Unit 4 covers the main leadership theories and perspectives. We cover the history of leadership research emphasising its breadth and complexity. As such, anyone who seeks to practice, understand, and research leadership is facing a major challenge.
We review the changing perspectives of leadership beginning with trait theory, behavioural, situational contingency perspectives, and postmodern concepts of leadership. The unit explained that the two ideas of task orientation and people orientation underpin all leadership theories. We also delve into leadership substitutes, as well as dispersed leadership, and consider the cultural properties of leaders. We include a discussion on coaching, especially as coaching is increasingly an important concept in modern business. Another key issue in leadership is motivation, and subsequently process and content theories of motivation and how leadership is integral to motivating people are discussed.
The Question is :
1. Can Culture be managed or is it just ‘out there’?
2. What might it mean to say a nation culture exists in organisations? Use examples from your own workplace.