LEADERSHIP IN ORGANIZATIONS
Lecture 1: Traditional models for leadership..............................................................................2
Lecture 2: Leading change; power, influence and control..........................................................8
Lecture 3: Inclusive leadership; a theoretical overview and discussion of personal experience
...................................................................................................................................................12
Lecture 4: Entrepreneurial leadership.......................................................................................15
Lecture 5: Leadership in national crisis situations....................................................................19
Lecture 6: Diversity & leadership.............................................................................................25
Lecture 8: Ethical leadership.....................................................................................................34
Lecture 9: Global leadership and work life experiences...........................................................39
Lecture 10: Guest-lecture on woman’s leadership in Saudi Arabia..........................................44
,Lecture 1: Traditional models for leadership
In popular management books, the definition of leadership is very prescriptive; how leaders
should be, or how to become one.
In academic research, there are different opinions of leadership:
- Bennis (1959): Probably more has been written and less known about leadership, than
about any other topic in behavioral sciences. Many people think they know something
about leadership.
- Bums (1978): Leadership is one of the most observed and least understood phenomena
on earth. More research is needed.
- Yuki (1989/2010): The field of leadership is presently in a stage of confusion. Most
widely known theories are beset of conceptual weakness and lack of strong empirical
support. Hence, more empirical research is needed. Leadership is universal.
- Alvesson & Sveningsson (2003): We need to think about the possibility of the non-
existence of leadership as a distinct phenomenon with great relevance for
understanding organizations and relations in workplaces; it is about doing leadership
and taking a role as a leader. Making it less black and white what leadership is.
Definitions of leadership:
- Stogdill (1950): Leadership may be considered as the process (or act) of influencing
the activities of an organized group in its efforts towards goal setting and goal
achievement.
- Yuki (2010): Leadership is 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.
Leadership is important for the effectiveness of organizations. But, in the years, more focus is
put on a shared and more group effort, including many different factors, and not the effort of
only 1 leader! Often, yet, particularly in mainstream literature and before, it concerns a boss
(usually a man, allegedly) and his followers with a top-down approach…
Approaches on
leadership:
1. Trait
approach
Theories that consider personality, social, physical, or intellectual traits to differentiate leaders
from non-leaders. It is in the personality.
- Born with certain attributes to lead, not made: natural propensity.
- “correct” traits, which are stable.
- The person is more important than the kind of organization. The success of an
organization depends on the leader.
- Mental image of a particular person.
- Personality will predict ability to take up such a role (and success).
,Leadership traits:
- Extraversion
- Self-confidence
- Energy level
- Internal locus of control
Criticism:
- In one situation one can be a (good) leader, in the other not. It depends on the
circumstances.
- Depends a lot on the organizational as well as national culture; traits are not universal.
- The “maleness” of this approach; attributes associated to traits are often viewed as
male.
- “Disabling” traits for leadership is also important; emotional instability, defensiveness,
lack of integrity, too little interpersonal skills, merely technical skills. Discussions are
needed on what are not appropriate traits for a leader.
- Circumstance and situation is also a factor to look at.
2. Behavioral style approach
Theories that consider leadership behavior to differentiate leaders from non-leaders; a position
that people take.
- Leaders can be made; ability to resolve organizational challenges, by deploying set of
skills, showing behaviors, act according set of competences – you can develop your
skills.
- Can be learned and trained, coached, the role is taken.
- Technical, human and conceptual skills; various levels.
- Interpersonal, information processing and decision making role; example of the
entrepreneur or negotiator.
Studies; leadership style approaches
- Ohio state research
o Initiating structure
The extent to which a leader is likely to define and structure his or her
role and those of sub-ordinates in the search for task accomplishment (a
more distant leader).
o Consideration
The extent to which a leader is likely to have job relationships
characterized by mutual trust, respect for subordinate’s ideas, and
regard for their feelings (focusing on trust, respect and feelings).
- Michigan studies
Leadership style is combination of traits, skills and behaviors leaders use as they interact with
followers. Allignment with followers is important!
, o Employee-oriented leader
Emphasizing interpersonal relations; taking a personal interest in the
needs of employees and accepting individual differences among
members – empathy, diversifying (what does this employee need).
o Production-oriented leader
One who emphasizes technical or task aspects of the job.
The Managerial Grid (Blake & Mouton)
There are different leadership behaviors based on the
concern for production (output) and the concern for
people.
Blake & Mouton’s Leadership Grid
Country club manager: high people
concern and low task concern.
Team manager: high people concern and
high task concern.
Impoverished manager: low people
concern and low task concern.
Authority-obedience manager: low people
concern and high task concern.
Criticism:
- Life experiences and environmental constraints are not taken into account enough.
- Not described how to develop these behaviors in an organization
- Largely descriptive, and less analytical nor prescriptive.
- Behaviors and skills required in 1 context may vary from other contexts.
- It is not clear how an improvement in skill will lead to a corresponding improvement
in performance.
