Thinking on Leadership Theories & Styles

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Do you have what it takes to be a leader? Who does? What exactly is the right stuff, anyway? Do women have more of it than men? Can you learn it or are you born with it? Can you still have it if you're not a politician, an astronaut, a general, or a famous sport coach? Can you be a leader if you're a stay-at-home-mom, a high school or college dropout, a teenager or an educator? What roles do timing and circumstance play?

A quick search on Amazon.com indicates there are 87,880 leadership books and at Barnes & Noble 97,938 titles available. John C. Maxwell has 374 titles alone.Bottom of Form In their 1985 book, LEADERS: STRATEGIES FOR TAKING CHARGE, USC professors Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus stated, "Leadership is a word on everyone's lips...but no clear and unequivocal understanding exists as to what distinguishes leaders from non-leaders, and perhaps more important, what distinguishes effective leaders from ineffective ones, and effective organizations from ineffective."

Kendra Cherry of About.com summaries eight theories of leadership:

1. Great Man Theories:

 Great Man theories assume that the capacity for leadership is inherent – that great leaders are born, not made. These theories depict great leaders as heroic, mythic and destined to rise to leadership when needed. The term "Great Man" was used because, at the time, leadership was thought of primarily as a male quality, especially in terms of military leadership. Learn more about the great man theory of leadership.

2. Trait Theories:

Similar in some ways to Great Man theories, Trait theories assume that people inherit certain qualities and traits that make them better suited to leadership. Trait theories often identify particular personality or behavioral characteristics shared by leaders. If particular traits are key features of leadership, then how do we explain people who possess those qualities but are not leaders? This question is one of the difficulties in using trait theories to explain leadership.

3. Contingency Theories:

Contingency theories of leadership focus on particular variables related to the environment that might determine which particular style of leadership is best suited for the situation. According to this theory, no leadership style is best in all situations. Success depends upon a number of variables, including the leadership style, qualities of the followers and aspects of the situation.

4. Situational Theories:

Situational theories propose that leaders choose the best course of action based upon situational variables. Different styles of leadership may be more appropriate for certain types of decision-making. For example, in a situation where the leader is the most knowledgeable and experienced member of a group, an authoritarian style might be most appropriate. In other instances where group members are skilled experts, a democratic style would be more effective.

5. Behavioral Theories:

Behavioral theories of leadership are based upon the belief that great leaders are made, not born. Established in behaviorism, this leadership theory focuses on the actions of leaders not on mental qualities or inner strengths. According to this theory, people can learn to become leaders through teaching and observation.

6. Participative Theories:

Participative leadership theories suggest that the ideal leadership style is one that takes the input of others into account. These leaders encourage participation and contributions from group members and help group members feel more relevant and committed to the decision-making process. In participative theories, however, the leader retains the right to allow the input of others.

7. Management Theories:

Management theories, also known as Transactional theories, focus on the role of supervision, organization and group performance. These theories base leadership on a system of rewards and punishments. Managerial theories are often used in business; when employees are successful, they are rewarded; when they fail, they are reprimanded or punished.

8. Relationship Theories:

Relationship theories, also known as Transformational theories, focus upon the connections formed between leaders and followers. Transformational leaders motivate and inspire people by helping group members see the importance and higher good of the task. These leaders are focused on the performance of group members, but also want each person to fulfill his or her potential. Leaders with this style often have high ethical and moral standards.

Quiz - What's Your Leadership Style?

Bill Gates on His Thinking

An excerpt from the CBS 60 Minutes segemant titled, "Bill Gates 2.0" aired on May 12, 2013

"When I make a mistake and my thinking is sloppy, I like to be very hard on myself, 'that's so stupid', 'how could you not see how these pieces fit together'. And in that way I am very disciplined and careful about my thinking. You don't want it (my sloppy thinking) to extend out to when other people don't get something quite so quickly."

5 Powers That Get Ideas Off The Ground

Getting ideas off the ground can require a power surge. In years of detailed observation of successful leaders across sectors and fields, Rosabeth Moss Kanter has seen that getting the credibility to reach important goals comes from uplifting actions that increase five personal and organizational powers.

