UNIT 2 – STYLES OF LEADERSHIP

I. Read the following text and see if you can find answers to some of the
questions above.

Styles of leadership

In the work situation it has become increasingly clear that managers can no
longer rely solely on the use of their position in the hierarchical structure as a
means of exercising the functions of leadership. In order to get the best results
from subordinates the manager must also have regard for the need to encourage
high morale, a spirit of involvement and co-operation and a willingness to work.
This gives rise to consideration of the style of leadership.
Leadership style is the way in which the functions of leadership are carried
out, the way in which the manager typically behaves towards members of the
group.
The development of behavioral science has drawn attention to the processes
of interpersonal behavior in the work situation and to the effects of leadership on
those being led. The attention given to leadership style is based on the assumption
that subordinates are more likely to work effectively for managers who adopt a
certain style of leadership than they will for managers who adopt alternative styles.
There are six leadership styles: authoritative leadership, coaching style,
democratic leadership, affiliative leadership, pace-setting style and coercive style.
Authoritative leadership means giving a real sense of direction that is
ambitious, but realistic. It means having a vision, without lapsing into fantasy. An
authoritative leader never loses sight of the core purpose of the business and
understands that this overriding sense of purpose is also the matter that most
motivates employees. He/she can easily rise above internal politics, bureaucracy to
see things from a customer’s perspective and remind people within the
organization what they are there for.
A leader sets the vision, defines the culture and sets norms and values for the
organization. He/she encourages and coaches people, but will discipline them if
they have broken the agreed norms and rules. Even when working with bright,
successful individuals, it is imperative to establish clear norms. The authoritative
leader makes decisions, determines policy and procedures for achieving goals and
exerts total control in providing rewards and applying punishments.
The next most effective leadership style in the long term is the coaching
style. Coaching is the ability to bring out the best in others. If an analogy with a
team game is taken, the basketball player who is brilliant but never passes to a
team mate is going to be much less successful than one who brings others into
play. Mature leaders who are comfortable with the coaching role will take as much
pleasure from a subordinate completing a project or clinching a deal as they would
if they had carried out the task themselves. The key to unlocking the coach and
mentor in a manager is abandoning fear and insecurity, suppressing the irrational
instinct that is holding back a subordinate’s development and even the
development of the organization and of the manager (because he could learn from
the subordinate and gain the credit for bringing out the best of him).
Chances to win orders are being squandered and the probability of losing
skills to a competitor is increased if the subordinate is thwarted in his ambition to
develop. He will not be motivated to make his contribution to achieving the agreed
strategic goals.
The democratic style is where the focus is more with the organization as a
whole and there is greater interaction within the organization. The leadership
functions are shared with members of the group. The group members have a
greater say in decision making, determination of policy and implementation of
procedures. This style works well when employees are highly motivated, the goals
are clear, but there is a need to elicit ideas from the team as to how to achieve the
objectives.
The most effective part of the democratic style is the empowerment and
motivation people gain from having information shared. They can understand
better the need for following difficult decisions. The pitfalls are that decisions are
made too slowly due to the time wasted in meetings searching for an elusive
consensus. The democratic style does not have a positive effect on organizational
climate as compared to the authoritative style or the coaching style of leadership.
The pure democratic style is only useful every now and then, but a dose of it
incorporated with other styles can be tremendously effective.
Affiliative leadership means maintaining harmonious relationships above all
else. An affiliative leader goes to great lengths to ensure that people relate well
together and that strong bonds between leader and team members are established.
He will frequently treat the team to a meal out, celebrating openly and making sure
no one is left out and any resentment or injustice is allowed to fester.
Communication and trust are high priorities and formidable bonds of loyalty and
commitment can be engendered, with positive effect on teamwork. People give of
themselves above and beyond the call of duty because they feel a strong emotional
attachment to those they are working for.
This style is particularly effective in restoring teamwork where it has been
badly damaged by excessive coercion in the recent past. Problems with the
affiliative style are fairly obvious. As with the democratic style, important
decisions can be left unmade while participation is prioritized. The emphasis on
praise and harmony can lead to poor or lazy performance left unchallenged, which
actually poisons working relationships. If , for example, an individual often feigns
illness or leaves early, with the result that the rest of the team stay late to cover for
him, the manager damages workplace relationships, as well as performance, by
neglecting to discipline the errant individual.
The affiliative style can be used effectively in combination with the
authoritative style. This may sound like a marriage of opposites, but setting goals
and a vision for an organization and leaving individuals and teams considerable
autonomy in determining the means to achieve those goals can be extremely
fruitful.
The pace-setting style is to be found in introverted individuals who are
technical experts and have been promoted to leadership positions without having
the necessary leadership skills developed. They tend to carry out too many tasks
themselves, either because that is the role that suits them best or because they do
not trust others to get it right. Their reluctance to delegate, however, can be
demotivating for their subordinates as they have insufficient autonomy and
diminished opportunity to hone their skills.
Pace-setting is valuable in organizations where highly talented but lazy
individuals need a strong role model and high standards to be imposed. The degree
of interpersonal rivalry that the pace- setter unintentionally introduces can lead to
high performance, provided the team has the requisite skills and a clear goal,
meaning that the authoritative and coaching needs are in fact catered for.
The drawback of this style of leadership is communication. The pace-setter
expects the team to guess what the goals, the tasks and the individual learning
needs are. This means that in most teams and in most situations the pace- setting
style is unhelpful.
Coercive leadership can be highly effective, in short bouts, to meet certain
needs. It must be used sparingly and with great care because it produces a toxic,
low-performing environment if employed on a permanent basis. It is useful where
people know their tasks, have failed to fulfill them and have no good reason for not
having met them. For this, clarity of role and purpose are essential. It is also
important that the staff respect the leader making use of the coercive mode.
The coercive style can also be of use during a crisis. Generally, fear is
corrosive to workplaces if engendered on an ongoing basis, but it can be healthily
introduced on occasion to remind members of an organization that the organization
has to perform well in order to survive.

