Leadership Theories – Nature, Functions, Styles

The whole summary of leadership theories lies in the fact that they are all thoughts and analyses of different thinkers on how and why certain sets of people become leaders and what are their qualities. There are different leadership thoerires that explain different types of leadership in public administration. Read on to know about the nature, functions, styles and the importance of leadership in public administration in detail.

A group of people coming together to achieve a common objective gives rise to Organisations. Group activity is the basic characteristic of all organisations. The organisational objective can be achieved only by influencing the behaviour of the group towards the objectives of the Organisation. No doubt, the behaviour of the employees can be influenced by the exercise of Power and Authority. However, total reliance on these elements for desirable positive behaviour in the organisation may not bring the expected results. The mere exercise of power and authority may not have a long term effect in ensuring the enduring cooperation of the employees towards the attainment of organisational objectives. Such willing cooperation can be achieved only by creating an environment with Rightight Leadership.

Definitions For Leadership

Leadership has been defined by various thinkers in many ways. Some of the important definitions are given below:

According to Louis. A.Allen – “A leader guides and directs other people. A leader gives the efforts of his followers a direction and purpose by influencing their behaviour”.
According to Theo Haimann– “Leadership is the process by which an executive imaginatively directs, guides and influences the work of others in choosing and attaining specified goals by mediating between the individuals and the organisation in such a manner that both will obtain maximum satisfaction”.
According to James Cribbin – “Leadership is a process of influence on a group in a particular situation at a given point of time and in a specific set of circumstances that stimulates people to strive to attain organisational objectives, giving them the experience of helping attain the common objectives, and satisfaction with the type of leadership provided”.
According to Terry and Franklin – “Leadership is the relationship in which one person (the leader) influences others to work together willingly on related tasks to attain goals desired by the leader and/or group”.
According to George R.Terry, – “Leadership is the activity of influencing people to strive willingly for group obobjectivesAccording to Robert Tannenbaum, – “Leadership is the interpersonal influence exercised in the situation and directed, through the communication process toward the attainment of specialised goal or goals”.
According to Koontz and O’Donnell,– achievement of a common goal”.
Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard have attempted all-embracing ring definition of leadership. According to them, leadership is “The process of influencing the activities of an individual or a group in efforts goal achievement in a given situation”.

Nature Of Leadership

An analysis of the above definitions brings out the following characteristics of leadership :

Leadership is a process of influence exercised by the leader on group members. A person is said to influence others when they are willing to carry out his wishes and accept his advice, guidance and direction. Successful leaders can influence the behaviour, attitudes and beliefs of their followers.
Leadership is related to a particular situation at a given point of time under a specific set of circumstances. That means leadership styles will be different under different circumstances. to to. At one point in time, the subordinates may accept the autocratic behaviour of the leader as while at a different point in time and under a different set of circumstances, only participative leadership style may be successful.
Leadership is the function of motivating people to strive willingly to attain organisational objectives. A leader is considered successful when he is subordinate the individual interests of the followers to the general interests of the group. When this congruency is achieved, the workers act enthusiastically to achieve these objectives. Followers are satisfied with the type of leadership provided. A good leader acts as the representative of the group and works to protect the interests of its members. He lets the subordinates influence their behaviour particularly when the subordinates are knowledgeable and competent. He also shares credit, blame, information, ideas, opinion and experience with the subordinates. Un a
Leadership is the ability to persuade others to seek defined objectives enthusiastically. It is the human factor that binds a group together and motivates it towards certain goals. It is a process of stimulating members of the group towards the achievement of predetermined goals. Leadership is a part of management, but not all of it. A manager is required to plan and organise and so on, but all we ask of a leader is that he gets others to follow.
An individual is said to be a leader only when he is accepted as a leader by a group of persons and there is communication between the leader and the group. Leadership is present when both these factors are there in a particular situation. A self-made leader may dream of himself as a leader but he cannot be called a leader if there is none to accept him as a leader.

Importance Of Leadership

Leadership is an important factor for making any organisation successful. Without a good leader, an organisation cannot function efficiently and effectively. Since the Organisation is basically a deliberate creation of human beings for certain specified objectives, the activities of its members need to be directed in a certain way. Any departure from this way will lead to inefficiency in the organisation, Direction of activities in the organisation is affected by the leader. Peter Drucker has pointed out that managers (business leaders) are the basic scarcest resources of any business enterprise.

The importance of good leadership can be discussed as follows:

1. Motivating employees:

As discussed earlier, motivation is necessary for work performance. The higher the motivation, the better would be the performance. A good leader is exercising his · leadership motivates the employees for high performance. Good leadership in the organisation itself is a motivating factor for individuals.

2. Creating confidence:

A good leader may create confidence in his followers by directing them giving them advice and getting through good results in the organisation. Once an individual with the help of a leader puts efficiency, he tries to maintain it as he acquires a certain level of confidence towards his capacity. Sometimes, individuals fail to recognise 2010 their qualities and capabilities to work in the absence of good direction.

