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CHAPTER 11
BECOMING AN EFFECTIVE LEADER
CHAPTER OUTLINE AND LECTURE NOTES
Leadership is the process of bringing about positive changes and influencing others to
achieve organizational goals, along with coordinating the pursuit of those goals. Change
and influence are the key words. Effective leadership at the top of organizations is
necessary for prosperity and even survival. The study of leadership warrants everyone’s
attention, however, because today people at all levels in the organization are expected to
exert some leadership.
I. TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE LEADERS
Effective leaders have the “right stuff,” meaning that certain inner qualities
contribute to leadership effectiveness in a wide variety of situations. Leadership
effectiveness means that the leader helps group members accomplish their
objectives without neglecting satisfaction or morale. Many of the important traits
and characteristics of leaders can be developed and refined.
A. Proactivity
Leadership is often regarded as taking the initiative to accomplish something,
and a key aspect of proactivity is initiative taking. A person with a proactive
personality has a relatively stable tendency to bring about environmental
change. A study found that proactive senior managers set higher goals for
their units, leading to higher revenue.
B. Self-Confidence and Courage
Self-confidence helps assure group members that activities are under control.
The leader who functions best is self-confident enough to reassure others and
to appear in control. But, if the leader is so self-confident that he or she will
not admit errors, listen to criticism, or ask for advice, that too creates
problems.
Self-confidence often takes the form of the courage to face the challenges of
taking prudent risks and taking initiative in general. Leaders must be able to
face up to responsibility and be willing to put reputations on the line, even
if this means taking a course of action others would not advice.
Being confident and courageous does not exclude a leader from also
displaying humility. With appropriate humility, a leader will admit to having
made a mistake and is therefore willing to change course.
C. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is considered a major contributor to leadership
effectiveness. Emotional intelligence can be developed through working on
some of its components such as learning to control your temper, and
developing empathy by listening to people carefully.
D. Trustworthiness and Character
Both leaders themselves and group members believe that being honest and
sustaining trust is important. The buzzword is that leaders must walk the talk.
Trust is a person’s confidence in another individual’s intentions and
motives, and in that individual’s words. It takes a leader a long time to build
trust, yet one brief incident of untrustworthy behavior can destroy it.
Integrity is related to trust because if refers to a consistency between the
values a person professes, and the person’s behavior.
Having certain character traits contributes to being trustworthy and being
perceived as a trustworthy person. Character, in this context, refers to doing
the right things despite outside pressures to do the opposite.
E. Strong Work Motivation and High Energy
Leadership positions are mentally and physically demanding. Strong motivation
is also needed to accept the heavy responsibility that being a supervisor entails.
If the leader shows good organizational citizenship behavior through extra hard
work, group members are likely to model this behavior.
F. Cognitive Skills
Leaders need to be mentally sharp. Problem-solving and intellectual skills are
referred to collectively as cognitive skills. A cognitive skill of major
importance is knowledge of the business, or technical competence. Good
practical intelligence (street smarts) is also part of an effective leader’s
intellectual makeup.
G. Charisma
An important quality for leaders at all levels is charisma, a type of charm and
magnetism that inspires others. An effective leader usually needs some degree
of this quality, although some effective leaders are not charismatic. Here we
focus on three of the many characteristics of charismatic leaders.
1. Vision. Effective leaders create a visual image of where the organization,
or unit, is headed. Effective leaders project ideas and images that excite
people, and therefore inspire employees to do their best.
2. Passion, Enthusiasm, and Excitement. Because of their contagious
excitement, charismatic leaders stimulate group members. Enthusiasm
helps build good relationships with team members, and excitement is
contagious. The leader can express enthusiasm verbally and nonverbally
through gestures, nonsexual touching, and so forth. Passion and
enthusiasm by the leader contributes to the emotional well-being of group
members. When people are in a state of emotional arousal, such as facing
a crisis or an unusual success, they are more ready to perceive a leader as
being charismatic.
3. Sense of Humor. Humor is a component of charisma, and a contributor to
leadership effectiveness. Humor helps leaders influence people by
reducing tension, relieving boredom, and defusing anger. The most
effective form of leadership is tied to the situation rather than telling
rehearsed jokes. (A mind-stretching exercise here is to ask students for an
example of situational humor they might have observed.)
See Figure 11-2 for Suggestions for Becoming More Charismatic.
II. BEHAVIORS AND SKILLS OF EFFECTIVE LEADERS
In addition to personal attributes, a leader has to do things that influence group
in most situations.
