Leadership Skills

History of Leadership

Leadership is found in every group, organization, and business; however, there is no global definition of leadership. Most people see leadership as a person having 1) influence over processes and people and 2) specific personality traits and behaviors while influencing other people. Leadership is often seen as being different than management. Leaders influence other people, and managers get tasks done.

Leadership Theories

The first defined leadership theory was the Great Man Theory, which appeared about 1840. This theory emphasized that only men could be leaders, and the ability to become a leadership was innate. The traits identified were intelligence and dominance. The concept was made popular by Thomas Carlyle and his book On Heroes, Hero Worship, and the Heroic in History.

Group Theory was the belief that as groups form, leadership emerges. This theory emerged in the 1930s.

In the 1940s, a group of researchers studying boys playing after school identified three leadership styles:  Autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire.  These three are still references today.

• Authoritarian:  This type of leader believes in direct supervision of subordinates. The leader is in charge, and those following the leader must behave as directed. It is rigid, but this type of leadership is good in some situations, such as the military. There are generally no disagreements about decisions because the leader has complete control. Decisions are made quickly.
• Democratic:  This type of leader shares the decision-making with members of the group.  With this type of leader, everyone contributes to the final decision, thus empowering members to speak up and become involved. As a rule, a democratic leadership style improves productivity and increases moral; however, there may be conflict about decisions if some member’s ideas are not incorporated. It takes time to consult and come to a decision.
• Laissez-faire:  In this leadership style, there is no leader—every person is empowered to make a decision regarding the work at hand. This style is appropriate for situations where skilled or experienced members work independently without need for interaction.

Next came the belief that a person was born with leadership qualities, and one could not learn to become a leader. This became known as Trait Theory and focused on intelligence, responsible behavior, creativity, and other human traits. Trait theory was popularized by Gordon Allport in his book Becoming which was based on his lectures at Yale University in 1954.

About the same time, Behavioral Theory emerged. Behavioral theory focused on specific behaviors rather than mental or social traits. These behaviors were being supportive, having a people-oriented view, communicating directly, and being task oriented. Behavioral theory divided leaders about whether leadership was about completing tasks or working with people.

In the 1960s, Situational Theory emerged because leaders believed that there was not one leadership style that worked in every situation. This theory made the connection between the situation and the skills and abilities required in that specific situation. Other related theories are Contingency Leadership and the Decision-making Model.

Also developed in the 1960s, Relational Theory was based on the relationships between leaders and followers. The theory believed that a high-quality relationship was built on trust and respect, whereas a low-quality relationship was to fulfill obligations.

Transactional Leadership followed in the 1970s, and it was characterized as viewing leadership as a transaction between a leader and the followers. The transaction was seen to have motivational value, and successful leaders must motivate followers to complete tasks. The focus for transactional leaders was to develop a reinforcing environment so that both the followers and the organization were achieving goals. Structure is in place, and rules are obeyed.

In the late 1970s, Charismatic Leadership was coined for those who lead because of their strong emotional appeal to followers. Charismatic leaders had power, self-confidence, and strong convictions, and they communicated their vision with high expectations and confidence.

About the same time, Transformational Leadership was identified as one built on trust and empowerment. Transformational leaders were seen as inspiring and motivational viewing rules as guidelines rather than rigid.

Servant Leadership has roots in ancient history, religion, and philosophy. The term, "servant leadership," was coined in the 1970s following Robert K. Greenleaf's book, "The Servant as Leader." Servant leaders believe that serving others comes before becoming a leader. Other related theories are Ethical Leadership or Functional Leadership.

Leadership theories continue to evolve, and new definitions and practices emerge. A few of the new theories are cross-cultural leadership, primal leadership, and new leadership theory. As long as there is a market for people wanting to learn leadership skills, there will be new concepts presented.