
Level 1 leadershipthat which is observable.
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Lecture 2, Slide 5
A third type of research approach to leadershipthe power/influence
approachlooks at the role of influence between the leader and the
followers, as well as the acquisition of power by subunits or coalitions. In
the school setting, you will find a number of teachers who have influence
over a group of teachers either by virtue of their authority roleperhaps as
a department head or a committee chairor by their expertise. In the
administrative ranks, this influence is often determined by the influence of
authority outlined on the official organizational chartthe authority vested
in an individual through title. More effective administrators, regardless of
their official title, can influence teachers by their more palatable leadership
stylesimilar to the personality matches we often see in classrooms
between the teacher and the students.
In connection with the power acquisition of sub units lets consider for a
moment the budget within a high school. You will become involved in the
struggle for increased funding at the local level based on the importance or
status of the departments involved. However, your advantage at the local
level as an elective teacher in vocational/technical will often be based on the
additional state funding received by the districtit is the role of your
director or coordinator to use this influence for the good of the technical
division.
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The last research approach to leadership that Gary Yukl discusses in his book,
LEADERSHIP IN ORGANIZATIONS, is titled situational approachdoes
this sound like a leadership style we have already discussed when defining
leadership types? It is the eclectic style that we mentioned earlier.
It is not my intention in this overview discussion of leadership to confuse you
by discussing the numerous approaches various authors have taken to the
subject; it is, however, my intention to help you become familiar with experts
in the discipline and to lead the discussion to an integration of earlier models
and to focus on Clawsons approach to leadership.
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Lecture 2, Slide 6
Yukls work suggest that an integrated framework to leadership includes
the variables identified in these various approaches, i.e., POWER,
TRAITS, AND BEHAVIOR OF THE LEADER linked to the
SITUATION, CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS AND THE INTERVENING
VARIABLES, which are found within each unique organization.
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Lecture 2, Slide 7
Recall that I have taken the position that management is included in
leadershipthat these are not separate concepts. Naturally, the higher the
rank of the position, the more necessary that true leadership skills be part of
the individuals style. There can also be a distinction made between
transactional and transformational leadership, that closely parallels
management vs leadership. (See slide for a listing of the transactional
leader.)
The transactional leader bases his/her style on the value of the transaction
occurring between him/her and the followers, i.e., rewards are given to the
followers based on complianceremember our discussion of budgets in a
school? What would be the result of application of transactional leadership
skills in this budget situation? If the transaction between the followers and
the leader is based on compliance, then increased budget is likely to be the
reward. Few changes are initiated by the transactional leaderremember that
being a change agent is one characteristic we have already identified as
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Also, the transactional leader merely manages what has already been
established no changeno need to manage new ideas. The transactional
leader leaves things within the organization much as they were when she/he
arrived and then moves onthis does not mean that MANAGEMENT tasks
have been ignored or overlookedhe/she could well be a good manager.
This individual style finds little need to embark on true leadership.
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Lecture 2, Slide 8
The transformational leader, on the other hand, uses the capacity to move
resources from low producing areas/departments to greater producing
areas/departmentsthese leaders are found at all levels of the organization,
regardless of the nature of the organization. By the nature of the organization,
I am referring to private corporations, public institutions and nonprofit
institutionsthe three main types of organizations in this country.
The good news is that transformational leadership is a behavioral process and
can, therefore, be learned.
The early concept of tranformational leadership was formulated by Burns
(1978) from descriptive research on political leaders. Burns described this
leadership as a process in which leaders and followers raise one another to
higher levels of morality and motivation. These leaders seek to raise the
consciousness of followers by appealing to higher ideals and moral values.
According to Burns, transforming leadership may be exhibited by anyone in
the organization in any type of position. It occurs in the day-to-day acts of
ordinary people, but it is not ordinary.
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Lecture 2, Slide 9
In summary which leader better describes our true leader transactional
or transformational? The slide lists the new forms of leadership
desperately needed in our organizationsplease note the terms vision and
changeinstitutionalized changeterms and expressions we initially
linked to the true leader vs manager.
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Lecture 2, Slide 10
We will spend a great deal of our time in this course discussing and
understanding the leadership challenges of today, which center around
change innovation and entrepreneurship. Hopefully we will help you
understand these challenges in the school, community and individuals
lives.
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