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WEEK 12: DIRECTING: LEADERSHIP

Sections: Leadership | Styles | Grid | Power | Student's Corner

Leadership

Definition. Leadership is the art of influeincing actions of the subordinate.

Theories on Leadership.
1. Trait Theory. Leadership is a set of built-in traits which succesful leaders possess and ineffective leaders lack (aggresiveness, self-control, independence, friendliness, relative orientation, optimism).
Leadership is the personality of a man in his inner life, including such inner elements as background, life history, beliefs, life experiences, attitudes, prejudices, self-image, fears, loves, hates, hopes and philosophy of life. A person is like an iceberg: 1/8 up versus 7/8 down.
Leadership is also cooperative actions from people which equates to success, while resistance, irrational from one's view means failure, thus developing total personality.

2. Behavior Theory. What makes a leader effective is simply what he has.
Each person has the capability of cultivating habits of behavior (by act of will) which optimize his effects upon people.
Constructive habits like courtesy, self-control, two-way communication, delegation and interest in the problems of others can be and are learned.

Sections: Leadership | Styles | Grid | Power | Student's Corner

Leadership Styles

Styles. The best style depends on the individual personality of the leader, the individual followers, e.g., the kind of people and the type of work, and the particular situation or circumstances.

Tool-Box Approach: The Right Style. The Right Time. The Right Situation.

1. Autocratic [A] The leader has authority from some source such as his position, knowledge, strength or power to reward and punish, and he uses this authority as his principal, or only, method of getting things donw. He knows what he wants done and how; tells what are the work assignments and demands unquestioning obedience. There is no or little freedom of expression. Types:
a. Tough demands and gets compliance, "or else . . . ".
b. Paternalistic demands and expects compliance on a "fathe-kows-best" relationship implying dependence, rewards and security.

Advantages:
1. Increase efficiency, sometimes and get quick results especially on crisis or emergency situations.
2. Works will with employees with low tolerance for ambiguity, feel insecure with freedom and decision-making requirements, and thrive under clear, detailed and achievable directives.
3. Chain of command and division of work are clear and fully understood.

Disadvantages:
1. One-way communication leads to misunderstanding, channel breakdown and costly errors.
2. Leader must be an expert on management because he receives little info and ideas as inputs to decision-making.
3. Resentments due to man is reduced to machine-like cogs without human dignity or importance.

2. Bureaucratic [B] Task-oriented. Official fucntions are bound by law (policies, procedures, rules which are absolute). Tells people what to do, how based on absolute rules or by the book. Obedience is owed to the impersonal organization and not to a person. Exercise of authority is within the scope, limit or span of responsibilities. Office follows principle of organizational heirarchy.

Advantages:
1. Ensure consistency of policy and operations.
2. Sense of fairness and impartiality, especially on personnel-related rules.
3. Decisions are by known and accepted rule, predictable objectives rather than whim or mode of leader.

Disadvantages:
1. Inflexible during exception to the rules.
2. Paralysis when not covered by rules or rules become ambiguouos.
3. Resentment, resistance and low morale on personnel.

3. Diplomatic [D] Clear authority as the autocract, but prefers to "sell" people and operate, as much as possible, by persuasion and broad-scale individual motivation of people. Can revert to autocracy if necessary. Persuasion tactics include simple explanation fo reasons or full-scale bargaining. Personal individual needs and aspirations are related to organization goals. Permits people to react, question, raise objections, discuss or even argue their side of the issue.

Advantages:
1. Cooperation and enthusiasm.
2. Complimentation and show of respect especially during explanation of reasons.
3. Applicable to staff people where results are readily accountable.

Disadvantages:
1. Loss of respect equal to persuasion as a sign of weakness.
2. Degeenration (style becomes insincerity, frank manipulation and simple exploitation)
3. Leader must be skilled and competenet, routinely expects and invites objections or he will revert to autocratic means.

