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Education Resources

Leader and Leadership in an Organization

Thursday, July 9, 2009

There are great debate on leader and leadership. Some of the people say that leaders are born not made but some are against it. It is said that Alexander/Julius Caesar were leader from born.

On the chapter we have to discuss about leader and leadership in an organization. A manager should be leader or not? A manager has better quality of leaders or leaders have better quality of managers?

Leadership objectives:

Meaning of leadership

Qualities of a good leader

Theories of leadership

Different types of leaders

Functions of a leader

Differences between ‘managers’ and ‘leaders’

According to the Haiman Leadership is, “the process by which an executive or a manager imaginatively directs, guides and influences the work of others in choosing and attaining specified goals by mediation between the individual and organization in such a manner that both will obtain the maximum satisfaction.” In other word we can say leadership is, “the relationship in which one person influences others to work together willingly on related tasks to attain that level which he desires.”

Some quality of a good leader:

Has foresight

Has influence

Has representative role playing

Communicates properly

Commands attention and respect

Helps to achieve task objectives

Commands trust and confidence

Is sensitive to the task, people and environment

Builds team and becomes a model

Has the ability and skill to manage the team

Has the ability to take decision and many more

In the leadership theories “Great Man” theories comes first and according to it great leaders are born, not made.

According to trait theories people inherit certain qualities and traits that make them better suited to leadership.

According to Contingency theories leadership focus on particular variables related to the environment that might determine which particular style of leadership is best suited for the situation.

According to situational theories leaders choose the best course of action based upon situational variable.

According to the behavioural theories leaders are based upon the belief that great leaders are made, not born.

According to the participative theories ideal leadership style is one that takes the input of others into account.

Management theories focus on the role of supervision, organization, and group performance.

Relationship theories focus upon the connections formed between leaders and followers.

About the classification of leadership we know these types:

Bureaucrat Leaders

Autocrat Leaders

Diplomat Leaders

Expert Leaders

Quarter Back Leaders

But according to the Chris Argyris leadership classification leaders types are:

Directive type

Permissive type

Participative type

Abraham Zaleznik (1977), delineated differences between leadership and management. He saw leaders as inspiring visionaries, concerned about substance; while managers are viewed as planners who have concerns with process. Warren Bennis (1989) further explained a dichotomy between managers and leaders. He drew twelve distinctions between the two groups:

Managers administer, leaders innovate.

Managers ask how and when, leaders as what and why.

Mangers focus on systems, leaders focus on people.

Managers do things right, leaders do the right things.

Managers maintain, leaders develop.

Mangers rely on control, leaders inspire trust.

Managers have a short-term perspective, leaders have a long-term perspective.

Managers accept the status-quo; leaders challenge the status-quo.

Managers have an eye on the bottom line, leader have an eye on the horizon.

Managers imitate, leaders originate.

Managers emulate the classic good soldier, leaders are their own person.

Managers copy, leaders show originality.

In the end of the chapter we can say leaders are far ahead from a manager. Manager vision should be like a leader. Above mentioned all the resources will clear you about the function of a manager and leaders. In this term we can say leaders purpose are for high term however manager purposes are for short-term.

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