Comparison of Leadership Theories

Keywords: compare leadership theories, leadership theories comparison

The establishment of romance between supporters and leaders that give attention to real adjustments and outcomes that displays through shared purposes is actually leadership. Leadership also involves in creating switch not merely in maintaining status quote. Another leadership important characteristic is to bring people and make sure they are understanding to come together around a common eyesight also to bring change about desired future. In lots of aspects, the value of leadership is vital without it families, communities and the as organisations would go down apart. In other impression, the way of improving efficiency, morale, customer support and performance may be the critical facet of leadership. Additionally it is essential for the organisations to handle critical problem and lead that properly and only a good leader with good leadership ability can lead team successfully. There are different varieties of leadership basically it really is way the person deals with that so that you can stay alive in his or her position. These are authoritarian, democratic and laissez-faire.( Business:William M. Pride, Robert J. Hughes, Jack R. Kapoor,Cengage Learning, 2009 – Political Science science lab report -p.179)

In authoritarian leadership design, leader holds all of the power and tasks. In this style, workers are assigned to particular task by the leader and expect to get it done orderly.

In laissez-faire leadership design, leader gives capacity to employees. There are several alternate decisions taken by head, employees can choose some of them from there this will depend up to them.

In democratic leadership styles, leader gives even more importance on staff and tries to encourage them and shows focus on individuals.

Historical, classical and modern approach to Leadership theory: Historically there are several leadership approaches that associated with unique theories of leadership.

“Great Man” theory of leadership:

1900’s: This is the earliest theories of leadership. In those days most of the researchers believed that ‘leaders are born, not made’. In Great Guy theory, describes that the main secrets of an excellent leader is based on being born great. It offers importance on the analysis of all the wonderful leaders who were wonderful, may be they happen to be from aristocracy or from the low classes nevertheless they had the options to lead. By finding out those people who did great stuff such as Nepolean, Hitler, Curchill if we go further back then Lord Krisna, Gesus and Hazrat Mohammad were incredibly easy to point out them. According to ‘Great Gentleman’ theory, it believes that leaders will need to have some qualities like good commanding power, cleverness, very good character, courage, self-possession; fierceness and expressiveness that can not be possessed through learning or through particular educated programmes.(Organisational behaviour-by Hawa Singh,1st ed,2009-10,page-263)( Fire Support Leadership: Theories and Practices-Mitchell R. Waite, International Association of Fire Chiefs;Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2008 – Business & Economics;page-3,4)

Trait Theories of Leadership:

1900’s-1940: Trait theories act like “Great Man” theories in some techniques. It assumes that leaders must have got general traits or personal features that they get by born and common to all or any and produce them better matched to leadership. In Trait Theory of leadership just simply tried to find characteristics of well-known leader which were frequent. This approach was predicated on the scheme that is individuality and personal intrinsic worth that distinguish successful innovator form everyone else. In 1994, Yukl executed research on traits and skills and linked to organisational effectiveness (Introduction to educational leadership & organizational patterns: theory into practice,Patti L. Likelihood, Edward W. Chance,Eyesight on Education, 2002,site.87). These were-

• Energy and pressure patience
• Self-possession
• Inner locus of control
• Emotional maturity
• Worthiness
• Supremacy inspiration
• Reaching orientation
• Need for affiliation

Situational Theories of Leadership:

(Leadership in Institutions: You will find a Difference between Leaders and Managers, David, University Press of America, 2009, p 33)

In situational theories of leadership gives more importance on the various situations like where the job to be accomplished, fit in surrounded by personalities, electricity and perceptions. Effectiveness of leadership depends on those circumstances. These situational theories are also called Contingency theories because this Theory is normally reliant upon certain requirements or the status of the situations.

1960’s-70: In Contingency/situational theory argues-what leaders perform that could be determined by that scenarios and that behaviors should be related with that environmental situations in hand (Understanding Leadership Perspectives: Theoretical and Practical Approaches, By Matthew R. Fairholm, Gilbert W. Fairholm,2008,page.11).

A good situational leader can only just apply different leadership designs with the changing conditions. The best action taken by the leader depends on of the first choice depends on a variety of situational factors. How the model works only to achieve results:

• Identification of detailed work and task
• Asses present performance
• Corresponding leader response

Different leadership designs could impact by the wide range of variables according to the different environmental situations and it creates an impact on leader behaviour, where leader can function. There are a few crucial contingencies like organisational volume, complexity in job, maturity of worker and so many others. Regarding to situational theory, situational factors are limited and change according compared to that contingency and specified behaviour of head can only work in certain sort of situations not for all.

