...Are Leaders Born Or Made Management Essay Introduction: Leadership is a process by which individuals influence employees toward the achievement of organizational objectives (Dubrin, 2009). Leadership is probably the most frequent researched subject in the organization sciences. Many studies of leadership have been published and many leadership articles have been written in business-oriented publications and academic journals and books. Leadership has been researched in various different ways, depending on the methodological preferences of the researcher leadership definition (Achua, 2009). Most scholars deal only with leadership’s one narrow aspect, and as a result, most of the studies fall into distinct lines of research which include leader traits, behaviour, power and influence, and situational approaches. Literature Analysis: Are leaders born or made? This question has always dominated and still continues to dominate the leadership study (Dubrin, 2009). Although many research papers have been written, little to no conclusive evidence can be researched; the leadership topic remains elusive (Achua, 2009). However, with fifty years or more of study, some of the contributing factors or origins of leadership have become clearer. While no predictive model exists, scholars know what leads to leadership. One difficulty in discussing the leadership is its definition. Burt Nanus and Warren Bennis (Torrington and Hall, 2008) report ore that three hundred definitions of leadership...
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...Conditions of Leadership Motivation Leader Behaviors & Subordinate Characteristics Task Characteristics How Does the PGT Approach Work? Northouse - Leadership Theory and Practice, Sixth Edition © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc. LEADERSHIP Path-Goal Theory 3 LEADERSHIP Path-Goal Theory 4 Path-Goal Theory (House, 1971) Description Path-Goal Theory (House, 1971) Description Definition Perspective Path-goal theory centers on how leaders Goal - To enhance employee performance and motivate subordinates to accomplish designated goals satisfaction by focusing on employee motivation Motivational Principles (based on Expectancy Theory) - Subordinates will be motivated if they believe: Emphasizes the relationship between they are capable of performing their work the leader’s style that their efforts will result in a certain outcome the characteristics of the subordinates that the payoffs for doing their work are worthwhile the work setting Northouse - Leadership Theory and Practice, Sixth Edition © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc. LEADERSHIP Path-Goal Theory Challenge to Leader Use a Leadership Style that best meets subordinates’ motivational needs Choose behaviors that complement or supplement what is missing in the work setting Enhance goal attainment by providing information or rewards Provide subordinates with the elements they Northouse - Leadership Theory and Practice, Sixth...
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...resistance during the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln showed fortitude and never gave up on his vision and goals. Hence, after fighting for many years, he was able to give freedom and support to those who were chained by weights of racism and prejudice. Therefore, aside from having a vision and many followers, what made Lincoln such a great leader? What type of leadership style did Abraham Lincoln mostly use and why was it so successful? To begin with, Lincoln seems to fit the bill of what a great leader is supposed to entail. He was very charismatic, intelligent, determined, self-confident, and showed integrity to his followers and goals. All of these traits as described by Northouse (2013) are characteristics that leaders should aim to develop if they want to be effective commandants. Although leadership does not have one exclusive definition, since we all have our own ideas of what it means to be a good leader, Northouse does provide standard definition for the term. Northouse (2013) defines leadership as “a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (p. 5). Lincoln was seen by many to be a great leader. He was able to deliver powerful and influential speeches without elongation. He was also able to convey important messages in a few words and relate to his followers since he had humble beginnings just like many of the common folk who shared his views and goals. One of his most prevalent speeches which has been...
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...with determining what makes a good leader. Throughout this paper, I will discuss the trait approach, the skills approach, and the style approach. I will also discuss how each approach relates to me personally based on the results of the questionnaires provided in “Leadership: Theory and Practice” by Peter Northouse. I will begin with the trait approach. According to Northouse, “the trait approach is concerned with which traits leaders exhibit and who has these traits” (p. 40). The trait approach also helps people to learn about themselves. It helps to clearly outline strengths and weaknesses which will enable the manager to learn how he/she can be a better leader (Northouse, p.40). I completed the Leadership Trait Questionnaire and I was surprised with the results. I have always prided myself on my communication abilities and my work ethic. I have also always felt that I am an outgoing person and easy to get along with. After having colleagues rate me based on the questionnaire and comparing my responses with them, there were some surprises to me. My colleagues did rate me highly in articulation, determination, trustworthy, friendly and dependable. I also rated myself highly in these categories as well. The surprises to me were with the traits of self-assured, outgoing, and self-confident. I rated myself higher than the average of my colleague’s ratings. I can use this information going forward to help enhance the perception of me as a leader. I will have to make an effort to be...
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...definition of organizational culture and its importance to leaders. Organizational culture is defined as the values and behaviors that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of an organization (Northouse, 2013). This can include the philosophy, experiences, expectations, and values that keep a company held together. This is based on the shared attitudes, beliefs, customs, and formal/informal rules that exist in the firm’s corporate culture (Northouse, 2013). This can be shown in how a company conducts its business, how it treats its employees, and how it treats its customers. These factors greatly affect how productive and efficient an organization is and how it is viewed by the employees. This helps leaders to have a better understanding of how and why employees behave in accordance with the culture and towards objectives assigned by management. Every firm or organization has a different and unique culture that is ever changing. It is important for leaders to identify the culture so that they can help to mold and form it to the most productive culture possible. Define the role an “adaptive” (transformational) vs. “strong” (transactional) culture performs in transforming an organization. Transactional leadership is defined as the influence of a leader towards his subordinates using rewards and punishment as a motivation mechanism (Northouse, 2013). This is based on the idea that a leader must give or take something from subordinates in order...
