Leadership Theory and Practice - Book Report/Review Example

A Critique on the book, LeadershipTheory and Practice by Peter G. Northouse INTRODUCTION Leadership Theory and Practice by Peter G. Northouse, a professor of communication at Western Michigan University, focuses on the numerous approaches to leadership, through theory and practical case studies. Over 65 classification systems have been devised in as many years, in the attempt to understand why leadership is successful in some scenarios, and not so successful in others (Northouse 2). For the focus of this critique, communication within a leadership structure, is the central point around which the book is examined. The concept of leadership is seen as the ‘focus of group processes’ when there is a central figure who influences changes, promotes activities or actions, and represents the nucleus of the will of the group (2). How this is accomplished by the leader, may stem from the concepts of personality, traits or characteristics, or because of specific skill sets and knowledge/experience (2). Consequently, a leader is one who is able to influence a group of people to act in ways that achieve a common goal set by the leader. BASES OF POWER Five bases of power represent the foundation of influence presented by the leader, which motivate the followers to accomplish the goal: Referent power, that which is given to the leader because he is liked and admired; Expert power, due to competence; Legitimate power, as seen in authoritative positions, such as a judge; Reward power, whereby leaders reward followers in some manner; and, Coercive power, which prompts followers to get the job done, or else (7). Leadership must not be confused with management, although both roles require working with people. The process of management came from the beginning of the Industrial Age, when a series of processes needed to be corralled into connected actions in order to get products built efficiently (9). Consequently, the leader must communicate the ideas/vision, and the manager does the planning and organizing of the staff and how the product gets completed. Competencies An effective leader will have competent skills in problem-solving, social judgement, and knowledge (44). For example, those leaders who developed themselves through the ranks of the company to reach the top, have a certain empathy with the followers because of similar past job experiences. All three components require effective communication from the leader to the manager, then down to the followers. A leader, having had the same experiences, means having a more clear ability to communicate to followers in their own language about how the solution will be implemented. In problem-solving scenarios, having meetings to discuss a problem is essential for getting to the root of the problem, particularly in talking with those who face the problem directly. When there is communication from all sides, then a more effective outcome is realized. Social judgement skills encompass how a leader evaluates his solutions as fitting the circumstances of those who must execute his ideas and solutions.Northouse (47) provides a brief excellent example of a baseball expert, working with a team, who must evaluate solutions for the group, based on what he knows about players, their current injuries, strengths and weaknesses, and the complexities of the game. In a season, it might be better to keep a player out for one or two games, in order to bring him back in, rested, at a later time when he is more rested and is also needed. A solution, therefore, is not always straight forward. There are many factors to be considered before implementing the best solution, in order to reach the projected goal. The bases of power applicable here would be a combination of referent and expert. Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory Building leadership takes time once a new leader is installed. Therefore, there are three stages of building leadership through business relationships. Three have been identified: the Stranger, the Acquaintance, and the Partnership (152). The Stranger stage refers to being new and beginning the process of getting to know people and what they are capable of doing, The Acquaintance stage is where a follower is considered potential material for future alliances in teams, manager positions, and other levels of efficiency. Finally, the Partnership stage is where followers, having been ‘vetted’ as having the skill set and experience to do the jobs needed, are aligned with the leader in helping to see that projects and other functions are completed satisfactorily. In this position, there is a great deal of trust, effective communication, and a sense of duty to complete what is needed, as part of maintaining a functional alliance (153). In the LMX configuration, there is the in-group and the out-group. The in-group members work closely with the leader and usually they do more than is asked of them, in order to see the job to completion. The out-group members do only what is assigned to them, and little else (154). While it may seem a negative situation initially, the value of positive and effective relationships, with extensive high-quality communication opportunities, means a more positive outcome for leadership and, ultimately, for the company as a whole, when projects and production meet and exceed goals. What is also notable about the LMX style is that leaders know to not discriminate by race, religion, gender, age, or other issues, ensuring a fairness as to who can be in the group (155). LMX also promotes high performance levels, a positive job climate (for most), organizational commitment (one for the team), empowerment to the team and individuals, and career progress, to name just a few of the benefits. The negative side is that it appears to leave some without opportunities to become part of the in-group. The counterweight to this would be that leaders be fair and give as much to other followers as they are willing to take on. The Team Leadership Model also sections out how leadership must function throughout the team internally, and how the team must also be viewed externally, as it is affected by other factors. Hill’s Model for Team Leadership (Fig. 1, Northouse 244) An effective leader must also determine whether a task-based action must take place, such as in goal focusing or whether a relational-based action should be applied, such as managing conflict, or if coaching on a one-to-one basis, is the better action needed to stabilize a situation (244). Alternatively, an external issue may cause problems, reflecting back on the team’s ability to get a part of the job done, which means the leader may have to negotiate, for example, to get more support from an outside division within the company, such as deliveries (245). CONCLUSION This book provides extensive details on many different fascinating theories in leadership but most importantly, end-of-chapter case studies and questionnaires help to show how each theory and leadership scenario works. The book also shows how there are combinations leadership styles which one of which can work for certain situations, but not for others. Also shown and described is how leadership can take on two or more styles at the same time and, when needed, also change styles in a flexible and effective manner to work effectively with followers, particularly when a team might be off track in attaining a goal.Communication is seen as the most effective tool or skill in the leadership process, particularly as relates to team work. An engaged leader will ensure that each member of the team has everything needed to be part of a successful team that achieves its goals. The leader monitors the team and steps in where there are potential breakdowns, and sees that good solutions are given to fix any problem. Much of the book’s content is based on scholarly research over several decades, along with his expertise in real life scenarios. Work Cited Northouse, R.L. Leadership Theory and Practice. 5th ed. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2010. Print. (432 pages) Leadership Handout Sheet Highlights of Leadership Theory and Practice by Peter G. Northouse The concept of leadership is seen as the ‘focus of group processes’ when there is a central figure who influences changes, promotes activities or actions, and represents the nucleus of the will of the group. Over 65 classifications of leadership developed since the 1960s. Bases of Power: Referent = followers like a personable and motivated leader Expert – extremely competent, based on experience Legitimate – authoritative position, as in a court judge Reward – those who do well, get rewarded by the leader Coercive – getting the job done through intimidation Competencies: Problem-solving skills Social Judgement skills Knowledge (and experience) Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory Three stages of relationship-building leadership The Stranger The Acquaintance The Partnership Team Leadership Model Communication required throughout the infrastructure Determining Internal or External Leadership Actions Task (Internal) Relational (Internal) Environmental (External) Team Effectiveness based on Performance and Development Read More