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1The Art of Leadership

© Arden University 2015

The Art of Leadership

Objectives

On completion, you will be able to:

• explain the role of a leader

• list the qualities and skills an effective leader needs to use

• describe three basic leadership styles

• identify your own preferred leadership style

• definetheconnectionbetweenleadershipandvision

• explain why leaders are necessary.

What is leadership?Most new managers are highly experienced and qualified in their own speciality or area of expertise.

This might be, for example, accountancy, engineering, catering, medicine, retail selling, law, construction or hairdressing.

New managers are usually people who have proved that they can do their own job extremely well, and that they are competent, confident and hard-working individuals.

2 The Art of Leadership


But, for many new managers, one of the most difficult aspects of the job is coming to terms with the fact that they are now expected to be leaders as well as managers.

Use the activity that follows as an opportunity to think about the way in which managers not only manage, but also provide leadership for the people they manage.

Personal activity

Read through the case study below. Then complete the list that follows.

Mike is a successful salesman. He is popular with his customers, regularly generates new business and meets his sales targets every month. In other words, he is very good at his job.

Mike is promoted to the position of sales manager. Now, instead of being responsible for just his own customers and his own sales figures,heisresponsibleforleadingateamofeightsalespeople.

ListuptofivethingsthatMikewouldbeexpectedtodoinhisnewjobasleader of the team.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Now compare your answers with the Activity Feedback on the next page.



Activity feedback

As leader of the team Mike, or, indeed, any new manager, will be expected to:

• Motivate the people on the team. This involves making sure that everyone is willing and able to do his or her best work. (Motivation is covered in detail in Unit 2 of this module.)

• Delegate to the people on the team. This involves choosing the tasks for which each person is best suited, and then making sure that he or she has the necessary resources to complete the task successfully. (Delegation is covered in Unit 3 of this module.)

• Influence the people on the team, as well as colleagues and senior managers throughout the organisation. This involves using the key skills of persuasion and negotiation in order to sell ideas, plans and proposals.(InfluencingiscoveredinUnit4ofthismodule.)

• Handleconflicts between people on the team. This involves spotting when team members are arguing or disagreeing and stepping in before a minor problem escalates into a major crisis. (Handling peopleconflictsiscoveredinUnit5ofthismodule.)

• Encourageteamwork. This involves making sure that everyone on the team is pulling in the same direction and working towards the same objectives. (Working in teams is covered in Unit 6 of this module.)

• Buildinterpersonalrelationships with people both inside the organisation – work colleagues – and outside the organisation – suppliers, customers and clients. This involves understanding the importance of working relationships and why it is necessary to maintain a fair and objective approach. (Building interpersonal relationships is covered in Unit 7 of this module.)

• Supportindividualteammembers. This involves monitoring the work that people are doing and making sure that everyone is doing what they are supposed to be doing, and that they are doing it in the right way. (Supporting the individual is covered in Unit 8 of this module.)



Action-centred leadership

As you can see from the following list, a leader’s role can be divided into three distinct areas:

1. The work or task

2. The team

3. The individual team member.

This is the model that, in the late 1970s, John Adair identified and called Action-centred leadership.

Action-centred leadership is based on the idea that a leader has to meet three different kind of needs:

• The needs of the leader which are to: get the work or task done and the targets achieved.

• The needs of the team, which are to: know what it has to achieve, and achieve it.

• The needs of each individual team member, which are to: be trusted, respected and feel they are a useful and supported member of the team.

Because the task, team and individual are all interconnected (see Figure 01) and equally important, a leader must pay equal attention to each of these three areas.

Figure 01 Adair’s model of action-centred leadership



Keypoint

The action-centred leadership model is always shown as three interlocking circles. This is because the three areas of task, team and individual are interdependent and equally important.

An effective leader pays equal attention to allthree areas rather than focusing on, for example, just getting the job done and building the team.

Checklist

Whateffectiveleadersactuallydo

Task• Understand exactly what tasks the team has to achieve.

• Understand the team’s targets, schedules and deadlines.

• Plan and control the work and make sure that tasks are completed on time, and in the right way.

Team• Build the team so that everyone on the team is pulling in the same

direction.

• Motivate and encourage the team so that everyone on the team works hard to get the tasks done.