1.     Showing up: the power of presence. There's a well-known saying that 90% of success in life comes from just showing up. It's a cliché because it's true. Digital and other remote communications are efficient and helpful, but there's much to be said for being there, face-to-face with others. Instead of ruling from headquarters, the best CEOs go out to the field, meet major customers, and press the flesh with government officials.

2.     Speaking up: the power of voice. It doesn't matter who runs the meeting; the de facto leader is the one who frames the debate and articulates the consensus. The power of voice is not mere noise; it comes from the ability to put into words what might be only embryonic, thus shaping the direction for action. Memorable themes provide meaning out of a mass of verbiage. They echo and are repeated, providing a guidance system for companies or countries. Great speeches make great leaders. That's why every schoolchild should be given opportunities and encouragement to stand up in front of peers and parents to make speeches

3.     Teaming up: the power of partnering. Most things worth achieving can't be done alone. Entrepreneurs need a founding team. Innovators in established companies need a coalition of backers and supporters. Sports teams perform better when athletes help one another hone skills. Physicians seem to get better results for patients when part of a team that shares information and advice. U.S. foreign policy now stresses building regional alliances to promote peace and prosperity. Partnership invites reciprocity — giving as well as getting.

4.     Looking up: the power of values. Higher principles help people transcend the conflicts and concerns of the moment. Standing for something larger than mere self-interest gives leaders moral grounding and provides a basis for inspiring and motivating the work. Those who are honored as great leaders are not merely good at getting results efficiently, they are able to find grander goals that help people look up to see the big picture and set their sights higher.

5.     Not giving up: the power of persistence. Remember Kanter's Law and repeat often: Everything can look like a failure in the middle. CEOs and elected officials in the middle of controversial changes have told me that they feel comforted by this idea — if it's still the middle, there's always hope. Keep at it, make mid-course adjustments, and surprise the naysayers. Change agents in companies sometimes get approval after repeated turndowns just because they wear out their critics, who run out of arguments. Silence your critics by persevering in pursuit of results.

Achieving goals is always a matter of hard work, and success is never guaranteed. Still, cultivating these 5 powers can shift the odds in your favor.

Adopted from Rosabeth Moss Kanter, HBR Blog Network

Follow her on Twitter @RosabethKanter

Interview with Paul Rhoads

Current Position: Head Football Coach, Iowa State University

Past Positions: Assistant coach, Auburn University; assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh

Favorite Books:  Anything by Louis L’Amour; I like to relax when I read 

Best “thinker” you know? Myself  Why?  I know myself best

L on T: When making a decision, what goes through your mind?  

Rhoads: The consequences.

L on T: When presented more than one excellent option or choice, how do you make a choice?  

Rhoads: By weighing the options and consequences.

L on T: Do you have any formal or informal tools and strategies you use to think through planning and decision making that you could share with us?

  

Rhoads: What I would consider is a typical pro’s & con’s list. Will this decision help make a player better and/or our team better is often the question I start with.

L on T: Do you share in planning and decision making with others? How much and how do you do this? 

Rhoads: Yes, frequently through staff meetings.

L on T: How do you acquire the information needed to make a really big decision? How do you know it is the right information? Can a person have too much information?

Rhoads: Research by myself and staff. We work hard to be sure. Yes, too much information can sometimes muddy the waters.

L on T: What was the best career choice you make? When did it happen?  

Rhoads: Going to grad school instead of playing one more year in 1988.

L on T: Have you ever suffered from poor thinking and made a bad decision? Why do you think it happened?  

Rhoads: Yes, when I am tired or angry.

L on T: It has been said that “There is no good thinking without action. It might as well as of not happened.” What is your reaction to that statement?

Rhoads: I believe good thinking doesn’t always have to be followed by immediate action. The right time could be at a later date.

L on T: If someone asked you to teach them what you have learned, thus far in your life, about thinking, what would you say?

Rhoads: Better decisions are often made by thinking through the consequences of your decisions and actions.

Tony Wagner's Creating Innovators

Review of Tony Wagner's Creating Innovators 

by Lowell Ernst

How do innovators think differently from others? What experiences cause this different  approach to life?  These are questions that Tony Wagner has researched in his book Creating Innovators (2012). Wagner’s insights are an interesting perspective on both the worlds of parenting and K-16 education.

