Leadership

 

Definitions on Leadership

The ability to influence the behavior of an individual or a group with the purpose to achieve goals of a particular organization is meant by leadership.                                                                                  ( Albert & Khedoorm )

Leadership of he process of directing and influencing the task-related activities of group members.                                                                                                                                (Stoner, Freeman and Gilbert)

Importance of Leadership

Leadership is the thing that connects the plans of the organization with the skills of subordinates of the organization. Accordingly, the necessity of the leadership to an organization can be point out according to the following facts.

Ø  To get the active participation of all in order to reach the vision and the mission of the organization.

Ø  To motivate employees towards higher performance.

Ø  To co - ordinate and direct the activities of employees of various departments.

Ø  To maintain a proper communication with various departments of the organization.

Ø  To control the affairs of the organization according to the required standards.

Ø  To assure self confidence and good mental wellbeing of subordinates.

Leadership Styles

While the way that the leaders perform, differ in the process of influencing their subordinates, those behavioral patterns are referred to as leadership styles. There are two bases on which the leadership styles can be categorized.

1. According to the way leaders perform

Ø  Autocratic Leader

Ø  Democratic Leader

Ø  Laissez - Faire Leader

Ø  Paternalistic

2. According to the behavioral style of the leader.

Ø  Task oriented Leader

Ø  Employee oriented Leader

 

 

 

Ø  Autocratic Leader

The leader that perform according to his own decisions without considering the ideas of subordinates is the Autocratic Leader. The autocratic leader retains the authority centralized. He gets the works done through subordinates by giving orders. To avoid penalty, subordinates follow those commands obediently. While the employees are influenced by orders, the priority is given to production rather than employees. These kind of leaders don't get the participation of the subordinates in taking decisions. He always follows his method. This style can be said suitable when need to make a decision for the entire organization promptly.

 

Ø  Democratic Leader

The leader that performs considering the ideas of subordinates is the Democratic Leader. The democratic leader decentralize the authority. He gets the participation of subordinates in taking decisions. He makes arrangements to obtain the participation of employees at determining the goals and at deciding the methods of performing tasks.

At this, the employees in the first –line management level get motivated and respect others' opinions. Because of collective decision making, it will be easy to implement those decisions and there will be a collective bond among all the parties.

Ø  Laissez - Faire Leader

The leader that gives the highest liberty to subordinates in performing task is the Laizze - Faire Leader. These kind of leaders provide a complete liberty to subordinates to make decisions. These kind of leaders influence much less their group.Things to be decided and to be done take place without the influence of the leader. This leadership style is important when there are highly experienced and highly expertise subordinates.

Ø  Paternalistic

They make all the decisions and expect subordinates to obey these decisions and they are about well being of subordinates. Like autocratic leader paternalistic leater do not give subordinates control over decision making.

Ø  Task Oriented Leader

The behavior of this leader is focused towards, the increasing of the production by somehow and getting the works done successfully. The concentration is much placed on getting the works assigned to employees done rather than their career development or their personal satisfaction. By following various penalty methods, the leader also engages in performing tasks directly.

 

Ø  Employee Oriented Leader

These kind of leaders focus much on motivating employees rather than controlling them. They maintain a friendly, faithful as well as a respectful relationship with employees. Most of the time, they obtain employees participation in making decisions.

Through the leaders are classified according to the way leaders perform or according to the behavioral style of the leader, the situational leadership also has come up when inquired which leadership style suits the most.

 

Ø  Situational Leadership

·        This means that the manager, having properly studied the leadership situation, should select a suitable leadership style for each situation.

·        When properly studying the leadership situation, the concentration should be placed on through the factors such as the characteristics of the manager, the characteristic of subordinate, the characteristic of the task and the influence of the organization.

leadership qualities that should be in a successful leader    

Ø  Determination

Ø  Dedication                                                     

Ø  High personality characteristics                             

Ø  Intelligence

Ø  Self Confidence

Ø  Physical & Mental fitness

Ø  Self discipline

Ø  Being pleasant

Different between leader and a manager

Leader	Manager
01.   Other members are followers	Other members are subordinates
02.   Derives power through his personality	Derives power on the basis of his position
03.   Far sighted	Rather near sighted
04.   Respected by others	Expects others respect
05.   Sensitive in making decisions	Makes decisions as dictated by the rules and relies on rules
06.   Faces change through innovations	Maintains status quo at the face of change