• Work to create a good work atmosphere and strong team spirit so that everyone on the team wants the team to win, do well, and achieve success.

Individual• Provide respect and appreciation for each individual on the team.

• Support individual team members when they are experiencing personal or professional problems.

• Offer praise, encouragement and constructive feedback to each individual person on the team.

• Treat each person on the team fairly and equally.



Leadership styles

Although the basic tasks are the same for every leader, that is, to:

• get the job done,

• make sure the team works well together, and

• look after each individual on the team,

the way in which the leader performs these tasks will depend on his or her leadership style.

There are different leadership styles. For the purposes of our study we can categorise them as:

• democratic

• autocratic

• permissive.

The leadership style someone adopts will depend on:

• their own personality, attitudes, values and beliefs

• the kinds of leaders they personally admire

• the environment in which they have to manage.

Democratic leadership style

Leaders who adopt a democratic leadership style believe that everyone on the team has the right to air their views, have their opinions heard and make some contribution towards the decision-making process.

The benefits of this style are that team members who are led by a democratic leader feel valued and respected. They know that their feelings, ideas and opinions are important, and are taken into account. As a result, they are often motivated to work hard because they know that their efforts will be recognised and appreciated.

However, democratic leaders can spend a great deal of time listening to views and opinions and discussing ‘the best way forward’. As



a result, just one or two people can hold things up, and it can take a long time to reach decisions.

One example of someone who adopted a wise democratic leadership style is Nelson Mandela. Through the careful use of discussion and negotiation he managed to change the political face of South Africa and lead his people into a new era of freedom and independence.

Autocratic leadership style

Autocratic leaders are completely convinced that ‘they know best’ and that ‘their way is the only right way’. Adolf Hitler is a good example of a totally autocratic leader who dominated through fear. No one was allowed to disagree with his plans and ideas, and he demanded total obedience from his people as he led them towards disaster.

There may be, though, benefits to the autocratic style. Autocratic leaders are often good in a crisis because they are able to make swift decisions and have the strength of purpose to ensure they are carried out.

Also, the people on their team will always know exactly what is expected of them, and precisely the kind of results their leader is looking for.

Margaret Thatcher was an autocratic leader who, although certainly not in the same league as Hitler, had little time for discussion and negotiation with members of her team. She would make her decision and then, having decided, would make sure that her team implemented her chosen course of action.

The disadvantage of this style of leadership is that people can feel ignored and undervalued. This can lead to irritation, anger and, in the case of Margaret Thatcher, outright rebellion. Autocratic leaders are often in danger of being deposed by the very people they seek to dominate.

Permissive leadership style

Unfortunately, some permissive leaders are so easygoing that they do not, in fact, lead at all. Permissive leaders tend to allow everyone on the team to ‘do their own thing’ and ‘go their own way’. Work is not completed on time because the permissive leader is unwilling to make



unpopular decisions, delegate tasks, discipline difficult team members or, indeed, do anything that might give the impression that they are, in fact, attempting to lead.

The next activity will give you an opportunity to think about the style of leadership you most admire, and also to consider your own preferred leadership style.

Personal activity

Thinkabouttheleadersyoumostadmire.Thesemightbehistoricalfiguressuch as Ghandi, Golda Meir or Winston Churchill; or contemporary leaders such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Tony Blair or Pope Benedict XVI. You can also include in your list leaders you have known personally, perhaps, for example, the captain of your rugby team, your line manager at work or even a ward sister in a hospital where you have been a patient.

First, in the chart that follows list your chosen leaders and identify their preferred leadership style. Also, note down what it is about their leadership style that you most admire.

The leaders you most admire

Name Usual leadership style

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.



What is it about the way in which these people lead that you most admire?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Next, think about your own leadership style. Even if you have not yet had the opportunity to lead a team at work, think about the style you have adopted in other situations – perhaps when leading a sports team, for example. Also, note down the reasons why you think your preferred leadership style works best for you.

Generally, what is your own leadership style? (Tick one box only.)

R democratic

R autocratic

R permissive

Why do you think this leadership style works best for you?



Activity feedback

The most successful leaders tend to be those who use a style of leadership which combines a sensible blend of democratic and autocratic.

