Group Behaviour Leadership Introduction (Management-1 13March 2021)

Group Behaviour - Leadership

Leadership can be defined as the ability of the management to make sound decisions and inspire others to perform well. It is the process of directing the behavior of others towards achieving a common goal. In short, leadership is getting things done through others.

Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act toward achieving a common goal. In a business setting, this can mean directing workers and colleagues with a strategy to meet the company's needs.

Keith Devis said that leadership is the process of encouraging and helping others to work enthusiastically toward objectives.

According to Koontz and Donnell, the act of leadership is the process of influencing people so that they will strive willingly and enthusiastically toward the achievement of the group goal.

 

Qualities of Leaders:

L. Lead with examples i.e., his experiences

E. Enthusiastic

A. Ambitious

D. Determined towards goal

E. Encourage others

R. Ready to learn & teach

 

A leader has got multidimensional traits in him which makes him appealing and effective in behavior. The following are the requisites to be present in a good leader:

1.   Physical appearance- A leader must have a pleasing appearance. Physique and health are very important for a good leader.

2.   Vision and foresight- A leader cannot maintain influence unless he exhibits that he is forward looking. He has to visualize situations and thereby has to frame logical programmes.

3.   Intelligence- A leader should be intelligent enough to examine problems and difficult situations. He should be analytical who weighs pros and cons and then summarizes the situation. Therefore, a positive bent of mind and mature outlook is very important.

4.   Communicative skills- A leader must be able to communicate the policies and procedures clearly, precisely and effectively. This can be helpful in persuasion and stimulation.

5.   Objective- A leader has to be having a fair outlook which is free from bias and which does not reflect his willingness towards a particular individual. He should develop his own opinion and should base his judgement on facts and logic.

6.   Knowledge of work- A leader should be very precisely knowing the nature of work of his subordinates because it is then he can win the trust and confidence of his subordinates.

7.   Sense of responsibility- Responsibility and accountability towards an individual’s work is very important to bring a sense of influence. A leader must have a sense of responsibility towards organizational goals because only then he can get maximum of capabilities exploited in a real sense. For this, he has to motivate himself and arouse and urge to give best of his abilities. Only then he can motivate the subordinates to the best.

8.   Self-confidence and will-power- Confidence in himself is important to earn the confidence of the subordinates. He should be trustworthy and should handle the situations with full will power.

9.   Humanist-This trait to be present in a leader is essential because he deals with human beings and is in personal contact with them. He has to handle the personal problems of his subordinates with great care and attention. Therefore, treating the human beings on humanitarian grounds is essential for building a congenial environment.

10.           Empathy- It is an old adage “Stepping into the shoes of others”. This is very important because fair judgement and objectivity comes only then. A leader should understand the problems and complaints of employees and should also have a complete view of the needs and aspirations of the employees. This helps in improving human relations and personal contacts with the employees.

 

Importance of Leadership

Leadership is an important function of management which helps to maximize efficiency and to achieve organizational goals. The following points justify the importance of leadership in a concern.

1.  Initiates action- Leader is a person who starts the work by communicating the policies and plans to the subordinates from where the work actually starts.

2.  Motivation- A leader proves to be playing an incentive role in the concern’s working. He motivates the employees with economic and non-economic rewards and thereby gets the work from the subordinates.

3.   Providing guidance- A leader has to not only supervise but also play a guiding role for the subordinates. Guidance here means instructing the subordinates the way they have to perform their work effectively and efficiently.

4.  Creating confidence- Confidence is an important factor which can be achieved through expressing the work efforts to the subordinates, explaining them clearly their role and giving them guidelines to achieve the goals effectively. It is also important to hear the employees with regards to their complaints and problems.

5.  Building morale- Morale denotes willing co-operation of the employees towards their work and getting them into confidence and winning their trust. A leader can be a morale booster by achieving full co-operation so that they perform with best of their abilities as they work to achieve goals.