There are three virtually all prominent theories of contingency-

• Path-Goal theory
• Feidler’s Contingency theory
• The Vroom-Yetton’s model

Path-Goal theory:

In this theory typically concentrate on leader’s motivational function and it can be enhanced by increasing specific payoffs to subordinates for function goal accomplishment, gain personal pleasure by escalating opportunities (Property, 1971).According to these theories key occupier is that the effectiveness can be measured through the behaviours of unique leaders which will be influenced by situational variables. In broader feeling it centered on initial set up and reflection behaviour of leader’s but later on it prolonged in the form of participative and leadership behaviours regarding achievement oriented (Property and Mitchell, 1974).there are two key assumption on path-Goal theories of leadership-

(Leadership edited by Linda L. Neider, Chester Schriesheim, IAP, 2002, web page-116)

Firstly, it worries with the suitability of leader’s behaviour to the subordinates

Secondly, it concerns with the motivational elements of leader (Home and Mitchell, 1974).

Suitability: Leader behaviours ought to be suitable for the subordinates to ensure that it helps them to operate well with different situation. This very good behaviour of leader enhances the overall satisfactions of subordinates.

Motivation: The part of a head is significant in motivating of workers for particular task to boost the overall performance.

Fiedler’s Contingency theory:

Managing organizational behaviour: Henry, Neal P. Mero, John R. Rizzo Wiley-Blackwell, 2000 – pages.461, 467

In 1971, Feidler proposed clarification on that how group effectiveness can be damaged through the relations of leadership orientation, group setting and job features. Leader’s scenario can measure though numerous extents like interactions between leaders and users, structure of job and position electricity (Fiedler, 1978).

The relationship between innovator and member: This refers to the way the leader is liked by the group members. When good relationship is present between leaders and people then all are get high satisfaction in work and organisations ideals is achieved through specific values. If the relation is certainly going badly after that there is lack of common trust. Another crucial term group cohesiveness, it is very difficult to make all the employees work together when it low. If it is high but bad relation with leader then group works jointly to harm the organisation and leader.

Structure of jobs: It is categorised in two methods like high process and low task structure. In high task job structure leader should know what the target is and how to achieve that. In low task framework job leader must decide how exactly to perform task whenever to take action.

Position power: In high position power innovator has authority to have any important decisions without informing anyone to higher organisation amounts. In low position power, leader has limited authority.

The Vroom-Yetton’s style of leadership:

This model is widely used in the expansion of leadership in corporate center and also gets enough support from practitioners. (Industrial and organizational psychology: linking theory with practice;Â By Cary L. Cooper, Edwin A. Locke, web page-151,152)The most crucial aspects of this style is that legitimates both the autocratic and democratic head behaviour and matching that is suitable in meticulous circumstances. This model also provides fruitful info on what would be the perfect period of using groupings or against personality decision making. This version has some limitations like leaders are will have to have decision in choosing of leadership designs, it considers each decision in term of scenario but it does not rely upon previous factor.

Cognitive resource theory:

Cognitive Resource theory may be the modification of Feidler’s Contingency theory. This theory focused on individuality, manners and situational houses. Cognitive reference theory integrates cognitive means like personal acumen, sensible knowledge and skill, job capability, into original model.

Assumptions:

1) Plans and strategies happen to be communicated through directive behaviour by mangers.

2) Experienced and smarter leaders have more priority on decision making instead of less experienced and significantly less smart leader.

The main limitation of the theory that it is not well thought-out the ability of leader.

The Hersey Blanchard Theory:

This situational theory produced by Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard and it targets activity and operational environment of the organisation. Their main approach was that supporters will constantly get favour from the first choice about their willingness to do the job. In this process leaders have to understand about the followers properly and have to recognize their stage of expansion and according to that apply the leadership style. With taking help from Ohio State research and develop four leadership styles that’s available for managers-

(Leadership in Institutions: There exists a Difference between Leaders and Managers by David We. Bertocci;University Press of America, 2009 ,pages.39,40)

• Directing or telling
• Coaching or selling
• Participating or supporting
• Delegating

Directing or telling: Job responsibilities

is defined by the leader and inform to followers about when to do that and where you can do it and how do it be done.

