HND – 9. Inspirational Approaches to LeadershipLim Sei Kee @ cK

What is an individual who is able to exert influence over other people to help achieve group or organizational goals?

A. Manager

B. Leader

C. Chief

D. Organizer

Inspirational Approaches to Leadership The focus is leader as communicator

Framing: A way of communicating that shapes

meaning Ignored in traditional leadership studies

Leaders use framing (selectively including or excluding facts) to influence how others see and interpret reality.

Charismatic Leadership Theory

Charismatic leaders:

1. Have a vision.

2. Are willing to take personal risks to achieve the vision.

3. Are sensitive to follower needs.

4. Exhibit behaviors that are out of the ordinary.

Charismatic leaders:

1. Have a vision.

2. Are willing to take personal risks to achieve the vision.

3. Are sensitive to follower needs.

4. Exhibit behaviors that are out of the ordinary.

Followers make attributions of heroic or extraordinary leadership abilities when they observe certain behaviors.

Key Characteristics of Charismatic Leaders

1. Vision and articulation. Has a vision—expressed as an idealized goal—that proposes a future better than the status quo; and is able to clarify the importance of the vision in terms that are understandable to others

2. Personal risk. Willing to take on high personal risk, incur high costs and engage in self-sacrifice to achieve the vision

3. Environmental sensitivity. Able to make realistic assessments of the environmental constraints and resources needed to bring about change

4. Sensitivity to follower needs. Perceptive of others’ abilities and responsive to their needs and feelings

5. Unconventional behavior. Engages in behaviors that are perceived as novel and counter to norms

Charismatic Leadership Issues Importance of vision

Must be inspirational, value-centered, realizable, and given with superior imagery and articulation

Charismatic effectiveness and situation Charisma works best when:▪ The follower’s task has an ideological component▪ There is a lot of stress and uncertainty in the

environment▪ The leader is at the upper level of the organization▪ Followers have low self-esteem and self-worth

Being a Charismatic Leader Charismatic Leader

Being excited and clearly communicating excitement to subordinates.

Openly sharing information with employees so that everyone is aware of problems and the need for change.

Empowering workers to help with solutions.

Transformational Leadership

Leaders who inspire followers to transcend their own self-interests and who are capable of having a profound and extraordinary effects on followers

Leadership that:

1. Makes subordinates aware of the importance of their jobs are for the organization

2. Makes subordinates aware of their own needs for personal growth, development, and accomplishment

3. Motivates workers to work for the good of the organization, not just for their own personal gain or benefit

Characteristics of Transformational Leaders

Idealized Influence: Provides vision and sense of mission, instills pride, gains respect and trust

Inspiration: Communicates high expectations, uses symbols to focus efforts, expresses important purposes in simple ways

Intellectual Stimulation: Promotes intelligence, rationality, and careful problem solving

Individualized Consideration: Gives personal attention, treats each employee individually, coaches, advises

Issues with Transformational Leadership

Basis for Action: Transformational leadership works by

encouraging followers to be more innovative and creative and by providing ambitious goals

Transformational vs. Charismatic Leadership: Similar concepts, but transformational

leadership may be considered a broader concept than charisma.

Transactional Leadership

Leaders who guide or motivate their followers in the direction of established goals by clarifying role and task requirements.

Transactional Leaders Use their reward and coercive powers to

encourage high performance—they exchange rewards for performance and punish failure.

Push subordinates to change but do not seem to change themselves.

Characteristics of Transactional Leaders

Contingent Reward: Contracts exchange of rewards for effort, promises rewards for good performance, recognizes accomplishments

Management by Exception (active): Watches and searches for deviations from rules and standards, takes corrective action

Management by Exception (passive): Intervenes only if standards are not met

Laissez-Faire: Abdicates responsibilities, avoids making decisions

Transactional and Transformational Leadership

• Contingent Reward

• Management by Exception (active)

• Management by Exception (passive)

• Laissez-Faire

• Idealized Influence

• Inspirational Motivation

• Intellectual Stimulation

• Individual Consideration

Transactional Leaders

Leaders who guide or motivate their followers in the direction of established goals by clarifying role and task requirements

Transformational Leaders

Leaders who provide the four “I’s” (individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, idealized influence, and intellectual stimulation)

Transactional & Transformational Leadership

Transactional Leaders Leaders who guide or motivate their followers

in the direction of established goals by clarifying role and task requirements

Transformational Leaders Inspire followers to transcend their own self-

interests for the good of the organization; they can have a profound and extraordinary effect on followers

Not opposing, but complementary, approaches to leadership Great transformational leaders must also be

transactional; only one type is not enough for success