Leadership

Concept of leadership

Leadership is a main function of management. It influences the group toward the achievement of goals. Power is an important factors of leadership, without power no leadership is possible. Leadership also considered as a personal quality of an individuals who organize the effort, capacity, talents of the followers (subordinates) and directs those towards the attainment of organizational goals. Effective management leadership is necessary to operate an organization effectively. Without leadership no organization can exit. Thus, leadership is an important managerial function

According to Stephen P. Robbins, “Leadership is the ability  to influence a group towards achievement of goals.”

Qualities of good leadership.

1. Personal traits:

a. Dynamic personality: It includes charming and cheerful personality strong and sound health, conversational ability etc.

b. Knowledge and intelligence: A leader to be effective must have various knowledge like group behavior, human nature, technical and personal skills. He must have intelligent perception of human psychology and ability to think clearly. So that, he can easily handle the difficult situations.

c. Self confidence: A good leader must have a self confidence and strong will power. He should remain enthusiastic and cheerful in the face of obstacles otherwise , he cant enjoy trust of his subordinates. Self confidence always leads to success.

d. Emotional Stability: A leader should have stable and balanced temper which makes a hand good impression in the mind of the subordinates. He should remain enthusiastic and cheerful in the face of obstacles.

e. Take lead and initiative: A leader should have ability to take the lead and initiative business consists of complexities which requires the leaders to take decision quickly. Besides, he has to have farsighted and creative ideas for effective decision.

f. Flexibility: A successful leader always believes in flexibility but not in rigidity (Quality). He also requires to be prepared to considered and accommodate other view point and alters his decisions.

2. Management traits:

a. Technical knowledge: A leader should have technical knowledge of the activities undertaken by the organization. Technical knowledge about the organization will enable him to take right decision of different  matters related to the organization.

b. Organizing ability: A leader should have organizing ability for accomplish the goals of organizations. He should bring together man, machine and money in the best possible manner and use this resources in most profitable way.

c. Human relation: Leadership is primarily consent with influencing and managing people. A leader must be able to win the confidence and loyalty people. He has to expire and motivate the personnel.

d. Motivating skill: A leader must possess motivating skills to induce subordinates towards predetermined performance. For this purpose he must have a true knowledge of the needs of subordinate and must apply appropriate motivation at the right time.

e. Effective communicator: A leader must be an effective communicator. He must ensure the maintenance of two way communication system. So that, the leader and the subordinates both are free to exchange views freely without interruption.

f. Power of judgement: A leader should possess power of judgement and ability to take the right decision at the right time. Power of judgement depends on one’s self confidence and self control.

Function of managerial leader

a. Determination of goals: The important function of leadership is to determine organizational goal. A leader performs the creative function laying down goals and policies for the subordinate. He act as a guide in interpreting the goals and policies.

b. Organization of activities: A good leader divides organization activities among the employees, in a systematic manner. The relationship between them are clearly laid down this reduce the chance of conflict between them.

c. Achieving coordination: A leader integrates the goals of individual with the organizational goals and creates a community goal. He keeps himself informed about the working on the group. He share information with the group for the coordination of its effort.

d. Representative of workers: A leader is representative of his the group . He take initiative in all matters of interest to the group. He also attempts to fulfill the psychological needs of the subordinates. The leader ie expected to act as a link between the worker group and top management.

e. Providing guidance: A leader guides the subordinates towards the achievement of organizational objective. He is available for advice whenever a subordinate faces any problem. The problems may be technical or emotional in nature.

f. Inspiration of employees: A good leader inspire the subordinates for better performance. Motivation is necessary for getting the desired work from the subordinates.

The leader motivates the employees by providing them economic and non-economic reward.

g. Building employee moral: Good leadership is indispensable to high employee morale the leaderships shape the things and attitudes of the group. He develops good human relations interaction between he member of the group. He maintain voluntary operation and discipline among subordinates.

Leadership style:

1. Autocratic style: The autocratic leadership holds all the authorities of planning, decision making, organizing and controlling with him/her. He/She doesn’t think necessary to consult or have discussion or take advice from others to do anything. He/she direct commands and threatens his subordinates. So, it has only one way communication. Such leadership are negative because the subordinate are uniformed, unsecured and afraid to leader authority.

Advantages of autocratic leader.

1. It helps to provide strong motivation and reward to the leather.
2. It may work in the short-term like emergency or war.
3. Autocratic leadership can take quick decision.
4. No need to hire more competent assistant due to use order into action.
5. In autocratic leadership their is a provision of strict discipline among the subordinates.

Disadvantages autocratic leadership

1. The employee or subordinates dislike it due to strictness and negative motivational style. Subordinates have no role to the decision of the company.
2. Productivity decrease in the long time.
3. One man decision may be wrong.
4. The concept of creative isn’t passible in autocratic leadership.
5. It affects organizational efficiency due to lack of motivation, low moral, frustration and insecurity of the employees.

2. Democratic style: Democratic leader provide participative environment in an organization. He/she treats employees with humanity. He/she gives importances to value and norms of employees. He/she provide opportunity of participation in decision making and planning. Democratic leader respect others, take decisions after having discussion and conclusion with others. He/she encourages delegation of authority and two way flow of communication is used.

Advantages of democratic style:

1. It brings greater employees and group cooperation.
2. It helps to bring job satisfaction.
3. It is useful for the recognition of human relation.
4. As the employees subordinates are involved in the decision making process there is a possibility of making better decision.
5. Workers participation in this style of leadership may help the workers to utilize their capability more.

Disadvantages of democratic style

1. It is time Consuming the decision are made with the consultation of employees subordinates.
2. It is no good for emergency time.
3. The decision may not be effective as there is participation of lower level employees.
4. The style give priority to norms, value honours level respect etc but the employees want financial facilities.
5. Reduce accountability.

3. Laissez fair style: Under this style the leader entrust the decision making authority to his subordinates. This delegates all his authority so that subordinates themselves take decisions. This style of leader is known as Laissez fair leader. He avoids using power and leaves it to his subordinates to establish the goals. Let’s them plan, organize and proceeds to attain the goals. He does not direct and hardly make any contribution to the overall efforts. Subordinates are self directed , self-control, self-motivated. Laissez fair leadership is suitable for highly trained and professional staff who are creative self motivated required minimum guidance and control.

Advantage of Laissez fair leadership.

1. It increase job satisfaction and morale a subordinates
2. It provide maximum possible scope for the division of subordinates
3. Potential of subordinates is fully utilized.
4. Increased employees motivation.

Disadvantages of Laissez fair Leadership

1. It ignores the contribution of leader.
2. Sub-ordinates do not get the guidance of leaders.
3. It can make result in confusion
4. It can lead to lack of accountability.

Difference between autocratic leader and democratic leader

Important Questions

1. Distinguish between  autocratic and democratic style of leadership
2. State and explain the various leadership qualities.
3. Define leadership. Explain the qualities of good leadership.