No one best style of leadership

Research studies tend to indicate that a democratic style of leadership is
more likely to produce effective performance from an organization. A human
relation, people-oriented approach is more likely to lead to job satisfaction and to
group cohesiveness. However, an authoritative, task-centered system of
management can result in high productivity in the short term because of
compliance based on fear. But long-term improvements in high productivity and in
labor turnover are more likely to result from a participative, group-oriented
approach.
Different types of leadership may also be most appropriate at different stages
in the development of a business organization. There have been identified four
different styles of managerial leadership required at different stages of business:
champion, tank commander, housekeeper and lemon-squeezer.
Champion – as a new corporate venture develops into a business, it needs a
champion to fight for and defend the seedling business. The champion must be
able to drive a small team to win orders, provide a wide range of management
skills and have the dash and energy to deal with a range of different matters.
Tank commander – as the business enters its growth stage, the manager must
develop a strong, supportive team and have leadership qualities to be able to drive
into readily exploitable parts of the market.
Housekeeper – as the business runs up against boundaries erected by other
growing businesses, it enters the mature stage. The housekeeper has to ensure the
efficient and economic management of the business. This involves skills in
planning, cost control and the development of soundly based personnel policies.
Lemon-squeezer – although the mature stage might last for many years,
sometimes a business goes into premature decline. At this stage the need is for the
kind of leader who can extract the maximum benefit from the situation. The
lemon-squeezer needs to be both tough and innovative in order to cut costs and
improve productivity and staffing levels.
Finding and fitting the manager best suited to each stage of a business is a
delicate task. Researchers suggest that most managers are one type of leader or
another. Although there are exceptions, few managers are flexible enough to
switch between such different leadership roles.
Clearly, there is no one ‘best’ style of leadership which will result in the
maintenance of morale among group members and high work performance.
The three main aspects to be considered in determining the most appropriate
style of leadership are: the manager, the organization and the work environment.
However, there are many variables which underlie the effectiveness of leadership
in work organizations. More specifically, these include:
 the characteristics of the manager, personality, attitudes, abilities,
value system and the personal credibility of the manager;
 the type of power of the manager and the basis of the leadership
relation;
 the characteristics of the subordinates, their needs and expectations,
attitudes, knowledge and expertise, and their motivation and
commitment;
 the relationship between the manager and the group and among
members of the group;
 the nature of the tasks to be achieved, technology and methods of
work organization;
 organization structure and systems of management;
 the type of problem and the nature of the manager’s decisions;
 the nature and influence of the external environment.
Within an organization different individuals may fulfill the functions of
leadership. Different types of leadership may also be needed at different stages of a
business. There are many variables which underlie the effectiveness of leadership
 in work organizations. The most effective form of leadership behavior is a product
of the total leadership situation.
(Adapted from Bloch, Susan & Whiteley, Philip, Complete Leadership)

