Leadership Traits, Motivation, Job Design and Conflict Management
Trait-Based Leadership Theories
Trait-based leadership theories: the idea is that leaders have certain personal characteristics (physical, mental, and emotional) that set them apart.
Attributes by Type
Positive attributes / Negative attributes / Neutral attributes
- Positive:
- Trustworthy
- Encouraging
- Honest
- Decisive
- Communicative
- Dependable
- Negative:
- Noncooperative
- Irritable
- Dictatorial
- Ruthless
- Egocentric
- Asocial
- Neutral:
- Ambitious
- Individualistic
- Cunning
- Cautious
- Class-conscious
- Evasive
– Physical vitality
– Self-confidence
– Ambition
– Intelligence
– Interpersonal
Charismatic Leadership
Charismatic leadership: derived from the Greek word “gift”; ability to influence others through inspirational qualities and oratory. Charismatic leaders instill intense devotion and loyalty and arouse excitement among followers; they may convince followers to sacrifice personal interests for the sake of the collective goal.
Path-Goal Theory
Path-Goal Theory:
- If the task is frustrating, boring, stressful, structured, and routine AND subordinates are highly experienced and competent => supportive leadership style (person-oriented).
- If the task is interesting but ambiguous, non-stressful, unstructured, varied AND subordinates are inexperienced => directive leadership style (task-oriented).
Motivation, Needs and Job Design
Internal (Push Forces)
Characteristics and Context
Characteristics of the individual, characteristics of the job, characteristics of the work situation.
Two-Factor Theory (Motivators and Hygiene)
Two-Factor Theory: Motivators: Recognition, growth, achievement, responsibility, nature of the work.
Needs:
- – for security
- – for self-esteem
- – for achievement
- – for power
– Feedback
– Immediate social environment
Hygiene Factors (Job): Supervision, compensation, benefits, working conditions, relations with co-workers.
Implications of Job Design
Hackman and Oldham’s job characteristics model emphasizes three sets of variables:
- – core job characteristics
- – critical psychological states (e.g., experienced meaningfulness of work)
- – expected outcomes
Other job and work situation items mentioned:
- – Work load
- – Tasks
- – Variety
- – Scope
- – Availability of training
- – Pressure of high levels of output
- – How job is performed
Group Cohesion and Conflict
Cohesion: degree to which members are motivated to remain in the group.
Ways to Promote Cohesion
- – Foster competition with other groups
- – Strengthen interpersonal attraction among group members
- – Generate a record of high performance and past success of the group
Attitudes and Goals
Attitudes about:
- – self
- – job
- – supervisor
- – organization
Goals:
- – task completion
- – performance level
- – career advancement
Managing Group Conflicts
- Leaders should increase the ratio of substantive to relationship conflict; strongly encourage a culture of openness that allows members to express divergent opinions about task methods and objectives.
- Be receptive to novel or creative approaches to coping with the group’s task requirements; clarify and reduce task ambiguities.
- Get the group to focus on goals that emphasize the common interests of all group members; avoid relationship conflicts!
Three Types of Group Conflict
- Task (substantive): conflict that focuses on differences in ideas and courses of action in addressing the issues facing a group – it can be useful sometimes.
- Process: differences of opinion about the procedures a group uses to achieve its goals – it can be useful sometimes.
- Relationship (affective): interpersonal differences among group members that may arise from tasks and ideas – no benefits, should be avoided.
Role ambiguity: why expected behaviors for a group member are not clearly defined.
Role conflict: a group member that faces two or more contrasting sets of expectations.
Dealing with Intergroup Conflict
- Reduce unnecessary relational conflicts in intergroup interaction situations.
- Increase the focus on substantive differences.
- Emphasize organization-wide goals to increase cooperation and performance.