Leadership and management: traditional and modern theories

Psychology A2 · Organisational Psychology. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.

Test this topic free All Psychology A2 topics

The idea

Universalist theories say that good leaders share the same qualities in every situation. Great person theory says leaders are born, not made. Charismatic leaders win followers through personal magnetism and emotional bonds. Transformational leaders inspire staff to put the group's mission above their own interests.

Behavioural theories look at what leaders do, not who they are. The Ohio State studies found two independent dimensions, so a leader can be high or low on each. The Michigan studies compared employee-oriented and production-oriented leaders.

Heifetz's adaptive leadership is about challenges that have no technical fix: people must change their own attitudes and habits, and the leader helps them do that work.

Rules to remember

Great person theory: leadership comes from inborn traits (the nature side of the debate).
Transformational leader: idealised influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualised consideration.
Ohio State: consideration (concern for staff and trust) and initiating structure (roles, procedures, deadlines).
Michigan: employee-oriented leaders (people and their needs) versus production-oriented leaders (tasks and output).
Heifetz's six principles: get on the balcony; identify the adaptive challenge; regulate distress; maintain disciplined attention; give the work back to the people; protect voices of leadership from below.
Adaptive leader's responsibilities: direction, protection, orientation, managing conflict, shaping norms.
Technical problem: an expert can fix it with known methods. Adaptive challenge: people's values, beliefs or habits must change.

Common mistake

Students treat consideration and initiating structure as opposite ends of one scale. They are separate dimensions, so one leader can be high on both, and do not mix Kouzes and Posner's practices (such as Model the Way) into Heifetz's six principles.

Worked example

A hospital must get its doctors and nurses to give up old habits and share decisions. The director says, 'I cannot fix this for you. You must work out the new way together.' Which approach to leadership is this?

No expert can solve this with a known method, because staff attitudes and habits must change. That makes it an adaptive challenge.
The director refuses to supply the answer and hands the problem to the staff.
This matches Heifetz's principle 'give the work back to the people'.

Answer: Heifetz's adaptive leadership, using the principle 'give the work back to the people'.

Ask about this

Type what you are stuck on. The helper finds the explanation, worked examples and the notes to read, free and instant.

Keep going

← Motivation to work: motivators at work Leadership and management: leadership style →Take a Psychology A2 test