VOCABULARY

assumption, n. = ipoteză; presupunere, delegate, v. = a delega

supoziţie
elusive, adj. = evaziv, pe care nu tepoţibaza;
overriding, adj. = mai important decâtorice
fester, v. = a supura; fig. a chinui, a măcina
squander, v. = a risipi; a toca, a face praf
underlie,underlay, underlain, v. = a fi la baza;
fig. a întemeia, a susține
diminish, v. = a diminua, a micşora
turnover, n. = cifră de afaceri, randament;
producţie
requisite, adj.=necesar, indispensabil
clinch a deal, v. = a încheia o afacere
reluctance, n. = împotrivire, rezistenţă, opoziţie
core, n. = miez; fig. esenţă
thwart, v. = a contracara; azădărnici; a se
împotrivi
bond, n. = legătură, relaţie
empowerment, n. = împuternicire, autorizare
pitfall, n.= fig. capcană, cursă, obstacol
sparingly, adv. = cumpătat, cu economie
drawback, n. = neajuns, lipsă

COMPREHENSION

1.1. Answer the following questions on the text:

a. Can the manager of an organization rely solely on the use of his

position in the hierarchical structure in order to exercise the functions
of leadership?
b. What is the main focus of the authoritative style of leadership?
c. What is the greatest gain in using the coaching leadership style?
d. When does the democratic style work well?
e. When can coercive leadership be highly effective?
f. Which are the variables underlying the effectiveness of leadership in
work organizations?
 1.2. Complete the following sentences with your own words:

1. Coaching is the ability to ………………….. .

2. The democratic style is where the focus is more with ………… .
3. Coercive leadership must be used sparingly because ………….. .
4. The effectiveness of leadership in work organizations depends
on………… .
5. Finding the manager best suited to each stage of a business is …… .

PRACTICE

2.1. Study the following examples:

Managers plan to achieve their objectives and vision by using the best
information available.
Helen boasted about being appointed on top position in the company.
Keith is responsible for supervising the whole production process.
An ambitious leader tends to pursue long term goals.
The leaders of work organizations must avoid making hasty decisions.
They undertake changing any pieces that might get damaged during
transportation.

Fill in the following sentences using the appropriate form of the verb in
brackets:
Have you considered ................ (move ) to another town?
I strongly recommend .................. (concentrate) on human resource
management.
Sales figures tend .............. (drop) due to the economic recession.
I decided ............... (embark) on an interesting project soon.
The proposed plan would mean ............... (change) the whole logistics.
The company risks ................ (lose) an important market.
The HR manager promised ............... (hire ) me as soon as he could.
We undertake ................ (replace) any damaged articles immediately.
The advertising agency denies ................... (represent) any of our
competitors.
 The press cannot delay ................. (break) the bad news any longer.

2.2. Review all the words related to ‘leadership’ and do the following
matching exercise:

_________ 1. casualty a. judge

_________ 2. trait b. fearless
_________ 3. peer c. to include; to be made up of
_________ 4.assess d. skilled
_________ 5. comprise e. characteristic
_________ 6. hardship f. difficulty
_________ 7. proficient g. person of similar rank/position
_________ 8. bold h. avoid
_________ 9. example i. death, injury
_________ 10. evade j. advice
_________ 11. counsel k. role model

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

You can obtain adjectives with opposite meanings by adding the prefixes
un-, in-, il-, im-, ir-, or dis-. Here are some helpful hints:
un- is the most common negative prefix;
im- usually precedes a word beginning with a “p”
ir- usually precedes a word beginning with an “r”
il- usually precedes a word beginning with an “l”

Have a look at the examples:

Going public is a most ineffective course of action for the moment.
She made an implausible excuse for not meeting the deadline.
Being impolite is a sign of disrespect.
The inability to establish priorities is a major drawback for a manager.
He proved to be uncommitted to the goals of the company.
 3.1. The following adjectives are usually used to describe some of the
qualities of managers. Change each adjective into its opposite by adding un- ,
in-, im- , ir- , or dis- :

- approachable - loyal
- articulate - patient
- assertive - practical
- communicative - rational
- competitive - reliable
- consistent - responsible
- cooperative - sensitive
- creative - sincere
- decisive -skilled
- discreet - supportive
- honest - committed
- intelligent

3.2. Use some of the adjectives above in sentences of your own

describing various managerial types and styles.

