From Citizen to Leader: Building a Leadership Base
Goal
To enable participants to develop their leadership philosophy through the discussion and comparison of leadership styles, attributes, and responsibilities.
Objectives
This seminar will help participants to:
- Prepare for future leadership roles and responsibilities.
- Identify three leadership styles.
- Apply leadership skills to current workplace challenges and opportunities.
- Recognize and appreciate attributes of effective leaders.
- Help enhance and improve Penn State’s workplace climate.
Penn State Emerging Leaders1 Center for Workplace Learning & Performance
Prepare for Future Leadership Roles and Responsibilities
To prepare for future leadership roles and responsibilities at Penn State, it is important to understand the difference between management and leadership.
“To manage” may mean to get people together to collectively accomplish goals and objectives. Management comprises planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling an organization to accomplish a goal. The manager may have human resources, financial resources, and technological resources at his or her disposal.
“To lead” can be described any number of ways. It may mean to influence other people to support accomplishing a common task. Or it may mean to create a way for people to make something extraordinary happen. Or is it to simply have followers?
The best way to look at these is to show examples of what managers do and what leaders do.
At the end of this exercise, you should see that managers can lead and leaders can manage. Their roles may overlap but, generally, we view managers as maintaining the status quo and leaders as trying to “move forward” with a vision for the organization.
So what do managers and leaders actually do?
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Learning From Others
What do you know about different styles of leadership? Is there one best way to lead? We’ll discuss these issues as we examine the leadership habits of five famous and diverse people.
Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., George S. Patton, Jr., Rosa Parks, Indira Gandhi
Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) served as the 16th President of the United States from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led the country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserved the Union, and ended slavery. Reared in a poor family on the western frontier, he was mostly self-educated. He became a country lawyer, an Illinois state legislator, and a one-term member of the United States House of Representatives, but failed in two attempts at a seat in the United States Senate. He was an affectionate (though often absent) husband, and father of four children.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African American civil rights movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. In 1963, Dr. King led The March on Washington where he delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. There he expanded American values to include the vision of a colorblind society and established his reputation as one of the greatest orators in American history. In 1964, Dr. King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and other nonviolent means.
George S. Patton, Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his controversial outspokenness. In World War I, he was the first officer assigned to the new United States Tank Corps and saw action in France. In World War II, he commanded corps and armies in North Africa, Sicily, and the European Theater of Operations. Near the end of the Sicilian campaign, he jeopardized his career by slapping a soldier (whom he regarded as a coward) while the soldier was recuperating from battle fatigue at a hospital. Relieved of his command by Allied Supreme Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower over the well-publicized incident, Patton was relegated to acting as a decoy in Operation Quicksilver instead of playing a major part in the Normandy landings and Operation Overlord; however, he was later given command of the U.S. Third Army and ably led it in breaking out of the hedgerows of Normandy and across France.
Rosa Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005)) was an African American civil rights activist, whom the U.S. Congress later called "the first lady of civil rights", and "the mother of the freedom movement." On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks refused to obey bus driver James Blake's order that she give up her seat to make room for a white passenger. Parks' action sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Parks' act of defiance became an important symbol of the modern Civil Rights Movement.
Indira Gandhi (November 19, 1917– October 31, 1984) was the third Prime Minister of the Republic of India for three consecutive terms from 1966 to 1977 and for a fourth term from 1980 until her assassination in 1984, a total of fifteen years. India's only female prime minister to date, she is the world's longest serving female Prime Minister. She was also the only Indian Prime Minister to have declared an emergency in order to 'rule by decree' and the only Indian Prime Minister to have been imprisoned.
- How were their leadership styles different?
- How were their leadership styles similar?
- Which person’s style was “correct”?
Three Leadership Styles
In 1939, a group of researchers led by the famous psychologist Dr. Kurt Lewin attempted to identify different styles of leadership. The team determined there are three types of leadership styles.