Parenting an innovator appears to be a counter-cultural experience in today’s world of organized activities that occupy the time of our kids’ lives from early morning until way past traditional meal times. Parents of current day innovators, such as those of Kirk Phelps who invented the iPhone, had rules that did not include 100 free throws per day. They felt that kids needed to learn to create and entertain themselves. Each day the kids had to spend one hour reading something of their choice without connecting it to their school work. They also needed to play outside where they could learn to discover, explore, and experiment.  Kirk’s parents felt that kids should play with things like Legos and get rid of the video games that did the thinking for them. They also consciously exposed them to a variety of experiences and probed them with inspiring questions that caused them to think. This environment encouraged risk taking and worked to help avoid a fear of failure.

Teaching in a way that fosters innovation in a time of standardized learning is difficult. While students do need to have a base of knowledge to problem solve and create, innovators do not succeed based on superior basic knowledge. Wagner makes a case that innovation happens when creativity, expertise, and motivation intersect.  An environment of test prep will not create these types of learners. Instead, the teaching must focus on the interests and needs of the individual students.

A few teachers at all levels of the educational experience understand what it takes to help kids innovate. Teaching  that exposes students to their passions must occur to reach this state. When students discover their passion in an atmosphere of play they can connect it to a purpose. The combination of passion, play, and purpose creates the motivation to commit oneself to the disciplined efforts it takes to create solutions that have never been considered. Teachers who make this happen focus on open ended situations that don’t move students to one specific answer.

Wagner’s perspective in Creating Innovators supports the assertion that our future cannot be defined by increasing our success at achieving our past.  If we are to lead the world in creating new and better ways, we cannot do it by achieving a definition of success based solely on efficiency and productivity. We must also think in ways that move us to new ways of doing things and doing things that have never been done.

Luther College Presentation

Luther College Leadership Presentation

March 5, 2013

Dave Versteeg, daveversteeg@outlook.com

Being a Leader . . . leadership isn't a matter of position; it's a matter of action. Action that can be taken at any level and in any situation. Leadership can work down, up, or sideways.

I offer you 4 directions of leading:

            Leading your subordinates

            Leading your peers

            Leading yourself

            Leading your boss and

                   . . . . Leading your parents, professors, coaches, siblings, etc.

2 vital skills leaders need:

            Persuasion

                        Influencing others

                        Nonverbal communication (for others and yourself)

            Selling

                        “non-sales selling”

“To Sell is Human”, Daniel Pink

Excerpted from To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others. © 2013 Daniel H. Pink

“The only thing you got in this world is what you can sell. And the funny thing is, you’re a salesman, and you don’t know that. – Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman (1949)

Non-Sales Selling:

Persuading, convincing, and influencing others to give up something they’ve got, in exchange for what we’ve got. We devout upward of 40% of our time on the job to moving others. It is critical to our professional success.

There are 6 “pitches” (presentations) you need to master in non-sales selling

(and don’t forget to practice, practice, practice):

http://www.danpink.com/2013/02/6-new-pitches-for-selling-your-product-your-idea-or-yourself

·      One–Word

o   Write a fifty-word pitch. Reduce it to twenty-five words. Then to six words. One of those remaining half-dozen is almost certainly your one-word pitch.

·      Question

o   Use this if your arguments are strong. If they’re weak, make a statement. Or better yet, find some new arguments.

·      Rhyme

o   Don’t rack your brain for rhymes. Go online and find a rhyming dictionary. Try RhymeZone (http://www.rhymezone.com).

·      Subject-Line

o   Review the subject lines of the last twenty e-mail messages you’ve sent. Note how many of them appeal to either utility or curiosity. If that number is less than ten, rewrite each one that fails the test.

·      Twitter

o   Even though Twitter allows 140 characters, limit your pitch to 120 characters so that others can pass it on. Remember: The best pitches are short, sweet, and easy to retweet.

·      Pixlar

Once upon a time ____________________________.   

Every day, __________________________________. 

One day ____________________________________. 