Coaching: It’s a two approach communication here leader gives supportive course to followers and oftentimes ask for ideas or recommendation from followers as well.

Supporting or participating: The leader and follower show in decision accordingly to achieve a maximum values like exactly what will be the very best to compete with high worth job

Delegating: Followers get little support from the leaders.

Implications of the theory: one trouble is that it does not matter how hard leaders make an effort nonetheless they are against to change from one style to some other.

Behavioural Theories of Leadership:

In this theory generally focus on behaviour of leaders in direction of the followers and this became a leading function of leadership approaching within the organisation. Diverse patterns of manners had been grouped collectively and categorized as styles. These activities of management through training became very famous. Fundamentally these styles are-

Task concern-Here leaders provide important on objectives accomplishment through higher level productivity, and methods to manage persons and activities for attaining those objectives.

People concern-Here leaders concentrate on their followers as people – what their needs, pursuits, what their complications, how it usually is development etc. They are not simply units of development or methods to an end.

Directive leadership. This design is considered by leaders generate decisions for others – and desiring all of the fans or subordinates will go after that directions.

Participative leadership. Right here leaders be a part of decision-making by sharing among others.(Wright 1996: 36-7)

http://www.infed.org/leadership/traditional_leadership.htm, 6.00pm, 27th Aug ’10 Wright, P. (1996) Managerial Leadership, London: Routledge.page-36-37

Charismatic Leadership:

This theory is described by Max Weber and generally focuses on leader’s charismatic characteristics. Through these attributes leaders influence the followers and they can change anything. It is not possible to gain access to these qualities by typical persons generally they are remarkable. They are like magic leaders they got unique capacity to handle complex situations.

Transactional Theories:

(Introduction to educational leadership & organizational habit: theory into practice,Patti L. Chance, Chance, 2002,page.94)

Ok -Leadership in Organizations: You will find a Difference Between Leaders and Managers, David I actually. Bertocci, University Press of America, 2009, page-48,49

This strategy of leadership was virtually all popular at that time and this is described by Gibson, Ivancevich and Donnelly. It possesses some equivalent features with situational theories. It’s a kind of leadership where leaders find out what the necessity of followers to achieve organisational performance as a means of benefits. In this theory features several assumptions like it motivates people through reward and obtain punishment for the reason for mistakes, followers know what they need to do according to path for the intended purpose of getting rewards. Sometimes they use management by exception tactics. The transactional leader sometimes use Path-Goal theory as a framework but leader take all of the obligations for setting goals, objective for gaining effectiveness.

Transformational Theories:

Followers will be motivated and inspired by the transformation leaders also to achieve results more than desired. This is actually the most recent theories of leadership. This leadership ability predicated on different personality elements like charisma, person interest and rational recreation (page-49). Launch to educational leadership & organizational behavior: theory into practice-Â By Patti L. Prospect, Edward W. Chance, 2002, page-90, 95

There are several ramifications of transformational leadership defined by Bernard Bass and Bruce Avolio (1994) .They are as follows:-

• Motivating others to entail them in function from new perception
• Consciousness about what the mission of the organisation
• Developing capability of other’s to attain performance at exceeds level
• Involved in identifying the diathesis stress model psychology benefits associated with the organisations by motivating the beyond their focus as they could have.

Theory X and Theory Y of Leadership:

In 1960, Douglus and McGregor described this leadership theory that the activities of leaders are based on their thinking and considerations about the individuals at the job. He also defined the behaviour of leaders in two contrasting pieces of bliefs.They are theory X and Theory Y.

The assumptions of Theory X:

Average individual do not like work and prevent if they can

Individual have to keep pushing for attaining desired targets by directing, controlling and threatening through offering punishment

This approach may take actions

The assumptions of Theory Y:

• People will work within their own obligations and control relating to how they happen to be committed.
• In common people have some qualities like creativeness and imaginativeness
• The average folks are not only accepted but search for objectives.