3. Building morale

Morale is expressed as attitudes of employees towards the organisation, bot management and voluntary cooperation to offer their ability to the organisation. High morale leads to high productivity and organisational stability. Through providing good leadership in the organisation, employees’ morale can be raised high ensuring high productivity and stability.

Thus, good leadership is essential in all aspects of managerial functions whether it be motivation, communication or direction. Good leadership ensures success in the organisation, and unsatisfactory human performance in any organisation can be primarily attributed to poor leadership.

Functions Of Leadership

A leader performs numerous functions. The range and variety of functions performed by a leader differ from situation to situation. According to Hicks and Gullet the function of a leader can include the following:

1. Arbitration

When organizational members disagree on a course of action to be taken, the leader mạy sometimes resolve the problem by arbitrating or by deciding on the solution himself. In any event, it is most important that a decision be reached as soon as possible so that the organization can continue operation without interruption or change of pace. To Suggesting: Suggestions by the leader permit him to get his ideas across to “his subordinates without resorting to direct order. At the same time, the subordinate’s dignity and sense of participation may be maintained.

2. Supplying objectives

The objectives of an organization are not automatic but must be supplied by the leader. For the organization to be effective, these objectives must be 4,5% suitable to the organization and allow the members to work together.

3. Catalyzing

To start to increase movement in any organization, a force is needed. This force can be supplied by the leader acting as a catalyst to arouse his followers to action.

4. Providing security

By maintaining a positive, optimistic attitude when facing problems, a leader can provide security for his followers. Security is important to organizational members and can be jeopardized by the leader’s attitudes. This is because the attitudes of a leader, whether good or bad, are eventually picked up by the followers.

5. Representing

The leader usually represents his organization to others and likewise serves as a symbol of the organization. Those outsides of the organization probably think of the organization in terms of their impression of the leader. A favourable impression of the leader will probably lead to a favourable impression of the organization and vice versa.

6. Inspiring

One of the human needs is the need to be doing something i.e. worthwhile and important. By letting his followers know that their work is worthwhile and important, a leader inspires followers to accept organizational goals enthusiastically and to work effectively towards their accomplishments.

7. Praising

Another human need is the need for recognition and esteem of others. Leaders can assist in satisfying these needs through sincere praise by letting their employees know that they are important, that their work was appreciated and that the leader has their best interest at heart.

Leadership Qualities

Certain qualities are essential in any leader because they are vital to take the individual towards success. Deficiencies can be eliminated by conscious efforts. Good qualities can be strengthened. But it is not possible to cultivate all the attributes since some are more innate than others. An exhaustive list is not possible. However certain specific and easily identifiable traits can be enlisted on based on practical experience all though several of them fall under psychological terms.

All the qualities listed, however, do not necessarily appear in every leadership situation nor are they all equally required of every leader. Given below is a comprehensive picture of all desirable qualifications.

It is generally agreed that possession of a generous and unusual endowment of physical and nervous energy is the secret of the most successful leaders. Those whose rise in any marked way above the general public has more drive, more endurance, greater vigour of body and mind than the average person. Robust health and basic strength is an asset for the effectiveness of the leader. Every one of us realises how important is the physical and nervous conditions in our work. Sluggishness, apathy, fatigue are generally considered to be the stumbling elements of a good leader. The leader also must recognise that his job is. more demanding than the average worker. Therefore, the leader should be careful about his health and vitality.

The second quality which is clearly predominant in every good leader is a strong sense of a dominant purpose and direction. The leader knows much better what he wants to get done and where he wants to go. It means that he possesses clarity and precision as to the objectives, purpose are aims that he wants to achieve.

The next quality pertains to enthusiasm. The mere presence of a sound purpose is not enough it must be felt to be sound by all. A sound purpose must be supported by dynamic emotion, hope, will to win and a robust sense of joy in the job. Enthusiasm is essential. It is more important because it is self-sustaining. If the leader has real vigour on the physical side and a definite objective on the mental horizon, then enthusiasm is an automatic -offspring. Enthusiasm can be deliberately increased but it requires great energy and deep intellectual conviction. A good leader is always conscious of this fact. He should be a known enthusiast.

Affection and friendliness are essential in a good leader. In fact, affection and friendliness are positive motivating forces over the conduct of those upon whom it is expressed. This will work in more than one direction. The tendency is for friendliness and affection to evoke a reciprocal response. However, the leader has to guard against sycophancy and other evils associated with it in the name of friendliness and affection.

The followers must be able to trust their leaders, The followers want to feel a sense of solidarity, of honesty and reliability towards the leader. The people should gain the trust of confidence. In short, they want the leader to possess integrity. It is not necessary to be a paragon of virtue because it is not possible. But what is required is acting appropriately to the expectations of the group. We may hasten to add here that where there is a divergence of views relating to the major objectives of the organization; then the leader should maintain e his integrity and convince the followers. If he fails, he should quit after giving a reasonable time, making clear to the group the grounds on which he has acted. But these are extraordinary illustrations.

