1. Leadership Theories
Qualities of leaders
One track mind concentration 24 hours.
Understand and its components
Identify future trends – vision
Superior knowledge of tasks.
Inspire
Experiment – risks
Understanding of people
Congruency of personal and organizational goals.
Determined
Can leadership be taught?
University of Michigan Study:
80% of leadership growth comes from experience
20% through training.
Difficult to Prove:
Highlights Experience + Training
Types of Leaders
Managers, officers: Routine tasks
Transactional: Normal environment
Transformational or Charismatic: Exceptional impact on their organizations
Classification of leadership theories
Trait theory: personal characteristics
Traditional theory
Most popular theory up to 1950
“Great Man” theory
Greek and Roman researchers have identified:
Physical, mental and personality characteristics. e.g.
Physical:
Energy
Appearance
Height
Weakness of the theory: Not all leaders have all traits
Many non leaders have these traits:
How much of these qualities a leader should posses.
2. Behavioral theory: Leadership Styles
Authoritarian: Task centered
Assumption: Man is bad by nature, work averse
Result: Little trust in subordinates
Motivation: Fear and punishment
Communication: Downward
Democratic or consultative: Subordinate centered
Assumption: Man is good by nature, work prone
Result: Trust in subordinates
Motivation: Economic, social and psychological rewards

2. Communication: Down and up
C. Contingency or situational
Style should depend on leader, subordinates and
work situations.
Leader: Amount of authority, leader – subordinate relations, leader’s personality, value.
Subordinates: Maturity, skills, knowledge of work, self confidence, willingness.
Situation: Nature of task, unions,
D. Charismatic leader
Transforms the whole organization
Lea lacocca, chrysler Corporation
Churchill
Martin Luther King
High level of self confidence
Strong conviction in his beliefs
Personal examples
High expectations of followers
No guarantee that cause or vision is right
Revitalize declining institutions
E. Psychological approach
Much of behavior is influenced by unfilled needs (Suppressed) frustration
We may not know why we do what we do
Roots of much behavior can be traced to early childhood experiences which are difficult to
recall
F. Islamic theory
Islam does not divide mankind by their roles
Equal responsibility on all: Every one is a leader and will be accountable for his followers.
Conclusions
Understanding leaders is a complex task
Case histories must be read
Leaders may build or destroy an organization or a country