THEORIES OF

LEADERSHIP

 

What is Leadership?

Leadership as a process or relationship

  Leadership as a combination of

traits or personality characteristics

Leadership as certain behaviors, as they are more commonly referred to, leadership skills

Leadership

is a process that involves influence with a group of people toward the realization of goals.

TRAIT THEORY This theory postulates that people are either born or not born with the qualities that predispose them to success in leadership roles. That certain inherited qualities, such as personality and cognitive ability are what underlie effective leadership.

SKILLS THEORY  

This theory states that learned knowledge and acquired skills or abilities are significant factors in the practice of effective leadership.

SITUATIONAL THEORY

This theory suggests that different situations require different styles of leadership. That is, to be effective in leadership requires the ability to adapt or adjust one’s style to the circumstances of the situation.

 

CONTINGENCY THEORY

This theory states that a leader’s effectiveness is contingent on how well the leader’s style matches a specific setting or situation.

PATH- GOAL THEORY

This theory is about how leaders motivate followers to accomplish identified objectives.

It postulates that effective leaders have the ability to improve the motivation of followers by clarifying the paths and removing obstacles to high performance and desired objectives.

 

TRANSFORMATIONAL THEORY

This theory states that leadership is the process by which a person engages with others and is able to create a connection that result in increased motivation and morality in both followers and leaders.

It is often likened to the theory of charismatic leadership that espouses that leaders with certain qualities, such as confidence, extroversion, and clearly stated values, are the best able to motivate followers.

 

TRANSACTIONAL THEORY

This is a theory that focuses on the exchanges that take place between leaders and followers.

It is based in the notion that a leader’s job is to create structures that make it abundantly clear what is expected of his/her followers and also the consequences for meeting or not meeting these expectations.

SERVANT LEADERSHIP THEORY  

This conceptualization of leadership reflects a philosophy that leader’s should be servants first. The idea of servant leadership has a significant amount of popularity within leadership circles but it is difficult to describe it as a theory inasmuch as a set of beliefs and values that leaders are encouraged to embrace.

 

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