Chapter 3: Approaches to Leadership

Introduction

• Focus on leadership theory with five different approaches.
• Think of these as different lenses to view leadership.
• Five approaches: traits, situational, functional, relational, and transformational (transformational covered in Chapter 4).
• Goal: explain each approach, provide examples, and understand their contexts.

Historical Context of Leadership Study

• Emergence in early 20th century during the industrial manufacturing era.
• Aimed at understanding effectiveness in guiding individuals in workplaces.
• Focus on productivity and prescriptive approaches (what makes an effective leader).

Traits Approach

• Based on the belief that certain personal traits predict effective leadership.
• Characteristics: family background, upbringing, education, attractiveness, personality (e.g., extroversion).
• Modern view: Skills and techniques are as important, if not more important, than traits.
• Traits approach has lost favor with social scientists.

Situational Approach

• Leadership is contextual and depends on the situation and followers' abilities and willingness.
• Hersey and Blanchard situational leadership theory (pages 84-86 in the textbook).
• Four combinations of ability and willingness:
  1. Low ability and low willingness
  • Solutions: Provide specific task-related help, clear instructions.
  2. Low ability and high willingness
  • Solutions: Give guidance, encourage positive attitude.
  3. High ability and low willingness
  • Solutions: Promote participation, focus on motivation.
  4. High ability and high willingness
  • Solutions: Delegate tasks, foster self-starting behavior.
• Important for understanding how to lead different followers.

Functional Approach

• Performing the functions of leadership often makes someone seen as a leader.
• May not always reflect the best person for leading.
• Useful for understanding emergence of leaders in group settings.

Relational Approach

• Focuses on one-on-one relationships between leaders and followers.
• Two theories: vertical dyad linkage model and leader-member exchange theory.
• Leaders treat each follower differently, affecting their experiences and productivity.
• Leader-member exchange theory emphasizes the importance of liking and rapport.
• Example: New university president meeting individually with faculty and staff to establish relationships.