Because of that, ______________________________.   

Because of that, ______________________________.   

Until finally, _________________________________.

Persuasion Skills  

http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/12/6-dramatically-persuasive/

            6 universal persuasion short cuts – One of theses short cuts is:

§  Reciprocity

            Reciprocity:  Be the first to give. Make it personalized and unexpected.

o   Obligation to give when we receive – more likely to get a ‘yes’ from those that owe you

o   Get a favor - owe a favor

o   Get invited - invite

o   Restaurant Research

·      Does giving a mint with a bill influence the tip?

·      Single mint lead to +3% increase in amount of tip

·      Two mints lead to +14% increase

·      One mint + pause/walk away + another mint & positive comment about group = +23% increase

“Instant Influence”,  Michael Pantalon

Excerpted from INSTANT INFLUENCE: How to Get Anyone to Do Anything-FAST. © 2011 Michael V. Pantalon, PhD

o   Step 1: What might you change? (Or to influence yourself, why might I change?)

o   Step 2: How ready are you to change-on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means “Not ready at all” and 10 means “totally ready”?

o   Step 3: Why didn’t you pick a lower number? (Or if the influencee picked 1, either ask the second question again, this time about a smaller step toward change, or ask, what would it take for that 1 to turn into a 2?)

o   Step 4: Imagine you’ve changed. What would the positive outcomes be?

o   Step 5: Why are those outcomes important to you?

o   Step 6: What’s the next step, if any?

Nonverbal Communication (body language) –

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amy-cuddy/body-language_b_2451277.html

·      Our nonverbals govern how other people think and feel about us

·      AND our nonverbal govern how we think and feel about ourselves

·      Our bodies (body language) change our minds

·      . . . and our minds change our behavior

·      . . . and our behavior changes our outcomes

·      Hormones are key – testosterone (dominance and power) and cortisol (stress and flight)

High Power Poses (large, wide & big)

·      Barney Fife – laid back in chair, feet up, hands locked behind head

·      Steve McGarrett – leaning on desk supported by finger tips, legs spread, arms wide & straight

·      Super Hero – standing tall, feet slightly wider than shoulders, hands on hips, chin up

·      Don Longhurst – laid back in chair, hands locked behind head, leg crossed in open position

·      Fred Richie – slightly sloughed in chair, legs open, arms wide (one draped over chair)

Low Power Poses (small, narrow, diminutive)

·      Sitting #1 – in chair, arms crossed, legs together, feet crossed, shoulders down, head down

·      Sitting #2 – at desk, hunched forward, arms crossed (or hand(s) around neck), head down

·      Sitting #3 – in chair, shoulders down, head down, arms in lap

·      Standing #1 – legs crossed, arms crossed, head down (w/wo hand(s) around neck)

“Fake it ‘til you make it and ‘til you become it.” Amy Cuddy

·      It is about you talking to yourself

·      What do you do going into a job interview or performance review?

·      It isn’t so much about the content of your talk but about your “presence” (passion, confidence, enthusiasm, authenticity)

Spend 2 minutes doing the Super Hero before your next interview, performance review or speech! (Raise your testosterone and lower your cortisol)

Leaders on Thinking – (my contribution to improving leadership)

www.leadersonthinking.blogspot.com

·      Interviews with successful business and professional people

·      Articles related to thinking, decision-making and cognitive psychology

·      Notes & references from today’s presentation posted!

One Final Activity . . . THUMBS

This is a group activity

·      Group into pairs

·      Hook the fingers of your right hands and raise your thumbs

·      The sole instruction is, “Now get your partner’s thumb down.”

Leadership Lessons:

·      Most participants will assume that the instructions mean for them to thumb-wrestle (listening skills).

·      However, there are many other ways that they could get their partner’s thumb down.

·      What were the different ways that happened today? (Ask nicely, unhook their own fingers and put their own thumb down, etc.)

·      To often our starting point is competition – a win-lose, zero-sum approach rather than the win-win, positive-sum approach that leadership can and should bring.

·      Leadership involves moving others, influencing others.

·      Leaders seek several ways to accomplish a task, most of which can make others look good in the process and both get what they want.