3.3. In small groups discuss which of the following qualities are more
likely to characterize today’s top managers:

- charismatic/efficient
- disciplined/business-like/thrilling
- visionary/pragmatic
- glamorous looks/business looks

3.4. Divide the following styles of behavior into pairs of opposites:

a. being group oriented

b. being cautious and careful
c. being individualistic
d. being decisive and able to take rapid individual decisions
e. being assertive ,authoritative, ruthless and competitive
 f. being willing to take risks
g. being good at listening and sensitive to other people’s feelings
h. being intuitive
i. being logical, rational and analytic
j. liking consensus and conciliation

Which five of the above styles do you think are generally preferable for
managers?

3.5. What are the nouns related to the following adjectives?

- analytic - intuitive
- assertive - logical
- cautious - persuasive
- competent - rational
- efficient - ruthless
- individualistic - sensitive

3.6. Discuss which of the following statements are closer to your idea of
the manager’s role in today’s business world:

 A good manager should be an exceptionally intelligent, flamboyant

charismatic person who is able to communicate his/her vision to
his/her team.
 Good managers need not be geniuses highly admired by their
employees, rather effective, accountable organizers able to
examine carefully and make best judgments in order to improve
the profitability of their company.
 Successful managers are exceptional human beings, with the
necessary drive that enables them to build (multi)national
conglomerates.
3.7. Which is the odd one out in the following list of actions that
managers take?
  appoint, employ, interview, hire, recruit, select, take on, engage
 transfer, lay off, make redundant, sack, dismiss, fire
 measure, evaluate, instruct, appraise, assess
 set, reach, meet, achieve, attain

3.8. Complete the text using the correct form of these verbs:

appointed attacked combined defined

constituted reviewed supervised supported

Large British companies generally have a chairman of the board of directors

who oversees operations, and a managing director (MD) who is responsible for the
day-to-day running of the company. In smaller companies, the roles of chairman
and managing director are usually (1) ................... Americans tend to use the term
president rather than chairman, and chief executive officer (CEO) instead of
managing director. The CEO or MD is (2) ....................by various executive
officers or vice-presidents, each with clearly (3) ................... authority and
responsibility (production, marketing, finance, personnel, and so on).
Top managers are (4) ….............. (and sometimes dismissed) by a company’s
board of directors. They are (5) .................. and advised and have their decisions
and performance (6) ..................... by the board. The directors of private companies
were traditionally major shareholders, but this does not apply to large public
companies with wide share ownership. Such companies should have boards
(7) ................... of experienced people of integrity and with a record of
performance in a related business and a willingness to work to make the company
successful. In reality, however, companies often appoint people with connections
that will impress the financial and political milieu. Yet, a board that does not
demand high performance and remove inadequate executives will probably
eventually find itself (8) .................. and displaced by raiders.

II. Read the text on military leadership styles and find answers to the
questions that follow.
 Military leadership styles

There are five military leadership styles: directing leadership, participating

leadership, delegating leadership, transformational leadership and transactional
leadership.

Directing leadership
The directing leadership style centers on you, the leader. You control and
direct your subordinates’ every action. You do not solicit input from subordinates,
but rather give detailed instructions on how, when and where you want something
performed. Then you supervise very closely. This style is particularly appropriate
when you don’t have the chance to explain things (i.e. combat situations, or with
inexperienced subordinates).

Participating leadership
The participating leadership is a democratic technique which centers on
both the leader and the subordinates. You actively ask them for input, information
and recommendations. However, you still make the final decision on what to do
and assume responsibility for decisions and plans. The biggest benefit of this
approach is that when subordinates help develop the plan, it becomes their plan
which creates a huge incentive to complete the mission.

Delegating leadership
The delegating leadership is the free-rein style that gives your subordinates
the ability to solve issues and make decisions on their own. This typically is the
case when you have highly-qualified, experienced subordinates. While this style
may seem to be best when dealing with senior NCOs, you still must provide the
necessary resources and a clear understanding of your intent and the mission.
Although subordinates are held accountable for their actions, again ultimate
responsibility for what happens lies with you.

Transformational leadership
Transformational leadership focuses on inspiration and change. It
emphasizes individual growth and organizational enhancement. You must
empower and motivate your soldiers, first as soldiers and then as a group.
Additionally, an important aspect of this style requires you as a leader to
communicate reasons behind your decisions and actions. This allows soldiers to
have a broad understanding and exercise their own initiative when opportunity
arises. This leadership style works well when you have soldiers with great skills,
knowledge and who may have better ideas on how to accomplish the mission.

