Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
formal channels. While politics may seem manipulative or even unethical to some, it is a fact
of life and infl uential to some degree in all organizations. Effective managers recognize its
existence and deal with it realistically.
Leadership
Managers are designated leaders, formally appointed by the chain of command that origi-
nates with ownership. But leadership is much more than issuing authoritarian commands. It
requires working with personnel and motivating them to accomplish the fi rm's objectives.
Leadership
is in part the ability to combine personal style and organizational goals in cor-
rect proportions.
Styles of leadership
Leadership and leadership styles are heavily studied areas. Obviously, business could profi t
greatly from a consistent way of identifying good leaders, or of teaching selected individuals
how to be effective leaders. Although a great deal is known about leadership, there are no
consistent or simple answers to the question, “What makes a good leader?” What makes a
good leader in one situation does not necessarily work in another. Some research suggests
that a strong will, extroversion, power need, and achievement are key variables in a leader.
Other work identifi es intelligence, social maturity, breadth of development, inner motiva-
tion, and a positive human relations attitude as necessary ingredients to leadership.
All of these factors are subjective and diffi cult to measure. The conclusion is that leader-
ship is not static but dynamic, and must adapt to the specifi c circumstances of the situation.
However, there are a number of leadership styles that have been identifi ed, and understand-
ing these styles can help in assessing what type of leadership may be most appropriate in a
given situation. One popular classifi cation scheme describes managers as authoritarian,
democratic, free reign, and transformational.
Authoritarian
Authoritarian
, also called
autocratic
, is a leader-centered style, in which the thoughts,
ideas, and wishes of the leader are expected to be obeyed completely, without question.
Authoritarian leaders seldom consult subordinates before making decisions. Also, decisions
may be changed suddenly for no apparent reason. The hard-nosed autocrat is coercive in
relationships with subordinates, and often threatens them if they do not perform to the auto-
crat's level of expectation.
Yet there are also other styles of authoritarian leadership.
Benevolent autocrats
con-
vince followers to do what they want by being so well liked that no one would consider
being disloyal or of “letting the chief down.” The benevolent autocrat gives so much praise
that employees are shamed into obedience. Another form of autocratic style is that of the
manipulative autocrat
, who creates the illusion that employees are participating in the
decision-making process. This leader's motto is “make them think they thought of it.”
Note that in each autocrat style outlined above, all decisions originate with the autocrat,
and the autocrat maintains fi rm control. The only difference among the three is the manner
in which the control is exercised. Some argue that the autocratic style of leadership is always
bad and leads to poor performance and ill feelings, but this is not so. Although the authoritar-
ian style would seldom be the only method of operation for any given leader, those who are