A. Practice Strong Ethics
Being trustworthy facilitates a leader practicing strong ethics, the study of
moral obligation, or separating right from wrong. Workers are more likely to
trust an ethical leader. Good ethics serves as a positive model for group
members, thus strengthening the organization. Ethical leaders help group
members avoid common ethical pitfalls such as lying, divulging confidential
information, and covering up accidents. An effective leader practices the
Golden Rule.
B. Direction Setting
Given that leaders are supposed to bring about change, they must point people
in the right direction, including establishing a vision.
C. Help Group Members Reach Goals and Achieve Satisfaction
The leader makes the path to goal attainment smoother, and also looks out for
the satisfaction of group members (the path-goal theory of leadership). One
important way to do this is to provide the necessary resources to group
members. Another way of helping group members achieve goals is to reduce
frustrating barriers to work accomplishment.
D. Set High Expectations
Group members live up (or down) to the leader’s expectations according to
the Pygmalion effect. The point of this effect is that the leader can elevate
performance simply by expecting others to perform well. The manager’s
expectations become a self-fulfilling prophecy in part because when a leader
Leaders can make a major contribution by asking the right questions.
Although being knowledgeable about the group task is important, there are
many times when asking group members penetrating questions is more
important. This is especially true because in today’s complex and rapidly
changing business environment, the collective intelligence of group members
is needed to solve problems.
G. Be a Servant Leader
A humanitarian approach to leadership is to be a servant leader, one who
serves group members by working on their behalf to achieve their goals, not
his or her goals. Servant leadership stems naturally from a commitment to
service. Behaviors of servant leadership include:
• Development of subordinates
III. LEADERSHIP STYLE AND STYLE FLEXIBILITY
A leadership style is a leader’s characteristic way of behaving in a variety of
situations.
A. The Classic Dimensions of Consideration and Initiating Structure
emotional support, warmth, friendliness, and trust. Leaders create this
environment by being friendly, approachable, looking out for the welfare of the
group, and keeping the group informed about new developments.
by engaging in such activities as assigning specific tasks, specifying procedures
to be followed, scheduling work, and making expectations clear.
More recent research on consideration and initiating structure suggests that when
employees receive the amount of consideration and structure they think they
need, they tend to be more satisfied.
See Figure 11-3 for the Four Combinations of Initiating Structure and
Consideration.
B. The Participative (Team) Leadership Style
Participative leaders share decision-making authority with the group and
motivate group members to work as a team toward high level goals. The three
main types of participative leaders are
1. Consultative Leaders. A consultative leader solicit opinions from the
group before making a decision, yet do not feel obliged to accept the
group’s thinking.
2. Consensus Leaders. A consensus leader encourages group discussion
about an issue and then makes decisions that reflect the consensus of the
group.
3. Democratic Leaders. A democratic leader confers final authority on the
group. Function as collectors of opinions and takes a vote before making
decisions.
When democratic leaders go too far in turning over authority to the group,
they become laissez-faire (or free rein) leaders. In contrast, autocratic leaders
attempt to retain most of the authority granted to the group. They make all of
the major decisions and assume subordinates will comply without question.
Among the sometimes successful autocratic leaders are turnaround managers—
those who specialize in turning around failing organizations or rescuing them
from crises.
See Human Relations Self-Assessment Quiz 11-3 to learn What Style of
Leader You Are or Would Be.
C. Style Flexibility and Adaptability
Although leadership style refers to a person’s characteristic approach to
dealing with leadership tasks, effective leaders adapt their style to fit the
situation. For example, a consensus style leader might need to become more
authoritarian during a crisis.
1. Rule of Thumb for Style Flexibility. Give considerable guidance,
direction, and coaching to a worker who has low motivation or capability
in terms of task accomplishment. Capable workers require less guidance.
2. Adapting Leadership Style to Cultural Values. Another way in which style
flexibility can be important is adaptation to cultural values, such as dealing
with subordinates from Sweden who expect a leader to be quite
participative. A study showed that workers from a collectivistic culture
responded positively to transformational leadership.
IV. TECHNIQUES FOR A LEADER GETTING ALONG WELL WITH
SUBORDINATES
Human relations principles in general help a leader get along well with
subordinates, yet here is some specific information.
A. The Leader-Member Exchange Model
The leader-member exchange (LMX) model focuses on the quality of
relationships between leaders and members, and recognizes that leaders develop
unique working relationships with each group member. In-group members are
given additional rewards, responsibility, and trust in exchange for their loyalty
and performance. Out-group members are treated in accordance with a more
formal understanding of the supervisor-subordinate relationship.
