The Psychology of the Leader

By Dr (Mrs) V. Basant Rai

The most critical ingredient for success in an organization is Leadership. Any sector
short of good Leadership has little chance for survival.
Leadership is the process of directing and supporting others in pursuit of the
organisations mission and goals.
The characteristics and personality of leaders are important for them to be effective.
Personality Traits of effective leaders
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Drive: Ambition, energy, tenacity, initiative

Desire to lead
Honesty and Integrity
Self-Confidence
Intelligence

An individual who possesses these traits can be provided with specific training and skills
to develop leadership.
The most important thing for a leader is motivating people to work
There are 2 assumptions about motivation Theory X and Theory Y.
An effective leader recognizes the motivational needs of their employees.
1.
2.
3.

Theory X
Motivated by security

Theory Y
by need for

Motivated
personal
development
Work is inherently distasteful
Work is as natural as play if the
conditions are favourable
Most people are not ambitious, have little Self control is often indispensable in
desire for responsibility and prefer to be achieving organizational goals
directed

4.

5.
6.

Most people have little capacity for creativity The capacity for creativity in solving
in solving organizational problems
organizational problems is widely
distributed in the population
Motivation occurs mostly at the physiological Motivation occurs at the Social, esteem
and safety levels
and self actualization levels as well at
the physiological and safety levels
Most people must be closely controlled and People can be self directed and self
often coerced to achieve organizational motivated and creative at work if
objectives
properly supported

The power of Expectations

Research has shown that there is a direct relationship between leaders level of
expectations and the followers level of performance.
The leaders assumptions about the followers must be accurate and positive about what
they can achieve.
Leaders with positive expectations provide followers with
More direction
More support than those who have negative expectations about their followers.
They positively influence their followers (Leaders must expect the best of them. (Self
fulfillment prophecy). Some of the personality traits can be developed by Training and
experience.
They recognize the needs that motivate their followers and have the highest level of
expectations.
Leadership Behaviour
Research has also focused on the behavior of leaders. Leadership can be defined as a
combination of 2 types of behavior
Task behavior
Relations behavior

Task behavior: Leader behavior focusing on the design and completion of a specific
work. It includes stetting goals, priorities providing direction and instruction and
supervision.
Relations Behaviour: Focuses on satisfying the needs of the people performing the
task and includes providing support and encouragement, answering questions, and
problem-solving with the followers.
Comparison of task behavior and relations behavior.

1
2.
3.
4.
5.

Relations Behaviour
Giving support
Communicating
Facilitating Interactions
Active Listening
Providing Feedback

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Task Behaviour
Goals setting
Organising
Establishing timelines
Directing
Controlling

The different combination of these 2 kinds of behavior is called Leadership Styles. There
was a need to identify by research the leadership style which is most effective.
High

Country Club Management

Low concern for production
High concern for people

Concern for
people

Impoverished Management
Low concern for production
Low concern for people

Team Management
High concern for production
High concern for people

Organisation Man Management

Moderate concern for production
Moderate concern for people
Authority Obedient Management
High concern for production
Low concern for people

Low

Leaders must have skills for team Management Approach. This is achieved through
training and experience to get both task behavior and relations behavior.

3
Concern for production

High

Contingency Leadership
The contingency theory of Leadership says that there is no one best way to lead or
influence people, that it depends on the situation.
Research
Team Management 60% success
Some organizations may need more directive and less personal and others more team
management.
Effective Leadership requires matching the personality of the leader to the needs of the
situation.
The leader contingency model consists of 3 key situational variables that determine
which type of leader is needed.
Matching Leadership style and situation
Key situation
Factors
1 Leader member
relations
2 Task structure
3. Position Power

Combination of situational Factors

Good

Good

Good

Good

Poor

Poor

High High
Low
Strong Weak Strong
Task motivated
Leader

Low
High High
Weak Strong Weak
Relations motivated
Leader

Most Effective

Most effective

Poor

Poor

Low
Low
Strong Weak
Task
Motivated
Leader
Most Effective

Transformational and Leadership

This kind of leadership has been called transactional leadership because the leader
provides rewards, recognition, support and direction as part of the transaction or the
exchange of follower performance towards goals.

The focus is actually on transforming and changing the beliefs, attitudes and needs of the
followers. The transactional leader endeavours to actually transform the beliefs system of
followers, in order to enable them to achieve new significantly higher levels of
performance, capability.
Characteristics of transformational leaders
1. They inspire a shared vision: They have a mission in which they passionately
believe and they tirelessly enter others to share in that mission and help to achieve
them.
2. They challenge the Process: They are unwilling to accept things as they are, they
push for change and they risk mistakes to find better solutions.
3. They unable others to act: They build teams and empower followers.
4. They model the way: They live their beliefs. They communicate their vision
through the consistency of their actions.
5. They encourage the heart: They dramatise encouragement, reward performance and
celebrate winning. They love their people, their customers, their services and their
work.

THE PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS FRAMEWORK

The framework of seven, all-the-time Practical Leadership Skills is always in the
background. Here you can see how it shapes the framework for Overcoming Resistance
to Change.
1. Maintain or enhance the self-esteem of the employee.
Being given full information will enhance their self-esteem; they are not being taken
for granted and they can actively participate.
2. Dont attack the person, FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM

You focus first on the need for change. Next, on the problems this means for the
employee. Then on the problems that the employee sees. Next, on overcoming these.
Finally, on the problem of implementation.
3. Dont assume that the employee has committee an offence.
Dont mistake reluctance for deliberate obstruction (we know that resistance is
legitimate).
4. Encourage the employee to express their opinions and make suggestions.
The Change framework is designed to encourage opinions and suggestions to gain
participation and commitment.
5. Allow the employee adequate time to think through the problem and suggest a
solution.
Time to accept the idea of a change is important. Given time, employees nearest to the
change are often in the best position to think of solutions.
6. Ensure that the employee has an appropriate ACTION programme.
An appropriate action programme could be for the employee to think about the
problems, or give the change a go, or it could be a series of programmed steps.
7. Always set a specific follow-up date.
This lets you discuss new problems, review progress, and congratulate the employee on
success so far.