Engineering Management (LEADING)

Engineering Management9
Leading
 Leading is the management function which involves influencing others to engage
in the work behaviors necessary to reach organizational goals.
 The definition indicates that a person or group of persons tasked with managing
a group must assume the role performed by leaders
 While leading refers to the function, leadership refers to the process.
 Leaders are said to be able to influence others because of the power they possess.
 Power refers to the ability of a leader to exert force on another
Leading across different cultures

 Engineer managers are expected to maintain effective work forces.
 Modern leaders and managers increasingly recognize the importance of being able
to influence people over whom they don’t have formal authority. Because authority
is becoming an ambiguous concept, contemporary leaders can no longer simply
tell others what to do, particularly when facing common issues such as:
 Working across departments in a matrix and flat structure, where authority and
responsibility are unclear.
 Working across cultures in multi-site or multinational organizations.
 Managing projects across national boundaries.
 Managing cross-functional and cross-cultural teams located in different countries.
 Trying to get ideas accepted upward and across organizations.
Sources of Power / Bases of Power
The power possessed by leaders may be classified according to various bases.
They are as follows:
1. legitimate power
2. reward power
3. coercive power
4. referent power
5. expert power
Legitimate Power
 A person who occupies a higher position has legitimate power over persons in
lower positions within the organization. A supervisor, for instance, can issue orders
to the workers in his unit. Compliance can be expected.
Reward Power
When a person has the ability to give rewards to anybody who follows orders or requests,
he is said to have reward power. Rewards may be classified into two forms: material and
psychic.
 Material Rewards refer to money or other tangible benefits like cars, house and
lot, etc.
 Psychic rewards consist of recognition, praises, etc.
Coercive Power
When a person compels another to comply with orders through threats or punishment,
he is said to possess coercive power. Punishment may take the form of demotion,
dismissal, withholding of promotion, etc.
Referent Power
When a person can get compliance from another because the latter would want to be
identified with the former, that person is said to have referent power.
Expert Power
Experts provide specialized information regarding their specific lines of expertise. This
influence, called expert power, is possessed by people with great skills in technology.
THE NATURE OF LEADERSHIP
Leadership may be referred to as the process of influencing and supporting others to
work enthusiastically toward achieving objectives.'" Leadership is expected of any
manager in charge of any unit or division.
Traits of Effective Leaders
There are certain leadership traits identified by re-searchers and which may be useful
in developing effective leaders. These traits are as follows:
1. a high level of personal drive
2. the desire to lead
3. personal integrity
4. self-confidence
5. analytical ability or judgment
6. knowledge of the company, industry or technology
7. charisma
8. creativity
9. flexibility
Leadership Skills
Leaders need to have various skills to be effective. They are:
 Technical Skills
 Human Skills
 Conceptual Skills
Leadership Models
through research which managerial practices and techniques are appropriate in
specific situations.'" The various contingency approaches are as follows:
1. Fiedler's Contingency Model
2. Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership Model
3. Path-Goal Model of Leadership
4. Vroom's Decision-Making Model
Fiedler's Contingency Model

According to Fred Fiedler, leadership is effective when the leader's style is
appropriate to the situation."' The situational characteristics is determined by three
principal factors:
1. the relations between leaders and followers
2. the structure of the task, and
3. the power inherent in the leader's position.
The situational characteristics vary from organization to organization. It will be
effective; the situation must fit the leader. If this is not so. the following may be
tried:"
1. Change the leader's trait or behaviors.
2. Select leaders who have traits or behaviors fitting the situation.
3. Move leaders around in the organization until they are in positions that fit
them.
4. Change the situation.
Hersey and Blanchard Situational Leadership Model

The situational leadership model developed by Hersey and Blanchard suggests that
the most important factor affecting the selection of a leader's style is the
development (or maturity) level of subordinate." The leader should match his or
her style to this maturity level.
Maturity has two components:
1. job skills and knowledge, and
2. psychological maturity.
Blanchard and others elaborated on the leadership styles appropriate for the
various maturity level of subordinates. They are as follows"'
Style 1: Directing — is for people who lack competence but are enthusiastic and
committed. They need direction and supervision to get them started.
Style 2: Coaching — is for people who have some competence but lack
commitment. They need direction and supervision because they're still relatively
inexperienced. They also need support and praise to build their self-esteem, and
involvement in decision making to restore their commitment.
Style 3: Supporting — is for people who have competence but lack of confidence
or motivation. They do not need much direction because of their skills, but support
is necessary to bolster their confidence and motivation.
Style 4: Delegating — is for people who have both competence and commitment.
They are able and willing to work on a project by themselves with little supervision
or support.
Path-Goal Model of Leadership

The path-goal model of leadership espoused by Robert J. House and Terence R.
Mitchell, stipulates that leadership can be made effective because lenders can
influence subordinate's perceptions of their work goals, personal goals, and paths
to goal attainment.
By using the path-goal model, it is assumed that effective leaders can enhance
subordinate motivation by:'•
1. clarifying the subordinate's perception of work goals,
2. linking meaningful rewards with goal attainment, and
3. explaining how goals and desired rewards can be achieved.
Leadership Styles
The leadership styles which may be used by path-goal proponents are as follows:
Directive leadership — where the leader focuses on clear task assignments,
standards of successful performance, and work schedules.
2. Supportive leadership — where subordinates are treated as equals in a
friendly manner while striving to improve their well-being.
3. Participative leadership — where the leader consults with subordinates to
seek their suggestions and then seriously considers those suggestions when
making decisions.
X. Achievement-oriented leadership — where the leader set challenging goals,
emphasize excellence, and seek continuous improvement while maintaining a high
degree of confidence that subordinates will meet difficult challenges in a
responsible manner.
Vroom's Decision-Making Model

Vroom's model of leadership is one that prescribes the proper leadership style for
various situations, focusing on the appropriate degrees of delegation of decision-
making authority.
Five distinct decision-making styles are identified under the Vroom model. Two of
them are autocratic, two others are consultative, and one is group directed.

Engineering Management (LEADING)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Engineering Management (LEADING)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Engineering Management (LEADING)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What are the different bases of power that leaders may possess?

What are the traits of an effective leader according to the passage?

Engineering Management9

Leading across different cultures

Fiedler's Contingency Model

Hersey and Blanchard Situational Leadership Model

Path-Goal Model of Leadership

Vroom's Decision-Making Model

You might also like