Leading People within Organizations
This unit will discuss how influence differs from manipulation and explain how individuals use influence within the workforce. This unit will conclude with a look at the politics within organizations and how ethics apply to power. As you are likely aware, there are too many examples in which power is used improperly in business. Responsible business schools today place extra emphasis upon ethics, especially when talking about subjects such as power.
Conclusion
In
this chapter we have reviewed the most influential leadership theories.
Trait approaches identify the characteristics required to be perceived
as a leader and to be successful in the role. Intelligence,
extraversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience, and integrity
seem to be leadership traits. Behavioral approaches identify the types
of behaviors leaders demonstrate. Both trait and behavioral approaches
suffered from a failure to pay attention to the context in which
leadership occurs, which led to the development of contingency
approaches. Recently, ethics became an explicit focus of leadership
theories such as servant leadership and authentic leadership. It seems
that being conscious of one's style and making sure that leaders
demonstrate the behaviors that address employee, organizational, and
stakeholder needs are important and require flexibility on the part of
leaders.