Introduction to Organizational Behavior

Leaders focus on developing a vision for the future, communicating the vision to people, integrating the efforts of their followers, helping them overcome hurdles and developing their abilities to realize the vision. Managers derive their power from their position in the organization. Leaders do not need any formal authority but derive power from people who follow them because of their abilities. Leadership is the ability to influence people and drive them toward the achievement of goals.

The research on leadership has led to the development of three types of theories - Trait, behavioral and contingency theories. According to trait theories, some traits such as extroversion, aggressiveness, self-confidence, honesty and integrity and intelligence differentiate leaders form non-leaders. According to the behavioristic school, successful leadership depends more on appropriate behavior and skills, and less on personality traits. The three broad types of skills used by leaders, as identified by Robert Katz, are technical, human and conceptual skills.

The Michigan Studies found that an employee-centered style of leadership is more effective than a production-centered style of leadership. The Managerial Grid proposed by Blake and Mouton suggested that leaders who have equal concern for people and production are most effective.

The Scandinavian studies resulted in the emergence of a new dimension called 'development-oriented' behavior. According to these studies, leaders who embrace change and encourage new ideas and practices are successful. The contingency theories deal with the situational aspects of leadership styles.

Some of the well known contingency theories are Fiedler's contingency model, Hersey and Blanchard's situational theory, Leader-Member exchange theory, Leader Participation model and the Path-Goal theory. Fiedler's model suggests that the leader should choose his style of leadership depending on the favorability or unfavorability of the overall situation.