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...approach and Transformational approach. These approaches have their similarities and distinction. Compare and contrast these three research strands and critically discuss what they contribute to our understanding of leadership effectiveness. Discuss with example to indentify how I understand about these approaches by using real organization and how they work and help the organizations more efficiency. II. Three Leadership Approaches 1. The Trait Approach As one of the earliest theories of leadership, Trait approach suggests that certain individuals have special inborn characteristics or qualities which support people to be leaders, and that it is these qualities that differentiate them from non-leaders. (Northouse P.G 2013) Personal attributes or characteristics of leaders, such as physical and personality trait, competencies and values are the key ideas of trait approach. (Gardner. J.W 1989) Self-confidence, intelligence, ambition, perseverance, assertiveness, emotional stability, creativity, and motivation such a list of characteristics is the main factors to be successful leader. The lists are not exhaustive and typically omitted some important leadership traits. * Strengths of The Trait Approach The first strength is that the trait approach is intuitively appealing. It clears to seeking that leader who are out front and leading the way in our society. The trait approach is consistent those with gifts who can do...
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...“emphasizes the relationship between the leader’s style and the characteristics of the subordinates and the work setting” (Northouse, p. 125). Another theory, the leader-member exchange theory, focuses on the relationship between members and their leaders, or their dyadic relationship. Path-Goal Theory In the path-goal theory, leaders help subordinates determine their goals, clarify a path, remove any obstacles, and provide support along their journey to their goal. To do this, they choose the best suited leadership behavior for the given situation. The Path-Goal Theory is very similar to the Situational Leadership II model in that it examines four similar leadership styles including directive, supportive, participative and achievement-oriented. Directive “characterizes a leader who gives subordinates instructions about their task, including what is expected of them, how it is to be done, and the time line for when it should be completed” (Northouse, p. 127). Supportive leaders “go out of their way to make work pleasant for subordinates. In addition, they treat subordinates as equals and give them respect for their status” (Northouse, p. 127). Participative leaders “consult with subordinates” and “integrates their suggestions into the decisions about how the group or organization will proceed” (Northouse, p. 127). Achievement-oriented leaders have great expectations for their subordinates and show they are confident in the ability of their subordinates to accomplish...
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...continental United States and this opportunity required me to manage multiple offices of this corporation and some were abroad. I had to ask myself if I truly was the right candidate for this opportunity. Being noticed because of my knack of being a proven leader with positive results with my current employer was great but was I ready to take on a new challenge that had more of a multicultural twist? That was the question I had to find the answers. I was informed that I was to meet with the CEO of the company at 3:00 PM and I was nervous. If you had a meeting at that time of a day, it usually was not good. I was a nervous wreck as I sat in his office expecting the worse. To my relief, I found out that not only was I not losing my job, I was being offered an amazing opportunity. I was selected as a candidate for a leadership position in an international corporation and I was being heavily recruited by that company based on what they heard about me. Of course, this opportunity brought on additional challenges for me as well as my family because it would require a lot of traveling both here in the United States and abroad to four different countries. I apparently came highly recommended for this position by various leaders who felt I would be the right fit for the position. I had a lot going through my as I traveled home for the day. The first question I had to ask was how I would present to my wife as this would have to be a big sell since she would be more be absorbing most...
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...first appeared in the early 1960s and has been refined and revised several times (Blake & McCanse, 1985). It is a model that has been used extensively in organizational training and development. The Managerial Grid, which has been renamed the Leadership Grid®, was designed to explain how leaders help organizations to reach their purposes through two factors: concern for production and concern for people (Northouse, 2007). Concern for production refers to how a leader is concerned with achieving organizational tasks. It involves a wide range of activities, including attention to policy decisions, new product development, process issues, workload, and sales volume, to name a few. Not limited to things, concern for production can refer to whatever the organization is seeking to accomplish (Blake & Mouton, 1964) (Northouse, 2007). Concern for people refers to how a leader attends to the people in the organization who are trying to achieve its goals. This concern includes building organizational commitment and trust, promoting the personal worth of employees, providing good working conditions, maintaining a fair salary structure, and promoting good social relations (Blake & Mouton,1964) (Northouse, 2007). The grid theory breaks behavior down into seven key elements such as initiative, inquiry, advocacy, decision making, conflict resolution, resilience, and critique. Initiative is measured by taking action, driving and supporting. Inquiry is measured by questioning, researching...