6. Builds work environment- Management is getting things done from people. An efficient work environment helps in sound and stable growth. Therefore, human relations should be kept into mind by a leader. He should have personal contacts with employees and should listen to their problems and solve them. He should treat employees on humanitarian terms.

7. Co-ordination- Co-ordination can be achieved through reconciling personal interests with organizational goals. This synchronization can be achieved through proper and effective co-ordination which should be primary motive of a leader.

 

Importance of Leadership

i. To achieve the organizational goals.

ii. To have employees accept the changes caused by economic, social and technical environment.

iii. To implement the plans, policies and programmes of the organization.

iv. To utilize the manpower to an optimum extent.

v. To motivate the manpower to attain the goals of the organization.

vi. To reconcile individual goals with the organizational goals.

vii. To coordinate the efforts of different functional groups.

viii. To maintain cordial relationship between the leader and the subordinates.

ix. To guide and direct the subordinates.

x. To boost the confidence of the subordinates.

xi. To inspire the subordinates to realize their latent potential.

xii. To maintain discipline among the workforce in the organization.

xiii. To initiate efforts to upgrade the skill, competence and talents by training, mentoring and coaching the subordinates.

xiv. To secure the rights of workers and prevent them from being exploited.

xv. To build high morale among the subordinates.

xvi. To represent the group of followers/subordinates.

 

Leader Vs Manager

A leader is someone whom people follow or someone who guides or directs others. A manager is someone who is responsible for directing and controlling the work and staff in an organization, or of a department within it.

The main difference between the two is that a leader works by example, while a manager dictates expectations. If a manager goes against the rules, that will tarnish his position as a manager. If a leader goes against the example he or she is trying to set, that will be seen as a setback. Following are a few subtle differences between the two −

·      A leader is an innovator and creator whereas a manager is a commander.

·      A leader can’t be a manager but the opposite is possible, a manager is more than a leader.

·      A leader does what is right, while the manager makes things right.

·      A leader deals with change whereas a manager plans for a change.

·      A leader gives direction to do something whereas the manager plans for everything that is to be done.

·      A leader encourages people whereas the manager controls people.

·      A leader handles communication, credibility, and empowerment whereas a manager deals with organizing and staffing.

 Leaders and Managers can be compared on the following basis:

Basis	Manager	Leader
Origin	A person becomes a manager by virtue of his position.	A person becomes a leader on basis of his personal qualities.
Formal Rights	Manager has got formal rights in an organization because of his status.	Rights are not available to a leader.
Followers	The subordinates are the followers of managers.	The group of employees whom the leaders leads are his followers.
Functions	A manager performs all five functions of management.	Leader influences people to work willingly for group objectives.
Necessity	A manager is very essential to a concern.	A leader is required to create cordial relation between person working in and for organization.
Stability	It is more stable.	Leadership is temporary.
Mutual Relationship	All managers are leaders.	All leaders are not managers.
Accountability	Manager is accountable for self and subordinates behaviour and performance.	Leaders have no well defined accountability.
Concern	A manager’s concern is organizational goals.	A leader’s concern is group goals and member’s satisfaction.
Followers	People follow manager by virtue of job description.	People follow them on voluntary basis.
Role continuation	A manager can continue in office till he performs his duties satisfactorily in congruence with organizational goals.	A leader can maintain his position only through day to day wishes of followers.
Sanctions	Manager has command over allocation and distribution of sanctions.	A leader has command over different sanctions and related task records. These sanctions are essentially of informal nature.
Meaning	A leader is a person who influences his subordinates to achieve a specified goal.	A manager is a person who manages the organisation and is responsible for planning, direction, coordination and control
Approach	Sets Direction	Plans details
Attribute	Foresightedness	Mind
Subordinate	Followers	Employees
Style	Transformational	Transactional
Decision	Facilitates decision	Makes decision
Aim	Growth and development.	Attainment of the required result.
Focus	People	Process and Procedure
Change	Leaders promotes change	Mangers react to change.
Conflict	Uses conflict as an asset	Avoid conflict
People	Aligns people	Organizes people
Strives	For effectiveness	For efficiency