There are a number of different approaches to leadership. The first is the qualities approach, where over 1600 different qualities, have been thought to be relevant to effectiveness as a leader. The second approach is the situational approach, according to which person with the most knowledge takes charge. Obviously both approaches have their place. Individual leaders will rise to a situation because of qualities they possess.
Any leader must retain respect of the group that they lead and they will be judged by the actions they take in doing their job dealing with their workmates. Developing this theme, one could say that leadership is centred in the actions that a person takes. From this thought came the idea of Action Centred Leadership.
Basically if one person is to run a group of others, then the size of the group will be determined in the first place by the task requirements of the job. This is the first area of need that a leader must to look at, i.e. task needs. They have also to try to use the expertise and talents of their subordinates and more than this, co-ordinate one person with another and create an effective working group or team.
We can see through our own experience in everyday life, how these three areas inter-act one with another and how sometimes one area can be ignored, resulting in disruption in the other two.
For example, one manager tried to introduce a new machine and system into his factory with no consultation or briefing. This caused individuals to be worried about their own jobs and also the jobs of their workmates. Rumour was abundant; the morale of the staff dropped and the overall result was that the machine was ‘blacked'. Another example could be the captain of a soccer team who has not only to use the skills of their individuals, but to blend them as a team to score goals. If the match is won, individuals feel satisfied singly, but there is an ‘esprit de corps' in the team.
Some of the world's greatest leaders had and have the natural ability to read a situation and to deal with these needs as they appear.
The next part of this section is devoted to looking at what needs exist in the three areas and what practical actions the manager can take as a leader.
Task Needs:
For the task to be carried out effectively, various systems and methods are set up. Examples of different systems could be critical path analysis, budgetary control, and management by objectives.
Every leader should know their work objectives and constraints. To meet these objectives, they will have to structure their team to suit. The exact structure will depend on the technology and style of management in use. The span of control under a leader can vary from three or four up to between fifteen and twenty. In a large team there is often a feeling that individuals don't really know what they are supposed to be doing and how they fit in.
The leader needs to set up methods to ensure that their team members know what their objectives are, they have facilities to do the job and that they are informed on progress that is being made. One system that is used is a briefing group system where the leader of the team briefs their own group. This system starts at board level and works down to supervisory level, i.e. if points come from a board meeting that can help others do their own jobs that much more efficiently, then they are briefed to the Head of Department level. The Head of Department briefs their managers and the managers their supervisors. This system ensures a quick transfer of information through all levels with a minimum amount of time wasted.
Group Team Needs:
When a group forms, whether social or work, the purpose of the group will be some common activity. An all-important factor is that communication is open and forthright and a mutual trust develops. This in turn will lead to high morale within the group. On the other hand, if communication is false or devious, distrust will develop which will cause splintering and polarisation in the group.
If something goes wrong, arguments will develop, leading to the apportioning of blame to others and the taking of sides, both inside and outside the group.
The leader of a work group, or team, often inherits a group of individuals. They then have the job of welding them into a team and also of maintaining team spirit.
Obviously one of the first things he needs to do is to acquaint the members of the common task. At the same time he has to encourage openness and awareness in the team, helping them to achieve a high standard of performance.
To help morale, as well as production, the standards in the team needs to be high and allow the team pride in their performance. Teams need recognition of this and usually there are some successful points that can be brought up, even if the task was not altogether successful.
A team working well and succeeding in its task will affect individual members. The individual will have a commitment and responsibility to the team as well as feeling pleased due to their own and the team's achievements. A team usually has its own personality and obviously this consists of an amalgam of the members' personalities. Part of the leader's job is trying to fit the best people into this team, not only from the job expertise point of view, but also for the compatibility of its members. The team will develop its own standards and discipline with help from the leader, but if these are not consistent, it will cause bickering and petty arguments. Examples of a team working in this way can be often seen in a soccer team. For example, team morale is highest when the team has had a hard game and is successful. If the team has an easy game or has lost resoundingly, apportioning of blame and low morale are usually seen as symptoms of splintering within the team.
Individual Needs:
As discussed earlier, individuals are motivated for a variety of reasons. They vary from basic needs and security in some cases, to the need for power, the need to belong to a particular group, and the need for self-fulfilment and achievement in others. These needs have been classified in different forms by Maslow, McGregor, McClelland, Herzberg and others. The leader's job in this third area of need is to help fulfil the needs of different individuals whilst doing their day-to-day work. They also have to fit square pegs into square holes and develop their subordinates to take further responsibility.
The sensitive leader has also to remember the dignity of the individual and to encourage and inspire that individual by the actions they take. Individual needs also overlap group/team needs. For example, most individuals need assurance from others of their own worth, whether from the boss or colleagues.
Summary:
The leader has to take action in the three areas of need; tasks, team and individual. Occasionally they will be working in only one area, but not often in all three. The leader needs to consider these areas when carrying out their managerial functions of setting targets, planning, communicating, controlling and evaluating what they are doing. An example where the leader might deal in only one area could be where they allow a person time off to go to the hospital to visit their wife. An example where the leader is working in all three is where a job description and accountability chart is used. They show the individual what their job is and how they fit into the team. Some practical actions are now included which reflect all three areas of need.
- Set high but achievable targets with the team.
- Maintain constant discipline in the team.
- Encourage an atmosphere of approval and open and straightforward communication.
- Encourage participation through participation.
- Ensure individuals know to whom they are accountable and what they are
accountable for.
- Examine the physical working conditions, team structure and span of control to see they are compatible with the job in hand.
- Regularly appraise team members against targets set.
- Regularly brief the team, as a team, to ensure knowledge of changes and progress.
- Ensure that there is a delegation of authority as well as work.
- Recognise effort by the team and the individuals.
- Encourage the latent talent and creativity in the team.
- Ensure that a person is made accountable for the team if the leader is missing
One of the most important aspects of leadership is for the leader to treat their subordinates as a resource and not as an extension of themselves. The question that many leaders should ask themselves is, Do I use the latent skills and talents of the members of my team. If the answer is yes then the leader is probably working in all three areas of need.
Copyright © 2006 Jonathan Farrington. All rights reserved