CONCEPTS OF LEADERSHIP
“Managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing.”
Warren Bennis, Ph.D. On Becoming a Leader
Introduction
Good leaders are made not born. If you have the desire and willpower, you can become an
effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never-ending process of self-study,
education, training and experience. This guide will help you through that process.
To inspire your crew into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things you must be,
know, and do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work and
study. The best leaders are continually working and studying to improve their leadership skills.
Before we get started, let’s define leadership. Leadership is a complex process by which a
person influences others to accomplish a mission, task, or objective and directs the organization
in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. A person carries out this process by
applying her leadership attributes (beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge and skills).
Although your position as a Crew Leader gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks and
objectives within the organization, this power does not make you a leader… it simply makes you
the boss. Leadership makes people want to achieve high goals and objectives, while on the
other hand, bosses tell people to accomplish a task or objective.
Bass’s (1) theory of leadership states that there are three basic ways to explain how people
become leaders. The first two explain the leadership development for a small number of
people.
These theories are:



Some personality traits may lead people naturally into leadership roles. This is the Trait
Theory.
A crisis or important event may cause a person to rise to the occasion, which brings out
extraordinary leadership qualities in an ordinary person. This is the Great Event Theory.
People can choose to become leaders. People can learn leadership skills. This is the
Transformational Leadership Theory. It is the most widely accepted theory today and
the premise on which this guide is based.
When a person is deciding if he respects you as a leader, he does not think about your
attributes. He observes what you do so that he can know who you really are. He uses this
observation to tell if you are an honorable and trusted leader, or a self-serving person who
misuses her authority to look good and get promoted. Self-serving leaders are not effective
because their people will only obey them, not follow them. They succeed in many areas
because they present a good image to their seniors at the expense of their people.
The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to your organization. In
your Corpsmembers’ eyes, your leadership is everything that you do that effect’s the crew’s
objectives and their well-being. A respected leader concentrates on what she is (beliefs and
character), what she knows (job tasks, human nature), and what she does (implement,
motivate, and provide direct).
What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be guided by those they respect
and who have a clear sense of direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of
direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision for the future.
Two Most Important Keys of Leadership
A Hay’s study examined over 75 key components of employee satisfaction. They found that:


Trust and confidence in top leadership was the single most reliable predicator of
employee satisfaction in an organization.
Effective communication by leadership in three critical areas was the key to winning
organizational trust and confidence:
1. Helping employees understand the company’s overall business strategy.
2. Helping employees understand how they contribute to achieving key business
objectives.
3. Sharing information with employees on both how the company is doing and how
an employee’s own division is doing – relative to strategic business objectives.
So basically, you must be trustworthy and you have to be able to communicate a vision of
where you are going. Notice how the “Principles of Leadership” in the next section closely ties
in with this.
Principles of Leadership



Know yourself and seek self-improvement. In order to know yourself, you have to
understand your be, know and do attributes. This can be accomplished through
reading, self-study, classes, etc.
Be technically proficient. As a leader, you must know your job and have a solid
familiarity with your employee’s jobs.
See responsibility and take responsibility for your actions. Search for ways to guide
your organization to new heights. And when things go wrong, they will sooner or later,








do not blame others. Analyze the situation; take corrective action and move on to the
next challenge.
Make sound and timely decisions. Use good problem solving, decision-making and
planning tools.
Set the example. Be a good role model for your employees. They must not only hear
what they are expected to do, but also see it done.
Know your people and look out for their well-being. Know human nature and the
importance of sincerely caring for your workers.
Keep your people informed. Know how to communicate with your people, seniors and
other key people within the organization.
Develop a sense of responsibility in your people. Develop good character traits within
your people that will help them carry out their professional responsibilities.
Ensure that tasks are understood, supervised and accomplished. Communication is
the key to this responsibility.
Train your people as a team. Although many so called leaders call their organizational
department, section, etc. a team; they are not really teams… they are just a group of
people doing their jobs.
Use the full capabilities of your organization. By developing a team spirit, you will be
able to employ your organization, department, section, etc. to its fullest capabilities.
Factors of Leadership
The four main factors of leadership are the:



