Leadership

1. Authentic leadership emerges from genuine self-awareness and values

Authentic leadership is about the authenticity of leaders and their leadership.

Self-awareness is foundational. Authentic leaders have a deep understanding of their own strengths, weaknesses, values, and motivations. This self-knowledge allows them to lead from a place of genuineness and integrity. They continually reflect on their experiences and seek feedback to gain greater clarity about who they are as leaders.

Values guide behavior. Authentic leaders have a strong moral compass and clear set of values that direct their actions. They make decisions and lead in ways that are consistent with their core beliefs, even in challenging situations. This consistency between words and actions builds trust with followers.

Transparency builds trust. Authentic leaders are open and honest in their interactions with others. They share their thoughts, feelings, and rationale behind decisions. This relational transparency allows followers to see the leader as a real, multidimensional person and fosters stronger connections.

2. Servant leaders prioritize follower growth and organizational well-being

Servant leadership argues unabashedly that leaders should put followers first, share control with followers, and embrace their growth.

Followers come first. Servant leaders focus primarily on the growth and well-being of their followers and the communities to which they belong. They put the needs of others ahead of their own and work to help followers reach their full potential.

Empowerment is key. Servant leaders share power with followers and actively support their personal and professional development. They listen to followers' ideas, involve them in decision-making, and give them opportunities to lead.

Key behaviors of servant leaders:

• Emotional healing
• Creating value for the community
• Conceptual skills
• Empowering
• Helping followers grow and succeed
• Putting followers first
• Behaving ethically

Long-term focus. Servant leaders aim to create positive change in their organizations and communities. They take a long-term view and work to build sustainable organizations that benefit all stakeholders.

3. Transformational leaders inspire and motivate through vision and charisma

Transformational leadership motivates followers to do more than expected by (a) raising followers' levels of consciousness about the importance and value of specified and idealized goals, (b) getting followers to transcend their own self-interest for the sake of the team or organization, and (c) moving followers to address higher-level needs.

Vision inspires change. Transformational leaders create a compelling vision of the future that energizes and aligns followers. They communicate this vision with passion and conviction, helping followers see how their work contributes to a larger purpose.

Four key components:

• Idealized influence (charisma)
• Inspirational motivation
• Intellectual stimulation
• Individualized consideration

Beyond transactional. Unlike transactional leadership which focuses on exchanges, transformational leadership elevates both leaders and followers to higher levels of motivation and morality. Leaders attend to followers' individual needs and help them develop their own leadership capacity.

Challenges status quo. Transformational leaders encourage followers to question assumptions, reframe problems, and approach old situations in innovative ways. They create an environment that supports creativity and growth.

4. Situational leadership adapts style based on follower readiness

The premise of the theory is that different situations demand different kinds of leadership.

Flexibility is crucial. Effective situational leaders are able to adapt their leadership style to match the development level of their followers. They recognize that there is no single "best" leadership style for all situations.

Four leadership styles:

• Directing (high directive, low supportive)
• Coaching (high directive, high supportive)
• Supporting (low directive, high supportive)
• Delegating (low directive, low supportive)

Follower development levels:

• D1: Low competence, high commitment
• D2: Some competence, low commitment
• D3: High competence, variable commitment
• D4: High competence, high commitment

Matching process. Leaders must accurately diagnose the development level of followers for a specific task and then apply the appropriate leadership style. As followers gain competence and commitment, leaders can reduce directive behavior and increase supportive behavior.

5. Path-goal theory links leadership behaviors to subordinate motivation

Path–goal theory is about how leaders motivate subordinates to accomplish designated goals.

Clear paths to goals. The leader's primary responsibility is to enhance subordinates' motivation by clarifying the behaviors (paths) that will lead to valued rewards (goals). This involves removing obstacles, providing guidance, and offering incentives along the way.

Four leadership behaviors:

• Directive: Providing clear instructions and expectations
• Supportive: Showing concern for subordinates' well-being
• Participative: Consulting with subordinates and using their ideas
• Achievement-oriented: Setting challenging goals and showing confidence

Contingent approach. The effectiveness of each leadership behavior depends on the characteristics of subordinates and the nature of the task. Leaders must choose behaviors that best complement what is missing in the work setting.

Motivational framework. Path-goal theory is based on expectancy theory of motivation. It assumes subordinates will be motivated if they believe their efforts will result in desired outcomes and that the payoffs for doing their work are worthwhile.

