Name: Tasnuba Nowrin

ID: 090316

2nd Session

Leadership Reflective Report

"Leadership is the creation and fulfillment of worthwhile opportunities by honorable means."

(Rubenstein et al., 2006, p.184)

Allen (2007) emphasizes that a leader is someone who can visualize a better world in the future
and is able to convince others to join on the journey to reach the destination.

To make the concept clear, Weihrich and Koontz (2005) have defined leadership as a process of
influencing people so that they will strive willingly and enthusiastically toward the achievement
of the group.

In my opinion, it is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and

directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent.

There is much value placed on the role of leadership in the workplace. A good business has at its
core a group of highly skilled leaders who influence those around them to function correctly, and
if the team works well and produces results then the business thrives (Wakeling, 2010).

As a BBA student, I need to realize the importance of leadership in a business organization as it

provides efficiency in higher management with a point of contact within the team and motivate
the team members toward the organizational goal and can be used to cascade knowledge and
information to the business as a whole.

Though leadership makes the management process well-organized, there is considerable

difference between management and leadership. Managers principally administrate the
organization and leaders get the people motivated through innovation (Maccoby, 2000).

In their studies (Moorhead & Griffin, 2005 and Kotterman, 2006) have found the following
differences-
 Activities Management Leadership

Creating an Plans and budgets Establishes direction

agenda Allocates recourses and develops the
Develops process steps vision
and timeline Develops strategic
plans
Undertakes changes
needed to achieve
the visions
Developing a Organizes and staffs Aligns people of the
human Delegates organization
network responsibilities and Communicates
authorities direction
Maintains structure Influences to move
Creates methods or toward the vision
systems Offers choices
Executing Controls the overall Motivates and
plans process inspires
Solves problems Energizes
Identifies deviation employees to
Takes necessary steps to overcome barriers to
adjust change
Outcomes Produces a degree of Promotes useful and
predictability dramatic changes
Provides expected Introduces
results innovation

Concentratio Focuses on system and Focuses on people

n structure
Observation Observes operation and Studies environment
thinks about present and thinks about
future

Approaches to Leadership

Trait Theories

First Carlyle (1841) identified the talents, skills, and physical characteristics of men who rose to
power. Using early research techniques, researchers conducted over a hundred of trait studies
from 1920s and 1930s proposing a number of characteristics that distinguished leaders from non-
leaders; intelligence, dominance, adaptability, persistence, integrity, socioeconomic status, and
self-confidence etc. (Bass, 2008).

Another technique is Belbin role playing model, of simulating specific traits of an individual
with Lion, Worker Bee, Bull, Awl and Eagle etc. what we have practiced in the class (Belbin,
1993 and Bose, 2011).

Most successful theory seven traits associated with leadership includes drive, desire to lead,
honesty and integrity, self-confidence, intelligence, job-relevant knowledge, extraversion (Judge
et al., 2002). But, like other theories it also has not been a very fruitful one because not all
leaders possess all traits. Abraham Lincon, for example, was moody and introverted (Stoner et
al., 2001).

So, I can conclude that leadership is inherited and leaders were born, not developed (Bose,
2011).

Functional or Group Approach

Stoner et al. (2001) explains two major functions: task related and group maintenance. Task
related activities must be performed by the leader independently. On the other hand group
maintenance activities are performed by a segment of the group and enable them to accomplish
the task (Morgeson et al., 2010). The leader focuses more on task related function may hamper
group activity. So, effective leaders have to perform both functions successfully.

Style Theory or Behavioral Approach

It has been developed from 1940s to 1960s and concentrated on studies of different behavioral
styles including University of Lowa, Ohio State, University of Michigan, Managerial Grid etc
(Robbins & Coulter, 2006).

Contingency or Situational Approach

Transformational Leadership: Bass and Riggio (2006) have explained that transformational
leadership involves motivating followers toward the attainment of organizational vision & goals
and innovative problem solving and developing followers leadership capacity through training,
monitoring and providing challenging task. In my opinion, these leaders disseminate their vision
and energy to the followers to make a major impact on the organization (Stoner et al., 2001).

Hersey and Blanchards Situational Leadership Model: This theory focuses on followers
readiness or ability and willingness to accomplish a high amount of task and they have the right
to accept or reject the leader. It also suggests that leaders need to develop relationship behavior
because a nondirective leader may cause anxiety and confusion in new followers by failing to
provide instruction of task (Robbins & Coulter, 2006).

The Fiedler Model, Path-Goal Model and Vrooms Leader Participation Model are also included
in this approach.

Managing Power

According to Montana and Charnov (2008) power enables leadership to influence subordinates
and peers by controlling organizational resources. Robbins & Coulter (2006) have identified five
sources of leader power -

Legitimate power: It represents the power a leader has due to his or her position in the
organization.

Coercive power: Leaders power or ability to punish or control.

Reward power: Leaders power to give positive benefits and rewards.

Expert power: It is the power to influence thats based on expertise and knowledge of the
leader.

Referent power: It develops out of admiration of another or a desire to like the person. Then the
admired person can exercise this power.

Leadership is one of best qualities that every human being needs to possess as it bestows the
opportunity to change the world, hopefully for the better.

Word Count: 853

Reference List

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http://wichita.kumc.edu/fcm/documents/Ten%20questions%20about%20Leadership.pdf
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Bass, B.M. & Bass, R. (2008) The Bass handbook of leadership: Theory, research, and
managerial applications. 4th ed. New York: Free Press.

Bass, B.M. and Riggio, R.E. (2006) Transformational Leadership. 2nd ed. London: Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

Belbin, R.M. (1993) Team Roles at Work. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Bose, T.K. (2011) Leadership. Khulna, 27 June 2011.

Carlyle, T. (1841) On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic History. UK: Boston University
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Griffin, R.W. & Moorhead, G. (2005) Organizational behavior: Leadership Models and
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Judge, T.A., Bono, J.E., Llies, R., Gerhardt, M.W. (2002) Personality and Leadership: A
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Kotterman, J. (2006) Comparison of management and leadership process difference in the

workplace. Harvard Business Review, 73 (2), pp.59-67.

Kotterman, J. (2006) Leadership vs. Management: Whats the difference? Journal for Quality &
Participation, 29 (2), pp.13-17.

Maccoby, M. (2000) Understanding the Difference between Management and Leadership.

Journal of Research Technology Management, 34 (1), pp.57-59.

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Robbins, S.P. & Coulter, M. (2006) Management: Leadership. 8th ed. New Delhi: Prentice Hall
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Rubenstein, H., Miles, F.M. and Bassi, L.J. (2006) Leadership Development for Educators . New
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Stoner, J.A.F., Freeman, R.E. and Gilbert, D.R. (2001) Management: Leadership. 6th ed. New
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Wakeling, B. (2010) Definition of Leadership in Business: Function [online] s.n. Available from:
http://www.ehow.com/about_7216206_definition-leadership-business.html [accessed 30
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Weihrich, H. and Koontz, H. (2005) Management a Global Perspective: Leadership. 10th ed.
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