Key Characteristics of Effective Leadership in Practice - Essay Example

Key Characteristics of Effective Leadership in Practice INTRODUCTION Leadership is one of the important aspects of managing. It is an interpersonal process of influencing the behaviour of individual and the group so that defined objectives are accomplished willingly and enthusiastically[Bru09]. A leader directs and motivates members of the group. He also represents the group to the outside world and the outside world to the group. Effective leadership is an ongoing area of research and many previous scholars and researchers have concluded that effective leadership is a product of the effective delivery of the functions vested on a leader combined with the attitudinal qualities of the leader[Har59][Boy02]. This essay presents a detailed analysis of these two view points. Basically a leader is the individual with the major influence in a group, whose role is to get others to achieve organisational goals. But ‘leadership’ like many other key concepts in management, tends to be viewed differently; depending on whether the orientation is behavioural, economic, or managerial. Ordway Tead has defined leadership as “the activity of influencing people to co-operate towards some goal which they come to find desirable” (Anon., 1999). According to George R. Terry, “leadership is the activity of influencing people to strive willingly for group objectives”. Robert Tannenbaum defines the leadership as “interpersonal influence exercised in a situation and directed, through the communication process, toward the attainment of a specialised goal or goals” and Koontz and O’Donnell state that “leadership is influencing people to follow in the achievement of a specialised goal”[Har59]. A review of these and other writer’s reveals that most management writers agree that leadership is the process of providing direction in group activities and influencing others to achieve group objectives in a given situation. From this definition of leadership, it follows that the leadership process is a function of the leader, the follower, and other situational variables i.e. L= f (i,f,s) [DrP10] Although influencing others for attaining group goals is the essential function of a leader, some of the important elements which can make the process of leading effective are that firstly, one who leads is a part of the group, and yet he must maintain his separate identity if he is to continue to lead. Secondly, leadership contemplates interpersonal influence and close man-to-man relationship. It is rooted in feelings and attitudes that have grown out of reactions of individual personalities to each other. Thirdly, it is a dynamic and ever-evolving process; a manager must lead continuously. Finally, it involves directing, guiding and influencing the behaviour of individuals and groups so that future actions and behaviour are modified in the right direction. These four elements lies at the heart of a strategic leadership process where a manager being a leader directs, guides and influences the behaviour of the employees keeping in mind the present and future business strategies of the organisation and modifying and directing the employee behaviour/performance in the right direction through the right means. This assumption would imply that for an effective leadership process it is crucial that a leader must be in a position to understand and evaluate the strategic intent of the firm and a leader must have the personality and attitudinal qualities in order to lead. STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP As stated earlier that for an effective leadership process a leader must be knowledgeable so that he can evaluate the business strategy and direct the performance of the employees, it becomes the central reason to understand why managers can make good leaders [Sen90] Management functions include planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling. In order to direct his subordinates a manager must motivate, communicate, supervise, guide and lead them. Thus, it is in his directing function that a manager becomes responsible for effectively and successfully leading his subordinates. Managing can be more effective if those who manage are also the leaders, because leadership can substantially influence the result. Since part of a manager’s job involves getting things done through the efforts of other people he will be more successful in the job if he is also skilful leader. Following are the important favourable results produced if managers are also good leaders: Firstly, the leader guides and directs by eliminating uncertainties as to what should be done and thus co-ordinating individual efforts as to make them pull in one direction. Secondly, he motivates people and integrates individual needs with the needs of the organisation. Thirdly, he represents group to the outside world and the outside world to the group. Leader is looked upon by the group as a source of information and satisfaction. These three things provided by the leader are also referred to as direction, drive and representation, and are sufficient to prove that leadership is an essential part of successful management. It is, however, argued that since managers have authority to provide incentives, reprimand, fine, deprive or otherwise punish aspired in the organisation, management leadership is not something to be so much aspired and that danger to leadership is more potential than real. Discipline and conformity can be maintained through the hierarchy