Premium Essay

Leadership Approach

In:

Submitted By HappygoLucky
Words 720
Pages 3
Leadership Approach
Happiness R. Brown
University of Phoenix
LDR/531 Organizational Leadership
Brenda Talsma
October 22, 2012

An important aspect to any organization or team is leadership and the impact it can have on the success and completion of projects, goals and objectives. Leaders have many different styles in their approach of the leadership role. Some qualities needed to perform successful leadership roles include: respect, confidence, loyalty and obedience. The writer will provide an over-view and some insight of the approach of power-influence leadership. “Power-influence research examining influence processes between leaders and other people” (Yukl, 2010, p.14). Power can be achieved through established relationships between leaders and followers. Individuals must be first willing to work together to achieve objectives and having influence to lead people will help in achieving that. Power is used not only in professional environments but in the personal lives of individuals as well. Power can be attained through ways that include: hard work, money, information, and intelligence. Power can be viewed as neutral and most often power is subject to one’s ethics and point of view. Many people who hold some form of power have been able to develop and retain relationships that have benefited them well in many areas. Politicians are able to develop and retain relationships with the people of their communities and then encourage those community members to vote for and elect them as representatives of the community. In order to obtain a position of power, a combination of motivation and resources are needed. A person interested in attending college may have the motivation to learn and obtain a degree but may lack the financial resources needed to attend. The aforementioned individual may be interested in moving up within the company into a

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Leadership Approach

...RUNNING HEAD: LEADERSHIP APPROACH PAPER Leadership Approach Paper University of Phoenix LDR 531/ Organizational Leadership March 31, 2013 Leadership Approach Research on leadership has been occurring for centuries and has continued to evolve over the course of time. So much research is available that it is necessary to categorize it to emphasize potential relationships that tie them together. According to Yuki, "common practice is to limit the focus to one type of leader characteristic, namely traits, behavior, or power" (Yuki, 2010, p. 13). Focusing on the trait approach, a definition will be provided and an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of this approach will be discussed. Trait Approach Trait approach is defined as "personal attributes (or traits) of leaders, such as physical and personality characteristics, competencies, and values"(Fleenor, 2006, p. 830). The idea behind early research was that certain people had traits from birth that enabled them to be leaders. Researchers have created lists to describe the character traits...

Words: 654 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Leadership Approach

...Leadership in life, in business, in government, in everyday activities among all humans is needed to move forward. Definitions for leadership vary from one leader to another and are viewed differently from one follower to another. Leadership could be a trait one is born with or a lesson taught throughout life (Yukl, 2010). The research about leaders and leadership is so vast; higher learning institutions dedicate an entire class on the subject. The Unites States military branches use the power influence approach to ensure strong leaders and the power of influencing the general public they serve. The strength of the Power Influence Approach is also its weakness. The guideline of “leaders act and followers react” (Yukl, para. 56, 2010) will help leadership be established and hold the ultimate level of power which is a strength. The followers who are natural leaders will not react as expected. Eliminating this weakness requires the leaders to know who their followers are and recognize those who will be leaders. The United States military leaders recognize which followers are future leaders. The military as a whole also uses their power to influence those serving in the different branches, but also influencing the general public. According to J.D. Scanlon “Still, many governments do in fact routinely seek to influence domestic public opinion through such things as recruiting advertising or health promotions. Likewise, government communicators routinely develop "messages" designed...

Words: 294 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Leadership Approach

...Leadership Approach Leadership Approach Leadership can be characterized by three variables that help to understand leadership effectiveness. These variables are, 1) characteristics of a leader, 2) characteristics of followers, and 3) characteristics of the situation. Classifying the different leadership theories are done according to the emphasis of the variable. There are several major approaches to studying leadership. Some examples are the trait approach, behavior approach, power-influence approach, situational approach, and integrative approach. With each approach comes several strengths and weaknesses. Examples can be given to help show how a leadership approach can be used in an organization. Behavior Approach The behavior approach to studying leadership, which began in the 1950s, was developed after researchers became uninterested with the trait approach. Instead, they began to focus their attention to what managers do while at their job. The research for behavior branches into two main subcategories (Yukl, 2010). First Subcategory The first subcategory of research observes how managers spend their time and the routines of their activities, functions for managerial jobs, and functions. Other research involves examining how managers cope with the demands, constraints, and role conflicts that can occur during their job. A vast majority of the managerial work research uses detailed methods of collecting data in such ways as direct observation, job description...

