1. Organizational Behavior

2. Leadership
theories: Part I

3. Definition
 “Leadership is the process of
influencing others to understand
and agree about what needs to be
done and how it can be done
effectively, and the process of
facilitating individual and collective
efforts to accomplish the shared
objectives” (Yukl, 2002, p.7)
 Influence may be formal or
informal; cognitive or affective.

4. Management and leadership
 Some have distinguished leadership from management.
 Not all leaders are managers nor are all managers identified as
leaders.
 In recent years, the concept of leadership has been used in
terms of inspiring followers toward achieving common vision and
goals and coping with change.
 On the other hand, management has been used when studying
some formal activities such as organizing, monitoring and
controlling.
 Managers are people who do things right and leaders are people
who do the right things (Bennis & Nanus, 1985, p.21)

5. Types of leadership theories
 Trait theories
 Behavioral theories
 Contingency theories

6. Trait theories (1930)
 Focusing on personal qualities and characteristics
of leaders
 Some important leadership traits are ambition and
energy, the desire to lead, honesty and integrity,
self-confidence, job-relevant knowledge,
supportive, team integrator, and visionary.

7. Limitations of trait theories
 Some traits increase the likelihood of success as a
leader, but these traits do not guarantee success.
 There may not be universal traits that predict
leadership in all situations.
 Traits predict behavior more in ‘weak’ situations
than in ‘strong’ situations.
 Traits may be better predictors of the appearance of
leadership than effective leadership.

8. Behavioral theories
 OHIO State studies (1940):
Initiating structure: the extent to which a leader is likely to define
and structure employees’ roles, assign group members to
particular tasks, maintain standards of performance.
Consideration: the extent to which a leader develops mutual trust,
respects for employees’ ideas, regards for feelings, and shows
concerns for followers’ comfort and satisfaction.
A high-high style has been proposed for the highest achievement.
(Similar to the managerial grid)
Some results proposed including situational factors in the theory.

9. Behavioral theories (continued)
 MICHIGAN Studies (1940)
Production-oriented: emphasizing technical and task
aspects of job, concerns for accomplishing group
tasks.
Employee-oriented: emphasizing inter-personal
relationships, taking a personal interest in the need
of employees, accepting individual differences.
Employee-oriented style has been found to be related
to group effectiveness and job satisfaction.

10. Behavioral theories (continued)
 Scandinavian studies (1991)
The dynamic realities of today environment
suggest the third dimension:
development-oriented
This dimension refers to behaviors such as
seeking new ideas, encouraging followers to
start new activities, implementing change

11. Contingency theories
Leader
Leadership process leadership
effectiveness
Context Followers
Cognitive, behavioral, and
affective phenomena

12. Hersey and Blanchard’s model

13. Predictions of this theory
 If a follower is unable and unwilling, giving clear and
specific directions is the most effective style of
leadership.
 If a follower is unable and willing, being highly task-
oriented and highly relationship-oriented is the most
effective style of leadership.
 If a follower is able and unwilling, being supportive and
participative is the most effective style of leadership.
 If a follower is able and willing, the leader does not need
to do much (laissez-faire).