Characteristics of Successful
Leaders
The Changing Nature of
Leadership and Management
Manager:
focuses on getting a task done
Leader:
focuses on getting task done in a way
that gives employees a feeling of
accomplishment and willingness to
follow the leader again
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Characteristics of Successful
Leaders
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What Managers Admire in
Leaders
TOP FOUR CHARACTERISTICS DESIRED
Leaders instill in employees a sense of
common purpose
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Honesty
Competent
Forward-Looking
Inspiring
3
87%
74%
67%
61%
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Characteristics of Successful
Leaders – Significant Traits
Characteristics of Successful
Leaders – Significant Traits
Sense of Responsibility – must take
responsibility for the work of others as
well as own performance
High Energy Level – work long hours, handle
a variety of duties
Self-confidence – belief in his/her
ability to get the job done
Internal locus of control – belief that YOU
are the primary cause of what happens to
yourself, not blaming others for what goes
wrong.
Sense of Humor
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Empathy – sensitive to the feelings of
employees and higher management
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1
Characteristics of Successful
Leaders – Results of Research
Traditional Management
Practices
Henry Fayol (1841-1925) wrote about his
successful management practices.
Studies of leadership traits are
inconsistent
He suggested broad, general guidelines
for effective management in any business.
Research has not established a clear
link between personality traits and
leadership success!
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See Exhibit 1, page 5 in text.
Traditional Management
Functions (Defined by Henry Fayol)
n
n
n
n
n
n
9
Traditional Management Skills
-Robert L. Katz
n
n
n
Technical
Human Relations
Conceptual
n
Interpersonal:
n
Informational:
n
Decisional:
Leader
Figurehead
Liaison
Monitor
Disseminator
Spokesperson
Entrepreneur
Disturbance handler
Resource Allocator
Negotiator
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Leadership Styles
One way to view leadership is how much
authority the leader retains.
Authoritarian Leadership – leader
retains great deal of authority, making
decisions and dictating instructions to
employees
See page 15 in text
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Traditional Management Roles
-Henry Mintzberg
Planning
Organizing
Coordinating
Staffing
Directing
Controlling
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11
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2
Leadership Styles
Task vs. People Orientation
Democratic Leadership - style where the
leader allows subordinates to participate in
decision making and problem solving; open to
new ideas; keep employees informed.
Another view of leadership is how leaders
focus on making decisions and evaluating
accomplishments
Bureaucratic Leader – style where leader
makes decisions by enforcing rules; resist
change; rely on management by “the book”;
resist change and act as caretakers of the
status quo.
Leaders are either task oriented OR
people oriented
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Task vs. People Orientation
Task vs. People Orientation
Task oriented leader focuses on jobs to
be done and goals to be accomplished.
People oriented leader concerned
primarily with well-being of people being
managed.
When work gets done correctly and on
time, the leader is satisfied.
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Emphasis on morale, job satisfaction,
relationships among employees.
15
Task vs. People Orientation
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Leader Attitudes
Douglas McGregor:
Most organizations expect supervisors to
combine some degree of task orientation
with some degree of people orientation.
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Looked at manager attitudes toward
workers
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3
Leader Attitudes
McGregor Theory
Theory X – management attitudes based
on view that people dislike work and must
be coerced to perform
Theory X
Theory Y – attitude based on view that
work is a natural activity and that people
will work hard and creatively to achieve
objectives they are committed to
People’s primary need is
for security
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Theory Y
People dislike work
People must be coerced
People avoid responsibility
Work is a natural activity,
like rest or play
People work hard to
achieve objectives.
committed to
People can learn to seek
responsibility
Many People able to be
creative in solving
problems
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Leader Attitudes
Choosing a Leadership Style
Theory Z –
Set of management attitudes that emphasizes
employee participation in all aspects of decision
making
Factors to Consider:
Characteristics of the leader
Characteristics of subordinates
Situation itself
Attempt to adapt some Japanese management
principles to the U.S. workplace.