4. Participative [P] Openly invites his people to participate or share in decisions, policy-making and operation methods. Types:
a. Democratic Leader joins his group and makes it clear in advance, that he will abide by the group's decision whether aimed at by concensus or majority vote.
b. Consultative Leader consults his people and invites frank involvement, discussion, pro and con argument and recommendations from the group, but makes it clear that he alone is accountable and reserves the final decision to himself.

Advantages:
1. People participation and commitment.
2. Offers best information, ideas, suggestions, talents, and operating experiences.
3. Group discussion force critical information to surface whcich improves decision-making.
4. People work better with high level of motivation.
5. Work climate is easy due to recognition, a sense of accomplishment, importance and personal value.

Disadvantages:
1. Entails enormous amount of time.
2. Prone to become avoidance of or excuse to responsibility.
3> No explnation fo rejected recommendations.
4. Degenerate to loss of managerial control.

5. Free-Rein [F] leader does not literally abandon control. He sets a goal for his subordinates as well as clear parameters such as policies, deadlines, budget then drop the reins, and sets his subordinates free to operate without further direction or control, unless it is requested.

Advantages:
1. Optimum utilization of time and resources which is the essence of full managerial delegation
2. Personnel are motivated to full effort.

Disadvantages:
1. Very little managerial control, thus high degree of risk.
2. Disaster when manager does not know the competence and integrity of subordinates.

Situational Leadership usually applied to different jobs for different people by leaders. This is an eclectic and selective application of the leadership styles discussed above.

Factors of Situational Leadership. under each factor are the leadership style and their applicability to type of organization.
1. Purpose - goals, vision of organization.
F: high acceptance
D: some acceptance
P: consistent with organization's

2. Task
A: few outlets for creativity, routine, repetitive
P: varied, complex, challenging
D: assembly line
F: automated lines

3. Technology
P: complex, problem-solving
D: low technology
F: research and development

4. People
A: Unskilled
P/F: Highly skilled

5. Structure
D: line supervision, highly formalized
P: decentralized
A: top executive

6. Environment - external factors
B: change is slow
A: emergency, change is fast
P: time to deliberate

Sections: Leadership | Styles | Grid | Power | Student's Corner

Leader's Grid

1. Directive-Support [D-S] Grid.

Development Level
D1
Low Competence
High Commitment
D2
Some Competence
Low Commitment
D3
High Competence
Valuable Commitment
D4
High Competence
High Commitment

Leadership Style
S1
Directing
Control, Supervise
S2
Coaching

S3
Suporting
praise, listen, facilitate
S4
Delegating
Turn-over Reponsibilities

2. Managerial Grid. Developed by Robert R. Blake and James S. Mouton, also know as the Blake-Mouton Grid.

[ 1,1 ] "Hope-Nobody's-Looking" exerts minimum effort to get required work done is appropriate to maintain organizational membership.

[ 1,9 ] "The Unrealist" favors people but neglect output. Thoughtful attention to needs of people for satisfying relationship leads to comfortable, friendly atmosphere and work tempo.

[ 9,1 ] "The Driver" is all out for production, human chips fall where they may have efficiency in operations that human interference is minimized.

[ 5,5 ] "Medium" balances two tendencies, compromising one or the other from time to time. Adequate organizational performance equates to satisfactory level.

[ 9,9 ] "Superstar" aims at well performance from team approach and subordinate participation. Work accomplishment from committed people, interdependence leads to trust and respect.

Sections: Leadership | Styles | Grid | Power | Student's Corner

Power Principles

Nicollo Machiavelli, a 16th century theorist and adviser to kings, teaches us the principles of power. Here's the synopsis of his book, The Prince.

1. Liberal vs. Parsimonious. Liberi=ality consumes endleess resourcess and eats into stability of rule. Once resources are exhausted, he is scorned by all, including benefeciaries. Parsimony is spending carefully. A leader must be liberal by the many from whom he takes nothing, and parsimonious by the few to whom he gives nothing. When spending the resources of others, be generrous. When dispensing own substances, be parsimonious.