Words: 615 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Leadership Approach

...Leadership Approach Bill Bartlett LDR 531 October 29, 2012 Dr. Ernest Price Leadership Approach Leadership is critical to any organization and can be a determining factor in successful completion of organizational goals and objectives. Leaders have their own unique style and successful leaders inspire loyalty, respect, confidence and obedience. Dr. Stephen Covey defined leadership as communicating to people their worth and potential so clearly that they are inspired to see it in themselves ("The Leader Formula: The 4 Things That Make A Good Leader", 2012). The following paper is an overview on of an approach used in the study of leadership. The focus will be on the power-influence approach theories, strength, and weaknesses within the approach. Research Approach Leadership has been the subject of much research that has created a vast array of results. To classify leadership theory and research is, according to the type of variable emphasized the most. The three variables relevant to understanding leadership effectiveness are characteristics of leaders, characteristics of followers, and characteristics of the situation (Yukl, 2010). Over the past half century leader characteristics are the most emphasized. Power-influence Approach The power-influence approach attempts to understand leadership effectiveness in terms of the...

Words: 906 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Leadership Approach

...Leadership Approach David Ruiz Pineyro LDR/531 Organizational Leadership February 7, 2013 Prof. Jose Rodrigo-Pons Leadership Approach On this paper I am going to explain briefly one of the major research approaches for studying leadership. Also included on this paper will be a summarized explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of the leadership approach selected along with an example in which this approach has been used in an organization. I would like to commence by mentioning that there is no particular stated definition for the word leadership. According to Yukl (2010) Leadership is such a broad subject than can range or vary from personality traits, behavior, influence, interaction, patterns, roles and relationships, and even the occupation of an administrative position (pg.2). Since leadership is so complex even though it has been studied for years researchers have not been able to come up with a particular definition for it. As Burns (1978) stated “Leadership is one of the most studied and less understood phenomena on Earth” (Bahreinian & Soltani, 2012, pg. 7). Therefore, different theories and approaches on this area of study have aroused over the years. But not all leadership approaches focus on the same assumptions. For example when we talk about the Trait Approach we emphasize on the particular attributes of leaders such as personality, motives, values, and skills. We have heard from time to time that anybody can be a manager but not everybody can...

Words: 755 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Leadership Approach

...Leadership Approach Sandra C. Williams LDR/531 November 29, 2012 Michael Bates Leadership Approach Leadership requires directing and motivating others toward a common goal. Influence plays a major part in leadership to guide the individual, group, or organization to share in the success of a leader’s ideas and plans. A particular situation determines how much power and influence is needed by a leader. More influence is needed to make changes in strategy when strong resistance to change is encountered. Less influence is needed when people have the same objectives and are naturally motivated to do what is needed. Influenced derived from a position power is especially important when it is necessary to control rebels who try to disrupt the activities of the organization or criminals who want to steal its resources. This research will address the facts, and the strength and weaknesses of the Power-Influence Approach in leadership. Power-Influence Approach Influence is heart of leadership, and many leaders attempt to influence the attitudes and behavior of people, subordinates, coworkers, superiors, and outsiders (Yukl, 2006). Power-influence examines the processes of influence between leaders and other people (Yukl, 2006). A leader must be able to influence subordinates to commit his or her thoughts and skills toward the mission and goals of the organization. Both leadership and influence are linked to facilitate change, relationship building, and build an environment...

Words: 745 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Approach to Leadership

...The Approach to Leadership Abstract Leadership, as defined by Organizational Behavior is “the use of power and influence to direct the activities of followers toward goal achievement.” (Colquitt, Lepine, & Wesson, pg. 430) To be regarded as a leader, one must be proactive and always prepared to be held accountable. Leaders are engaged in their employee’s progression within the workplace assuring that everyone is aware that he or she is there for them. They are observant in what is going on around them while making sure their team has the proper resources to be successful, and in turn profit the company. With an effective approach to problem solving, being able to listen and accepting that failure is inevitable, a strong leader can navigate through any situation that they may be faced with. Introduction “Leaders provide vision and direction for the pursuance of group and organizational goals.” (Martin, Rowlinson, Fellows, & Anita, pg. 154) As a leader holding a management position, one of the top priorities is making sure the employees are engaged and satisfied. “Engaged employees are both efficient and effective in the operation of organizational processes that produce products and services that meet customer demands.” (Medlin, Green, K.W., pg.22) A leader, who has integrity and is optimistic about the direction of the organization, motivates a team to be creative and forward thinking. This paper will examine the leadership practices of an individual and offer...