The specific relevance of LMX for getting along with group members is that if
the leader establishes good relationships with group members, higher
performance might be lower.
B. Suggestions for Attaining Good Relationships with Subordinates
A key part of leadership is forming good relationships with people, so getting
along with subordinates is essential.
1. Solicit opinions before taking action.
2. Ask how you can make their jobs better.
3. Give out recognition.
4. Be courteous.
5. Look for opportunities to yes to requests,
6. Provide leader political support (political acts and influence technique
by the leader to provide followers with the resources they need to
accomplish individual, group, and organizational goals).
V. DEVELOPING YOUR LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL
Because leadership is not based entirely on genetic factors, leadership potential
can be developed. Eight key strategies are recommended.
1. General education and specific training. Almost any program of career
training or education can be considered a program of leadership
development.
2. Leadership development programs. Specialized programs of leadership
development, such as offsite training, can be quite useful.
3. Acquire broad experience. Because leadership varies somewhat with the
situation, a sound approach to improving leadership effectiveness is to
attempt to gain supervisory experience in different settings.
4. Modeling effective leaders. Carefully observing an effective leader and
then imitating some of his or her most effective behaviors can help one
develop as a leader.
5. Obtain feedback on your leadership performance and behavior. Many
organizations help leaders develop by providing them systematic feedback
from several raters, such as subordinates, superiors, and customers.
6. Self-development of leadership characteristics and behavior. Study
leadership characteristics and behavior, and target one or two for
improvement through self-determination and self-monitoring of behavior.
7. Practice self-leadership. According to the concept of self-leadership, all
organizational members are capable of leading themselves to some extent.
Lead and influence oneself without waiting for an external leader to lead
you.
Visit the Mind Tools website for many articles and self assessment on
leadership including, The Leadership Motivation Assessment
How motivated are you to lead? at
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_01.htm
VI. KEY CHALLENGES OF BEING A FIRST-TIME LEADER
The first time leader faces some inevitable challenges that must be addressed:
1. Uncertainty about how much time to spend leading versus doing individual
tasks.
2. Overcoming the resentment of the people in the group who wanted your
leadership position.
3. Building relationships and fostering teamwork quickly enough.
4. Overcoming the need to be liked by everybody.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND REVIEW
11.1 Provide an example of something a leader motivated or inspired you to do that
you would not have done without his or her presence.
11.2 If cognitive skills are really important for being an effective leader, what can a
future leader do to enhance his or her cognitive skills?
The future leader should continue to do what most readers of this book are already
doing—studying and concentrating on what they are studying. It is doubly
11.3 Why does being charismatic often make a leader more effective?
11.4 Create a vision for a large company you admire.
The vision should point to a grand purpose, and an optimistic view of the
Copyright © 2017, Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
11-8
of people.” Students can pick up a few ideas for a vision by entering a search
phrase such as “The vision of Brother”.
11.5 Provide an example of how you might use the Pygmalion effect in working with
subordinates or with a child you have or might have.
Answers to this question will vary, but should demonstrate how believing in
when you have sold more than your quota of Girl Scout cookies.”
11.6 In what way is the professor in this course a servant leader in his or her
relationship with the students in the class?
who I know personally are thrilled when a former student succeeds in life.
11.7 How might being close friends with several members of the group you are leading
interfere with your ability to leader that group?
A major problem is role confusion. If you occupy the role of being friends with
quite difficult to take harsh action, such as recommending that he or she be fired,
if that person is your friend.
11.8 Give an example of a specific action taken by a present or former boss that helped
cultivate good relationships with subordinates. Also identify an action that hurt
relationships with subordinates.
11.9 In what way might being a playground supervisor or a shift supervisor in a fast
food restaurant help a person prepare for a high-level leadership position in the
future?
The entry-level supervisory positions just mentioned provide an opportunity to
conflict. A high-level leadership position may require strategic thinking, but it
also requires good interpersonal skills.
11.10 In what ways does your program of study contribute to your development as a
leader?
Copyright © 2017, Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
11-9
The point of this question is to help students appreciate that almost any skills or
knowledge they acquire might be useful in a leadership role. For instance,
learning about good work habits and time management can help a person function
more effectively as a leader. It is easier to lead by example when your own work
is under control.