2. Feared vs. Loved. A clear display of severity can be the truest form of clemency, for the execution of a limited number is preferable to damage to the many. In a new situation, a leader may need to bemerciless because of unstableness and besetted by many dangers. To choose between being loved or being feared, choose the latter, it's safer. One can be feared without being hated, one can be hated without being feared. Love comes from the will will of individuals and fear comes from the threat of punishment by the leader.

3. Integrity vs. Cunning. Integrity and good faith win praise by a sagacious leader understands that cunning is often preferable. Men carry on contests by law, while animals, by force. Law is, but, often insufficient, and force becomes necessary. Lasting results are achieved by a combination of animal and human nature. Assuming that all men are good is an advantage but never forget that no one is perfect. Move with the winds of change and fortune. The end justifies the means. Men judge by the eye rather than touch. For all men can see a thing, but few come close enough to touch it.

4. Acquiring a Desirable Reputation. Grandeur and magnificence enhance the stature in other's eyes, keep them busy and distract them from activities that might undermine the leader. Capitalize on opportunities to give dramatic reward or punishment so that they can be talked about. If necessiated to take risk, accept the least level. Help a not so great party, he will be obligated to you. Helping a more powerful party, you are at his mercy.

5. Avoid Flattery. Men will always be bad unless some necessary constraints them to be good. Unwise men cannot secure wise counsel. Act of seeking the truth tends to love respect. Come to your own conclusions. Minds are three kinds:
a. Highest Excellence - one capable of thinking for oneself.
b. Excellent - able to understand the thinking of others
c. Worthless - can either think for himself nor understand the thinking of others.

6. Vagaries of Fortune. About half of fortune ans nature can be under man's control; the rest is beyond one's influence. There is no one way to deal with nature. Impetuosity is preferrable to caution. Fortune should be commanded with audacity. Men will succeed as a leader when method and fortune are in harmony.

7. Acquisition of new properties. First, know the language, customs, and laws, for they will be different. One must either decide to reside there, defend one's territory then weaken the opposition; or send colonies to shackle the state.

8. Seven Rules to Hate Avoidance
a. Do not deprive men of property and women.
b. Seek a reputation of gravity/severity than softness to discourage conspiracy.
c. Conspiracies are extremely difficult to coordinate and bring to success. Most fail especially if the leaders has good will.
d. Identify with matters of grace and avoid those that invoke blame.
e. Avoid hatred of the powerful.
f. Do not offend one's servants.
g. Favor military sometimes and civilians other times.

9. Miscellaneous.
a. Poverty and hunger makes men industrious. Laws make them good.
b. Monarchy easily become tyranny. Aristocracy becomes olicharchy. Democracy becomes anarchy.
c. Time is the father of all truths.
d. Security while living, glory after death. Continual troubles while living, eternal infamy after death.
e. Welfare of the republic does not lie in having a prince who governs it prudently while he lives but rather having one who organizes it in such as way that it may endure after his death.
f. Multitude is wiser and more constant than a prince.
g. The harder the servitude, the more reduced is their prosperity.
h. Men desire novely. Men are moved by two principal things: love and fear. Men who arouses fear gain more following.

Sections: Leadership | Styles | Grid | Power | Student's Corner

Student's Corner

Seatwork No. 1 Do the from WED'smarch 1982

Seatwork No. 2 Management Grid

Assignment No. 01 Leadership
Write a Leadership Profile of the current President of the Republic of the Philippines. Identify what qualities or actions he has done or doing that can be classified into the type of leadership styles as discussed. Discuss.

Assignment No. 02 Power Principles
Taking the first eight (8) principles discussed by Machiaveli, write an exposition: Applicability of Machivelli's Power Principles Today. Cite concrete examples with necessary factual annotations.