Leadership in management - definition, theories and approaches

Modern management it is impossible to imagine without the use of a customized, innovative approach to constantly changing circumstances. It is only in this case, it is possible to achieve a new and promising directions in the development of the company. All of this suggests that the management cannot exist without leaders, without those people who are able to assume leadership of the organization and thus to turn each employee into one of his followers and associates.

Leadership in management today is a very actual problem. After all, the current market fierce competition leads to the necessity of making timely decisions, and imposing on the head of responsibility for achieving objectives and efficient operation of the organization as a whole.

Leadership in the modern management involves a person with such qualities that would enable him to carry out a competent management staff. This is for companies the main asset in a competitive environment. This is exactly what allows organizations to stand out against all others.

Basic concept

Leadership – is a quality which is inherent in the nature of the individual. It is one of the oldest forms of the organization of people's lives, as well as effective tool that allows you to solve many pressing issues.

At an early stage of the origin of human society is a dominant position in it were owned in the same manner, where the leading role was given more intelligent, strong and hardy community members. The tribesmen trusted them, their wisdom and authority. These are the people and became leaders. But human society continued to develop. Along with it all more and more complex system of leadership. It stopped being personal and became more complex forms.

However, as in previous times, today there is an objective need for the presence of a leader, which can not be implemented. After all, the main task of this person is to eliminate passivity and involve all group members in the management process.

Leadership – is a mysterious and elusive quality. Its existence can recognize easily, but is difficult to describe. Even harder to use this identity in practice, and to bring such property in man impossible.

In all the existing theories of leadership in management to the definition of the concept has its own approach. A single view on this phenomenon is simply impossible to find.

Leadership is a method of work that aims to help employees to solve the problem in the best way. While it is considered an integral component of the work teams and groups.

Leadership in management can be regarded as an ability that allows the vision to raise employees to a higher level. This allows the person to work with the most modern standards. In addition, leadership in management is an integral feature of personality, thanks to which the formation of her features outside the bounding framework.

There are other definitions of the term. So, leadership in management is seen as management of the relationship between the leader and his followers. They are based on the most effective for each situation the combination of various sources of power and encourage people to achieve their goals. The concept of leadership in management sees this phenomenon not as a guide. Although such a man may stand at the head of the company.

Thus, you can see that in management the topic of leadership is quite multifaceted. Such a social phenomenon constitutes one of the essential elements in the management system of organization, its a kind of “trigger”. While the phenomenon of leadership can occur in any organized groups. The main thing that they strive for one common goal.

Types of leadership

The Impact on a group of people or a team can be formal and informal. If we consider the first option (briefly) leadership in management, in this case, the impact on the child will be provided with a position position. But there are other situations. They impact on people is through their personal skills, abilities and other resources. In this case we are talking about informal leadership. But in fact, and in another embodiment such a person always will have emotional, psychological or social support in the team that will allow him to lead the people.

Often recognized by the management leadership of the organization for the leader, if he could prove his worth and competence not only for the organization but for groups as well as individual employees. In this case, the most characteristic features of the chief are:

• The confidence of the staff;
• The ability of seeing the situation as a whole;
• The flexibility of decision-making;
• Communication skills, etc.

All this allows to make an unambiguous conclusion that the leader is a dominant face of any organization, group or society.

Based on the direction ofimpact on people and the company as a whole there are the following types of leadership, such as:

• Constructive (functional), contributing to goals of organization;
• Destructive (dysfunctional), dealing damage to the company;
• Neutral, unable to influence the achievement of production goals.

However, it is worth noting that using the theories existing in the management of governance and leadership, in real life, sometimes it is quite difficult to draw a line between all described above types of the phenomenon. After all, the life of the collective is quite versatile, and to put all the relationship “shelves” is not possible.