Words: 2835 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Leadership Approach

...Leadership Approach Paper Any Body LDR531 Organizational Leadership August 15, 1999 Professor X Leadership Approach Paper The definition of leadership is debatable among leaders and followers in countless regards. According to Yuki (2010), the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it, and the process of facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish shared objectives is the definition of leadership. Likewise, most individuals would probably support the concept that leadership involves some form of influence. The focus of this paper is to provide an overview of the integrative approach to leadership as a tool for managers in any organization. Overview The integrative approach to leadership is a process that involves bringing together groups and organizations in semi-permanent ways typically across sector boundaries to remedy complex obstacles and achieve the success (Alban-Metcalfe & Alimo-Metcalfe, 2010). Strengths and Weaknesses Leadership Example A key leadership challenge for managers is maintaining and further developing the critical capabilities that ensure an organization’s success and longevity. Thus, good leadership is at the heart of great triumphs for firms that recognize the significance of balanced decisions. Thoughtful analysis and prudence in every decision empowers leaders to assess the potential impact of long-term choices. Moreover, the right leadership approach enhances...

Words: 268 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Leadership Approach

...Leadership Approach Paper Eli Griffin LDR/531Organizational Leadership July 31, 2012 Norma Sutton Leadership Approach Paper This paper will indicate one of the major approaches in the studying of leadership. The paper will indicate the strengths and weaknesses that are a part of the chosen leadership approach. The paper will also indicate an example of an organization currently using the chosen leadership approach. According to Leadership Theories and Studies (2012),”Leadership is probably the most frequently studied topic in the organizational sciences. Thousands of leadership studies have been published and thousands of pages on leadership have been written in academic books and journals, business-oriented publications, and general-interest publications” (para. 2a). Individuals and researchers conducting a particular leadership study state that leadership has many definitions (Yuki, 2010). Yuki (2010) states “Researchers usually define leadership according to their individual perspectives and the aspects of the phenomenon of most interest to them. After a comprehensive review of the leadership literature which also indicates that there are almost as many definitions of leadership as there are persons who have attempted to define the concept” (p. 2a). Behavioral Leadership One of the major leadership approaches is the behavioral leadership study. Yuki (2010) stated,“ The behavior approach began in the early 1950’s after many researchers became discouraged with...

Words: 739 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Leadership Approach

...Leadership Approach Dick Tracy LDR/531 September 10, 2012 Bill Clinton Leadership Approach There have been a lot of different studies conducted to identify the different forms of leadership. Leadership traits can be broken down into five different areas from trait approach, behavior approach, power-influence approach, situational approach, and integrative approach. The one leadership approach that best matches my leadership style is the power-influence approach. According to University of Phoenix Organizational Behavior (2011), Power is important not only to influencing subordinates, but also for influencing peers, superiors, and people outside the organization, clients, and suppliers. The strength of power-influence approach is the ability to influence leaders and others into thinking a certain way. Not only thinking a certain way but also making them think it was there idea and it’s for the good of the team. While following all the rules and policy established by your company or organization. With power-influence approach force is not needed because your power is already established. The weakness of power-influence is the ability for some people to use pressure or other means to influence people or organization to be what they are recommending. If the receiving party could...

Words: 722 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Leadership Approach

...Leadership Approach Paper LDR/531 February 25, 2013 Leadership Approach A leader has the ability to lead and influence a group of people to follow in his or her direction to achieve organizational goals or in other words, getting people to want to do what you want them to do rather than just getting them to do what you want them to. The purpose of this paper is to explore the situational leadership theory as an approach to studying leadership and discuss the strength and weaknesses of this approach and how the theory relates to real-world scenarios. The situational leadership theory is an approach to studying leadership and suggests that there is not a one size fit all when leading a group of people. Hersey and Blanchard (1977) proposed a contingency theory that specifies the appropriate type of leadership behavior for different levels of subordinate “maturity” in relation to the work. A high-maturity subordinate has both the ability and confidence to do a task, whereas a low-maturity subordinate lacks ability and self-confidence (Yukl, p. 233, 2010). The theory identifies the appropriate leadership behaviors when confronted with subordinates who are at different levels of maturity in relation to the task at hand.   The level of subordinates’ maturity is divided into four quadrants, M1 to M4.   (M1)– This leadership approach is when the followers have low desire and ability to complete the task at hand. The followers avoid doing...

