Leadership theory

What is a leadership theory?

• Leadership theories are concepts that seek to explain successful leadership. To
that end, there are analytical leadership theories and leadership approach
theories.
• Analytical leadership theories are hypotheses of why certain types of people
become leaders. These theories focus on the traits, characteristics, and
behaviors of successful leaders and the circumstances that have produced
them.
• Leadership approach theories put forth proposals of which leadership
approach will lead to the most success. They advocate for leaders to emphasize
different aspects of management, such as team-building or rewards-based
motivation, as ways of achieving team success.
1. "Great Man" Theory or Trait Theory
• The Great Man Theory of leadership purports that great leaders are born, not
made. It proposes that there are those who are simply born with the personality
traits and attributes that set them apart and predispose them to great leadership
skills. Similar to the trait theory, it suggests that these traits are responsible for
individuals assuming positions of power.
• The theory is the result of studies of great leaders throughout history, mapping
both their personality and physical traits. Some of the natural qualities of a
successful leader that have been identified are:
• Charisma
• Drive to achieve
• Desire to lead
• Integrity
• Confidence
• Intellect
• Political skills
• Business knowledge
• Emotional Maturity
• Strong leaders, it claims, fill the "hero mold," possessing courage and the
ability to influence the masses.
• It maintains that these traits can be observed in leaders across time, cultures,
and locations. As such, all great leaders will share these characteristics
regardless of when and where they lived or what place in history they held.
• The theory does allow that leadership is still more art than science. Even if
there are certain inborn qualities that make one a good leader, these natural
talents must be developed and the individual must learn to skillfully apply
leadership techniques.
• The pushback on the theory is that a great deal of emphasis is placed on
physical characteristics, like height and appearance, in its description of “great
men.” Many of the traits cited are typically masculine traits and are now
viewed as outdated.
2. Contingency Theory
• The contingency theory of leadership states that effective leadership is
contingent upon the specific situation at hand. According to this theory, a leader
can be effective in one circumstance and ineffective in another. It simply
depends on whether their leadership style fits the given situation.
• There are factors, it suggests, that determine whether a particular leader or
leadership style will be effective in a situation: the task, the project scope, the
leader's personality, the size and composition of the team, resources, and
deadlines.
• For example, some teams function better with a more autocratic leader and
other teams thrive with more hands-off guidance. Different projects require
different leadership styles. Some tasks demand innovation, others just need a
charismatic and motivational leader to help a team to achieve its goals.
• The lesson of this theory is two-fold. On the one hand, it's imperative to find the
right leader for the given circumstance. On the other hand, great leaders know
that they must be willing to adapt their leadership style to the situation.
3. Behavioral Theory
• The behavioral leadership theory, as the name suggests, focuses on how leaders
behave. More significantly, it postulates that these traits can be learned by
observing and copying other leaders. Therefore, effective leadership is a learned
behavior. In other words, as opposed to the Trait or Great Man theories, leaders
aren't born, they're made.
• The behavioral leadership theory puts forth that there are multiple “styles of
leadership,” founded upon specific behavioral patterns. Some of the styles of
leadership include:
• People-oriented leaders: encourage innovation, empower employees, reward
success
• Task-oriented leaders: initiate projects, clarify instructions, organize processes
• Participative leaders: facilitate communication, take suggestions, foster
collaboration
• Status quo leaders: distribute tasks evenly, enforce company policies, remain
neutral
• There are several more styles, but the key idea of this theory is that, in the end, the
actions and actual behaviors of a leader are what define success.
• As an example, let's say a challenge arises at work. The task-oriented manager will
begin with workflow processes, looking to solve the issue with system management.
The people-oriented leader, however, will start with their team, searching for a
solution by talking through issues with their employees. They believe that
prioritizing a back-and-forth dialogue will generate the optimal solution.
• Behavioral leadership theory evolved through behavioral studies of CEOs, project
managers, and other leaders across industries as they responded to situations. The
common result was that successful leaders consistently conformed to the behavioral
standards of one of these leadership styles.
• Each of these leadership styles relies on key behaviors, such as strong structure,
setting goals, empowering employees, and so on. These traits don't come naturally
to everyone, but, as behavioral leadership theory claims, these skills can be learned
and strengthened with a bit of work and observation. Once a manager decides what
kind of leader they want to be, they can work towards adopting and implementing
the associated behavior.
4. Participative Theory
• Participative leadership theory teaches leaders to listen to their employees and
involve them in the decision-making process. It encourages an inclusive
mindset, proactive communication, and the willingness to share power with
team members.
• Participative leadership promotes collaboration by highlighting accountability
across the board and emphasizing finding solutions collectively. Advocates say
that this approach remarkably reduces finger-pointing when problems arise.
When every member of the group has a say in decisions, then the group as a
whole carries responsibility for the outcome. You can't blame the manager,
because everyone is on the same level.
• The leader's role is primarily to facilitate conversation, gather input, and choose
the best plan of action. Participative leaders place great value on the team's
opinions. Participative workplaces thrive through creativity, innovation, and a
collaborative spirit.
5. Transactional Theory
• Transactional leadership theory is based on a straightforward system of rewards
and punishments as motivators for the team. This approach to leadership, one of
the most common in the business world, insists that a structured system of
prizes or demerits is the most effective way to get optimized performance from
employees.
• In this case, the personality and capabilities of the leader are far less important
than the strength of the system and adherence to it. This style places great
emphasis on structure, organization, supervision, hierarchy, performance, and
outcomes. The leader's main priorities are facilitating tasks, assessing
performance, and administering rewards or punishments.