Free Management Dissertations - A Third School Of Situational Or Contingency Theorists Then Emerged, Whose
A third school of situational or contingency theorists then emerged, whose focus was based on the underlying assumption that the leader and leadership context is determinable and can be categorised. The implication was that not every leader is suited to every context and the individual must develop heightened self awareness and situation specific analytical skills to operate successfully. (Mullins, 1999 and Kakabadse and Kakabadse, 1999)
Late 20th century trends of leadership research focussed on what leaders actually do, the determinants of leadership effectiveness, including the impact of leaders on followers, and related performance issues. Arguably the trend for competency based recruitment processes, psychometric profiling and type indicator tests such as the Myer-Briggs, have their roots in trait theory. Equally so, the popular work of Goleman, (2002) on emotional intelligence, Burns and Bass’s work on transformational leadership, and the attribution of charisma to a leader by Kanungo and Conger, (1998) can be considered as an advanced forms of traits study. (Mullins, 1999 and Kakabadse and Kakabadse, 1999)
Similarly, work founded in the behaviourist school by Lipman-Blumen, (1992), explores the human need for leadership that is born out of childhood influences, and explains how these relate to leadership style. An extension of her work is the connective leadership model suggesting that interdependence and diversity are pulling workforces in opposite directions and rendering traditional styles of leadership obsolete. Organisations are seen to be interdependent in a political, environmental, and economic sense, while diversity is seen in individualism, ethnic pride, and racially-mixed workforces. With the ongoing acquisitions and mergers frenzy, and a decline in union power, management and unions have slowly learned about interdependence. She argues that connective leaders have priorities beyond profit maximisation, and use what the author terms denatured Machiavellianism that means leaders use themselves and others as instruments to help reach principled and ethical goals. Another example is Kouze and Pozner’s 1998 work on elements of effective leadership from a follower’s perspective.
Kotter’s 1990 differentiation between leaders and managers links into Bass’s transformational model which identifies different sets of behaviours and characteristics (transformational versus transactional leadership) required in situations of organisational transformation in contrast to situations of stability. Transformational leadership is considered charismatic and inspirational by providing a common purpose or mission underpinned by intellectual stimulation and individualised concern for feelings, aspirations, and personal development.