Leadership models presently using in various organisations:

Now a day, most of the organisations are focusing on leader’s behaviours, expertise and attitudes that they need to have and it is possible to build up those qualities. There are various leadership theories which may have gained recognition in different organisational perspective. These are as follows-

• Situational leadership
• Transformational leadership
• Behavioural leadership

(The leadership pocketbook, Fiona Elsa Dent – 2003, page.09)

Qualities of people in leadership positions:

There are three degrees of leadership positions within an organisation. They are strategic level, operational level and crew level. An excellent leader should possess some good qualities to handle this position successfully and tactfully. These are as follows:-

1. Good character
2. Good personality
3. Devotion

Self confidence- this will help them to recognize subordinate’s talent basically that will help the business enterprise to go up

Good communication capability- it is crucial for any business to run effectively without this it really is impossible

Good learner – it can help them to develop

Risk taking ability

Problem solving capability

Relationships-this qualities have to maintain positive relationship in every areas

Creative minded-this characteristics help them to deliver any change when there is definitely esteem needs to be able to sustain in the business for achieving high level of success

Positive attitudes

Servant leadership-decision making ability through considering the thoughts and opinions attractiveness with business vision by stimulating the followers

• Bravery
• Innovative
• Good motivation power

Leadership approaches for 21st century:

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-65357214/behavioral-approach-leadership-implications.html,7:53pm,26th Aug ’10

http://www.strategy-business.com/article/19405?gko=3b347,9.00pm,26th,july’2010

Main points considering different top rated organisations in US for the 21st century:

Internationalization and Switch in it though modification in organisational diversity.

Today’s many dominant leadership model is situational, transformational leadership version but these theories ignored behavioural approach. Almost all of the organisations now concentrating on main diversity initiatives and it could tackle through behavioural procedure of leadership. These diversity initiatives can only just be implemented through behavioural approach in today’s or tomorrow’s in the organisations.

The main leadership challenges for 21st century’s will be forces in market, issues of men and women and competencies of leadership.

Forces in market:

The organizational modification at a macroeconomic level is principally will depend on market forces and therefore these forces will demand further keep in eye from institutions and leaders. For these functions, so these market forces create a direct effect on behaviours and wishes of those available in the market either regarding demanding or supplying a good or support. These forces contain increase in globalization plus the formation of progressively additional huge multinational agencies through mergers and takeovers.

In in comparison to larger organizations, most industries grow economies of level by distributing overhead expenditures through production of additional models. Through globalization organisations is currently offering product or service in various countries and cultures, the market size is increasing and they are serving lot. The entire cost of achieving these global is lowered on the cause of technological advancement.

Issues of individuals:

People issues involve interaction with the personnel of a business. With the start of the 21st century, these people are involving in typical full-time. People are now considerably more interested on part-time jobs. Each year more and more persons will be self-employed, non permanent or part-time. In United States’ dependent work force the full total number of full time worker is reducing evening by In future, personnel will have different hope and demands on their organizations. Generally, the organisation will have to focus considerably more on the employee-employer relationship than it do in the 20th century. With their improved complexity and globalization, businesses are demanding skills and capabilities from their leaders that are just beginning to be understood, hardly ever mind mastered. Among the most important of these will be the capability to balance employee wishes and customer requirements globally and properly in approaching years. Talent individual capital will be the prime resources of success.

Competencies of leadership:

In 21st hundred years world will be more competitive, more complex situations. Leaders must have to focus on eyesight and goals of the organisation. They will have to tackle conditions on day-to-day basis, have to identify stakeholders for the intended purpose of developing people, need to devote in service.

Another description of competencies will consist of: development and communication ability for retaining it in a powerful market and stimulating others to buy involved with it; helps in decision building by guiding staff members at all levels; investing in a tradition while aligning specific and corporate goals, gaining knowledge about development.

Another new leadership methodology for 21st hundred years is Cross Enterprise Leadership.

Cross Enterprise Leadership:

Cross-Enterprise Leadership — that can generate, catch and distribute worth not merely in company but all over the network of companies. Second of all, this enterprise-leadership also meets the issues of complex and powerful enterprises. Thirdly, it isn’t possible to manage enterprise by one leader, so consequently it needs to get distributed. Finally, this process requires improvements to leadership and that must be possessed by conventional business leader.

http://www.iveybusinessjournal.com/view_article.asp?intArticle_ID=629(10.00pm,26th aug’10 )

The current all the theories mainly give attention to physical, mental interactions of individual in the organisations but spirituals contains.

Spiritual leadership:

This leadership supplies hope and belief in the organization’s vision that will generally support follower’s to anticipate future. In other ways it can be referred to through the attitudes and behaviour of leader’s that generates sense membership. Â Â Â Â Â Â

In operational field, spiritual leadership deals with the values, attitudes, and behaviours of leaders that are essential to inherently motivate one’s personal and others.

http://www.iispiritualleadership.com/spiritual/theory.php,8.0 pm,27th aug’10