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Explain why good leadership is critical for success as a manager. Because all managers are in leadership roles and are responsible for motivating, leading, and directing others in organizations to work effectively, productively, and efficiently—having good leadership skills, is critical. |
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Summarize the main theoretical approaches to leadership. Five theoretical approaches to effective leadership have evolved over the years and include the power-influence perspective, the competency perspective, the behavioral perspective, the contingency perspective, and the transformational leadership perspective. All theories attempt to reveal the relationship dynamics of leaders and subordinates. |
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Identify the behaviors and skills that are commonly associated with effective leadership. Trait theories have been explored over the last century in identifying behaviors and skills that are found in effective leadership. These traits include intelligence, motivation, drive, self-confidence, power, strategic thinking ability, achievement motivation, power motivation, charisma, and emotional intelligence. Furthermore, no agreement is found of one trait (competency) over another or assuming that a leader must possess all of the traits. However, most agree that certain situations will respond better to certain traits over others. Effective leadership is explained best by understanding the right mix of organizational situations to appropriate leadership responses. Many leadership theories try to explain this phenomenon. |
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Explain how the right approach to leadership might be influenced by important contingencies. Many theories including Fiedler’s contingency theory, path-goal theory, and leadership substitute theory suggest that leadership behavior is not universally applicable to all situations and that certain contextual situations dictate appropriate leadership behavior. Moreover, a leader’s behavior is either people-oriented or task oriented, depending on the situation or context. |
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Discuss the difference between transformational and transactional leadership. A transactional leader’s role is to run an organization as effectively and efficiently as possible using current organizational objectives and strategies. Conversely, a transformational leader’s role is to reenergize and motivate troubled organizations by guidance into new strategies from older, ineffective or outdated organizational strategies, practices, processes, and mission. |