Words: 831 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Leadership Approach

...Leadership Approach LDR/531 February 25, 2012 Daryl Korinek Leadership Approach Leadership is an important function of management, which helps to maximize and to achieve organizational goals. A leader is expected to initiate actions, motivate employees, provide guidance, create high morale, infuse confidence, and build a positive work environment. Currently there are five major approaches to studying leadership: trait approach, behavior approach, powerful influence approach, situational approach, and the integrative approach. The following review will discuss the behavior approach. The behavior approach is the idea of looking further into what the manager performs daily. “The behavior approach began in the early 1950s after many researchers became discouraged with the trait approach and began to pay close attention to what mangers actually do on the job” (Yukl, 2010). Within the behavior approach there are two categories of information that is analyzed. Researchers are identifying how managers utilize his or her time, daily activities, responsibilities, and expected functions of the manager. Researches are also investigating how managers deal with on-the-job demands and time constraints. To conduct the research, researchers relied on data collected by direct observation, questionnaires, and interviews. The other category of information being studied is identifying how the manager is an effective leader. Researchers relied on a survey field study that included a questionnaire...

Words: 376 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Leadership Approach Paper

...Leadership Approach Paper Sharon Boahn LDR/531 May 13, 2013 Drew Stevens Ph.D Leadership Approach Paper Leaders aid a group in achieving a common goal. Leaders have new ideas and goals they introduce to the group and motivates the group to work on the new ideas and achieve the goal. Leaders also inspire the group to perform at their best and assist them in their performance. Leaders have leadership skills and approaches that help them to be successful. The trait leadership approach is based on the theory that leaders are born with the leadership characteristics that enable them to be great leaders, instead of being developed or taught into the leadership role. There are strengths and weaknesses in the trait approach concerning leadership. Strengths There were several characteristics founded to be very strong in the trait leadership approach. “This approach emphasizes attributes of leaders such as personality, motives, values, and skills” (Yukl, 2010). The personality of a leader has a large role in his or her success. The personality of a leader can be very valuable when interacting with individuals, the personality of a leader can set the mode within the workplace. A leader with a positive personality will create an encouraging atmosphere where goal accomplishment and motivation will be successful. There are strong abilities identified in the trait approach of leadership, such as continuous force to get the job complete, sharp perception, and influential power. The...

Words: 571 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Behavioral Approach of Leadership

...Top of Form Content Chapter 1 Introduction 4 Methodology 5 A. Data Source 5 B. Sample Size and Sampling 5 Technique Scope/Limitation of the work 5 Chapter 2 Literature review 6 Leadership Behavioral Approach of 7 Leadership i. Kurt Lewin at University of Iowa 8 ii. Ohio State Leadership Studies 8 iii. Michigan Leadership Studies 9 Chapter 3 Analyses and Discussion 11 Chapter 4 Conclusion and Recommendation 15 A. Conclusion 15 B. Recommendation 16 Appendix 17 Reference 18 Chapter 1 Introduction Yordanos Bar & Restaurant was opened 13 years ago, in 2000G.C.The location of this restaurant is in Addis Ababa, more specifically the area known as Stadium, on the way going to Ethiopia Hotel. To be more specific it is located at Kirkos Kifle Ketema. This restaurant was opened by Ato Abraham Niguse as a sole owner.This restaurant by the time it was open was having 4 middle size rooms for the customers, around 2 kitchens, a small bar, two toilets and 20 employees. Generally speaking, at this time it has an office for the owner, 7 rooms for customers, two employees changing rooms, a small bar, cashier space, 3 kitchens, one big Store, around 6-7 toilets for the customers and employees. The recent employees are more than 40 to mention them:- * General Manager (1) * Assistant Manage also hosts to meet, greet...

Words: 5394 - Pages: 22

Premium Essay

Dyadic Leadership Approach

...Dyadic Leadership Approach Amanda B. Donner LDR/531 August 27, 2012 Dennis Gribenas, PhD Dyadic Leadership Approach The dyadic leadership approach is one in which the linear relationship between a leader and one other individual that is to be led, is studied. The definition of the leader in terms of this approach is discussed with regard to how the leader is able to affect the desired behavior in the one that he is leading with regard to accomplishing specific tasks (Yukl, Chapter 1: Introduction: The Nature of Leadership,  2010). According to Yukl (2010) the dyadic leadership approach usually focuses on the “leadership behavior as the source of influence, and on changes in the attitudes, motivation, and behavior of an individual subordinate as the influence process” (Chapter 1: Introduction: The Nature of Leadership,  2010). Strengths of the Dyadic Approach The dyadic leadership approach assumes that the relationship between the leader and the subordinate is singular in nature and is a relationship that evolves over time from a basic or casual relationship to that of a mutual trust in order to accomplished mutual goals (Yukl, Chapter 1: Introduction: The Nature of Leadership,  2010). In this way the leader has a direct influence over the behavior and attitude of a singular subordinate without outside interference. The dyadic leadership approach can also be used to study a group dynamic but in a limited way assuming that all of the subordinates have similar job descriptions...

Words: 689 - Pages: 3