Describe the following approaches to defining leadership: i. Trait approach: ii. Style approach. iii. Contingency approach.

      

Describe the following approaches to defining leadership:
i. Trait approach:
ii. Style approach.
iii. Contingency approach.

  

Answers


Kavungya
(1) Trait approach.
This approach focuses .on the personal attributes (or traits) of leaders, such as physical and
personality characteristics, competencies, and values. It views leadership solely from the
perspective of the individual leader. Implicit in this approach is the assumption that traits
produce patterns of behavior that are consistent across situations. That is, leadership traits are
considered to be enduring characteristics that people are born with and that remain relatively
stable over time.
(ii) Style approach.
The style approach emphasizes the behavior of the leader. The style approach focuses
exclusively on what leaders do and how they act.
Within this style of leadership there are two general kinds of behaviors, task behaviors and
relationship behaviors. Task behaviors focus on goal accomplishment. They help group
members to achieve their objectives. Relationship behaviors help subordinates feel comfortable
with themselves, with each other, and with the situation in which they find themselves.
The emphasis of the style leadership approach is how a leader will blend the two behaviors to
enhance group success. An effective leader will initiate structure, task behaviors, and then
nurture, process, subordinates to realize his or her full potential.
In studying style approach, you must separate the two dominant behaviors. One leader may be
high or low in task behaviors and high or low in process behaviors. One behavior does not
necessarily work in relation to the other, for example it may be expected that if one is high the
other is also high.
The examination of this leadership approach is to determine which mix of the two behaviors will
bring out the best in the followers.
(iii) Contingency approach.
In contingency theory of leadership, the success of the leader is a function of various
contingencies in the form of subordinate, task, and/or group variables. The effectiveness of a
given pattern of leader behavior is contingent upon the demands imposed by the situation. These
theories stress using different styles of leadership appropriate to the needs created by different
organizational situations.
Within the contingency theory, leadership styles can be either task-motivated or relationship
motivated. Task leaders are primarily concerned with attaining a goal, whereas relationship
leaders are concerned with developing close interpersonal relations.
Kavungya answered the question on May 17, 2019 at 15:23


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