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n
n
Managers must consider employees’
characteristics:
n
Manager’s values
Level of confidence in employees
Personal leadership strengths
Tolerance for ambiguity
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Characteristics of
Subordinates
Style adopted depends on style which
leader feels comfortable and comfort level
depends on:
n
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Characteristics of the Leader
n
20
n
n
23
Need for independence
Readiness to assume responsibility
Tolerance for ambiguity
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4
Characteristics of
Subordinates
n
n
n
n
Characteristics of the Situation
The situation helps determine what
leadership style will be most effective.
Interest in problem to be solved
Understanding of, and identification
with goals
Knowledge and experience
Expectations
n
n
n
n
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Characteristics of the Situation
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n
n
Supervisor who is liked/respected by
employees will inspire them to work
harder and better.
n
29
Self–image of a supervisor influences the
supervisor’s behavior.
Must believe in yourself, must think of
yourself as intelligent and able to make good
decisions.
Must think positively, not loose your cool!
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Relationships with Employees
n
Supervisor should treat employees in a
way that reflects his or her role as part
of management – can’t be buddies with
them.
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n
27
Relationships with Employees
26
Human Relations Skills in
Leading
n
When employees and managers work in
teams, a democratic leadership style
(Theory Y) emphasizing people is most
appropriate.
Type of organization
Effectiveness of the group
The problem or task
Time available
n
Supervisor should empower rather than
command employees
Want to seek consensus and spend time
with employees so can determine what
they need for job success
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5
Relationships with Employees
n
n
The supervisor is the person who most
directly represents management and
the organization to employees.
Employee’s evaluate organization by
the behavior of the supervisor
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Supervisors must create a climate of
“trust”:
n Develop trust by engaging in fair, predictable
behavior
n Fulfill promises
n Give employees credit when do something
well
n Keep lines of communication open
n Listen to employees
Supervisors are the “role model”, and must
set a good example for employees.
ü
Must follow rules/policies.
ü
Must be impartial in treatment of employees.
ü
Must be ethical – honest and fair.
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Relationships with Other
Managers
Critical to get along with your manager (boss).
Bosses generally expect managers to:
n Be loyal
n Be cooperative
n To communicate
n To produce results
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Relationships with Other
Managers
34
Relationships with Peers
If you become unhappy working for a
particular manager:
n Ask yourself why?
n If can’t change situation, talk with your
manager and explain how you feel.
n If can’t resolve, find another
opportunity!
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ü
31
Relationships with Employees
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Relationships with Employees
35
n
n
n
Supervisors must cultivate good relations
with peers.
The more you cooperate the better you will
look.
If you try to sabotage a co-worker, you will
be the one who end up looking bad.
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6
Relationships with Peers
n
n
n
The Heart of a Leader
You should not look for things to criticize
about peers.
You should go directly to a peer if you have a
problem with something they are doing.
Only go to manager after you have gone to
the peer first. Focus on the problem and its
consequences, NOT on PERSONALITIES
INVOLVED.
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ü
ü
ü
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SUMMARY
Traits alone do not predict success as a
leader
Supervisors can be authoritarian, democratic,
or laissez-faire
Supervisors may be people oriented, task
oriented, or both.
Contingency style leadership holds that
leaders are most effective by matching their
leadership style to the circumstance.
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Ken Blanchard & Spencer Johnson
The One Minute Manager
37
SUMMARY
ü
The key to developing people is to
catch them doing something
right!
39
ü
ü
A leader should select their leadership
style to best suit his/her own
characteristics.
Supervisors should make sure
employees understand directions and
reasons behind them.
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SUMMARY
ü
ü
ü
ü
A supervisor’s self-concept influences how
he/she behaves.
Supervisors should project a positive attitude,
take interest in others, and help out as
needed.
Supervisors should be loyal, cooperative,
effectively communicate, results oriented.
Supervisors should strive to cooperate with
managers and peers.
END
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