This means that they:

• lead by example so that their attitudes and behaviours provide a model for the team to copy

• are willing to listen to other people and take advice when they feel it is appropriate

• take other people’s views and opinions into consideration when making decisions and planning ahead

• are prepared to make tough decisions and fast decisions on their own when necessary

• watch what is happening on the team and are not afraid to step in and give instructions or ask people to do things differently.

Leadership skills

It doesn’t matter whether you are the leader of:

• a team of just two people – perhaps two junior members of staff, one who answers the telephone, and one who keeps the office tidy and makes the tea, or

• a team of high-profile, highly paid and volatile football players,

your role, as a leader, is the same. You need to:

• get the job done

• build the team

• motivate and encourage the individuals.

The activity which follows will help you consider the personal skills, qualities and attributes that you will need to use if you are going to be an effective leader.



Personal activity

On the chart below list up to ten skills or personal qualities which you will need to use if you are to be an effective leader.

For example:

Skill: communication

Personal quality: honesty

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.



Activity feedback

Here are some suggestions as to the kinds of skills and qualities which you will need to bring to the role of leader:

Skills

• communication

• negotiation

• decision making

• problem solving

• planning

• controlling

• monitoring

• organising

• persuasion.

Personalqualities

• experience

• honesty

• integrity

• objectivity

• common sense

• responsibility

• openness

• fair-mindedness

• emotional stability

• respect.



Checklist

Effective leaders:

• are respected

• set a good example to the rest of the team by demonstrating the kinds of attitudes and behaviours they want to see on the team

• show enthusiasm for and commitment to the organisation which employs or appoints them

• keep up to date with what is happening within:

– the business

– competitors’ businesses

– the national and international business scene

• communicate constantly with:

– people within the business

– their team

– their customers

– their suppliers.

Effective leaders do not

• use bullying tactics to get their own way

• blame others when things go wrong

• accept all the praise when things go right

• reject ideas and opinions just because they are different from their own

• jumptoconclusionswithouthearingallthefactsfirst

• adopt arrogant behaviour

• put off taking decisions.



Personal activity

This activity will enable you to do an audit of your own leadership skills and qualities.

On the chart below put a tick (3) alongside each skill or quality you feel satisfiedthatyoualreadypossess;putacross(7) alongside each skill or quality you feel you would like to develop further.

R Steadiness R Fairness R Ability to keep calm in a crisis

R Determination R Communication skills R Willingness to learn new skills and approaches

R Honesty R Objectivity R Willingness to take action

R Common sense R Planning skills R Willingness to delegate

R Sense of humour R Desire to succeed R Responsiveness to the needs of others

R Integrity R Vision R Generosity

R Openness R Analytical skills R Enthusiasm

R Discipline R Diligence R Persistence

R Sensitivity R Flexibility R Composure

R Adaptability R Confidence R Decisiveness

R Diplomacy R Tenacity R Trustworthiness

R Organising skills R Persuasiveness R Problem-solving skills

Activity feedback

If you have been completely honest in your responses to the last activity youwillhavefoundthat,likemostpeople,youaresatisfiedthatyoualreadyhave some of the listed skills and qualities, and you need to develop further some of the listed skills and qualities.

Nowthatyouhaveidentifiedtheareaswhereyouneedtogainmoreknowledge or experience, take some time to think about how you could best develop the skills and qualities which will be most useful to you as a leader. The mark of a successful leader is that he or she will accept that they may have some work to do, and then they’ll get on and do it !



Leadership and vision

The very best leaders are those who:

• have a vision for the future

• share that vision with their team.

Here are some examples:

Bill Gates, CEO of the Microsoft Corporation, was convinced that just about every business in the developed world would use computers, and that most homes would have them too.

He had a vision that most of those computers would use a Microsoft operating system and Microsoft software. Over time, his vision became a reality.

Bill Gates now has a personal fortune of billions of dollars due to the success of Microsoft products like Windows ’98, Word for Windows and Microsoft Office.

Sir Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United Football Club, felt that he could build a world-class football team.

Because of his vision, and his belief in his players, an underperforming team from the North West of England has come to dominate the international football scene.

Vision is about creating:

• a clear picture of the future you want for yourself, your team, your business

• a plan which will take you to where you want to be.