One of the most important conditions the most effective management of the company is the presence of constructive leadership. This allows you to quickly reach our goal. Optimal, but difficult option is the combination in one person of the qualities of both a formal and informal leader. The effectiveness of leadership has important effect and the position the chief occupies in the sphere of emotional relations. It should not be too low. Otherwise, the emotional hostility will significantly undermine officials and business authority of the head, which will reduce its effectiveness as a whole.

The problem of leadership in management is discussed from the point of view the key points needed for the organization to address the set objectives. Indeed, on the one hand, this phenomenon is considered in the form of a particular set of qualities possessed by the man who affects other people, and on the other, it implies a process, usually do not force action, resulting in the achievement of a group of individuals goals.

Directions leadership theories

This quality were interested in many generations of explorers, scientists and thinkers. It should be noted that never among their views was not uniform definition of the essence and nature of this phenomenon. Nevertheless, the development of ideas about it, as well as experimental work in this area was the basis for the formation of the three primary approaches to leadership in management. They represent:

• Leadership;
• The behavior of a leader;
• Situation in which there is a leader.

The foundations of leadership management clearly indicate that an important role in addressing the challenges facing the company, given the characteristics and behavior of followers. Each of the above approaches offers its own solution to the problem of leadership.

It is also Worth noting that leadership in the management system has a direct relationship with motivation. Take, for example, the earliest concept. Their authors were asked to determine the effectiveness of this phenomenon, based on the qualities of leaders and on their behavior styles. In this case, the situation in calculation were not accepted. Ultimately, such a concept did not become a complete theory. They are literally ‘drowned" in a huge number of behavior patterns and personal qualities. However, the specific contribution to a General theory of leadership, they all made the same. Consider some of the most popular areas of this field of study.

Theory of John Mack Gregory

This scientific hypothesis refers to the direction, considering the behavioral nature of leadership. Its author was clearly outlined by two basic style of the Manager. It is an authoritarian (theory X) democratic (theory Y).

What are these styles of leadership in management? The first of these involves the treatment of employees, based on the notion that:

• All people dislike work and avoid it;
• Necessarybut employees always want to escape responsibility and want to be directed;
• Everyone wants the security;
• To ensure that people worked on them needs constant monitoring and the use of coercion and the threat of penalties.

With such beliefs, the leader, the autocrat makes the centralization of its authority. He constantly oversees his subordinates, allows them to make their own decisions, and to achieve a particular purpose has a significant psychological pressure.

Theory Y believes that:

• Labor is a natural process, and under favorable conditions, people are not excluded from liability, but rather seek it;
• Employees who are attached to organizational goals, use self-control and self-management;
• Intellectual potential of the average person are only partially used.

Democratic Manager in his work prefers to use such mechanisms of influence on subordinates, who appeal to their need to be attached to a higher purpose. Its main task be the chief sees the creation of an atmosphere of acceptance, trust and openness.

The Theory of Likert

It also refers to the behavioral approach to leadership. The author of this theory distinguishes two types of managers. The first of these he included suchleaders who desire to increase enterprise productivity, focusing on the task. The second type of leader focuses mostly on the person.

The First of the leaders presented two types most cares about designing goals and objectives, and the development of systems of remuneration. The second is busy with the improvement of human relations involving employees in participation in management. Lajkertom also was offered 4 styles, characteristic of a leader:

• Exploitative-authoritarian, similar to the autocrat;
• Benevolently-authoritarian, limiting participation of employees in decision-making;
• Consultative, involving tactical decision-making subordinates, and strategic – the leader;
• Democratic, in which between the chief and subordinates created an atmosphere of complete trust that allows group management of the company.

Thus, the author of the theory clearly delineates the types of leadership in management, believing that the best of all the options is one that focuses on the person.

The Theory of Mitchell and Hausa

Situational approaches to leadership theory offer an explanation of the effectiveness of this phenomenon from the point of view of different variables, without paying attention to the personality of the leader.

