Leadership

Dr. Fred Mugambi Mwirigi

JKUAT

Introduction

LeadersPeople who can influence the behaviors of others without having to rely on forcePeople who are accepted as leaders by others

What leaders actually doUsing non-coercive influence to shape the group’s or organization’s goalsMotivating others’ behavior toward goalsHelping to define organizational culture

Leadership

Leadership Activity Management

Establishing direction and vision for the organization

Creating an agenda Planning and budgeting, allocating resources

Aligning people through communications and actions

that provide direction

Developing a human network for achieving the agenda

Organizing and staffing, structuring and monitoring

implementation

Motivating and inspiring by satisfying needs

Executing plans Controlling and problem solving

Produces useful change and new approaches to challenges

Outcomes Produces predictability and order and attains results

Leadership Styles

Autocratic:Leader makes decisions without reference to anyone elseHigh degree of dependency on the leaderCan create de-motivation and alienation of staffMay be valuable in some types of business where decisions need to be made quickly and decisively

Leadership Styles

Democratic:Encourages decision making from

different perspectives – leadership may be emphasised throughout the organisation

Consultative: process of consultation before decisions are takenPersuasive: Leader takes decision and seeks to persuade others that the decision is correct

Leadership Styles

Democratic:May help motivation and involvementWorkers feel ownership of the firm and its ideasImproves the sharing of ideas and experiences within the businessCan delay decision making

Leadership StylesLaissez-Faire:

‘Let it be’ – the leadership responsibilities are shared by allCan be very useful in businesses where creative ideas are importantCan be highly motivational, as people have control over their working lifeCan make coordination and decision making time-consuming and lacking in overall directionRelies on good team workRelies on good interpersonal relations

Leadership Styles

Paternalistic:Leader acts as a ‘father figure’Paternalistic leader makes decision

but may consultBelieves in the need to support

staff

Types of Power in Leadership

Legitimate power is granted through the organizational hierarchyReward power is the power to give or withhold rewardsCoercive power is the capability to force compliance by means of psychological, emotional, or physical threatReferent power is the personal power that accrues to someone based on identification, imitation, loyalty, or charismaExpert power is derived from the possession of information or expertise

How Power is usedLegitimate request

Compliance by a subordinate with a manager’s request because the organization has given the manager the right to make the request

Instrumental complianceA subordinate complies with a manager’s request to get the rewards that the manager controls

CoercionThreatening to fire, punish, or reprimand subordinates if they do not do something

Rational persuasionConvincing subordinates that compliance is in their own best interest

Contd. Personal identification

Using the referent power of a superior’s desired behaviors to shape the behavior of a subordinate

Inspirational appealInfluencing a subordinate’s behavior through an appeal to a set of higher ideals or values (e.g., loyalty)

Information distortionWithholding or distorting information (which may create an unethical situation) to influence subordinates’ behavior

Types of Leaders

Leader by the position achievedLeader by personality, charisma Leader by moral exampleLeader by power heldIntellectual leaderLeader because of ability to accomplish things

Managers vs. LeadersManagers• Focus on things• Do things right• Plan• Organize• Direct• Control• Follows the rules

Leaders• Focus on people• Do the right

things• Inspire• Influence• Motivate• Build • Shape entities

Common Activities

Planning OrganizingDirecting ControllingStaffing

Planning

Manager• Planning• Budgeting• Sets targets• Establishes

detailed steps• Allocates

resources

Leader• Devises strategy• Sets direction• Creates vision

Organizing

Manager• Creates structure• Job descriptions• Staffing • Hierarchy• Delegates• Training

Leader• Gets people on

board for strategy

• Communication• Networks

Directing WorkManager• Solves problems• Negotiates • Brings to

consensus

Leader• Empowers

people• Cheerleader

ControllingManager • Implements

control systems• Performance

measures• Identifies

variances• Fixes variances

Leader• Motivate• Inspire• Gives sense of

accomplishment

Leadership TraitsIntelligence

More intelligent than non-leadersScholarshipKnowledgeBeing able to get things done

PhysicalDoesn’t see to be correlated

Personality Verbal facility Honesty InitiativeAggressiveSelf-confidentAmbitiousOriginalitySociabilityAdaptability

Leading for Results

Stay on top of how well things are going

Stay current with internal and external information, reports, etc.Communicate regularly with colleagues, subordinates and customersKeep abreast of rivals’ initiativesMBWA

Leading for Results

Establish a strategy-supportive cultureStakeholders are kingChallenge the status quoManagement must listen to customersSell the strategic initiatives to groups and individuals throughout the organizationRecognize and reward those who lead the change

Leading for Results

Keep the organization responsive and innovative

Empower “champions”Encourage creativity and innovationAllow champions to failOffer organizational supportMake rewards large and visible

Lead the process to develop new capabilities

Leading for ResultsExercise ethics leadership

Lead by exampleHave written policies and guidelinesEnforce complianceEncourage whistleblowersPromote good corporate citizenship

Make corrective adjustments as needed

Theories of LeadershipTrait theories:

There is a set of characteristics that determine a good leader. These include:

PersonalityDominance and personal presenceCharismaSelf confidenceAchievementAbility to formulate a clear vision

Theories of LeadershipBehavioural theories:

Imply that leaders can be trained – focus on the way of doing things

Structure based behavioural theories – focus on the leader instituting structures – task orientatedRelationship based behavioural theories – focus on the development and maintenance of relationships – process orientated

Theories of LeadershipContingency Theories:

Looks at leadership as being more flexible – different leadership styles used at different times depending on the circumstance.

Suggests leadership is not a fixed series of characteristics that can be transposed into different contexts

Theories of LeadershipContingency leadership may depend on:

Type of staffHistory of the businessCulture of the businessQuality of the relationshipsNature of the changes neededAccepted norms within the institution

Theories of LeadershipInvitational Leadership:

Improving the atmosphere and message sent out by the organisationFocus on reducing negative messages sent out through the everyday actions of the business both externally and, crucially, internallyReview internal processes to reduce theseBuild relationships and sense of belonging and identity with the organisation – that gets communicated to customers, etc.

Theories of LeadershipTransactional Theories:

Focus on the management of the organisationFocus on procedures and efficiencyFocus on working to rules and contractsManaging current issues and problems

Thank you