Outstanding Leadership Theory

(noun)

A model that defines ten traits that exceptional leaders possess; an expansion of the Path-Goal model.

Related Terms

Examples of Outstanding Leadership Theory in the following topics:

  • Leadership and Task/Follower Characteristics: House

    • In 1971, Robert House introduced his version of a contingent theory of leadership known as the Path-Goal theory.
    • House's leadership styles include:
    • House and Podsakoff attempted to summarize the behaviors and approaches of "outstanding leaders" that they obtained from some more modern theories and research findings.
    • Using the Path-Goal model as a framework, their Outstanding Leadership Theory (OLT) expanded the list of leadership behaviors required to channel follower's motivations and goals more effectively toward the leader's vision:
    • Identify the leadership and task/follower characteristics identified by Robert House in the Path-Goal theory (1971)

  • Four Theories of Leadership

    • Theories of effective leadership include the trait, contingency, behavioral, and full-range theories.
    • Experts have proposed several theories, including the trait, behavioral, contingency, and full-range models of leadership.
    • According to this approach, called contingency theory, no single psychological profile or set of enduring traits links directly to effective leadership.
    • In other words, contingency theory proposes that effective leadership is contingent on factors independent of an individual leader.
    • The full-range theory of leadership is a component of transformational leadership, which enhances motivation and morale by connecting the employee's sense of identity to a project and the collective identity of the organization.

  • A Blended Approach to Leadership

    • The full-range leadership theory blends the features of transactional and transformational leadership into one comprehensive approach.
    • The full-range theory of leadership seeks to blend the best aspects of transactional and transformational leadership into one comprehensive approach.
    • Transactional leadership focuses on exchanges between leaders and followers.
    • Management researcher Bernard Bass developed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), consisting of 36 items that reflect the leadership aspects associated with both approaches.
    • Assess the intrinsic value of blending transactional leadership behaviors with transformational leadership behaviors

  • Leadership Model: University of Michigan

    • The Michigan behavioral studies are an important link in the ongoing development of behavioral theory in a leadership framework.
    • The recognition of leaders and the development of leadership theory have evolved over centuries.
    • Leadership research continues as scholars observe, identify, and promote the emergence of new leadership styles and behaviors in the 21st century.
    • These theories evaluate the relationship of the leader to organizational members and examine styles of leadership, adding to the general knowledge of leader behavior and effectiveness.
    • Discuss the Michigan Leadership Studies generated in the 1950s and 1960s in the broader context of behavioral approaches to leadership

  • Leadership Styles

    • Cohen, the senior vice president for Right Management's Leadership Development Center of Excellence, describes the engaging leadership style as communicating relevant information to employees and involving them in important decisions.
    • This leadership style can help retain employees for the long term.
    • Under the autocratic leadership style, decision-making power is centralized in the leader.
    • Bass used Burns's ideas to develop his own theory of transformational leadership.
    • Different situations call for particular leadership styles.

  • Leadership Traits

    • Early trait theory proposed that merely a few personality traits have the ability to determine the success of a leader.
    • Researchers now attest that while trait theory may still apply, individuals can and do emerge as leaders across a variety of situations and tasks.
    • These models rests on two basic premises about leadership traits.
    • The second premise suggests that leadership traits differ in their proximal (direct) influence on leadership.
    • This diagram shows one contemporary theory of the essential traits of a leader.

  • Leadership

    • Leadership is the process by which an individual mobilizes people and resources to achieve a goal.
    • Leadership is one of the most important concepts in management, and many researchers have proposed theories and frameworks for understanding it.
    • Some have distinguished among types of leadership such as charismatic, heroic, and transformational leadership.
    • The many dimensions of leadership indicate how complex a notion it is and how difficult effective leadership can be.
    • Abraham Lincoln is considered a model of leadership.

  • The Trait-Theory Approach

    • According to trait leadership theory, effective leaders have in common a pattern of personal characteristics that support their ability to mobilize others toward a shared vision.
    • Following studies of trait leadership, most leader traits can be organized into four groups:
    • The model rests on two basic premises about leadership traits.
    • The second premise maintains that the traits differ in how directly they influence leadership.
    • This diagram visually represents Zaccaro's theory that distal attributes (e.g., cognitive abilities, personality, values) serve as precursors for the development of proximal personal characteristics (e.g. social skills, problem-solving skills), both of which contribute to leadership.

  • Leadership Model: The Ohio State University

    • Prior to 1945, most studies of leadership sought to identify the individual traits of effective leaders.
    • Trait theories of leadership were the first to approach leadership study systematically.
    • This dimension of leadership style is people-oriented.
    • This leadership style is task-oriented.
    • Discuss the results of the Ohio State University Leadership Model research study of 1945

  • Leadership and Followers: Hersey and Blanchard

    • Hersey and Blanchard's model defines effective leadership based on leadership style and maturity of follower(s).
    • Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard introduced their theory of situational leadership in the 1969 book Management of Organizational Behavior.
    • Situational leadership states that there is no single, ideal approach to leadership because different types of leadership are required in different contexts.
    • The Hersey and Blanchard model explains effective leadership in terms of two variables: leadership style and the maturity of the follower(s).
    • The various combinations of high and low task and relationship behaviors suggest four leadership roles: