Leadership and Emotional Intelligence Quiz

Leadership Theories

• Leadership is a complex phenomenon, influenced by various factors
• Different approaches to understand and study leadership exist, including trait, behavioral, contingency, and contemporary theories

The Traits Approach

• Early 20th-century scholars investigated traits of great leaders (e.g., strong, intelligent, persuasive)
• Some theories, like the "great man" theory, assumed leadership was an innate quality
• The genetic theory of leadership suggested leadership was inherited, a divine right
• Trait theory asserts that leaders possess unique, innate traits that distinguish them
• Important traits include personality (creativity, self-confidence), physical (energy level), abilities (speech fluency), social (popularity, sociability), and work-related (desire to excel, persistence) characteristics
• Stogdill (1948): found leaders often more intelligent than followers
• Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991): identified six key leader traits: drive, desire to lead, honesty/integrity, self-confidence, cognitive ability, and knowledge
• Dubrin (2008): categorized traits into general personality (observable in and out of the workplace) and task-related personality (closely associated with task accomplishment) traits

General Personality Traits of Effective Leaders

• Self-confidence: leader displays and develops confidence; instills self-confidence in others
• Humility: includes being humble in appropriate situations; admitting mistakes to team members
• Trustworthiness: builds trust by being honest and consistent in words and actions
• Extroversion: a state or habit of being primarily concerned with obtaining gratification from external sources; being enthusiastic, talkative, and gregarious
• Assertiveness: being frank in expressing demands, opinions, and feelings; letting others know where you stand; helps achieve goals
• Emotional stability: ability to control emotions and have appropriate emotional responses; includes control of anxiety, depression, anger, and worry
• Enthusiasm: eagerness and showing interest in others; positive response from group members
• Sense of humor: adds to approachability and people-orientation, defuses hostility
• Warmth: showing kindness and affection; helps establish rapport and emotional support.

Task-Related Personality Traits of Leaders

• Passion: a dominant trait in effective leaders; expresses itself as an obsession for achieving company goals
• Emotional intelligence (EI): ability to understand one's feelings, empathize with others, and regulate emotions.
• Flexibility and adaptability: ability to adjust to changing situations, cope with technological advancements, downsizings.
• Internal locus of control: believe they are the prime movers behind events; facilitates self-confidence, likely favored by group members
• Courage: (mental strength to venture) - essential in leader taking risks, and taking initiative

Criticisms of Trait Theory

• Some effective leaders do not possess all traits
• Traits may not be a clear cause or consequence of leadership
• Ignores situational factors affecting leadership

Behavioral Theories of Leadership

• Focuses on what leaders do rather than their innate characteristics
• Researchers examine the behaviors of leaders and their effect on followers
• Developed from the human relations movement in management theory
• Early leadership studies
• Job-centered and employee-centered styles (Likert)
• Initiating structure and consideration (Ohio State studies)

Studies on Leadership Behaviors

• University of Iowa Studies: indicated three styles: autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire
• Autocratic: highly productive when leaders are present; unhappiness and hostility frequent when absent
• Participative style: effective if followers are able to learn decision making readily
• Michigan studies: job-centered and employee-centered leaders
• Job-centered leaders dictate work closely and supervise; employee-centered leaders focus on followers
• Ohio State studies: initiating structure and consideration
• Initiating structure: structuring roles and tasks, direct approach, rigorous control
• Showing consideration: supportive, respect for ideas and feelings

The Managerial Grid

• Developed by Blake and Mouton
• Emphasises the bidimensional nature of leadership, focusing on concern for people and tasks
• 9,9 management style (high concern for people and high concern for tasks) frequently viewed as the most effective

Contingency/Situational Leadership

• Effectiveness depends on matching leader styles to the situation, taking into account the situation itself –
• The leader’s style
• Follower characteristics
• The task

Fiedler's Contingency Theory

• Links leadership style (task-oriented or relationship-oriented) with situational control (favorable, moderately favorable, unfavorable)
• Assesses leader style with the Least Preferred Coworker (LPC) scale
• Favorable situations: leaders with either style are effective
• Unfavorable situations: relationship-oriented leaders are more effective, and moderately favorable situations: relationship and task oriented leaders, are both effective

Path-Goal Theory

• Centers on how leaders motivate subordinates to achieve goals
• Emphasizes the relationship of leaders' style, follower characteristic, and work setting
• Leaders who are directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented
• Clear path to goals, coaching, and removal of obstacles

Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership Theory

• Focuses on follower readiness (ability and willingness )
• Four leadership styles (telling, selling, participating, delegating) match follower readiness

The Vroom-Jago Model

• Analyzes decision situations and identifies the appropriate level of follower participation
• Based on set of diagnostic questions
• Five leadership styles: autocratic (A1, A2), consultative (C1, C2), and group-based (G2)

Contemporary Leadership Theories: Charismatic Leadership

• Focuses on the leader's ability to inspire and motivate followers
• A collection of characteristics (vision, risk-taking, tolerance for ambiguity, followers' sensitivity, personal qualities)
• Stages: leader assessment of environment, communicating vision, solidifying trust/commitment, role model/motivator.
• Examples: Sam Walton, historic figures
• Potentially dark side: using organizational resources for personal gain, remaking organization in one's own image.

Contemporary Leadership Theories: Transformational Leadership

• Focuses on inspiring and motivating individuals to achieve results beyond expectations
• Rooted in charismatic leadership, emphasizing inspiration and individual attention
• Based on personal characteristics (charisma, individual attention, intellectual stimulation )
• Ten functions to achieve a vision: identifying opportunities for improvements, experiments, high-performance vision, enlisting others, fostering collaboration, strength capacity, setting example, planning small wins, linking rewards & celebrating accomplishments

Contemporary Leadership Theories: Servant Leadership

• Leader prioritizes follower growth and development
• Emphasizes persuasion and avoids coercive power
• Effects: higher follower commitment, increased team potency, focus on growth
• More effective with certain cultures (East Asian prototype)