What is the process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal?

1.1 Defining leadership

How would you describe leadership? Before looking at some definitions, use Activity 1 to consider what leadership means to you.

Activity 1 What is a leader?

Timing: Allow about 10 minutes

Think about leaders you are aware of, either from the media or from your own experience. What do they do every day? What are they needed for? What type of people are they? In the box below, write a sentence or paragraph that aims to capture your view of what a leader is.

To use this interactive functionality a free OU account is required. Sign in or register.

Interactive feature not available in single page view (see it in standard view).

Discussion

You could have approached this in different ways. Did you focus on the personal skills and qualities required by a leader, or consider the process or tasks of leadership? These perspectives reflect the different ways that researchers have conceptualised leadership, as you’ll see later in the course.

This personal definition gives you a useful starting point from which you can develop your view as you go through the course. Revisit it at the end of the course to see if you would change or add anything.

In his book Leadership Theory and Practice, Professor Peter Northouse takes the central components from 65 different classifications of leadership, and distils them into the following definition:

Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.

(Northouse, 2016, p. 6)

Yet, as leadership expert Ralph Stogdill once wrote:

There are almost as many different definitions of leadership as there are persons who have attempted to define the concept.

(Stogdill, 1974, p. 7)

Bret Bogenschneider (2016, pp. 15–16) presents an impressive list of definitions in his research to find a common framework to distinguish competing ideas about leadership. The list includes the following:

• Leadership may be considered as the process (act) of influencing the activities of an organised group in its efforts toward goal setting and goal achievement (Stogdill, quoted in Bogenschneider, 2016).
• Leadership is interpersonal influence, exercised in a situation and directed, through the communication process, toward the attainment of a specific goal or goals (Tannenbaum, Weschler and Massik, quoted in Bogenschneider, 2016).
• Leadership occurs when persons engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality (Burns, quoted in Bogenschneider, 2016).
• Leaders are those who consistently make effective contributions to social order, and who are expected and perceived to do so (Hosking, quoted in Bogenschneider, 2016).
• Leadership is typically defined by the traits, qualities and behaviours of a leader (Horner, quoted in Bogenschneider, 2016).

There are clear parallels between many of these definitions, for example ‘influence’ is a common theme, but there are key differences in concept, with some authors describing leadership as a ‘process’ and others highlighting behaviours. Each writer’s subject specialism, which might be psychology, management or even statistics, will also have an influence, along with the prevailing attitudes from the era in which the term was defined.

1. Managers perform functions associated with planning, investigating, organizing, etc; leaders deal w/ the interpersonal aspects of the managers job by inspiring others, providing emotional support

Nội dung chính

• Is the process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal?
• Which of the following is most often used to influence others?
• Which of the following is most often used to influence others quizlet?
• Which theory states that leader behaviors are effective when employees see them as a source of satisfaction?

2. Leaders play key role in creating mission/vision statement; Managers just implement it

Extra Things to Note:
1) good leaders are not necessarily good managers, but effective leadership requires effective managerial skills at some level

2)personality is more important than intelligence when selecting a leader

1. Consideration involves leader behavior associated with creating mutual respect or trust and focuses on a concern for group members' needs and desires, p450

2. Empowering leadership represents the extent to which a leader creates perceptions of psychological empowerment in others

--psychological empowerment reflects employees' belief that they have control over their work

--leading for meaningfulness, self- determination or choice, competence, progress

3. Servant-Leadership focuses on increased service to others rather than to oneself, p451

Designed to diagnose whether a leader is task-oriented or relationship-oriented and match leader style to the situation

Situations - three elements that can either be favorable or unfavorable27•

position power- extent to which leaders control subordinates

Leader-member relations•Extent to which tasks performed by the group are defined, involve specific procedures, and have clear, explicit goals

Task structure•Extent to which the leader has formal authority over subordinates

Above three situations define whether contingencies are favorable or unfavorable•For very favorable & very unfavorable situations = task oriented style; otherwise relationship oriented•Used the 'Least Preferred Co-worker' scale

Is the process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal?

Abstract. Northouse (2004) defined leadership as “the process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (p. 3). Leadership is very important for the effectiveness of an organization as well the success of a project or an activity.

Which of the following is most often used to influence others?

The most frequently used tactics are using weak rationales, pressure and/or praise and flattery to influence others. However, the most effective tactic — using value and vision to inspire others to gain commitment—is the least frequently used influence method.

Which of the following is most often used to influence others quizlet?

Personal appeal and exchange are the most frequently used influence tactics. Compliance is characterized by doing only what is required by a request-and nothing more. Commitment is the most likely consequence of the use of an inspirational appeal.

Which theory states that leader behaviors are effective when employees see them as a source of satisfaction?

The path-goal theory states that a leader's behavior is contingent on the satisfaction, motivation, and performance of their employees. The manager's job is viewed as guiding workers to choose the best paths to reach both their goals as well as the corporation's goals.

What is the process of influencing people to achieve a group goals?

What do you call the process of social influence in which one person is able to enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task?

Why leadership is a process?

How will you define leadership as a process of influence?