Leadership Authority Concepts

Leadership Authority

• Leadership authority is based on position within an organizational hierarchy
• Power flows from the highest level to the lowest
• The pyramid of authority forms the basis for classical organizational structures
• Workers support supervisors and managers who, in turn, support executives (bottom-up view)
• The "top-down" view of authority is derived from the right of private property; owners manage like private owners, as long as they don't violate the rights of others.
• Leaders may delegate authority to managers, executives, or supervisors.
• The "bottom-up" view explains that authority is granted by those below because people have the capacity to reject directions that do not align with their understanding or interests
• For order to be accepted, the order must be understood, consistent with organizational goals, compatible with interests, and the recipient must be mentally and physically able to comply
• Servant leadership recognizes both top-down and bottom-up views and addresses the interdependent nature of the leadership-follower relationship.

Servant Leadership

• Robert Greenleaf defines servant leadership as a "calling to serve"
• It begins with a caring attitude towards others and a desire to help.
• A conscious decision to lead others often stems from a desire to serve.
• The principle of servant leadership is that a great leader is a servant first
• Servant leadership involves a giving orientation that encourages trust, listening, and ethical use of power and empowerment.
• This approach utilizes an upside-down pyramid, where customers and clients are at the top and the leader supports frontline workers.
• Servant leaders ask employees four questions: what's going well, what can be improved, do you have what you need, and how can I help achieve goals?
• Servant leaders prioritize access, communication, and support; they are available, listen effectively, facilitate meetings to share/solve issues and provide guidance.

Military Leaders

• Military leaders prioritize the well-being and development of their subordinates (soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coast guard)
• They put the needs of their subordinates before their own needs.
• The principle of leadership is "Mission first, soldiers always."

Participative Leadership Philosophy

• Participative leadership leverages the constructive power of people to create a more humanistic and productive workplace.
• It involves engaging people in the process, fostering understanding, and encouraging commitment.
• Communication is open and free regardless of rank or power.
• Conflict is managed through consensus.
• Influence stems from technical competence and knowledge.
• Emotional expression and task-oriented acts are encouraged.

Negative Consequences of Power

• Power can corrupt individuals; absolute power corrupts absolutely.
• A study of Intensive Care Units found that autocratic leadership had higher employee turnover, decreased efficiency, and twice the rate of patient deaths
• Power is derived from both position and individual characteristics (Table 8.1).

Psychological Size

• Power has psychological implications
• Power can shape communication patterns within the workplace
• Employees tend to be in a weaker position compared to their leaders
• Unequal psychological size affects relationships and can inhibit communication
• High-status position, terminal statements, formal/distant manner, know-it-all attitude, commanding appearance, power to make decisions, sarcasm/ridicule usage, cruel/punishing remarks, interrupting/shouting, public criticism can all contribute to psychological size.
• A leader can equalize psychological size by listening, showing interest in people, modeling open communication, and engaging employees in challenging, growth-oriented projects.
• Guidelines for two-way communication emphasize active listening, empathy, patience, and avoiding distractions.