Free Management Dissertations - The Emphasis Is On The Notion Of Contrasting Free Will Relationships With
The emphasis is on the notion of contrasting free will relationships with followers versus contracts with subordinates. Associated with this is the Greenleaf’s 1977 concept of servant leadership or a long term transformational approach to life and work from a philosophical perspective based on teamwork and community. (Mullins, 1999 and Higgs, 2002)
There is a growing body of literature relating to the emotional aspects of organisational life, especially the aspect of emotional intelligence as an element of leadership. It is not within the scope of this essay to explore the concept in detail but important to note is Goleman’s (1998) p317, definition of emotional intelligence, defined as a person’s self-awareness, self-confidence, self-control, commitment and integrity, and a person’s ability to communicate, influence, initiate change and accept change. Goleman further describes a model of five dimensions with each area incorporating sets of behavioural attributes. (Goleman, 1998 and Higgs, 2002)
Kakabadse and Kakabadse (1999) take an integrative approach to leadership theory, with that of management, and the paradoxical combination of leadership with the practical requirement to management day to day activities in order to maintain the organisation. They identify seven sides of leadership representing leadership elements necessary for success and include a range of critical success factors including cultural, power, politics, and the role of demographics including gender and ethnicity.
The implication for the future research and development in leadership is a willingness to accept the integration of earlier theories with emerging thought and to accept the challenge that other factors such as spiritual leadership may present on both leadership and organisational development.
Defining Leadership
Stogdill, quoted in Yukl, 1989, p252, suggests, there are almost as many definitions of leadership as there are persons who have attempted to define the concept. Yukl, (1989) states that leadership has been defined in terms of individual traits, leader behaviour, interaction patterns, role relationships, follower perceptions, influence on task goals and influence on organisational culture. This confirms the theoretical overview that a definitive model of leadership has yet to emerge.
Johnson and Scholes (2005), and Kakabadse and Kakabadse, (1999) suggest that strategic leadership within an organisation is not necessarily determined by hierarchal position but rather someone is who in a position to have influence. This flows from the transformational school of leadership theory which differentiates visionary leadership that energises organisations, from transactional leadership which manages design, process, and control.
Bryman, (1999) stares that there are three common elements in most definitions namely: influence, groups, and goals.
