21-11-2012, 01:03 PM
Leadership
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A Leadership Story:
A group of workers and their leaders are set a task of clearing a road through a dense jungle on a remote island to get to the coast where an estuary provides a perfect site for a port.
The leaders organise the labour into efficient units and monitor the distribution and use of capital assets – progress is excellent. The leaders continue to monitor and evaluate progress, making adjustments along the way to ensure the progress is maintained and efficiency increased wherever possible.
Then, one day amidst all the hustle and bustle and activity, one person climbs up a nearby tree. The person surveys the scene from the top of the tree.
Types of Leadership Style
Autocratic:
Leader makes decisions without reference to anyone else
High degree of dependency on the leader
Can create de-motivation and alienation of staff
May be valuable in some types of business where decisions need to be made quickly and decisively
Democratic:
Encourages decision making from different perspectives – leadership may be emphasised throughout the organisation
Consultative: process of consultation before decisions are taken
Persuasive: Leader takes decision and seeks to persuade others that the decision is correct
Change Leadership
The most challenging aspect of business is leading and managing change
The business environment is subject to fast-paced economic and social change
Modern business must adapt and be flexible to survive
Problems in leading change stem mainly from human resource management
Theories of Leadership
Trait theories:
Are such characteristics inherently gender biased?
Do such characteristics produce good leaders?
Is leadership more than just bringing about change?
Does this imply that leaders are born not bred?
Factors Affecting Style
Leadership style may be dependent on various factors:
Risk - decision making and change initiatives based on degree of risk involved
Type of business – creative business or supply driven?
How important change is – change for change’s sake?
Organisational culture – may be long embedded and difficult to change
Nature of the task – needing cooperation? Direction? Structure?