Week 9-10_Teories of Leadership

Leadership theories

seek to explain how and why certain people become leaders

Great Man Theories

great leaders are simply born with the necessary internal characteristics such as charisma, confidence, intelligence, and social skills that make them natural-born leaders

Great Man Theory

WHAT THEORY: In the 1840s Thomas Carlyle suggests great leaders are born, not made.

Thomas Carlyle

In the 1840s WHO suggests great leaders are born, not made.

• Charisma

• Intelligence

• Sociability

• Confidence

INTRINSIC LEADERSHIP TRAITS DEFINING A DESTINED LEADER

Great Man Theories

assume that the capacity for leadership is inherent – that great leaders are born, not made.

Great Man Theories

often portray great leaders as heroic, mythic and destined to rise to leadership when needed.

Trait Theories

trait theories assume that people inherit certain qualities and traits that make them better suited to leadership

GORDON ALLPORT’S

who is beyond the trait theory

CARDINAL TRAITS

WHAT TRAITS: dominate an individual's whole life often to the point that the person becomes known specifically for these traits. Allport suggested that are rare and tend to develop later in life,

CENTRAL TRAITS

WHAT TRAITS: These are the general characteristics that form the basic foundations of personality. Terms like intelligent, honest, shy anxious are considered central traits.

SECONDARY TRAITS

WHAT TRAITS: sometimes relate to attitudes or preferences and often appear only in certain situations or under specific circumstances Example impatient while waiting in traffic.

Situational theories

OTHER TERM for Contingency Theories

Contingency Theories (Situational theories)

focus on particular variables related to the environment that might determine which particular style of leadership is best suited for the situation.

Contingency Theories (Situational theories)

According to this theory, no leadership style is best in all situations.

S3-Supporting

Highly supportive behaviour with low levels of support

S2-Coaching

Highly directive behaviour with high levels of support

S4-Delegating

Low supportive behaviour and low directive emphasis, too

S1-Directing

Highly directive behaviour, with little supportive emphasis