Lecture 1: Traditional models for leadership..............................................................................2
Lecture 2: Leading change; power, influence and control..........................................................8
Lecture 3: Inclusive leadership; a theoretical overview and discussion of personal experience
...................................................................................................................................................12
Lecture 4: Entrepreneurial leadership.......................................................................................15
Lecture 5: Leadership in national crisis situations....................................................................19
Lecture 6: Diversity & leadership.............................................................................................25
Lecture 8: Ethical leadership.....................................................................................................34
Lecture 9: Global leadership and work life experiences...........................................................39
Lecture 10: Guest-lecture on woman’s leadership in Saudi Arabia..........................................44
,Lecture 1: Traditional models for leadership
In popular management books, the definition of leadership is very prescriptive; how leaders
should be, or how to become one.
In academic research, there are different opinions of leadership:
- Bennis (1959): Probably more has been written and less known about leadership, than
about any other topic in behavioral sciences. Many people think they know something
about leadership.
- Bums (1978): Leadership is one of the most observed and least understood phenomena
on earth. More research is needed.
- Yuki (1989/2010): The field of leadership is presently in a stage of confusion. Most
widely known theories are beset of conceptual weakness and lack of strong empirical
support. Hence, more empirical research is needed. Leadership is universal.
- Alvesson & Sveningsson (2003): We need to think about the possibility of the non-
existence of leadership as a distinct phenomenon with great relevance for
understanding organizations and relations in workplaces; it is about doing leadership
and taking a role as a leader. Making it less black and white what leadership is.
Definitions of leadership:
- Stogdill (1950): Leadership may be considered as the process (or act) of influencing
the activities of an organized group in its efforts towards goal setting and goal
achievement.
- Yuki (2010): Leadership is 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.
Leadership is important for the effectiveness of organizations. But, in the years, more focus is
put on a shared and more group effort, including many different factors, and not the effort of
only 1 leader! Often, yet, particularly in mainstream literature and before, it concerns a boss
(usually a man, allegedly) and his followers with a top-down approach…
Approaches on
leadership:
1. Trait
approach
Theories that consider personality, social, physical, or intellectual traits to differentiate leaders
from non-leaders. It is in the personality.
- Born with certain attributes to lead, not made: natural propensity.
- “correct” traits, which are stable.
- The person is more important than the kind of organization. The success of an
organization depends on the leader.
- Mental image of a particular person.
- Personality will predict ability to take up such a role (and success).
,Leadership traits:
- Extraversion
- Self-confidence
- Energy level
- Internal locus of control
Criticism:
- In one situation one can be a (good) leader, in the other not. It depends on the
circumstances.
- Depends a lot on the organizational as well as national culture; traits are not universal.
- The “maleness” of this approach; attributes associated to traits are often viewed as
male.
- “Disabling” traits for leadership is also important; emotional instability, defensiveness,
lack of integrity, too little interpersonal skills, merely technical skills. Discussions are
needed on what are not appropriate traits for a leader.
- Circumstance and situation is also a factor to look at.
2. Behavioral style approach
Theories that consider leadership behavior to differentiate leaders from non-leaders; a position
that people take.
- Leaders can be made; ability to resolve organizational challenges, by deploying set of
skills, showing behaviors, act according set of competences – you can develop your
skills.
- Can be learned and trained, coached, the role is taken.
- Technical, human and conceptual skills; various levels.
- Interpersonal, information processing and decision making role; example of the
entrepreneur or negotiator.
Studies; leadership style approaches
- Ohio state research
o Initiating structure
The extent to which a leader is likely to define and structure his or her
role and those of sub-ordinates in the search for task accomplishment (a
more distant leader).
o Consideration
The extent to which a leader is likely to have job relationships
characterized by mutual trust, respect for subordinate’s ideas, and
regard for their feelings (focusing on trust, respect and feelings).
- Michigan studies
Leadership style is combination of traits, skills and behaviors leaders use as they interact with
followers. Allignment with followers is important!
, o Employee-oriented leader
Emphasizing interpersonal relations; taking a personal interest in the
needs of employees and accepting individual differences among
members – empathy, diversifying (what does this employee need).
o Production-oriented leader
One who emphasizes technical or task aspects of the job.
The Managerial Grid (Blake & Mouton)
There are different leadership behaviors based on the
concern for production (output) and the concern for
people.
Blake & Mouton’s Leadership Grid
Country club manager: high people
concern and low task concern.
Team manager: high people concern and
high task concern.
Impoverished manager: low people
concern and low task concern.
Authority-obedience manager: low people
concern and high task concern.
Criticism:
- Life experiences and environmental constraints are not taken into account enough.
- Not described how to develop these behaviors in an organization
- Largely descriptive, and less analytical nor prescriptive.
- Behaviors and skills required in 1 context may vary from other contexts.
- It is not clear how an improvement in skill will lead to a corresponding improvement
in performance.