Autocratic (or authoritarian) leaders provide clear expectations for what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be done. There is a clear divide between the leader and the followers. Authoritarian leaders make decisions independently, with little or no input from the group. Decision-making is less creative under authoritarian leadership. It is more difficult to move from an authoritarian style to a democratic style than vice versa. This style is usually viewed as controlling, bossy, and dictatorial. Authoritarian leadership is best applied to situations where there is little time for group decision-making or where the leader is the most knowledgeable member of the group.
Democratic (or participative) leadership is generally the most effective leadership style. Democratic leaders offer guidance to group members, but they also participate in group decisions and allow input from other group members. Participative leaders encourage group members to participate, but retain the final say over the decision-making process. Group members feel engaged in the process and are more motivated and creative.
Laissez-faire (or delegative or “free reign”) leaders offer little or no guidance to group members and leave decision-making up to group members. Followers under Laissez-faire leadership are generally the least productive of all three groups. Employees in this group make more demands on the leader, show little cooperation, and are sometimes unable to work independently. While this style can be effective in situations where group members are highly qualified in an area of expertise, it often leads to poorly defined roles and a lack of motivation.
Further Exploration of These Styles
It would seem upon reading the descriptions above that the democratic style is the “best” style of leadership. For day-to-day operations, that is true. But are there times when each style is appropriate? Absolutely! The “correct” leadership style is not always the democratic style. Styles are very situation-dependent and everyone’s workplace situation is different. You will find yourself transitioning from one style to another as various situations develop.
For example, if there is an emergency which requires immediate action, the autocratic style is wholly appropriate. Where quick, decisive action is required, this is the style needed. If there is a fire breaking out in the building, you don’t need to call a committee meeting to determine what to do. You need a leader to assign tasks immediately. This quick decisiveness would, in this example, save property and lives. Getting the staff together to collaboratively decide the next course of action would not.
How about laissez-faire leadership? Notice the qualifying phrase, “generally the least productive,” in the description of the laissez-faire leader. Be careful of that simplification. There are, indeed, circumstances where the laissez-faire leader is the most appropriate style.
As an example, suppose you are in charge of a small group of employees. Each employee is exceptionally motivated to perform his or her job because specific tasks are highly satisfying (i.e., challenging tasks fulfill a motivational need). These employees may also be highly educated and have been in their careers a relatively long time. You may not even have the knowledge to perform their jobs well because they probably know much more about their specific responsibilities than you do.
However, you’re still in charge. That is, you are responsible to ensure all daily operations are accomplished. Yet you rely so much on the expertise, background, corporate knowledge, and honed skills of your employees that you don’t need to provide many incentives or much coaching to motivate your team. The style you may apply is laissez-faire. Just let your people do their jobs. Step aside and let them work. As long as they are doing their jobs to your satisfaction, don’t mess it up by trying to “improve near-perfection.”
Apply Leadership Skills to Current Workplace
Challenges and Opportunities
It is time to reflect a bit about leadership styles.
Please list what you believe to be your two or three greatest leadership skills. How will you apply these at work? Don’t over-analyze. What comes to mind immediately?
What are your greatest leadership skills?(list separately) / How will you apply this skill at work?
Attributes of Effective Leaders
What are some attributes of effective leaders that you have seen?
Note: attributes differ from responsibilities of leaders. Responsibilities are fundamental to filling a position in an organization; attributes are developed by character.
Which of these attributes is most important in a leader? Why?
In his book, Leadership is an Art, Max DePree writes that the art of leadership is liberating people to do what is required of them in the most effective and humane way possible. Thus, the leader is the “servant” of his followers in that he removes obstacles that prevent them from doing their jobs. In short, the true leader enables his or her followers to realize their full potential.
In David Cottrell’s book, Listen Up, Leader!, he suggests that character matters. He mentions things like keeping promises, standing up for what you think is important, being fair, and doing what you say you are going to do.
Cottrell also says employees want:
- Leaders to tell them (the employees) how they think employees are doing.
- Leaders to show they care.
- Leaders to know that what they reward gets done!
Working in a small group, list responsibilities and attributes of excellent leaders in the chart below. Everyone in your group must agree that each responsibility or attribute is valid.
Responsibilities are fundamental to filling a position in an organization; attributes are developed by character.
