Trait theories: great man theory
- Characteristics of a successful leader
- situational factors play arole
- authenticity: story telling
- big 5
- gender bias: men more than women focused
Trait theories: trait approach
- trait: stable, enduring, physical, psychological
- extraversion + no neuroticism + intelligence + height = + leadership
- men more than women
Behavioral theories (OHIO STATE)
- Consideration: focus on people rather than tasks
- Initiating structure: focus on task rather than people
Criticism
- inconsistent (validity questioned)
- error and bias for measurements
- responses influenced by stereotypes
- sexist
Behavioral studies: Michigan studies
- task oriented and relation oriented (initiating and somewhat considerations)
- participant behavior: encourages two-way communication (key to effectiveness)
- criticism: no attention to the environment
Power approach to leadership
- french and raven 1959
- 5 types of power:
1. Reward: valued rewards
2. Coercive: punishment
3. Legitimate:
4. Referent:
5. Expert:
Methods to increase power:
- Formal coalitions
- Controlling important decisions
- Co-opting the opposition
- Controlling information flow
Contingency approach (Fiedlers 1967)
Leaders =
- motivated around task or people
- favorableness of the situation: quality relationship, formal authority, clarity of performance
Limitation: change the leader based on situation
Contingency approach: leadership grid 1964
- concern for results, people and 5 key styles:
1. Country club: concerns people more than results
2. Impoverished: minimum effort, no concern
3. Middle-of-the-road: balances people and results
4. Team: high concern for people and results
5. Authority-compliance: concerns results more than people
Contingency approach: path goal 1971 (house)
- leaders need to adapt based on circumstances
1. Role: align goals and help followers acheive them
2. Helping: focusing on either path or goal
3. Leadership styles: - participative: engaging in decision-making and feedback
- supporting: demonstrating concern for needs of followers
- directive: providing task structure, clear goals and feedback
- achievement: high standards, challenging followers etc
Modern theories: leader member exchange (LMX)
- focus: quality of relationship
- little guidance for improvement, quality perception may differ etc
Modern theories: transformational leadership theory (Bass 1985)
- Transactional: exchange between leader/follower
- transformational: big picture processes and outcomes
- continuum: active-constructive (involved, effective, positive) vs passive-avoidance (minimum effort, avoidant)
Modern theories: transformational leadership theory (Bass 1985) - transactional leadership
- both negative and positive forms
1. laissez-faire: absence of leadership, no transactions
2. management by exception: negative transactions, actively looking for mistakes to punish them (active) or ignoring and punishing if mistakes occur (passive).
3. contingent reward: positive transactions, if mistakes = feedback and correction
Modern theories: transformational leadership theory (Bass 1985) - transformational leadership
- Idealized influence: concern for whats best
- Inspirational motivation: high standards + encouragement
- Intellectual stimulation: challenging beliefs + encouraging self-thinking
- Individualized consideration: strengths/weaknesses
Negative leadership: abusive supervision
- aggressive/punishing behavior towards employees
- associated with increased stress
- low levels - job/life satisfaction, affective commitment
- high levels - work-family conflict, distress
Negative leadership: supervisory injustice
- consequences of being treated unfairly by supervisors
- associated with job dissatisfaction and reduced organizational commitment
- procedural and relational injustice are predictors of minor psychiatric morbidity as well as sick absence.
Negative leadership: unethical
- demonstration of normatively inappropriate conduct to followers through two-way communication, reinforcement and decision making.
- unethical /= ineffective