and fear of loss of employment. The argument is consistent with Theory x. But the fact is that for optimum results consistent with man’s integrity people need to be voluntarily led. However, leadership should not be emphasised so as to make it synonymous with management. It will improve the results if the manager is also a skilful leader. But a leader need not be a good manager, managing involves more than mere leading and a manager can do reasonably well when he is not a leader[Sal04]. It will however be better if ability to lead is considered one of the significant prerequisites to management effectiveness. Attempts should also be made to improve leadership quality through systematic training which is discussed later. CULTIVATED LEADERSHIP ATTITUDES Since leading people involves interpersonal relationships between the leaders and the followers, leader should always try to improve his attitude towards the led to become effective. This becomes even more important than mere knowledge because certain behavioural patterns can be learned and used with skill. Some such behavioural patterns are: 1. Awareness: The manager should not do his job of leading unimaginatively, without being aware of the factors which account for success or failure. He must know his job, the people involved and his situational considerations clearly to ensure effectiveness. But knowing and being knowledgeable are not enough. He must also process the ability to apply this knowledge to get practical results. 2. Empathy: It is generally described as ability of a person to look at things or problems from another person’s point of view. It involves projecting oneself into the position of the subordinates who are being directed and led. Manager should not assume that subordinates will understand the things and problems as he himself perceives them. Each has his own value system and attitudes. Thus, in order to understand their feelings and problems to lead them successfully, manager should put himself in the position of subordinates. 3. Objectivity: In his task of leading the manager should not be guided by any preconceived notions about the attitude and behaviour of his subordinates. Problems and their causes should be observed very objectively and unemotionally. Thus a manager should not be annoyed with his subordinates simply because results are poor or change is resisted. He must observe the things as they are and analyse them very objectively. It is only when a manager is objective and detached in his behaviour towards members of the group he would be able to assess their feelings and problems and guide them properly. But this behaviour needs to be learnt. 4. Self-knowledge: A manager may think himself to be fair and objective but subordinates may view him otherwise. He should, therefore, know for himself how he appears to others and effect of his attitude and behaviour on the subordinates which would help him lead in a pattern as perceived by those who are being lead. Self-knowledge will help the leader to improve and cultivate those habits and attitudes that produce favourable response on the part of subordinates. For instance, if self awareness leads him to learn and instructions are not properly understood, the manager can attempt to improve his ability to communicate. EFFECTIVE LEAFERSHIP: THEORETICAL VIEWPOINTS In recent years management experts, psychologists, sociologists and behavioural scientists have tried to identify the ideas on effective leadership in varied ways and from different viewpoints. 1. Sociological view: Among the sociologists who went into deep to study the leadership process, P. Selznick may be attended to at the first opportunity. He viewed effective leadership as a result of setting realistic goals, shaping and reshaping organisation and reconciling internal and external forces [Sel84]. In fact, it is the creative function of the leader that calls for viewing and reviewing organisation environment, work accomplishment and determining near and remote goals in the above perspective. Nevertheless, review of the work of other sociologists brings to the idea that effective leadership is the result of building goals and determining policies into the social structure into the enterprise. And to a fundamental duty to consider that the enterprise does not merely survive, but grows into a stature. Another important view is how effectively a leader manages and mitigates internal conflict. The effectiveness of leaders lies in their endeavour to win the consent of several groups and put them to work in accomplishing the objective enterprise mission in the ultimate analysis. [Boy02] 2. Psychological View: I n opinion of the psychologist people will best respond in terms of output if the organisation provides opportunities for them to appraise and appreciate their basic social and ego needs [Ron01]. As a matter of fact, one of the basic functions of the managers and executives, leaders, is to devise the necessary motivational system to meet the needs. It should, however, be kept in view that though the above arrangement is sound from the viewpoint of motivation, it is not adequate to outline or specify the scope for the exercise of effective leadership. 