What is Leadership? - Business School

1 what is leadership ? leadership South West Research Report 1. Richard Bolden July 2004. Contents leadership South West 3 Based at the University of Exeter's Introduction Centre for leadership Studies and Defining leadership 4 supported by the South West Regional Development Agency, leadership South leadership and Management 6. West is a major regional initiative to Theories of leadership 9 improve the uptake and provision of leadership development in the Southwest leadership Competencies 15. of England. leadership and Performance 19. By working with key partners, agencies The Shadow Side of leadership 25 and businesses in the Region we aim to enhance awareness of the value of The Future of leadership 28. leadership development and to improve Further Reading and Resources 31 the availability, relevance and effectiveness of all forms of support, References 32. education and policy. Appendix 1: Portfolio of Activities 36. A summary of our main activities is given in Appendix 1.

2 For further information please visit our website. Acknowledgements The current report was written by leadership South West Richard Bolden on behalf of leadership XFI Building South West. I would like to thank my University of Exeter colleagues Jackie Bagnall, Peter Case, Rennes Drive Elaine Dunn, Jonathan Gosling and Exeter EX4 4ST. Martin Wood for their valuable input and United Kingdom comments. I would also like to thank Tel: 01392 262578. the South West Regional Development Fax: 01392 262559. Agency for their support of this project. Email: Copyright 2004. leadership South West This report is available electronically on All rights reserved. our website. 2 Introduction Welcome to the first in a series of seems, is increasingly becoming the research reports from leadership South panacea of the 21st Century. West, which gives an introduction to Amidst this flurry of activity, however, a some of the key issues in the field of number of concerns arise.

3 There is no leadership , including what is it, how can widely accepted definition of leadership , it be measured and what impact does it no common consensus on how best to have upon performance? This report develop leadership and leaders, and does not claim to be the definitive guide remarkably little evidence of the impact to all things leadership , but rather to of leadership or leadership development present some of the most significant on performance and productivity. concepts and debates to have emerged Indeed, most initiatives appear to in recent years. actively avoid addressing these issues leadership is currently one of the most and simply opt for the feel good factor of talked about issues in Business and doing something about it whatever it'. organisation. It is hard to turn on the may be! television, open a newspaper or attend a Whilst action is frequently preferable to conference without coming across inaction, without at least some numerous references to leaders, understanding of the underlying leadership and leading.

4 A search of the principles and assumptions about website in Spring 2003. leadership and leadership development, revealed 11,686 results for the word it is likely that action may be misguided leadership ' alone and similar searches of at least reducing its possible the Ebsco Business and management effectiveness and at worst damaging publications database reveal an what was there in the first place. The exponential increase in the number of intention of this report, therefore, is to published articles on leadership , from challenge some of the more popularist 136 in 1970-71, to 258 in 1980-81, and stereotypical notions of leadership 1,105 in 1990-91, and a staggering and to offer some insights into 10,062 in 2001-02 (an average of 419. alternative ways of conceiving and articles per month) (Storey, 2004). addressing the issue. The recent focus on leadership is an leadership South West will continue to international phenomenon, as is produce these research reports on a increased investment in leadership and regular basis, with each addressing a management development.

5 In the US, different theme of regional, national and for example, Fulmer (1997) estimated an international importance. The second annual corporate expenditure of $45. report, due in early 2005, will explore billion in 1997 (up from $10 billion one the issue of leadership development, decade before) and Sorenson (2002). comparing and contrasting a wide range identified 900 college or university of different approaches and offering leadership programmes (double that of guidance as how best to structure and four years earlier), over 100 specialist deliver leadership development within a degrees and a wide range of related given context. activities. In addition to this, we will also be Similar trends are occurring in the UK. conducting our own research and and Europe. leadership is regarded as supporting regional organisations with the key enabler' in the European their research to encourage a more Foundation for Quality Management focussed and critical perspective within (EFQM) Business Excellence Model the South West.

