Download and “leadership.”

Unit 1: Introduction
1a: Develop a working definition and a distinction between “management” and
“leadership.”
1a.1. Define management and leadership.
A. The Boundless Management reading “Chapter 9, Section 1: Defining Leadership” defines
leadership as “a process of social influence in which one person enlists the aid and support of
others in accomplishing a common task.”
B. Recall from Julian Birkinshaw’s article “The M-word” that “management is the act of getting
people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives.”
For a more in-depth look at the concepts of management and leadership, read on in Boundless
Management: “Chapter 9, Section 1” and pay particular attention to the section titled
“Management versus Leadership.” You encountered this information in subunit 1.1.
1a.2. Why is it important to differentiate between management and leadership?
A. Many people have very rigid concepts of managers and leaders: The former is results-oriented
and concerned with internal tasks like scheduling, budgeting, controlling, etc., while the latter is
heroic and inspiring and focused on creating change in the world. How is this image of a
manager and a leader accurate? How is it inaccurate?
B. Since the 1960s, social scientists have become more interested in studying leadership and the
traits and behaviors common among effective leaders.
If you are feeling less confident in your ability to separate leadership and management, consider
re-reading Julian Birkinshaw's “The M-word” and focus on the section “Management versus
leadership.”
1b: Apply Kurt Lewin's leadership typology to the identification of leadership styles of
contemporary leaders.
1b.1. Describe the five common styles of leadership.
1b.2. For each of the five leadership styles, name two leaders – from politics, business, athletics,
the arts, etc. – who exhibit the characterstics of that leadership type. At least one of the leaders
you identify should be a contemporary leader.
A. Fill in the following table with the leaders you have identified.
Leadership Style
Leader #1
Leader #2
Authoritarian
Democratic
Laissez-faire
Transactional
Narcissistic
B. Write at least one sentence which justifies why each leader you chose matches the leadership
style.
C. Identify which style each of the following leaders exhibit: Vince Lombardi, Steve Jobs,
Nelson Mandela, and Teddy Roosevelt.
The five leadership styles originally posited by Kurt Lewin are examined in the Boundless
Management reading, “Chapter 8, Section 5: Characteristics of Good Managers: Styles of
Leadership.” To brush up on the leadership style of Lombardi, Jobs, Mandela, or Roosevelt, see
each of the resources dedicated to those leaders in subunit 1.2.
1c: Differentiate the leadership styles of leaders from their personal traits.
1c.1. Some traits, when found in individuals, are highly predictive of strong leadership capacity.
A. List at least five personally traits that related to leadership from Stephen Zaccaro’s model.
Zaccaro’s model is discussed in Boundless Management: “Chapter 9, Section 1: Defining
Leadership,” particularly beneath the subheading “Leadership Traits.” Zaccaro argued that
effective leaders possess cognitive abilities, social capabilities, and dispositional tendencies.
When most people think of traits, they think of a leader’s character, but be sure to not overlook
cognitive abilities and skills!
B. Discuss the Trait Theory of Leadership.
1c.2. How are traits different from leadership styles? How do traits and tendencies make
individuals predisposed to following a certain leadership style or leading with a certain
leadership style?
1d: Assess the role of environment – athletics, business, and politics – in shaping the
leadership provided by these individuals.
1d.1. How do people become leaders? Part of leadership is innate to our person, but part of it
comes from our environment.
A. Discuss the Contingency Theory of Leadership
B. Discuss the Behavioral Theory of Leadership
If you need to become more confident in your knowledge of these theories, review Boundless
Management: “Chapter 9, Section 1: Defining Leadership,” particularly beneath the subheading
“Four Theories of Leadership” from subunit 1.1.
1d.2. What does it take to become a leader in sports? In the military? In business? In politics or
the arts? Does each field require a different type of leader?
A. Use the resources from subunit 1.2 to argue your point, making clear connections to at least
two of the following leaders: Vince Lombardi, Steve Jobs, Nelson Mandela, or Teddy Roosevelt.
1d.3. How are traits different from leadership styles? How do traits and tendencies make
individuals predisposed to following a certain leadership style or leading with a certain
leadership style?