3. Management View: From the study of management experts an effective leadership function can be viewed as consisting of 1. effective directing, ii, effective responding, and iii, effective representing. Eminent scholar Leonard Sayles viewed effective directing as the primary function of effective leadership[Boy02]. In big organisations where divergent views and number of groups exist, it is essentially through the means of effective directing that all of them are unified and co-ordinated for a central purpose. In this matter, of course, managers and executives have to take the required initiative with intelligent approach and rational attitude. Approach and attitude are particularly important in this respect since too much of initiative is not desirable in the sense that subordinates may be thrown in a dilemma with the resultant effect in crippling accomplishment of goals. In essence, judgement is required in view of new actions to be imitated or accomplishments undertaken. Managers and executives are required to initiate those matters in a way so that enthusiasm and zeal of subordinates are enhanced. Management experts consider an effective responding as the second function of effective leadership[Jag82]. It signifies responsiveness to the initiation of subordinates. It may often be noticed that subordinates off and on ask for guidance, assistance advice and help from their superior. Moreover, subordinates always want to be assured that their case is referred for reward and promotion in recognition to their service rendered. Generally, the superior in the ordinary course of his management capacity provides necessary aid in response to them. But there is no denying the fact that adequate leadership skill enables the executives to take more initiative and drive, exert endeavour skilfully to the purpose. However, in a precise manner it may be asserted that leadership quality helps superior to appraise the needs of their subordinates and meet them intelligently. Te other essential function of leadership as has been underlined by the management experts is effective representing. It signifies that superiors would properly and effectively represent interests of the total group among their peers and to higher level in the managerial hierarchy. This aspect of subordinate thinking may very commonly be observed where subordinates initiate action that requires to be accomplished by their superiors or higher level personnel’s. In fact, leadership qualities enable the executives or represent such group effort and get positive response. PERIPHERAL ELEMENTS TO EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP In the previous sections it was emphasised that a leadership attitude and knowledge of the firm strategy would result to an effective leadership process. But there are certain peripheral elements like the selection and training of a leader which can further lead to an effective leadership process. SELECTION Selection is the process by which candidates for employment are distinguished between those who are suitable and those who are not. It involves rejection of some candidates and is sometimes described as negative process in contrast with the positive programmes of recruitment. In terms of identifying and selecting a leader, selection criteria should include the reference to immediate job requirements as well as personal qualities like skills, personality, emotional stability, attitude towards work, at times physical characteristics like age etc. The selection procedure may involve personality and attitude inventories which assess the dominant traits of the personality as a whole in terms of temperament, maturity, and emotional balance. Face-to-face interview before a final selection is an important step which not only acts as a check on the information already obtained but also provides an opportunity to form a better understanding of the candidate, to motivate him and inform him about the job and the company. Interview by a panel or board is more often in practice for leadership or managerial positions. This facilitates pooling of judgements about the candidate and subjective bias of individual members on the panel does not affect the final decisions. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Organizations, in aggregate, spend billions of dollars on leadership training and development. These efforts take many forms-from executive leadership programmes offered by universities such as Harvard to sailing experiences at the Outward Bound School. The leaders can be taught skills such as trust building, mentoring and situational analysis. They can learn how to evaluate situations, how to modify situations to make them fit better with their style and how to assess which leaders behaviours might be most effective in given situations. Other than this, these training programmes would expose leaders to latest concepts and techniques in their respective fields of specialisation and would ensure long-term survival and growth of the organisation. CONCLUSION It may be stated now that effective leadership by providing the social skill transforms the management into a social process. Success of leaders depends on how well they are able to persuade employees to follow this social process with unified interpretation, outlook, initiative and enthusiasm. Effective leadership undoubtedly creates a will-to-do environment among the employees by responding to their problems, feelings, aspirations and ambitions. On the other hand, it enhances the image of the organisation to the outside world. REFERENCES Bru09: , (Avolio & Walumbwa, 2009), Har59: , (Harold Koontz, 1959), Boy02: , (Boyatizis & D, 2002), DrP10: , (Hersey, 2010), Sen90: , (Senge, 1990), Sal04: , (Sally & Chris, 2004), Sel84: , (Selznick, 1984), Boy02: , (Boyatizis & D, 2002), Ron01: , (Ronald & Murphy, 2001), Jag82: , (Jagot, 1982), Read More