Transactional leadership
Transactional leadership is like a ‘parent-child’ relationship. With this
approach, you motivate your soldiers to work by offering rewards or threatening
punishments. This style is still directing in nature, with emphasis on how to do a
job. If you only utilize this approach, you will never see any commitment outside
of the short-term or specific area.

Leadership components
The four components of leadership are always present and affect which
choices you make and when you make them. These components are the led, the
leader, the situation, and communication.

The led
The soldiers you are responsible for leading constitute the first major factor
in the leadership nexus. All soldiers should not be led in the same way. For
example, a soldier with a new job or task normally needs closer supervision than a
soldier who is experienced at that same job or task. A soldier with low confidence
needs your support and encouragement. A soldier who works hard deserves your
praise; a soldier who intentionally fails to follow your guidance or fails to meet
clear standards may need to be reprimanded or punished. You must correctly
assess your soldiers’ competence, motivation, and commitment so that you can
take the proper leadership actions at the correct time.
You must create a climate that encourages your subordinates to participate
actively and to want to help you accomplish the mission. Ingredients essential to
the development of such a climate are mutual trust, respect, and confidence.

The leader
The second major leadership component is you—the leader. You must have
an honest understanding of who you are, what you know, and what you can do.
You must know your strengths, weaknesses, capabilities, and limitations so that
you can exercise control, discipline yourself, and lead your soldiers effectively.
You must continuously ensure that each soldier is treated with dignity and respect.
Assessing others may be easier than looking honestly at oneself. If you have
difficulty assessing yourself, ask your leader what he would like to see you change
about the way you lead your soldiers or how you support him. Do not put him on
the spot. Give him time to think of specific suggestions and then meet with him to
talk about them. You can also seek the counsel of your peers, or ask an
experienced subordinate how well he thinks you issue orders or provide needed
information. Consider all these points of view and then work on improving
yourself.

The situation
The situation is the third major leadership component. All situations are
different; leadership actions that work in one situation may not work in another. To
determine the best leadership action to take, first consider the available resources
and the factors of mission, enemy, time, terrain, and troops available. Then
consider the level of confidence, motivation, and commitment to the mission of
your subordinates. During some situations, you may have to closely supervise and
direct a subordinate’s work. During other situations, you may only have to
encourage and listen to their ideas.
The situation also affects the timing of a leader’s actions. For example,
confronting a subordinate may be the correct decision, but if the confrontation
occurs too soon or too late, the results may not be what you want. You must be
skilled in identifying and thinking through the situation so that you can take the
right action at the right time.
What if you take the wrong action? It happens. We all make mistakes.
Analyze the situation again, take quick corrective action, and move on. Learn from
your mistakes and those of others.

Communication
Communication is the fourth major leadership component. Communication
is the exchange of information and ideas. Effective communication occurs when
others understand exactly what you are trying to tell them and when you
understand precisely what they are trying to tell you. You may communicate what
you want orally, in writing, through physical actions, or through a combination of
all of these.
The way you communicate in different situations is important. Your choice
of words, tone of voice, and physical actions all combine to affect those under your
command. The ability to say the correct thing at the appropriate moment and in the
right way is also an important part of leadership.
Effective communication implies that your soldiers listen to and understand
you. Since soldiers listen to leaders who listen to them, you must work hard at
understanding exactly what your soldiers are saying to you. Good listening is hard
work, but it is a skill that can be learned. Do not interrupt when others are
speaking. Look at the person speaking; listen to what is said and also to how it is
said since emotions are an important part of communication. If you listen to your
subordinates, they will listen to you.
In summary, the four major leadership components are always present, but
their effects vary with the situation. The most important component in one
situation may have little importance in another. You must constantly consider all
four components of leadership when choosing the best course of action. Mistakes
happen when leaders fail to consider all four components and the manner in which
these components affect each other and mission accomplishment. Self-assessment,
study, and experience will improve your understanding of the four major
components of leadership.

The principles of military leadership

There are certain principles of leadership against which an officer can asses
himself/herself as a leader and develop an action plan to improve his/her ability to
lead.

Know yourself and seek self-improvement

This means continually developing your strengths and working on
overcoming your weaknesses. Doing so you will increase your competence and the
confidence your soldiers have in your ability to train and to lead.