6. Leader-member exchange focuses on unique leader-follower relationships

LMX theory makes the dyadic relationship between leaders and followers the focal point of the leadership process.

Individualized relationships. Unlike approaches that assume leaders use an average leadership style with all subordinates, LMX recognizes that leaders develop unique relationships with each follower. These relationships fall along a continuum from low-quality (out-group) to high-quality (in-group) exchanges.

In-group benefits:

• Greater trust and respect
• Better communication
• More resources and support
• Increased job satisfaction and performance

Developmental process. LMX relationships evolve through three phases:

1. Stranger phase: Formal, contractual interactions
2. Acquaintance phase: Increased social exchanges, testing of relationship
3. Mature partnership: High-quality exchanges, mutual trust and respect

Organizational impact. High-quality LMX relationships have been linked to numerous positive outcomes including improved job performance, organizational commitment, and reduced turnover intentions. Leaders are encouraged to develop as many high-quality exchanges as possible.

7. Contingency theory matches leadership style to situational variables

Contingency theory suggests that leaders should change the degree to which they are directive or supportive to meet the changing needs of subordinates.

Style and situation. The effectiveness of a leadership style depends on how well it fits the context. Contingency theory identifies key situational variables and prescribes the most appropriate leadership style for each scenario.

Key situational variables:

• Leader-member relations: Degree of confidence, loyalty, and attraction between leader and followers
• Task structure: Clarity and structure of work assignments
• Position power: Leader's formal authority to reward and punish

Leadership styles:

• Task-motivated: Prioritizes accomplishing goals
• Relationship-motivated: Focuses on building close interpersonal relationships

Matching process. By assessing the three situational variables, leaders can determine the most favorable to least favorable leadership situations. Task-motivated leaders perform best in very favorable and very unfavorable situations, while relationship-motivated leaders excel in moderately favorable situations.

8. Skills approach emphasizes learnable leadership capabilities

The skills approach suggests that knowledge and abilities are needed for effective leadership.

Leadership can be developed. Unlike trait theories that view leadership as innate qualities, the skills approach frames leadership in terms of competencies that can be learned and developed. This makes leadership accessible to everyone.

Three core competencies:

1. Problem-solving skills: Ability to solve unique, ill-defined organizational problems
2. Social judgment skills: Capacity to understand people and social systems
3. Knowledge: Accumulated information and mental structures used to organize that information

Interacting factors. The model recognizes that leadership outcomes are influenced by the leader's competencies, individual attributes, career experiences, and environmental influences. Leaders can improve their effectiveness by developing their skills over time.

Practical implications. The skills approach provides a structure for leadership education and development programs. It suggests organizations can enhance their leadership capacity by providing training and experiences that build key competencies.

9. Trait approach identifies personal characteristics of effective leaders

The trait approach is a leader-centered perspective that focuses on the personality characteristics of leaders.

Key leadership traits:

• Intelligence
• Self-confidence
• Determination
• Integrity
• Sociability

Strengths of approach:

• Intuitive appeal aligns with idea of leaders as special people
• Backed by century of research
• Provides benchmarks for personal leadership assessment
• Gives insight into the leader component of leadership

Limitations:

• Fails to consider situational factors
• Has not definitively answered which traits are most important
• Not useful for training and development

Modern applications. While no longer seen as a complete explanation of leadership, trait research continues to be relevant. It has evolved to consider how traits interact with situations and to identify traits specifically related to leadership emergence and effectiveness.

10. Ethical leadership promotes moral conduct and social responsibility

Authentic transformational leadership is socialized leadership, which is concerned with the collective good.

Beyond effectiveness. Ethical leadership recognizes that leaders have a responsibility not just to be effective, but to be moral and promote the greater good. It emphasizes the importance of leaders' character and intentions.

Key components:

• Moral person: Leader's personal traits, behaviors, and decision-making
• Moral manager: Leader's efforts to influence followers' ethical conduct

Promoting ethical climate. Ethical leaders create an organizational environment that supports moral behavior. They communicate clear ethical standards, model ethical conduct, and use rewards and discipline to hold followers accountable.

Balancing stakeholder interests. Ethical leaders consider the needs of multiple stakeholders including employees, customers, shareholders, and the broader community. They strive to make decisions that balance competing interests and create sustainable value.

Long-term focus. While unethical behavior may produce short-term gains, ethical leadership is focused on long-term organizational success and societal benefit. Leaders must resist pressures for immediate results that could compromise ethical standards.

Last updated: January 24, 2025