Great Man Theory and Its Proponents

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Questions and Answers

What does the principle of Unity of Direction emphasize?

Teams with the same objective should be led by different managers.

Employees should work independently for personal goals.

Managers should avoid creating a unified plan.

All teams should work under one manager using a single plan. (correct)

According to Fayol, what role does remuneration play in employee satisfaction?

Remuneration should focus solely on financial compensation.

Fair remuneration is essential for maintaining employee satisfaction and performance. (correct)

Employees should receive equal bonus payments regardless of performance.

Only financial rewards motivate employees to work effectively.

What is a key belief of the Great Man Theory of leadership?

Leadership effectiveness is based on collaborative effort.

Leadership qualities can be acquired through education and practice.

Leaders can be trained to become great over time.

Certain individuals are inherently destined to be leaders due to their traits. (correct)

What does the principle of Collective Interest Over Individual Interest emphasize?

Employees should prioritize team goals above their personal ambitions. Signup and view all the answers

What does the principle of Initiative encourage among employees?

Employees should feel empowered to develop and implement improvement plans. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a main proponent of the Great Man Theory?

Max Weber Signup and view all the answers

What do the principles of Scalar Chain and Order emphasize in management?

Communication should flow vertically without interruption. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the Great Man Theory, what is implied about leadership qualities?

They are unique to each individual and cannot be imitated. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of corporate venturing?

Creating new business organizations within the company Signup and view all the answers

Intrapreneurship primarily emphasizes which of the following?

Bringing innovation and market insights inside an existing organization Signup and view all the answers

Why are effective leadership behaviors considered crucial?

They enhance team performance and employee engagement. Signup and view all the answers

Which element is NOT part of Fayol's Principles of Management?

Exclusivity of communication Signup and view all the answers

The Great Man Theory of Leadership suggests that leaders are primarily born with which quality?

Natural charisma and characteristics that cannot be taught Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best illustrates the principle of Unity of Command and Direction?

Employees reporting to one manager who provides clear objectives Signup and view all the answers

Which leadership archetype is characterized by empowerment and the development of followers' skills?

Servant leader Signup and view all the answers

How do Historical Leaders and Archetypes influence modern leadership styles?

By illustrating the consequences of various leadership decisions over time Signup and view all the answers

What does the Great Man Theory primarily emphasize regarding leaders?

Leadership qualities are primarily inherited at birth. Signup and view all the answers

Which belief is associated with the Great Man Theory regarding human nature?

Leaders are static in their development and traits. Signup and view all the answers

What is a criticism of the Great Man Theory?

It suggests all leaders are suited for every situation. Signup and view all the answers

What do the Big Five Personality Traits suggest about leaders?

Certain traits are inherent and define leadership quality. Signup and view all the answers

What role does innovation play for entrepreneurs according to the provided content?

It is essential for creating change and opportunity. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a common assumption about leaders in the Great Man Theory?

They are fully developed and ready for leadership roles at birth. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a pro of the Great Man Theory?

It highlights the innate qualities that great leaders often share. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Great Man Theory fail to account for in terms of leadership dynamics?

The impact of followers on the effectiveness of leaders. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Great Man Theory

Great leaders are born with inherent traits that make them great leaders
Great leaders are 'heroes' for their nation, society, culture or organization
Theory does not delve into extensive detail or backstory
Inherent belief that those in power deserve to be in power due to the traits and position they were born with or were born into

Main Proponents Of The Great Man Theory

Thomas Carlyle
Aristotle
Niccolo Machiavelli

Great Man Theory By Thomas Carlyle Summarized

Leaders are gifts of God to mankid
Everyone cannot aspire to become a leader and to attain greatness
Inborn leadership qualities alone are necessary and sufficient for a leader to exercise influence over his followers and to become successful.
Leadership qualities and effectiveness are independent variables.

Big Five Personality Traits Theory

Openness
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism

Underlying Beliefs Of The Great Man And Big Five Theories

People are static in their development
Leaders are born fully developed and prepared
You are born with the traits that you will have for life
No one else can be leaders
As our understanding of leadership grew, so did the science researching it
There are consistent ruling classes and subservient classes throughout history
History is the story of constant class struggle
How human beings are motivated, inspired or develop themselves
Is leadership a situational trait or an overall human trait?
Discounts the concept of 'history from below', where there are small waves of events that create their own leaders

Pros Of The Great Man Theory

Simple
Easy to understand
Provides a framework for understanding history and leadership.

Cons Of The Great Man Theory

Does not account for the role of situational factors in leadership
Ignores the role of training and development in leadership
Relies on anecdotal evidence and subjective interpretations of history
Does not take into account the influence of culture and society on leadership
Fails to acknowledge the role of context and contingency in leadership.
Not empirically supported
Does not account for the complexity of leadership, which involves more than just innate traits
Aimed at explaining leadership phenomenon, but doesn't provide a clear definition of what it means to be a "great man" leader

Outcome Of The Great Man Leadership Theory

The Entrepreneurship School

Entrepreneurs use innovation to exploit or create change and opportunity for the purpose of making profit
They do this by shifting economic resources from an area of lower to an area of higher productivity, accepting a high degree of risk and uncertainty in doing so

Unity Of Direction

Teams with the same objective should be working under the direction of one manager, using one plan
That, Fayol wrote, "is the condition essential to unity of action, coordination of strength and focusing of effort."

Collective Interest Over Individual Interest

Individuals should pursue team interests over personal ones -- including managers

Remuneration

Employee satisfaction depends on fair remuneration for everyone -- financial and non-financial
Fayol said pay should be fair and reward "well-directed effort."

Centralization

Scalar Chain

Order

Equity

Stability Of Tenure Of Personnel

Initiative

Employees should be encouraged to develop and carry out plans for improvement.
As Fayol wrote, "At all levels of the organizational ladder, zeal and energy on the part of employees are augmented by initiative."

Esprit de Corps

The Leader Effectiveness School

The Leader Power School

Types Of Power In Leadership

Legitimate Power
Reward Power
Coercive Power
Expert Power
Referent Power
Informational Power
Connection Power

The Leadership Behavior School

Why Are Effective Leadership Behaviors Important?

How To Demonstrate Effective Leadership Behaviors?

The Decision-Theory School

Managerial Work Roles (By Mintzberg)

Interpersonal Roles
- Figurehead Role
- Leader Role
- Liaison Role
- In the liaison role, you create and maintain internal and external relationships.
- You serve as a connection between different groups of people to ensure work runs smoothly.
- As a liaison, you can transfer knowledge or information to members across your organization's chain of command or communicate between stakeholders and employees to ensure projects remain on task.
- In some situations, you may bring members of your external network into the company to help achieve organizational goals more efficiently
Informational Roles
- Monitor Role
- Disseminator Role
- Spokesperson Role
Decisional Roles
- Entrepreneur Role
- Disturbance Handler Role
- Resource Allocator Role
- Negotiator Role

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Description

Explore the Great Man Theory, which posits that great leaders are inherently endowed with exceptional traits. This quiz delves into the views of major proponents like Thomas Carlyle and Aristotle, assessing their perspectives on leadership and personality traits. Test your understanding of the foundational beliefs behind this leadership theory.