The document discusses various leadership theories, tracing their evolution from the early 'Great Man' theory to more contemporary approaches such as transactional and transformational leadership. Key concepts include characteristics of effective leaders, the importance of situational context, and the matching of leadership styles to the maturity levels of followers. Notable theories highlighted include trait theories, behavioral theories, Fiedler's contingency model, and newer frameworks like servant and authentic leadership.

1. Brig Gen Dr Zulfiquer Ahmed Amin
MBBS (DMC), MPH (HM), M Phil (HCHM), Fellow (AIIMS, Delhi), PGD (Health Economics)

2. Leadership is a concept as old as human civilization itself. Throughout history, leaders have
played pivotal roles in shaping societies, organizations, and even nations. However, the
understanding of leadership and the theories surrounding it have evolved significantly over
time.
A leadership theory describes how and why certain individuals become leaders. The focus is
on the characteristics and behaviors that people can adopt to enhance their leadership
ability.
Ronald Reagan summed it up brilliantly when he said, “The greatest leader is not one who
does greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do greatest things.”

6. This approach stipulates that leaders are born with the required characteristics and qualities.
This statement denotes that not every person can guide and motivate others because it is an
inborn skill. Thus, this view of leadership is similar to that of Ancient Greeks and Romans,
who believed that their rulers were God’s messengers. Examples are popular historical figures
such as Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Abraham Lincoln, Napoleon Bonaparte, Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) etc. The theory was popularized by Thomas Carlyle, and Sigmund Freud.

7. It is Carlyle’s opinion, that leader is: “Find in any country the Ablest Man that exists there;
raise him to the supreme place, and loyally reverence him….The Ablest Man; he means also
the truest-hearted, justest, the Noblest Man: what he tells us to do must be precisely the
wisest, fittest, that we could anywhere, anyhow learn;–the thing which it will in all ways
behoove us, with right loyal thankfulness and nothing doubting, to do.”

8. (বিশ্বস্ত; অনুগত) (িশ্যতাস্বীকার)

9. This hypothesis asserts that a leader has certain innate human characteristics, such as:
•Glamour
•Decisive
•Wisdom
•Daring
•Assertiveness
•Appeal
•Bodily height, weight
•Appearance
•Charisma
•Disposition (Inherent qualities of mind and character)
•Persuasiveness

10. Trait theories (1930s–1940s)
The Great Man theory evolved into the trait theories. Trait theory does not stipulate that
leadership is an inborn quality, but it mentions that a leader should have a specific set of skills
and characteristics. In other words, traits of successful leaders can be either inherited or
acquired through training and practice. Typical components of this approach include self-
confidence, intelligence, sociability, and others. If a person masters these abilities, they will
obviously become a successful leader. The trait theory of leadership focused on analyzing
mental, physical and social characteristic. The right combination of characteristics make an
effective leader. Gordon Allport, an American psychologist was the proponent of this theory.
In psychology, trait theory is an approach to the study of human personality.

12. *Efficient and organized
**Negative emotions

13. Behavioral theory (1940s–1950s)
Behavioral theories are offering a new perspective, one that focuses on the behaviors of the
leaders as opposed to their mental, physical or social characteristics. Behavioral theory
evolved from trait theories and asserts that leaders are largely made, rather than born and
that particular behaviors can be learnt to ensure effective leadership. But it largely ignores
the situation and environment of the leader. The behavioral theories first divided leaders in
two categories. Those that were concerned with the tasks and those concerned with the
people.

16. Contingent and situational theories (1960s)
It was later recognized that the environment plays a significant role in the leader-follower
dynamic and this belief dominated the situational era. As the name suggests, the situational
era is focused on leadership in particular situations, rather than on the traits or behaviors of
leaders. The Contingency Leadership theory, also known as Fiedler's Contingency Model, was
developed by psychologist Fred Fiedler in the 1960s. It implies that every leadership style
should be based on certain situations, which signifies that there are certain people who
perform at the maximum level in certain places; but at minimal performance when taken out
of their element.

17. The Contingency Leadership theory argues that the best style of leadership is changed with
the different variables with respect to the environment. According to leadership experts,
“Effective leadership is about striking the right balance between needs, context and
behavior.” Great leaders focus on the needs of the followers, analyze the situation and tweak
their behavior accordingly.

19. Maturity Levels
Maturity level of the individuals or group are determined by the level of knowledge,
competence, willingness, commitments.
Hersey and Blanchard's theory identifies four different levels of maturity:
M1: Group members lack the knowledge, skills, and willingness to complete the task.
M2: Group members are willing and enthusiastic, but lack the ability.
M3: Group members have the skills and capability to complete the task, but are unwilling to
take responsibility.
M4: Group members are highly skilled and willing to complete the task.

