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Leadership Theories and Analysis

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What is leadership?

Leadership is "the behaviour of an individual when he is directing the activities of a group towards a shared goal". (Hemphill and Coons, 1957, p.7)

A leader is interpreted as someone who sets direction in an effort and influences people to follow that direction. How they set that direction and influence people depends on a variety of factors. To really comprehend the "territory" of leadership, one should briefly scan some of the major theories, notice various styles of leadership and review some of the suggested traits and characteristics that leaders should have.

There are many leadership theories. Arthur G. Jago (1982) proposed a framework that organizes leadership theories based on each theory's focus and …show more content…

In this style, leaders look upon their followers as people - their needs, interests, problems, development and so on. They are not simply units of production or means to an end.

Directive leadership. This style is characterized by leaders taking decisions for others and expecting followers or subordinates to follow instructions.

Participative leadership. Here leaders try to share decision-making with others.

(Wright 1996: 36-7)

Contingencies theory.

The central idea of this approach was that effective leadership was dependent on a mix of factors. Fred E. Fiedler argued that effectiveness depends on two interacting factors: leadership style and the degree to which the situation gives the leader control and influence.

Devices Fiedler used to determine leader personality and the situation was Least Preferred Co-worker (LPC) Scale. The LPC is used to measure a leader's motivation: "Task motivation" vs. "relationship motivation" (these are the trait versions of the "concern of production" vs. "concern of people" categories in the Managerial Grid).
Fiedler assumes that everybody's least preferred co-worker in fact is on average about equally unpleasant. But people who are relationship motivated tend to describe their least preferred co-workers in a more positive manner, e.g., more pleasant and more

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