Casestudy

Suzanne took out a bank loan and started a small taxi business in the northofEngland.Shefacedfiercecompetitionfromthemanylarger,well-established taxi businesses in the area. But Suzanne had a very clear vision about the kind of business she wanted to create.



She wanted to build a business run by women and targeted towards women customers who would know that, no matter what time of day or night they booked a taxi, they would be safely collected and delivered to their destination by a female driver.

It wasn’t easy and Suzanne and her staff had to work hard to create success. But, eventually, because of her vision, and because she constantly communicatedhervisiontoherstaff, the business became successfulandhighlyprofitable.

Personal activity

Consider the questions below and answer each by ticking one box only.

• At work, right now, do you recognise what vision your organisation has for its future?

R Yes R No R I’m not sure

If you ticked ‘Yes’ above, note down your organisation’s vision for the future:

• At work, right now, do you know what vision your line manager has for the future of his or her section or department of the business?


If you ticked ‘Yes’ above, note down your line manager’s vision for the future:



• Right now, at work, are you clear about your vision for your team?


If you ticked ‘Yes’ above, note down your vision for the future:

Activity feedback

• If you don’t currently recognise your organisation’s vision for the future,thenmakeityourbusinesstofindout.Readalltheavailableliterature – brochures, newsletters, magazines, promotional material – that your organisation produces. Does the organisation provide answers to the following questions:

– Whatkindofbusinesswillthisbeinfiveyears’time?Andintenyears’ time?

– Who will be our customers?

– Who will be our competition?

– Where are we going, as a business, and how are we going to get there?

• If you don’t currently know what your line manager’s vision for the future is, then ask:

• Infiveyears’time,howdoyouwantthisdepartmenttobedifferent?

– Larger?

– Moreprofitable?

– Smaller?

– More focused on customer needs?

– How do you see us getting there?



• If you are not currently clear about your own vision for the future of your team, then sit down and think about what your ideal team would be like:

– What would they do and how would they do it?

– and consider the changes you are going to have to create so you can make your vision a reality.

• Finally, make sure you communicate your vision to your team.

Checklist

Leadershipandvision

Leaders with vision:

• think carefully about what they want to achieve and set appropriate objectives

• work out a plan so that they can see, on paper, where they want to be, and how they are going to get there

• tell everyone on the team about their vision for the future

• work hard to make their vision a reality.

Why do we need leaders?

So far, in this unit, you’ve looked at a range of factors which affect the way in which leaders behave:

• the tasks leaders perform

• leadership style

• leadership skills

• leadership qualities.



But the really important question is, ‘Why do we need leaders at all?’

Would it not be possible just to trust that everyone on the team will do the best they can and that the work will get done anyway?

Here are some examples of recent events which have proved why leaders are necessary:

• In Kosovo, the leader of the United Nations forces was responsi-ble for co-ordinating the activities of thousands of soldiers from many different countries.

Not only was he responsible for making a number of key decisions which would affect the lives of many thousands of Kosovar and Serbian people, but he also had to ensure that the troops under his command were all carrying out the right tasks, in the right way, at the right time, with the right attitude.

• In Japan, the leader of the team responsible for containing the effects of the nuclear accident had to make key decisions about which areas to evacuate, and what information to trans-mit to the local population and the world’s media.

Later, key decisions would have to be made about how to prevent a similar incident from occurring again in the future.

• Following earthquakes in Greece and in Turkey, the leaders of the rescue teams had to make key decisions about where to focus the rescue attempts, what kinds of equipment would be needed, whether or not additional assistance from other countries was required – and, if so, what kind of help would be most useful. Included in these key decisions would be impor-tant questions like ‘Where do we start digging and when do we stop?’

In addition, these leaders had to direct the rescue teams to ensure that there was no duplication of effort, that everyone had enough of the right kinds of equipment and that the rescue efforts were carried out safely.

In each of these situations a leader was vital in order to:

• provide a vision of what had to be achieved

• make important decisions



• co-ordinate the work efforts

• inspire, encourage and motivate people to do their best work.

Without a leader there would have been total confusion and, very probably, considerable loss of life.

Although, in business, the situations are not usually as dramatic as those in Kosovo, Japan, Greece and Turkey, nevertheless the principles are exactly the same.

We need leaders to provide direction, to make difficult decisions, to keep things on track and moving smoothly forwards and, of course, to take full responsibility for everything that happens.