21. Hersey and Blanchard suggested that there are four primary leadership styles:
Telling (S1): In this leadership style, the leader tells people what to do and how to do it.
Selling (S2): This style involves more back-and-forth between leaders and followers. Leaders
"sell" their ideas and message to get group members to buy into the process.
Participating (S3): In this approach, the leader offers less direction and allows members of
the group to take a more active role in coming up with ideas and making decisions.
Delegating (S4): This style is characterized by a less involved, hands-off approach to
leadership. Group members tend to make most of the decisions and take most of the
responsibility for what happens.

22. Matching Leadership and Maturity
Leadership styles should be matched with maturity levels of the followers, as follows:
Low Maturity (M1)—Telling (S1)
Medium Maturity (M2)—Selling (S2)
Medium Maturity (M3)—Participating (S3)
High Maturity (M4)—Delegating (S4)

24. Transactional, transformational theories (1990s)
In a world that has become more complex and challenging, a need emerged for leadership
theories that support circumstances of rapid change, disruptive technological innovation and
increasing globalization. The concepts of transformational leadership were brought to
prominence by political sociologist James MacGregor Burns, in the late 1970s. Burns
identified two types of leadership:
-Transactional
-Transformational

25. Transactional Leadership
Transactional theories, also known as exchange theories of leadership, are characterized by a
transaction made between the leader and the followers. Transactional leaders motivate their
team members through rewards, recognition, and punishments based on performance.
Managers who practice transactional leadership keep an eye on their staff, making sure they
are rewarded for reaching milestones and disciplined when they fall short.

26. Transformational leadership
Transformational leadership theory emphasizes the leader's ability to inspire and motivate
their followers to exceed their own self-interests for the greater good of the organization,
through their inspirational nature and charismatic personalities. Rules and regulations are
flexible, guided by group norms. These attributes provide a sense of belonging for the
followers as they can easily identify with the leader and its purpose. Leaders develop a vision
for their team members and motivate them to realize it.

28. Managerial Grid theory (1960s)
The central concept of the theory is that an individual's leadership style can be identified and
assessed based on their concerns for production (i.e., task, objective, outcomes) and their
concerns for people (i.e., relationships, employee well-being). Most effective leadership is
one that balances concerns for people and production.
Suppose, Mr Rahman, a manager always treats everyone equally, rewards the best
performers and is genuinely concerned about his team’s well-being. But when there are
urgent project deadlines, he ensures that the team is completely dedicated to what needs to
be done. He effectively manages their milestones, asks for weekly updates and has them
work on weekends, if needed.
Mr Rahman’s leadership style changes according to the need of the hour. This sort of flexible
leadership behavior is seen in the Managerial Grid Theory.

29. There are two dimensions in this model.
Concern for People (Y-Axis): This dimension reflects the leader’s level of consideration for
team members’ well-being, needs, and satisfaction. Leaders high on this dimension prioritize
creating positive relationships, open communication, and a supportive work environment.
Concern for Production or Results (X-Axis): This dimension measures the leader’s emphasis
on achieving organizational goals, task completion, and performance. Leaders high on this
dimension focus on efficiency, productivity, and goal attainment.

32. It identifies five types of leadership based on this focus:
Impoverished Management
This style represents a low concern for both people and production. Leaders with this style
tend to be indifferent and detached, resulting in minimal effort invested in both employee
well-being and task accomplishment.
Country Club Management
Leaders with this style prioritize creating a harmonious and friendly work environment,
placing high concern on people but low concern on production. While employee satisfaction
may be high, task performance might suffer.

33. Produce or Perish (Authority-Compliance Management)
In this style, leaders focus heavily on achieving production goals while neglecting the needs
and morale of their team members. The emphasis is on task accomplishment at the expense
of employee well-being.
Middle-of-the-Road Management
This balanced style aims to maintain a moderate level of concern for both people and
production. Leaders seek a compromise between achieving goals and maintaining positive
relationships.
Team Management
This ideal leadership style maximizes both concern for people and concern for production.
Leaders with this style strive to create a collaborative, supportive environment where team
members’ needs and organizational goals are addressed effectively.

35. Servant Leadership Theory
The Servant Leadership theory was initially proposed by Robert K. Greenleaf in 1970.
Greenleaf suggested that true leadership naturally emerges from those who are first and
foremost servants.
Unlike traditional leadership theories that place the leader at the top, the Servant Leadership
model puts the leader in service to others. Servant Leadership is based on the leader's desire
to help others achieve their full potential. Servant leadership theory proposes that leaders
should prioritize the needs of their followers above their own self-interest.

38. Authentic Leadership theory
The Authentic Leadership theory was introduced in the late 2000s in response to a growing
demand for more transparent, genuine, and accountable leaders. Authentic leaders are
described as being aware of their values, emotions, and motivations, and as having a high
degree of congruence between their values and actions. They are also known for their
openness and transparency in their relationships with their subordinates. Authentic leaders
build trust and inspire followers through their transparency and ethical behavior.