So, the theory of Mitchell house, which is also called “the Path-goal" of trying to explain the impact that leader behavior on productivity, motivation and satisfaction of subordinates. For the effective management of senior managers will require:

• To explain to the employees what he expects from their actions;
• To help troubleshoot the solution of the problem of interference;
• Direct all efforts of subordinates to achieve goals;
• To meet the needs of staff with the successful execution of the task.

According to this model, the leadership style depends on situational 2 factors. The first one is the personal needs of the employees, namely, self-expression, autonomy, self-esteem and belonging. The second factor involves the influence of the external environment, which is expressed in the conviction of a leader to influence others.

Theory Fiedler

This model has made an enormous contribution to the development of understanding of the styles and characteristics of leadership in management. Theory Fiedler calls focus on the situation by offering for the consideration of the three factors that have a direct impact on the behavior of the chief:

• The relationship between superior and subordinates;
• The structure of the tasks;
• The scope of powers of office.

The Author of this model believes that under any circumstances should be provided a balance between the demands imposed by the situation, as well as the personal qualities of a leader. This is what leads to high satisfaction and performance.

The Theory of humanistic orientation

In contrast to all other concepts of leadership in management, that considers human nature. She argues that people inherently – it is difficult, but at the same time, a reasoned body. The company is always managed. That is why to be successful, the leader must convert the managed the entire organization so that it was guaranteed the individual freedom necessary to achieve their own goals and needs. But the prerequisite is to make all members of the team contribute to the solution of problems faced by the enterprise. This idea was developed by American psychologists John. MacGregor, R. Blake, and others.

Motivation theory

The Followers of this model are S. Evans, C. Mitchell, and others. This theory argues that leader effectiveness depends on its impact on the motivation of employees, their satisfaction derived in the process, as well as the ability to productively perform the task.

This idea, proposing a specific leadership structure, allocates the following types of leader behavior, such as;

• Support;
• Policy;
• Focused on success, etc.

Attribute theory

According to this concept, the leader is seen as “puppet”. He receives instructions and power from the followers.

Last and are a kind of puppet master, driving her doll.

Theory of John Holman

This concept is very young. According to her ideas, leadership in management theory can be defined as the management, based on emotional intelligence. The development of this theory has been the Professor of the University of Chicago D. Holman in the 80-90-ies of the last century. According to their proposed idea is considered effective leadership that is able to control the emotions of people. What does it mean? According to this theory, the leader from whom there is a high emotional intelligence, able to understand not only their ownfeelings, but other people's feelings, so he subsequently began to manage team members.

At the same time such person possesses the following skills:

• Awareness of own feelings, ability to notice them and to subtly differentiate;
• Control your own feelings with the ability to cope with destructive impulses of negative emotions and to control them, allowing the flexibility to adapt to any situation and set yourself up to win;
• Awareness of feelings that are present in the other person and their understanding and ability to be sympathetic;
• Control the feelings of the employees with the ability to provide emotional impact on subordinates in the form of inspiration, influence, conflict resolution, creation of the team and strengthen it team spirit.

Model of emotional intelligence offers a leader to develop and improve all four of the above abilities. It should be noted that this hypothesis is confirmed by a number of numerous studies.

Group management

The Lead when considering modern science is considered to be a phenomenon more social and organizational than individual and personal.

Every person, being a member of a group, solving it problems. Currently the structures and dynamics of such associations practical management pays special attention. This is due to existing business needs and the survival needs of organizations engaged in entrepreneurial activities.

Group work – it's definitely expended energy of the performers, as well as the efforts and abilities of leaders. Collectively such activity has a so-called synergistic effect. This indicates that the strength of the entire group more than individually forces all its members. Getting this effect is the basis for group leadership.

In Addition to the above there are many other approaches and concepts that were developed without a careful analysis based on the General scheme of the theory of leadership. However, studies in this area do not stop. They are intensively carried out in our days, as power and leadership in management is a vast and interesting topic.