EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDE

Amir Akbar

PIONEERING RESEARCH ON LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDES

Between mid 1940’s and mid 1950s, extensive research was conducted at

• Ohio State University • University of Michigan

• This research is about understanding the difference between successful and unsuccessful leaders.

• It also led to modern concept of leadership style

• Most of the surveys and interviews were conducted with bomber airplane commanders and production and office supervisor

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

• Studies of Initiating Structure and Consideration

• It identified 1800 specific examples of leadership behavior.

• Leaders also rated themselves on leadership dimensions

TWO KEY DIMENSIONS– Initiating structure– Consideration

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

• Assigning specific tasks • Specifying procedures to be followed• Scheduling work• Clarifying group expectations

Initiating StructureDegree to which leader organizes and defines relationship in the group by activities such as :

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

ConsiderationDegree to which leader creates an environment of emotional support, warmth, friendliness and trust :

• By being friendly and approachable• Looking out for personal welfare of group• Keeping group abreast of new developments• Doing small favors for group

Production Centered Leaders • Set tight work standards• Organize tasks carefully • Prescribe work methods to be

followed• Closely supervise work of group

members

Supervisory leaders were categorized in two groupswith respect to emphasis on production or employees

There is only one dimensional classificationLeader is employee centered or production centered

MICHIGAN STUDIES

Employee Centered Leaders

• Encourage participation in goal setting

• Help to ensure high performance through trust and mutual respect

Supervisory leaders were categorized in two groupswith respect to emphasis on production or employees

There is only one dimensional classificationLeader is employee centered or production centered

MICHIGAN STUDIES

Adaptability to Situation

• Adaptability is an important aspect of effective leadership

• Leader with inexperienced, less mature people will have to devote more time on supervision

• Leader with experienced / mature group, will supervise less

TASK RELATED BEHAVIOURS & ATTITUDES

High Performance Standards

• People tend to live up to the expectation of their superiors • Setting high standards therefore, increases productivity • This is called as Pygmalion Effect and it works in an unconscious way

TASK RELATED BEHAVIOURS & ATTITUDES

Direction Setting• Direction setting is a part of creating a

vision and strategy • When leader brings about a change,

he sets a direction and while doing so, he goes beyond management function of planning

TASK RELATED BEHAVIOURS & ATTITUDES

Risk Taking and Bias for Action

• To affect a constructive change, the leader takes risks and is ready to implement a risky decision

• Leader trusts his judgment

TASK RELATED BEHAVIOURS & ATTITUDES

Frequent Feedback

• Giving members feedback on their performance is vital• Feedback helps to take corrective action

Stability of performance

• Effective leaders perform steadily• It helps leaders appear professional and cool under pressure

TASK RELATED BEHAVIOURS & ATTITUDES

Super LeadershipLeading others to lead themselves

Super leader is one who leads others to lead themselves

by acting as coach , teacher and not a director

Super Leadership

• Super Leader inspires self motivation• Super Leadership requires leader to take risk on people• Key aspect of Super Leadership is to teach right thought• Leader must teach people to develop positive thinking to gain

control on their behaviour. • Super Leader serves as model of constructive thought pattern

Thanks