Leadership Theories Summary

Leader vs Leadership

• A leader is an individual assigned to lead a group.
• Leadership is the action, not the position.

What is Leadership?

• Influence towards a common goal (Northouse, 2010).
• Enhancing contribution to group goals (Haslam, Reicher, & Platow, 2011).

Key Qualities of a Successful Leader

• Excellent organization skills.
• Encouragement.
• Strong morals and ethics.
• Promotes connection and teamwork.
• Strategic thinking.

Traditional Approaches to Leadership

• Great Man Theory
• Trait Theory
• Behavioral Theory
• Transactional Approach
• Transformational Approach

Great Man Theory

• Leaders are born with heroic potentials (Carlye, 1847).
• Leaders possess unique qualities that inspire.
• Individuals cannot be taught to be effective leaders.

Trait Theory

• Effective leaders have specific personality qualities.
• Early focus on physical and personality traits (intellect, extraversion).
• Stogdill (1985): Traits alone have little significance; combinations create advantageous personality dynamics.

Stogdill (1948 & 1974)

• 1948: Intelligence, self-confidence, alertness, understanding of tasks, initiative, responsibility, dominance.
• 1974: Same traits, but no universal leadership traits found. Context specific

Challenges to Trait Theory

• Lack of scientific evidence for Great Man Theory.
• Traits can be developed (Haslam, Platow, & Reicher, 2011).
• No agreed set of special traits.
• Stogdill, 1948: leadership depends on the relevance of leader's characteristics to followers' goals.

Leadership and The Big 5

• Openness: Creativity and vision.
• Conscientiousness: Discipline and clear expectations.
• Extraversion: Assertiveness and charisma.
• Agreeableness: Consideration and cooperation.
• Neuroticism (Emotional stability): Calmness in crisis.

Leadership and the Dark Triad

• Related to need for power and social dominance.
• Narcissism: Egoistic focus, viewed negatively.
• Machiavellianism: Strategic, less likely to share knowledge.
• Psychopathy: Impulsive, negatively related to job performance.

Behaviorist Theory

• Leadership is a learned behavior (Skinner, 1974).
• Reinforcement of behaviors determines leaders.
• Challenges the "born not made" view.

Transactional Approach

• Social exchange and hierarchy.
• Rewards and punishments based on performance.
• Leaders monitor attainment; subordinates follow instructions.

Shortcomings of Traditional Theories

• Power is not something leaders 'have'.
• Behaviorism ignores emotional factors and social values.
• Ignores human agency.
• Followers contribute and can become leaders.

Transformational Approach

• Inspire and motivate followers through a vision (Bass, 1985; Burns, 1978).
• Build interpersonal relationships.
• Focus on followers’ needs and empowerment.

Charismatic Leadership

• Uses charm and influence to achieve goals.
• Creates convincing vision of the future (MacGregor, 2003).
• Relies on personality, while transformational leaders rely on shared vision for change.

TL Components (Bass & Avolio, 1990)

• Idealized influence: Gaining respect and trust.
• Inspirational motivation: Raising awareness of a vision.
• Intellectual stimulation: Creative problem-solving.
• Individualized consideration: Attending to individual needs.

TL Research

• Positively associated with employee satisfaction and performance (Lowe, Kroeck, & Sivasubramaniam, 1996).
• Related to performance at team and organization levels (Wang et al., 2011).
• Predicts positive measures of well-being (Arnold, 2017)

Critical Reflection

• Enhances motivation and cohesion (Callow et al. 2009).
• Limited insight into processes and contexts of leadership (Haslam et al., 2011).

Social Identity Approach to Leadership

• Focuses on contextual process.
• Leaders influence through social identities (Haslam et al., 2011; Hogg, 2001).
• Connected through a sense of belonging.

4 Principles of SIL

• Leaders as in-group prototypes.
• Leaders as in-group champions.
• Leaders as entrepreneurs of identity.
• Leaders as embedders of identity.

Final Thoughts

• No agreed traits for a great leader.
• Leadership is a responsibility.
• Develop a sense of ‘belongingness’.