Lecture 5 - Team Leadership.pdf

Team Leadership “Must be able to build cohesive and productive work and project teams in order to achieve the required outputs, either as a work unit or as a component within the organization..” Sanjeeva Perera Senior Academic Fellow - Faculty of C...

Team Leadership “Must be able to build cohesive and productive work and project teams in order to achieve the required outputs, either as a work unit or as a component within the organization..” Sanjeeva Perera Senior Academic Fellow - Faculty of Computing  Attendance IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 2 Agenda What is leadership? Identify the traits and skills of an effective leader Key leadership theories Examine the role, duties and responsibilities of a Team Leader Understand the limits of authority in a Team Leader role Develop a plan to develop your own leadership potential Most parts of this lecture is taken from University of Exeter, UK – Leadership Skills module IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 3 What is Leadership? "Leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realize your own leadership potential." Prof. Warren Bennis IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 4 Definition of leadership there is still considerable controversy. According to leadership guru Warren Bennis “The End of Leadership” – Leadership cannot exist without the full inclusion, initiatives, and the cooperation of employees. (one cannot be a great leader without great followers) IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 5 Why Controversy ? Leadership depend on many factors. For example, business environment. Cool and calm business environment vs. Highly volatile environment Captain of a Ship vs. Rafting on white water IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 6  Captain of a ship vs Rafting on white water IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 7 Cool and calm business environment vs. Highly volatile environment Captain of a ship vs Rafting on white water IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 8  Leadership Theories and Models IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 9 Leadership Perspectives 1- Trait Perspective 4-Transformational Leadership 2-Behavior Perspective Perspectives Perspective 3-Contingency Perspective IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 10  Leadership Perspectives 1-Trait Perspective IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 11 Leadership Theories Early Theories: Great Man Theories Leaders are exceptional people, born with innate qualities, destined to lead Term 'man' was intentional - concept was primarily male, military and Western IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 12 Leadership Theories Early Theories: Trait Theories Research on traits or qualities associated with leadership are numerous Traits are hard to measure. For example, how do we measure honesty or integrity? IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 13 Trait Theories Don Stephen Senanayake was the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka having emerged as the leader of the Sri Lankan independence movement that led to the establishment of self-rule in Sri Lanka. He is considered as the "Father of the Nation" IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 14 Leadership Traits and Skills Traits Skills  Adaptable to situations Clever (intelligent)  Alert to social environment Conceptually skilled  Ambitious and achievement orientated Creative  Assertive Diplomatic and tactful  Cooperative Fluent in speaking  Decisive Knowledgeable about group task  Dependable Organised (administrative ability)  Dominant (desire to influence others) Persuasive  Energetic (high activity level) Socially skilled  Persistent Stogdill, 1974  Self-confident  Tolerant of stress Leaders will also use:  Willing to assume responsibility Integrity, Honesty, Compassion, Humility IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 15 Leadership Theories Functional Theories (John Adair, Action Centred Leadership, 1970) Leader is concerned with the interaction of 3 areas:  Task – goal setting, methods and process  Team – effective interaction/communication, clarify roles, team morale  Individual – attention to behaviour, feelings, coaching, CPD IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 16  Leadership is situational Action-Centred Leadership Achieve task Build team Develop individuals John Adair 17 Action-Centred Leadership Allocating Focusing on resources goals Organising duties Planning work and responsibilities Controlling quality Achieve task Checking performance Reviewing progress 18 Action-Centred Leadership Maintaining morale and building team spirit Build team Maintaining communication Setting standards and within the group maintaining discipline Ensuring systems support the work of the team 19 Action-Centred Leadership Meeting the needs of individual Develop Attending to Individuals personal problems Developing and training the Giving praise individual and recognition 20  Leadership Perspectives 2-Behavior Perspective IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 21 Leadership Theories Behaviourist Theories (Blake and Mouton, Managerial grid, 1964) Leaders' behaviour and actions, rather than their traits and skills e.g. production orientated, or people orientated Different leadership behaviours categorised as ‘leadership styles’ e.g. autocratic, persuasive, consultative, democratic Doesn’t provide guide to effective leadership in different situations IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 22 The Historically Important Studies on Leadership The Iowa Leadership Studies (1930 by Lippitt and Ralph White) Autocratic vs. Democratic vs. Laissez-Faire The Ohio State Leadership Studies Initiating Structure vs. Consideration The Early Michigan Leadership Studies- human relations approach (1950s by university of Michigan) Production Oriented vs. Employee Oriented IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 23 The Iowa Leadership Studies Autocratic vs. Democratic vs. Laissez-Faire The question was whether a democratic style of leadership is more effective than an authoritarian or laissez-faire style. Study was done using 10-year old boys who were assigned to one of three after school hobby groups: Democratic- Allowed the group to decide who was to perform what task, pick their own partners, offer feedback Authoritarian- Assigned work partners, subjective with praise, decided what was to be done without boys feedback Laissez-Faire Style- Gave the group complete freedom, do whatever they wanted, provided information only when asked IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 24 The Iowa