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...Unit 1 and 2 were about getting knowledge on what leadership is and what types of leaders are there. The definition of leadership has been in between two options, some believe you are born with it others believe you can develop such traits and skills. According to our text, Rost (1991) discovered over 200 definitions for leadership while studying materials from 1900 to 1990 (Northouse, 2013). Something that stood out to me was according to a trait perspective; it is believed that certain people are born with leadership traits. This approach assumes that only certain people are capable of being leaders and that the traits and skills cannot be learned. The trait approach also only focuses on the leader and not the followers or the situation. This perspective does identify specific traits that are associated with leadership and include: intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity and sociability. The skills approach assumes a broader perspective and takes into consideration personality traits along with skills and abilities. Career experiences and environmental influences are also taken into contemplation since both can have a significant impact on leadership effectiveness (Northouse, 2013). The important aspect of leadership is the social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task (Northouse, 2013). The idea that is meaningful in my opinion is to be a leader one of the four domains of leadership strength...
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...the most useful out of most of the theories discusses in Northouse (2016) textbook. This theory is based on being genuine to the leader’s values and in this era that appears to be respected. Followers today look for leaders that are original and are driven from personal experiences. Leaders that have an agenda that is based on creating change for the better good based from life experience makes them more attractive because their followers can relate to them and in return they feel understood by the leader. Another aspect of authentic leadership is being transparent. Again, in this day in age, we use social media as our form of communication, follow current events, and connect with others, having that available...
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...situation? Why or why not? Has this had an impact on their effectiveness? I believe that Coach Knight and Coach K are matched to their situation according to Fiedler’s Contingency Model. Contingency theory suggests that situations can be characterized in terms of three factors: leader–member relations, task structure, and position power (Northouse, 2010). 2) Using Situational Leadership II, provide evidence from the cases that show whether or not there is usage of the leadership styles by the two coaches, and adopt a position on whether or not you think the coaches are effective from this theoretical perspective. In: Business and Management Coach Analysis Case Analysis Paper 3: A Tale of Two Coaches Bonnie Hyatt Grand Canyon University Leadership Style and Development LDR-600 Kelly Jensen, MBA April 30, 2013 Case Analysis Paper 3: A Tale of Two Coaches Fiedler’s contingency theory is a “leader-match theory” (Northhouse, 2013, p. 135). It attempts to match the style of the leader with the situation and develop a match between the two. Coach Knight and Coach Krzyzewski (Coach K) were both effective in this leadership style because they produced winning teams. Coach Knight is a task driven leader who sores low on the least preferred co-worker scale (LPC). His primary focus was accomplishing the tasks. He did this through discipline and intimidation. He expected nothing less than perfection from his players. Relationships were developed secondary to meeting the...
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...------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETELY FILLED IN Follow these procedures: If requested by your instructor, please include an assignment cover sheet. This will become the first page of your assignment. In addition, your assignment header should include your last name, first initial, course code, dash, and assignment number. This should be left justified, with the page number right justified. For example: Tarplain, B PSYCH 6401-8 Industrial/Organizational Psychology | Save a copy of your assignments: You may need to re-submit an assignment at your instructor’s request. Make sure you save your files in accessible location. | | PSYCH 6401-8 | Audrey Rabas, PhD | | | Assignment #7 | Analyze A Charismatic Leader | | | | | Academic integrity: All work submitted in each course must be your own original work. This includes all assignments, exams, term papers, and other projects required by your instructor. Knowingly submitting another person’s work as your own, without properly citing the source of the work, is considered plagiarism. This will result in an unsatisfactory grade for the work submitted or for the entire course. It may also result in academic dismissal from the University Faculty Use Only Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson, born July 18, 1950, is an English entrepreneur and financier (Finkle, 2011). Sir Richard Branson is the founder of...
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...reviving his Italian heritage in his bistro. Andy’s self-confidence is a vital factor in his business success. Headship necessitates influencing others, and self-confidence aids the leader to be certain of his efforts to influence others are appropriate (Northouse, 2010). Andy may be lacking in the numbers attribute of the restaurant, but everything else is good enough to ensure his profit target is reached. He has adequate technical skill enough to keep his restaurant famous and thriving. People can imagine if makes the changes to make his business perfect, hike prices, reduce quality (Northouse 67) if this would actually boost him, or fail him. This is a silent blessing that he does not expand its ideas. Andy's human skills are proven uninterruptedly, this is attributed to the number of customers coming back to his hotel. An advantage Andy has is that he understands the incompetence each of his manager has. Toting up to self-confidence, other traits portrayed by Andy in leadership theories and studies consist of brainpower, determination, integrity, and amiability (Robbins & Coulter, 2007). The case study suggests that Garafallo is perceptual and reasoning abilities demonstrate his leadership aptitude, and that his business triumph embodies his determination, integrity, and sociability (Northouse, 2010). Basing the argument on the skills perspective the three managers, Kelly, Danielle, and Patrick need to improve their skills for an effective business management; according...
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...As I was reading Northouse’s chapter on leadership I began to realize that my most current definition of leadership encompasses many of the characteristics discussed in the chapter. Leadership is a group effort, that involves leaders and followers that can influence each other as they attempt to accomplish a common goal. This brief description of leadership I hold encompases the fact that leadership is a process, involves influence, occurs in groups and the attempt to accomplish common goals. I also love the way Northouse describes the process of leadership by mentioning that “Leaders need followers, and followers need leaders”. His findings and breakdown of the term leadership heavily relies on a teamwork aspect, that encourages the group...
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