Leadership: Difference between revisions

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imported>Jack M. Davis
(Leadership success depends on interaction between the leader and followers.)
 
imported>Ori Redler
(A beginning)
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My students and I would like to write a text for use in a course on "Leadership". To get it started, we submit the following draft.
'''Leadership''' is the action of leading a group of people or an organisation, a state of position of a leader or the group of people who lead or head. The action of leadership usually consists of telling people what to do, and supervising and organising their actions. A leadership is often based on a voluntary or compulsory agreement to give the leaders the [[authority]] to lead and control others. The leadership often benefits from its position by special privileges and [[power]].


1.1 Introduction
[[Category: CZ Live]]
 
The foundation for the Odyssey Leadership model was based on the premise that for an organization to
compete globally, its leaders must apply leadership strategies that challenges mainstream models and
practices by embracing a model that transcends borders and integrates diverse groups.  Effective
leadership is not only dependent on the leader, but the followers, the situation, or any combination
of these factors.  The globalization phenomenon in fact, is not new but has existed for more than a
decade.  Globalization increasingly creates challenges for leadership and there is enough evidence
to support the need for a comprehensive and strategic approach to global leadership.  One of the
lessons of cross cultural management is the role culture plays on norms and values and it is quite
evident that domestic leadership models from one part of the world generally do not work in other
parts of the world. 
 
More than ever, change is constant and present in society and its organizations. Change in
organizations consists of new technologies, globalization, merges and acquisitions, reorganization,
right-sizing, reengineering, centralization, decentralization, and achieving six-sigma quality
standards. This is where the leaders are pressured to improve quality, be more global, better
utilize capital, maximize resources, improve shareholder wealth, and create new products and
services. To successfully lead change every organization needs to create its own unique template
that would correspond to its specific needs or issues.   
 
Empirical research has indicated that no single leadership model is good for every organization.
Identifying and classifying the organization in terms of global or local business entity, a
governmental entity, or an educational institution is the first step in determining what leadership
model would be applicable. A model good in one organizational type if followed in another may turn
out to be a total disaster in another. 
 
This paper has addressed all of the above concerns by defining a new model for leadership that works
for all organizations, the Odyssey Leadership Model.  The Odyssey Leadership Model acknowledges that
there is no one “template” that fits organizations and therefore encourages an organization specific
approach.  Our model was developed after a preliminary in depth analysis of the current leadership
theories including their pros and cons, comparisons, applications and case studies.  The Odyssey
Leadership Model encompasses a combination of their merits dependant on the situation and also
addresses the assumptions, constraints and applications of its model. 
 
Let us first examine the history of leadership models that leads to the natural evolution of the
Odyssey Leadership Model.
 
1.2 The Evolution of Leadership
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 1.1 – The Evolution of Leadership Theory
1.2.1 Trait Theories
Studies of early trait research by Stodgill (1948) Mann (1959) identified physical or personality
characteristics that appeared to differentiate leaders from followers and assumes these attributes
are keys to leadership success.  This theory further assumes that Leaders are born not made. 
The problem with the trait approach was that many traits were uncovered and although some traits
were identified in a considerable number of studies:
 
1. The results were generally inconclusive. 
2. Ignored situational context.
3. Certain traits are more effective than some in different context or situation. 
 
Later studies by the University of Michigan and Ohio State re-examined the trait theory and their
results each showed 2 categories of behaviors.  However, the main limitations in both theories of
these behavioral approaches were its lack of finding a dependable quantifiable formula for effective
leadership.
 
The Odyssey Leadership Model revisited the trait theory, and found that these traits can be either
cultivated or simulated and although they appear not quantifiable, our model will show that they
were measurable, measurable in terms of importance to the leadership style, to organization and/or
its goals and could be used in the MCDA process.  The situational context, which will be discussed
in detail later, is an integral part of the Odyssey Leadership Model.  Our model supports the theory
that certain traits are more effective than some when used within different contexts.  We have
therefore incorporated an adaptation of the trait theory into our Odyssey Leadership Model by first
the extracting the more common leadership traits then focusing on its importance exemplified in the
specific desired leadership style.
 