Integrity is demanded another reason also. In a complex society like ours, there are conflicting demands. It becomes society like ours there are conflicting demands. It becomes impossible to have a competent opinion about many issues. Yet the opinion is sought and a decision is expected in the situation, people expect the leader to possess complete integrity. This is a major problem of the entire life philosophy of the individual.

To these above general qualities, Chester Barnard adds four other qualities of a leader. they are

Vitality and endurance
Decisiveness
Persuasiveness
Responsibility
Intellectual capacity, in order of priority

Millet identifies eight qualities that leaders should possess. They are

Good health
A sense of machine
Interest in other people
Intelligence
Integrity
Persuasiveness
Judgement
Loyalty

Leadership Styles

The behaviour exhibited by a leader during the supervision of subordinates is known as the leadership style. There are leaders. Basically, three styles are listed out as Autocratic, Democratic, Free rein.

Autocratic/Authoritative/Directive Style:

An autocratic leader centralizes power and decision-making on himself and exercises complete control over the subordinates. He holds over the head of his subordinates the threat of penalties and punishment. He sets the group goals and structures the work. He runs his own show. The problem with this style is that subordinates are made aware of what to do but not why. It may be satisfying for the leader to dictate terms to others continuously but for subordinates, this may be totally frustrating. He breathes so closely down the necks of his subordinates, that he makes effective action impossible. Subordinates are compelled to follow the leader’s directions to the letter even though they may be wrong.

Later when errors creep in, subordinates will avoid responsibility since they were merely obeying. In autocratic situations, frustration, low morale and conflict develop easily. Subordinates are induced to avoid responsibility, initiative and innovative behaviour. Moreover, autocratic leadership can be only as good as the leader is. If the leader is weak and incompetent, the followers will be weak and incompetent. Autocratic style permits quick decision-making and hence can be applied with success in situations where :

The subordinates lack knowledge of company goals.
The subordinates are inexperienced or lack training.
The company endorses fear and punishment as accepted disciplinary techniques.
The leader prefers to be active and dominant in decision-making.
There is little room for error in the final accomplishment.

Again, under conditions of stress, or when great speed and efficiency are required autocratic leadership can yield positive outcomes. It can increase productivity in the long run.

Democratic/Participative Style

In contrast to the autocrat, the democratic leader practices leadership by consultation. He is like a Theory Y leader and invites decision sharing. Here authority is decentralized. Decisions are arrived at after consultation with followers and participation by them. The subordinates are also encouraged to exploit their potential and assume greater challenging responsibilities. The participative leader attaches high importance to both work and people. This style improves the job satisfaction and morale of employees. It helps in gaining the services from a more satisfied and cohesive group. In fact, no manager can perform effectively over an extended period of time, without some degree of employee participation

However, there is no evidence that participation is good for everybody. When subordinates prefer minimum interaction with the leader, participative style may not yield positive results. Furthermore, over a period of time group members develop a frustrating habit of expecting to be consulted on every issue, even those to which they cannot contribute. When they are not consulted, they feel slighted, insulted and become resentful and uncooperative.

Participative leadership style is appropriate where :

The organization has communicated its goals and objectives to the subordinates and the subordinates have accepted them.
Rewards and involvement are used as the primary means of motivation and control.
The leader truly desires to hear the ideas of his employees before making decisions.
The leader wishes to develop analytical and self-control abilities in his subordinates.
The workers are reasonably knowledgeable and experienced.
The subordinates desire active and true involvement in matters that affect them, just The time for task completion allows for participation.

A participative style is appreciated because:

The leader cultivates the decision-making abilities of his subordinates.
The leader seriously listens to and thoroughly reviews the ideas of his subordinates and accepts their contributions wherever possible and practical.

The Participative style is attacked on the following grounds:

A participative style is a misleading term. There is always a danger of misinterpretation of decision sharing. Subordinates may view the leader as incompetent to handle crisis baile independently. Participation may also be interpreted as a sign of inefficiency on the part of the leader to deal with the problems and taking decisions. Participative leadership is time-consuming. It is a tough job for the leader to provide a relaxed atmosphere to subordinates so that they actively participate in decision-making. For some leaders, participation is an effective way of passing the buck to others. It is a means of abdication of the responsibility for them.

Free-Rein Leadership Style

Free-rein leadership is a rather complete delegation of authority into the hands of the subordinates so that they must plan, motivate, control and otherwise be responsible for their own actions. The free-rein manager avoids power and relinquishes the leadership position. Then the question arises as to why as the leadership position. Then the question arises as to why certain leaders set out of the leadership role? In a general sense, we can state that leader perceives that the costs associated with leading the greater than the benefits. More specifically the reasons may be lack of self-confidence, fear of failure etc.

The free-rein style would seem to be appropriate under the condition where :

The organizational goals have been communicated well and are acceptable to the subordinates.

The leader is interested in delegating decision-making fully.
The subordinates themselves are well-trained and highly knowledgeable concerning their tasks and are ready to assume responsibilities.
The problem with this abdicative style is that it tends to permit various units of an organization to proceed at cross purposes and can degenerate into chaos. Hence, it should be a rare exception, not a general rule.