Follower-Different people require different styles of leadership. For example, a new
hire will require more supervision than an experienced Corpsmember. A Corpsmember
with a poor attitude requires a different approach than one with a high degree of
motivation. You must know your Corpsmembers! The fundamental starting to have a
good understanding of human nature: needs, emotions and motivation.
Leader-You must have an honest understanding of how you are, what you know and
what you can do. Also note that it is the followers, not the leader who determines if a
leader is successful. If a follower does not trust or lacks confidence in her leaders, then
she will be uninspired. To be successful you have to convince your followers, not
yourself or your superiors, that you are worthy of being followed.
Communication-You lead through two-way communication. Much of it is nonverbal.
For instance, when you “set the example,” that communicates to your Corpsmembers
that you would not ask them to perform anything that you would not be willing to do.
That and how you communicate either builds or harms the relationship between you
and your Corpsmembers.

Situation-All situations are different. What you do in one leadership situation will not
always work in another situation. You must use your judgment to decide the best
course of action and the leadership style needed for each situation. For example, you
may need to confront a Corpsmember for inappropriate behavior, but if the
confrontation is too late or too early, too harsh or too weak, the results may prove
ineffective.
Various forces will affect these factors. Examples of forces are your relationship with
your project sponsors, the skill and knowledge of your Corpsmembers, the informal
leaders within the organization and how the program is organized.
Attributes
If you are a leader that can be trusted, then the people around you will learn to respect you. To
be a good leader, there are things that you must be, know and do. These fall under the
Leadership Framework:








Be a professional who possesses good character traits. Examples: honesty, competence,
candor, commitment, integrity, courage, straightforward, imagination.
Know the four factors of leadership-follower, leader, communication, situation.
Know yourself. Examples: strengths and weakness of your character, knowledge and
skills.
Know human nature. Examples: human needs and emotions, and how people respond
to stress.
Know your organization. Examples: where to go for help, its climate and culture, who
the unofficial leaders are.
Do provide direction. Examples: goal setting, problem solving, decision making,
planning.
Do implement. Examples: communicating, coordinating, supervising, evaluating.
Do motivate. Examples: develop morale and spirit in the organizations, train, coach, and
counsel.
Leadership Models
Leadership models help us to understand what makes leaders act the way they do in certain
situations. The idea is not to lock yourself into a type of behavior discussed in the model, but to
realize that every situation calls for a different approach or behavior to be taken.
Structural Framework-In an effective leadership situation the leader is a social architect whose
leadership style is by analysis and design. In an ineffective leadership situation the leader is a
petty tyrant whose leadership style is focused solely on details. Structural Leaders focus on
structure, strategy, environment, implementation, experimentation and adaptation.
Human Resources Framework-In an effective leadership situation the leader is a catalyst and
servant whose leadership style is to support, advocate and empower. In an ineffective
leadership situation the leader is a pushover, whose leadership style is by abdication and fraud.
Human Resource Leaders believe in people and communicate that belief; they are visible and
accessible; they empower, increase participation, support, share information, and move
decision-making down into the organization.
Political Framework-In an effective leadership situation the leader is an advocate, whose
leadership style is a coalition and building. In an ineffective leadership situation the leader is a
hustler, whose leadership style is by manipulation. Political leaders clarify what they want and
what they can get; they access the distribution of power and interests; they build linkages to