COMMENTS ON EXERCISES AND CASES
Human Relations Self-Assessment Quiz 11-1: The Trustworthiness and Honesty Checklist
As cautioned in the quiz, it is difficult to perceive the self accurately in terms of being
trustworthy and honest. Some of the worst financial scammers have contended that they
quiz can be helpful in sensitizing a person to what it takes to be perceived as honest and
trustworthy.
Human Relations Self-Assessment Quiz 11-2: Readiness for the Leadership Role
This instrument makes a potential contribution by helping students realize that a person
leadership behaviors can be exerted without a person being in a formal leadership role.
Three examples follow: Number 4, “It’s easy for me to compliment others,” Number 7,
“Many people imitate my ideas,” and Number 20, “I’ve always been a convincing
person.”
Human Relations Self-Assessment Quiz 11-3: What Style of Leader Are You or Would
You Be?
This quiz is designed to provide insights into the specific practices of participative
leadership and management. Students carrying out leadership roles can practice some of
these ideas. One reason a style quiz has relevance even for students without leadership
experience, is that leadership style is based somewhat on personality traits. Thus natural
through how well-suited they are for participative or team leadership. Participative or
team leadership is important because it is more in demand than authoritarian leadership.
Applying Human Relations Exercise 11-1: Developing Your Charisma
lends itself to being charismatic, they can make some progress. Among the easier skills
and attitudes capable of being developed is Number 6, “Make ample use of true stories,”
Number 9, “Make everybody you meet feel that he or she is important,” and Number 10,
“Multiply the effectiveness of your handshake.”
The answer to question 1, “How did people react to me when I attempted to be more
charismatic?” will provide useful feedback about the utility of attempting to develop
charisma. If people do not react more favorably toward the person attempting to develop
charisma, he or she could become discouraged.
Human Relations Exercise 11-2: My Personal Leadership Journal
Maintaining a leadership journal is widely used as a leadership development technique
for students. The journal helps the developing leader recognize when he or she has
practiced leadership, or failed to capitalize on a potential leadership opportunity. We
suspect that this exercise will appeal to students who are serious about becoming leaders,
or enhancing their leadership traits, behaviors, and skills. For other students, the
leadership journal might be perceived as busywork.
As mentioned earlier in this manual, one of the contributions of a journal is that
prompts the journal keeper to reflect on learning. Reflection plays an important role in
profiting from experience.
Applying Human Relations Exercise 11-3: Analyzing the Leadership Effectiveness of a
Past or Present Supervisor
Here is an opportunity to review many of the key concepts in the chapter by applying
them to a leader the student knows personally. Making suggestions for improvement to
the leader should prove useful in developed an advanced understanding of leadership
theory and practice. We mention results in the exercise because an important criterion of
leadership effectiveness is what the leader actually achieves.
Human Relations Class Activity: “Some Good Leadership Advice I Received”
Count on this exercise to produce some sage advice and fascinating results. Many of my
students have used a parent as a source. One student wrote that her father said that
something you wouldn’t or can’t do.” In today’s world, many group members have skills
and talents the leader lacks.
Human Relations Case Study 11-1: Firing up the Bus Drivers at Interstate Transport
This case illustrates an important leadership role—inspiring workers to be inspired about
and engaged in their jobs.
11.11 What leadership techniques do you recommend that Kristen use to fire up the bus
drivers?
11.12 What do you think of a key-chain vision statement?
initially administered but would then quickly lose its effectiveness.
Human Relations Role-Playing Exercise 11-1: Kristen Attempts to Inspire a Group of
Bus Drivers
Students who have taken long-distance bus rides in the recent past would be good
candidates for this role play. The students who play the role of Kristen are faced with the
challenging task of inspiring the bus drivers without the benefit of offering financial
incentives for enhanced engagement on their part. However, she could mention that
engaged bus drivers help keep the bus company profitable. The students who play the
role of the bus drivers should enjoy the experience, especially if they choose to illustrate
that it is not easy to inspire workers who feel they are already doing a good job.
Human Relations Case Study 11-2: What Kind of Leader is Danny Wong?
11.13 How do you explain the different perceptions of Amy and Kent?
11.14 What suggestions can you offer Danny for making better use of the consensus
leadership style?
11.15 What is the counterargument about Kent’s point about Wong not justifying his
pay?
Human Relations Role-Playing Exercise 11-2: Danny Wong Attempts to Practice
Participative Leadership
This role play provides a basic scenario for practicing participative leadership. Observe
how well the students who play the role of Danny Wong are able to ask good questions,
as well as deal with the resistance of group members who have a different perception of
the role of a leader.