Be technically and tactically proficient

You are expected to be technically and tactically proficient at your job. This
means that you can accomplish all tasks to the necessary standards. In addition,
you are responsible for training your soldiers to do their jobs and for understudying
your leader in the event you must assume his duties. You develop technical and
tactical proficiency through a combination of the tactics, techniques, and
procedures you learn formally at schools, on your day-to-day job, and from
professional reading and personal study.

Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions

Leading always involves responsibility. You want subordinates who can
handle responsibility and help you perform your mission. Similarly, your leaders
want you to take the initiative within the parameters of their stated intent. When
you see a problem or something that needs to be fixed, do not wait for your leader
to tell you to act. The example you set, whether positive or negative, helps develop
your subordinates. Wartime requires bold leaders at all levels, leaders who exercise
initiative, are resourceful, and take advantage of opportunities on the battlefield
that will lead to victory. When you make mistakes, accept just criticism and take
corrective action. You must avoid evading responsibility by placing blame on
someone else. Your objective should be to build trust between you and your
leaders, as well as between you and those you lead.

Make sound and timely decisions

You must be able to assess situations rapidly and to make sound decisions. If
you delay or try to avoid making a decision, you may cause unnecessary casualties
and fail to accomplish the mission. Indecisive leaders create hesitancy, loss of
confidence, and confusion. You must be able to reason under the most trying
conditions and to decide quickly what actions to take. Here are some guidelines to
help you lead effectively:
 Gather essential information before making your decisions and
consider the short- and long-term effects of these decisions.
 Announce decisions in time for your soldiers to react. Good decisions
made at the right time are better than the best decisions made too late.

Set the example

Your soldiers want and need you to be a role model. This is a heavy
responsibility, but you have no choice. No aspect of leadership is more powerful. If
you expect courage, competence, candor, commitment, and integrity from your
soldiers, you must demonstrate these same qualities yourself. Your soldiers will
imitate your behavior. You must set high but attainable standards. You must be
willing to do what you require your soldiers to do. You must share dangers and
hardships with your soldiers. Your personal example affects your soldiers more
than any amount of instruction or form of discipline. You are their role model.

Know your soldiers and look out for their well-being

You must know and care for your soldiers. They need to know what you
want done, when you want it done, and what the performance standard is.
Supervising lets you know if your soldiers understand your orders; it shows your
interest in them and in mission accomplishment. Over-supervision causes
resentment, and under supervision causes frustration. When soldiers are learning
new tasks, tell them what you want done and show them how you want it done. Let
them try. Watch their performance. Accept performance that meets your standards;
reward performance that exceeds your standards; correct performance that does not
meet your standards. Determine the cause of the poor performance and take
appropriate action. When you hold subordinates accountable to you for their
performance, they realize they are responsible for accomplishing missions both as
individuals and as teams.
 Build the team
War fighting is a team activity. You must develop a team spirit among your
soldiers that motivates them to go willingly and confidently into combat in a quick
transition from peace to war. Your soldiers need confidence in your abilities to
lead them and in their abilities to perform as members of the team. You must train
and cross-train your soldiers until they have confidence in the team’s technical and
tactical abilities. Your unit becomes a team when your soldiers trust and respect
not only you but also each other as trained professionals, and when they see the
importance of their contribution to the unit.

Employ your unit in accordance with its capabilities

Your unit has capabilities and limitations. You are responsible for
recognizing both of these facts. Your soldiers will gain satisfaction from
performing tasks that are reasonable and challenging, but they will be frustrated if
tasks are too easy, unrealistic, or unattainable. You must continually ensure that
your soldiers’ training is demanding. Talk to your own leader; decide which tasks
are essential to accomplishing your war fighting mission. Do your best in all areas.
Use innovative training techniques and re-examine the conditions in which training
is conducted. However, do not lower standards simply because your unit appears
unable to meet existing standards. Your challenge as a leader is to attain, sustain,
and enforce high standards of combat readiness by means of realistic, tough,
multi-echelon, combined arms training.

COMPREHENSION

1.1. Answer the following questions on the text:

a. What are the five military leadership styles?
b. Which are the basic characteristics of each military leadership
style?
c. Do the leadership components affect the actions the leader takes
on the battlefield?
d. Which are the principles of military leadership?
e. Why does the leader need to be a role model?
f. What is the challenge of an army leader?

PRACTICE
 2.1. Give synonyms to the following words as they were used in the text:

a. to accomplish
b. incentive
c. to empower
d. to understudy
e. proficiency
f. to reason
g. attainable
h. accountable
i. enhancement

2.2. Write down the most important characteristics of each military

leadership style.