6 Should you be (EFQM, 2000) and has become a central interested in exploring opportunities for focus for numerous other public, private collaboration, sharing research findings and voluntary sector development and/or networking with other leadership initiatives. Recent years have seen researchers in the Region please do not centres of excellence in leadership hesitate to contact us. established for nearly all parts of the public sector, including health, defence, We hope you find this report interesting, education and police. leadership , it useful and inspiring! 3. Defining leadership The topic of leadership has been of leadership appears to be, like power, interest for many hundreds of years, an essentially contested concept' . from the early Greek philosophers such (Gallie, 1955 cited in Grint, 2004, p1). as Plato and Socrates to the plethora of Grint (2004) identifies four problems management and leadership gurus, that make consensus on a common whose books fill airport bookshops.

7 Definition of leadership highly unlikely. Seldom, however, has the need for Firstly, there is the process' problem a effective leadership been voiced more lack of agreement on whether leadership strongly than now. It is argued that in is derived from the personal qualities this changing, global environment, ( traits) of the leader, or whether a leadership holds the answer not only to leader induces followership through what the success of individuals and s/he does ( a social process). organisations, but also to sectors, Secondly, there is the position' problem regions and nations. is the leader in charge ( with "Our productivity as a nation is formally allocated authority) or in front already lagging behind our ( with informal influence)? A third competitors in North America and problem is one of philosophy' does the Europe. By tackling our management leader exert an intentional, causal and leadership deficit with real vigour, influence on the behaviour of followers we will unlock the doors to increased or are their apparent actions determined productivity, maximise the benefits of by context and situation or even innovation, gain advantage from attributed retrospectively?

8 A fourth technological change and create the difficulty is one of purity' is leadership conditions for a radical transformation embodied in individuals or groups and is of public services. (DfES, 2002) it a purely human phenomenon? Despite recognition of the importance of In addition to these relatively theoretical leadership , however, there remains a contentions Grint also distinguishes certain mystery as to what leadership between attitudes towards coercion. actually is or how to define it. In a Some definitions of leadership restrict it review of leadership research, Stogdill to purely non-coercive influence towards (1974, ) concluded that there are shared (and socially acceptable). almost as many definitions of leadership objectives. Within such frameworks the as there are persons who have likes of Hitler, Stalin and Saddam attempted to define the concept - and Hussein would not be seen as leaders, that was 30 years ago! but rather as tyrants working solely for their own benefit and depending on At the heart of the problem of defining threat, violence and intimidation rather leadership lie two fundamental than the more subtle processes of difficulties.

9 Firstly, like notions such as interpersonal influence more frequently love', freedom' and happiness', associated with true' leadership . Such leadership is a complex construct open distinctions, however, are always to subjective interpretation. Everyone problematic as the actions of nearly all has their own intuitive understanding of leaders could be perceived more or less what leadership is, based on a mixture of beneficially by certain individuals and experience and learning, which is difficult groups. to capture in a succinct definition. Secondly, the way in which leadership is Scholars should remind us that defined and understood is strongly leadership is not a moral concept. influenced by one's theoretical stance. Leaders are like the rest of us: There are those who view leadership as trustworthy and deceitful, cowardly the consequence of a set of traits or and brave, greedy and generous. To characteristics possessed by leaders', assume that all leaders are good whilst others view leadership as a social people is to be wilfully blind to the process that emerges from group reality of the human condition, and it relationships.

10 Such divergent views will severely limits our scope for becoming always result in a difference of opinion more effective at leadership .. about the nature of leadership . (Kellerman, 2004, p45). 4. The psychodynamic approach, made not through coercion, but through famous by researchers at the Tavistock personal motivation. Which definition Institute, adds further areas for you accept should be a matter of choice, consideration: what are the informed by your own predispositions, psychological factors that encourage organisational situation and beliefs, but people to become leaders or followers, with an awareness of the underlying and what is it about groups, assumptions and implications of your organisations and societies that gives particular approach. rise the perception of leadership '? This .. leadership is like the Abominable approach emphasises the importance of Snowman, whose footprints are understanding self and others and, everywhere but who is nowhere to be through this, understanding the seen.