other stakeholders; use persuasion first, then use negotiation and coercion only if necessary.
Symbolic Framework-In an effective leadership situation the leader is a prophet, whose
leadership style is by inspiring. In an ineffective leadership situation the leader is a fanatic or
fool whose leadership style is all smoke and mirrors. Symbolic leaders view organizations as a
stage or theater or play certain roles and give impressions, these leaders use symbols to
capture attention; they try frame experience by providing interpretations of experiences; they
discover and communicate a vision.
This model suggests that leaders can be put into one of these four categories and there are
times when one approach is appropriate and times when it would not be. Any one of these
approaches alone would be inadequate. We should be conscious of all four approaches and
not just rely on one. For example, during a major organization change, a structural leadership
style may be more effective than visionary leadership style; while during a period when strong
growth is needed; the visionary approach may be better. We also need to understand
ourselves, as each of us tends to have a preferred approach. We need to be conscious of this at
all times and be aware of the limitations of our favored approach. The Blake Mouton
Managerial Grid (4) uses tow axis. “Concern for people” is plotted using the vertical axis
“Concern for task” is along the horizontal axis. They both have a range of 1 to 9. The notion
that just two dimensions can describe a managerial behavior has the attraction of simplicity.
These two dimensions can be drawn as a graph or grid:
HIGH
P
E
O
P
L
E
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
2
3
4
Low
5
6
7
8
9
High
TASK
Most people would fall somewhere near the middle of the two axes. But, by going to the
extremes, that is, people who score on the far end of the scales, we come up with four types of
leaders: Authoritarian (9 one task, 1 on people), Team Leader (9 on task, 9 on people), Country
Club (1 on tasks 9 on people), and Impoverished (1 on tasks, 1 on people).
Authoritarian Leader-People who get this rating are very much task oriented and hard on their
workers. There is little or no allowance for cooperation or collaboration. Heavily task oriented
people display these characteristics; they are very strong on schedules; they expect people to
do what they are told without questions or debate; when something goes wrong they tend to
focus on who is to blame rather than concentrate on exactly what is wrong and how to prevent
it; they are intolerant of what they see as dissent (it may just be someone’s creativity) so it is
difficult for their subordinates to contribute or develop.
Team Leader-This type of leader leads by positive example. She endeavors to foster a team
environment in which all team members can reach team goals as effectively as possible, while
also working tirelessly to strengthen the bonds among the various members. They form and
lead the most productive teams.
Country club Leader-This leader uses predominately reward power to maintain discipline and
to encourage the team to accomplish its goals. Conversely, she is almost incapable of
employing the more punitive coercive and legitimate powers. This ability results from the
leader’s fear that using such powers could jeopardize her relationships with the team members.
Impoverished Leader-This person uses a “delegate and disappear” management style. Since he
is not committed to either task or maintenance he essentially allows the team to do whatever it
whishes and prefers to detach himself from the team process by allowing the team to suffer
from a series of power struggles.
The most desirable place for a leader to be along the two axis at most times would be a 9 on
task and 9 on people, the Team Leader. However, do not entirely dismiss the other three.
Certain situations might call for one of the other three to be used at times. For example, by
playing the impoverished Leaders, you allow your team to gain self-reliance. Be an
Authoritarian Leader to instill a sense of discipline in an unmotivated worker. By carefully
studying the situation and the forces affecting it, you will know at what points along the axis
you need to be in order to achieve the desired results.
The Process of Great Leadership