Responsibilities of excellent leaders(things leaders often do) / Attributes of excellent leaders (characteristics of most leaders)
Example: lead change efforts / Example: integrity
Example: set goals / Example: high-quality interpersonal skills
Also consider, how do good leaders fail?
Emotional Intelligence (EI)
What is Emotional Intelligence (EI)? Why is it so important to Penn State’s varied workforce? Let’s explore the concept by first defining EI and then looking at some attributes of people who have learned to use EI to enhance their leadership abilities.
EI is your ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others. It is also your ability to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships.
It affects how we manage behavior, navigate social complexities, and make decisions.
Some observations about EI
There is no known connection between IQ (intelligence quotient) and EQ (or “emotional quotient” – a measure of emotional and social behavior that provides an estimate of one's emotional intelligence). You can’t predict EQ based on how smart someone is. Similarly, you can’t use personality to predict EQ. People who prefer to be with other people (extroverts) are no more emotionally intelligent than people who prefer to be alone (introverts). However, both IQ and personality do not change, whereas EI is a learned, flexible skill. The one variable you can develop to help your relationships at work is not intelligence or your personality – it is your EI.
Emotions are derived from five core feelings: happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and shame. We may have different intensities of these five feelings. For example, we may feel elated (high happiness), cheerful, (medium happiness), or content (low happiness). How about anger? We could be furious, upset, or annoyed (again, high to low). We are subject to a constant stream of emotions and it is easy to forget that we react emotionally to almost everything in our lives without noticing. Feelings are neither “right” nor “wrong.” They simply “are.” So we must try to develop a sixth sense to determine why we feel certain emotions and then react appropriately to life’s developments. In other words, EI suggests we can learn to become aware of our emotions and then manage them to our advantage.
The Four Skills of EI
Four skills comprise the EI concept: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. These can be categorized under personal and social competencies.
Personal competence is about you. Social competence is how you are with other people.
Self-awareness is your ability to accurately perceive your own emotions in the moment and understand your tendencies across situations.
Emotions we experience seem to surface anywhere, anytime. It is important for you to understand why you react to emotions as you do. Situations that create stronger emotions will require more thought and reflection to keep you from doing something you may regret.
Self-awareness is about developing an honest understanding of what makes you tick. People high in self-awareness understand what they do well, what motivates them, what satisfies them, and what pushes their buttons.
Self-management is what happens when you act—or do not act. It depends on your self-awareness. Self-management is your ability to use your awareness of your emotions to stay flexible and direct your behavior positively. You manage your reactions to situations and people.
Social awareness is your ability to accurately pick up on emotions in other people and understand what is really going on with them. You perceive what they are thinking and feeling, even if you don’t feel the same way. Listening and observing are the two elements of social awareness. Listen well and observe what’s happening. Stop talking and listen. Don’t anticipate what the other person is about to say; stop thinking ahead to develop a counterargument. Watch people interact. This takes practice and discipline.
Relationship management taps into the other three skills. It is the ability to use your awareness of your own emotions and those of others to manage interactions successfully. This ensures we communicate clearly and handle conflict well. Relationship management is the bond you develop over time with coworkers and friends. We benefit from connecting with many people. Developing these solid relationships should be sought and cherished.
Managing relationships is hardest for people during times of stress.
Practical strategies for you to enhance and improve your workplace climate using EI are listed in the appendix. We encourage you to review these prior to the next seminar.
Self-Reflection
Before the next seminar, journal some thoughts in your learning log as to how you see yourself in the areas of self-awareness and self-management. Do you think you really interpret your emotions accurately? How flexible are you as you attempt to direct your behavior at work? Be thoughtful and pensive as you reflect on these EI concepts.
Appendix
Emotional Intelligence Strategies; Penn State’s Key Leadership Values
In their book, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves provide some strategies to help you develop in these four areas. A short synopsis of each strategy is listed here.
Self-Awareness Strategies
Quit treating your feelings as good or bad. By judging and labeling your emotions, you can’t really understand what it is you are feeling.
Observe the ripple effect from your emotions. Understand that your emotions affect other people. When you lose your cool, it affects everyone who witnesses your emotional “explosion.”