 
1.2.2 Behavioral Theories
Between the 1950’s to the early 1960’s researchers shifted their focus from trait theories to
leadership behavior, especially toward followers.  The study of leadership patterns of behavior
grouped together and labeled as styles.  Regardless of its names the styles fit into four basic
categories.
• Concern for task – A focus on productivity.
• Concern for people – A people centric approach.
• Directive Leadership – Leaders make all the decisions.
• Participative Leadership – Shared decision making.
Initially it was believed that people centered leadership created greater satisfaction amongst
followers, however Sadler (1997) reported inconsistencies between studies.  Although the people
factor is an important element to the Odyssey Leadership Model, the model did not just stop there
but takes all other factors into account. 
Beyond this limitation, the main problem with behavioral theories in the past is that researchers
did not consider the context or environment in which the style was used.  The Odyssey Leadership
Model has recognized that leadership styles are affected by the followers and other environmental
factors and suggests a particular style of Leadership based on its situational context by verifying
and validating the chosen style against its extensive OLS Knowledge Base.
 
1.2.3 Situational Theories
 
Situational theories propose that effectiveness of a particular style of leadership behavior depends
on the situation.  The most well known situational theory is Fiedler’s contingency model.  Fiedler
argued that leadership was dependent on a mix of factors.  Effectiveness depended on two interacting
factors:  leadership style and the degree to which the situation gives the leader control and
influence.  The premise is that leader effectiveness is contingent upon an appropriate match between
the leader’s style and the degree to which the leader controls the situation.
 
There are three important factors that constitute this theory.
• The Leader-follower Relationship – the more well-liked and respected they are the more likely
they’ll have the support of their followers.
• The Task Structure – If the task is clearly spelt out as goals, methods and standards of
performance then is more likely that leaders will be able to exert influence.
• Position Power – If an organization or group confers powers on the leader for the purpose of
getting the job done, then this may increase the influence of the leader.
Theories like these helped us to construct our Odyssey Model.  There was a lot of evidence to
support the theory that cultural factors (situations), influence the way that people carry out and
respond to different leadership styles.  For example, some cultures are more individualistic, or
value family against bureaucratic models, or have different expectations about how people interact
with each other.  These are all factors that affect the leadership approach.  However our analysis
of the current situational models implied that they were more of a task management approach than a
leadership style. 
The Odyssey Leadership Model has piggybacked on the basic situational model by expanding the basic
three situational factors to include situational attributes from all People, Group and Organization
(PGO) levels of the Organization.
 
1.3 The Odyssey Leadership Model
The Odyssey Leadership Model is a Multi-Criteria, Case Based Reasoning, and Interactive Approach to
effective Leadership. 
 
It has been mathematically proved using binary vectors that if in a team environment every member of
the team is assigned a job that he does best, with the assumption that one of the team members plays
the lead role, the team should produce the best results. However the success story unfortunately did
not move along those lines. It was observed when the team leader role in the team was rotated and
given to different members the performance of the team fluctuated, conclusively proving that it is
not enough to just have people do jobs they are best at, other variables need to be accounted for.
 
The idea of our model of Leadership was taken from a (2004) publication in the Leadership Quarterly
on team leadership cycle called the I-P-O model. Contrary to this model which focuses only on team
leadership our model will incorporate most of the current leadership models and represents
“Input-Process-Output” [I-P-O].
                             
 
To validate our Odyssey Leadership Model theory we utilized a grounded theory research strategy that
included a preliminary a leadership survey.  The purpose of the survey was to measure attitudes
towards current leadership styles in the global arena and to validate the need for a new Leadership
Model through primary research.  Our target audience represented twenty six individuals either
already in a leadership role or individuals aspiring to be part of the leadership process.
 
For the preliminary baseline survey, focus was placed on justifying the need for a new OLM and less
on the actual design of the OLS.  Additional and subsequent in-depth surveys will be conducted
after we have established a stable prototype of our Odyssey Leadership System to measure its
usefulness in its application.
 
Method
Our anonymous web-based survey included managers and non-managers of fortune 500 companies, medium
sized business, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and graduate students in
leadership programs.

Revision as of 02:27, 5 February 2007

Leadership is the action of leading a group of people or an organisation, a state of position of a leader or the group of people who lead or head. The action of leadership usually consists of telling people what to do, and supervising and organising their actions. A leadership is often based on a voluntary or compulsory agreement to give the leaders the authority to lead and control others. The leadership often benefits from its position by special privileges and power.

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