The road to great leadership (5) (common to successful leaders):
Challenge the process-First, find a process that you believe needs to be improved the
most.
Inspire a shared vision-Next, share your vision in words that can be understood by your
followers.
Enable others to act-Give them the tools and methods to solve the problem.
Model the way-When the process gets tough, get your hands dirty. A boss tells others
what to do…a leader shows it can be done.
Encourage the heart-Share positive rewards with your Corpsmembers and deflect
unwarranted criticism.
Leadership is Dynamic
Leadership demands change as the people and the projects change. As Corpsmembers and
projects progress the leadership techniques will frequently have to change to meet the growth
of the Corpsmembers involved.
In any given leadership event there are four factors that are always present that will affect what
actions you take and when you take them. These four factors are:
The Led
The Leader
The Situation
Communication
The Led. All Corpsmembers cannot be led the same way. A Corpsmember with high
confidence and skills will require less direct supervision and possibly not perform well if
managed too closely. However, a Corpsmember with low confidence or skills will need your
support until he or she grows in confidence. The key here is to take the time to know your
Corpsmembers.
The Leader. That’s you! You must have an honest understanding of who you are, what you
know and what you can do. You must know your strengths, weaknesses, capabilities and
limitations so that you can control and discipline yourself and lead your crew effectively.
Leading is hard work, but you will learn more about yourself and gain in confidence and skill
from leading than you ever thought possible.
The Situation. All situations are different; leadership actions that work in one situation may
not work in another. In one situation, you may have to closely supervise and direct. Another
situation may require you to encourage and listen to ideas. A third may require you to both
direct and encourage a crew of Corpsmembers.
Communication. The way you communicate in different situations is important. Your choice of
words, tone of voice and physical actions all combine to affect Corpsmembers. The ability to say
the correct thing at the appropriate moment and in the right way is an important part of
leadership. Remember, no matter how eloquent you think you are being, if you are not
understood you are not communicating effectively. Always consider your audience when
communicating.
These four factors are always present, but in every situation they affect each other differently.
The most important factor in one situation may have little importance in the other. You must
constantly consider all four factors of leadership and choose the best course of action.
Motivation
It is critical that a Crew Leader create an environment that fosters personal motivation. In
order to do this, you must be able to motivate yourself.
A very powerful form of motivation is the need to feel that what we do is important. Everyone
wants to make a difference. The way people feel affects their conduct more than the way they
think. OYCC has found that for young people to invest themselves fully in any productive
activity, it must be perceived to be an important activity. Recognition from you, project
sponsors, community members and others will instill pride and the feeling that the crew is
contributing to society.
Many youth do not receive enough individual attention or appreciation. Too often they are put
down in direct and indirect ways. Many youth have learned from past experience that the best
way to get attention is by breaking the rules. A good leader will make a conscious effort to
appreciate Corpsmembers openly and frequently.
Values greatly influence personal decisions because they are tied to an individual’s priority
system. Value systems may differ widely among youth from different socioeconomic groups.
The Crew Leader needs to learn to work with, not fight, the values and attitudes held by each
Corpsmember.
Be aware of the needs of each youth and the inner urges that cause him or her to act. Also be
aware of his or her interests which will differ from member to member. Self-concept is also
important. This refers to how an individual feels he or she fits into the overall picture.
Motivation and Focus
Motivation can at times mean the same thing as focus. If you can keep your crew focused they
will be productive. Here are some techniques that Crew Leaders in the past have used to help
keep the crew motivated and focused through an otherwise mundane workday.
Goals
Set goals for a crew to attain on an hourly, daily and weekly basis. Have the crew get
involved in deciding what the goals will be. Refer often to the goals the crew is striving
to achieve. Get them excited about it.
Races
Races can be set up on many types of projects. Races can be set up so Corpsmembers
race on an individual, team or crew basis. You can even have the crew race the clock. It
is important that races are designed to be safe and productive. Never set up a race if it
disregards safety, proper tool usage, disrespects any member of the crew or has any
other derogatory outcome.
Feedback
Crews respond to feedback. Talk to them about production levels at breaks, at lunch and
on the drive back to the compound. The more emphasis that the Crew Leader places on
production, the more Corpsmembers will buy into it. Be honest. Let them know when
they aren’t getting things done in a timely manner. Encourage their input about how to
improve production.
Motivation Games
Corpsmembers are generally happier and more productive when they are having fun
while they work. Be creative and come up with games and scenarios Corpsmembers can
play or act out while working. Be careful though, you want to create motivational
outcomes not distractions.
Be Vocal
Provide encouragement on an individual and group level as often as possible. If a crew
begins to slow down, the Crew Leader needs to provide support and encouragement to
speed things up. Be sure to point out good work as well as subpar work.
Leading by Example
Leading by example is one of the most powerful ways to lead and influence others,
especially teenagers. Teenagers in OYCC programs watch their Crew Leaders very
carefully. They will want to know your limits, your strengths and your weaknesses. They
will study you carefully to determine what they like about you. More importantly, they
will be studying you because they want to learn from you. They will constantly search
for things you do that they can incorporate into their lives, whether it be language,
actions, attitudes, values or whatever.
Leading by example is the most frequently used leadership style among OYCC Crew
Leaders. Your actions, energy, enthusiasm and overall behavior will determine to a great
extent the way your crew acts.
Remember, if you want your crew to:
Be responsible, you must act responsibly
Show respect, you must demonstrate respect
Be happy and have fun, you must act happy and have fun
Work hard, you must work hard
And so forth…
Here are some specific ways in which Crew Leaders can lead by example:
ALWAYS be on time for work
Keep a strong and consistent work pace
Be vocal and encourage others at work
Participate in all phases of every project
Be cautious and respectful to everyone you meet
Help out daily with routine work (loading tools, filling water jugs, etc.)
Follow the rules you enforce
Don’t ask Corpsmembers to do anything that you yourself are unwilling to do