Keypoint

Leaders must always remember that they are responsible for the success or failure of the team they lead.

The Art of Leadership summarised

What is leadership?

Leadership is the ability to:

• take control of a situation

• make decisions

• anticipate what is most likely to happen next, and plan accord-ingly

• take charge of resources – equipment, materials, money, time, people – and use them wisely

• allocate the right kind of work to the right people

• demonstrate positive behaviours and attitudes

• set a good example.



Action-centred leadership

We referred to John Adair’s model of action-centred leadership, which says that leaders are responsible for three distinct areas:

1. Getting the work/task done

2. Building the team

3. Providing support for each individual on the team.

Getting the work/task done

This includes making sure that:

• all necessary tasks are carried out in the right way, at the right time and to the required standard

• goals, objectives and targets are achieved

• spending is kept within budget.

Building the team

This includes encouraging:

• team members to work hard to achieve team goals, objectives, targets and deadlines

• positive, helpful and friendly working relationships between team members

• open, honest communication throughout the team

• team spirit, optimism and hard work.

Providing support for each individual on the team

This includes ensuring that each person on the team:

• has an equal opportunity to make a positive contribution to the team

• feels valued and respected



• feels able to voice their ideas, views and opinions

• feels able to communicate with the leader, particularly with regard to work-related problems or difficulties.

Leadership styles

Most leaders tend to adopt one of the following styles:

• Democratic

• Autocratic

• Permissive.

The advantages and disadvantages of each are shown below.

THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE

Advantages Disadvantages

3 Team members are given the opportunity to air their views, make suggestions and contribute towards decisions

3 Team members feel valued and respected

3 Team members feel involved in the work they do

3 Team members are motivated to do their best work and make a real contribution to the team

7 Too much time can be spent on the demoncratic process of discussing everyone’s opinions and taking everyone’s views into account

7 Decisions can be delayed or postponed indefinitelybecauseitisimpossibletogetaconsensus.

THE AUTOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE


3 Fast decisions are possible – because only the leader’s opinion really counts – and this can be very useful in a crisis

3 New and inexperienced team members may feel safe in a situation where they are told what to do and don’t have to worry about taking too much responsibility themselves

7 Team members rarely have the opportunity to air views or contribute towards the decision-making process

7 Team members are simply required to follow orders and have few opportunities to use their initiative, solve problems or generate new ideas

7 Team members can feel ignored and undervalued

7 Communication on the team is often poor, there is usually little team spirit and people can easily become discouraged and disheartened



THE PERMISSIVE LEADERSHIP STYLE


3 Team members have the scope and the freedom to try new things, take risks and accept extra responsibilities

7 Team members work without direction and leadership and never really know whether they are doing what they are supposed to be doing

7 Team members work without encouragement or discipline, so that chaos and confusion are commonplace

7 Team members, due to lack of guidance and support, are unwilling to take responsibility or make decisions

7 The team works in a haphazard way because there are no clear goals or targets

7 Team members ‘do their own thing’, communication is poor and team spirit is non-existent.

Leadership skills

An effective leader needs a wide range of skills and personal qualities if they are to successfully:

• achieve the task

• build the team

• support each individual team member.

Leadership skills include: Leadership qualities include:

• communication • honesty

• negotiation • integrity

• planning • objectivity

• controlling • determination

• analysing • perserverance

• problem solving • patience

• influencing • enthusiasm

• organising • ability and willingness to work hard

• decision making • vision



Leadership and vision

Leaders with vision:

• create a clear picture of what they want for their organisation, their team and themselves, and can see where they want to be in a year, in 5 years, in 10 years:

– they know what products they want to be selling, or what services they want to be providing

– they understand who their customers are likely to be, and what those customers are likely to want

– they are clear about whether the business should expand – nationally or internationally – or whether the business should focus on a fairly small specialist area and become well known as an expert provider in that field

• create a detailed action plan which will take the business, the team and themselves to where they want to be in the future:

– they communicate their vision to the team

– they stick to their vision, even when the going gets tough

– they work hard and take every opportunity to make their vision a reality.

Documents

Your guide to critical workplace skills - · PDF fileYour guide to critical workplace skills RDI is the leading independent provider of UK university distance learning. ... Adolf Hitler