Leadership Concepts and Theories

Questions and Answers

What is a designated leader?

A designated leader has certain responsibilities, such as calling meetings and leading discussions.

What does leadership refer to?

Leadership refers to influential behavior in general and occurs whenever one person in a group influences other members to help the group reach its goals.

Which of the following are the five major approaches to leadership theory? (Select all that apply)

Servant Leadership (correct)

Distributed Functions (correct)

Leadership Style (correct)

Trait (correct)

Position (correct)

The Trait Approach suggests that leaders are ______.

born, not made Signup and view all the answers

What are some traits that characterize leaders according to research?

Leaders tend to be better adjusted, more dominant, extroverted, interpersonally sensitive, and possess traits such as intelligence and enthusiasm. Signup and view all the answers

Leaders cannot be so successful that group members perceive them as 'different'.

True Signup and view all the answers

What is charisma in the context of leadership?

Charisma is defined as an extraordinary power, often seen in leaders who inspire others with confidence and commitment. Signup and view all the answers

Who was Niccolò Machiavelli and what did he advocate regarding leadership?

Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian statesman who advocated for cunning, deceit, and duplicity as political methods for increasing power and control. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Leadership Concepts

Designated Leader: Responsible for calling meetings and leading discussions within a group.
Leadership: The act of influencing group members towards achieving collective goals.

Leadership Theories

Five Major Approaches:
- Trait
- Position
- Leadership Style
- Distributed Functions
- Servant Leadership

Trait Approach

Historical Perspective: Aristotle suggested leaders are inherently marked for command from birth.
Personal Characteristics: Leaders possess traits that distinguish them from followers, implying they are born rather than trained.
Perception of Leaders:
- Must be seen as group members.
- Embody norms and values of the group.
- Be the most qualified for the task.
- Meet expectations regarding behavior and functions.
Common Leader Traits:
- Better adjustment
- Dominance
- Extroversion
- High interpersonal sensitivity
- Intelligence, enthusiasm, self-confidence, and egalitarianism.
Potential Issues: Leaders should not be perceived as too different from followers to avoid being ostracized.
Communication Influence: Those who talk the most often become leaders, unless they overly antagonize group members.

Charisma in Leadership

Definition: Charisma is seen as an extraordinary power that inspires others.
Key Characteristics:
- Sense of mission and belief in the cause.
- High self-confidence to inspire faith in followers.
- Capacity to foster strong emotional commitment from followers.
Diversity in Charismatic Leaders: Figures like John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. share charismatic traits yet differ in personality.
Critiques of Charisma:
- Varied expressions of charisma complicate its definition.
- Effective leadership can occur without charisma, as seen in many group therapists.

Machiavellianism in Leadership

Historical Context: Niccolò Machiavelli advocated for cunning and deceit as tactics for rulers to maintain power.
Concepts of Machiavellian Leadership:
- Politics viewed as amoral; any means can be justified for political gains.
- Recognizes that humans are often fallible and susceptible to manipulation.

Description

Explore key concepts and theories of leadership, including major approaches and traits of effective leaders. This quiz examines the historical perspectives on leadership and the characteristics that distinguish leaders from followers. Test your understanding of various leadership styles and their impact on group dynamics.