Leadership Studies Autocratic vs. Democratic vs. Laissez-Faire In the study, which style do you think led to greater satisfaction? Boys subjected to the autocratic leaders reacted in one of the two ways: either aggressively or apathetically. Both deemed to be reaction to the frustration. The researchers also pointed out that the apathetic groups exhibited outbursts of aggression when the autocratic leader left the room. The laissez-faire leadership climate actually produced the greatest number of aggressive acts from the group. The democratically led group fell between the one extremely aggressive group and the four apathetic groups under the autocratic leader. IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 25  The Ohio State Leadership Studies Initiating Structure vs. Consideration This study looked at two independent dimensions of leadership: Consideration – Relies on mutual trust, respect for subordinates, and sensitivity to subordinate’s feelings. Initiating Structure- When a leader defines and structures the work that subordinates perform, working toward successful completion. Therefore a manager can be: 1. Highly considerate of subordinates, while lacking a concern for employee production. 2. May lack concern for employee feelings but is moderately concerned with unit output. 3. Devoted to both maximizing production (initiating structure) and employee well-being (consideration). (This is the ideal style…combines the best of both dimensions) IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 26 The Early Michigan Leadership Studies- human relations approach Production Oriented vs. Employee Oriented Studies conducted by Michigan University beginning in the 1950s Found 3 critical characteristics of effective leaders: - Task-oriented behavior Effective Leaders didn’t do the same work as their subordinates. - Relationship-oriented behavior Focus on task, but also on relationship with subordinates - Participative leadership Use a participative style, managing at the group level as well as individually The role of the manager is more facilitative than directive IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 27  Leadership Perspectives 3-Contingency Perspective IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 28 Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory Situational Leadership Theory (SLT) A contingency theory that focuses on followers’ readiness. Unable and Unable but Able and Able and Unwilling Willing Unwilling Willing Follower readiness: ability and willingness Directive Supportive Monitoring High Task and Relationship Participative Orientations Leader: decreasing need for support and supervision IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 29 Leadership Theories Situational/contingency Leadership (Hersey-Blanchard, 1970/80) Leadership style changes according to the 'situation‘ and in response to the individuals being managed – their competency and motivation Competency Low competence Some High High competence competence competence Low Variable Variable High Motivation commitment/ commitment/ commitment/ commitment/ Unable and Unable but Able but Able and willing unwilling or willing or unwilling or or motivated insecure motivated insecure Leadership style DIRECTIVE COACHING SUPPORTIVE DELEGATORY (Telling) (Selling) (Participating) (Observing) IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 30 Leadership Styles and Follower Readiness (Hersey and Blanchard) Follower Unwilling Willing Readiness Able Supportive Monitoring Participative Leadership Styles High Task Unable Directive and Relationship Orientations IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 31  Leadership Perspectives 4-Transformational Perspective IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 32 Leadership Theories Transformational Theory (Bass and Avolio, 1994)  Leaders inspire individuals, develop trust, and encourage creativity and personal growth  Individuals develop a sense of purpose to benefit the group, organisation or society. This goes beyond their own self- interests and an exchange of rewards or recognition for effort or loyalty. IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 33 Leadership Theories Ethical Leadership (Alan Chapman, 2006)  Four P’s - Purpose, People, Planet, Probity  CSR, sustainability, equality, humanitarianism Probity: the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency: IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 34 Key Team Leader Responsibilities 1. Guide/coordinate team members – encourage teamwork and motivate individuals 2. Provide structure for team – set mission and purpose, clarify roles and responsibilities, allocate tasks and set objectives 3. Clarify working methods, practises and protocol 4. Focus on performance – anticipate challenges, monitor performance, delegate and provide CPD support IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 35 Accountability, Responsibility, and Authority  Accountability the state of being accountable, liable, or answerable  Responsibility (for objects, tasks or people) can be delegated but accountability cannot – buck stops with you!  A good leader accepts ultimate responsibility:  will give credit to others when delegated responsibilities succeed  will accept blame when delegated responsibilities fail  Accountability can not operate fairly without the leader being given full authority for the responsibilities concerned  Authority is the power to influence or command thought, opinion or behaviour  Cross-functional team – less authority - more difficult to manage IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 36 How to improve your leadership skills  Reflect and identify the skills YOU need to lead effectively and create your action plan to develop them  Ask for feedback from work colleagues, line managers, tutors, your ‘followers’  Practise! Take on responsibility (work, volunteering, clubs & Societies) and reflect on your performance  Find a mentor – learn from positive leadership role-models  Attend further leadership and management training IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 37 Review your performance as a leader Exercise: 1. Assess yourself as a Leader Conduct a SWOT analysis - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats 2. Develop an Action Plan to improve as a leader list 2 actions you will undertake to address Weaknesses or capitalise on Opportunities identified Apply SMART targets to your actions – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound 3. Write a reflective journal about one of the Leadership experiences you faced with a team or in your life IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 38 Questions ? IT2090 Lecture 5 - Team Leadership 39