Developing Your Leadership Skills

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Developing Your Leadership Skills

• Jacqueline N. Hood, Ph.D.
• Anderson School of Management
• University of New Mexico

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Seminar Objectives

• Explore the traits and characteristics of
  effective leaders
• Understand the sources of power developed by
  effective leaders
• Learn the six strategies of influence, including
  the benefits and drawbacks of each
• Know leadership theory relating to leadership
  traits, behaviors and situations
• Understand effective leadership behavior in your
  situation

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Power, Influence and Authority

• Power the ability to influence another person
• Influence the process of affecting the
  thoughts, behaviors, and feelings of another
  person
• Authority the right to influence another person

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Factors Which Foster Power in the Organization

• Position characteristics
• Centrality
• Criticality
• Flexibility
• Visibility
• Relevance

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Factors Which Foster Power in the Organization

• Personal Characteristics
• Expertise
• Personal attraction
• Agreeable behavior
• Physical appearance
• Effort

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EXERCISE Think of a recent situation where you
had to use your influence to get a specific
result for which you were accountable. What
source(s) of power did you use? Were those
sources related to personal power, positional
power, or both? Which sources were most
effective? Share your insights with others at
your table and look for common themes.
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Preferred Influence Strategies

• To better understand your preferences for
  compliance, rank order the following strategies
  from 1 (most preferred) to 6 (least preferred).
• _____ 1. People need to know youre the boss
  by your manner. If I ask others to do something
  and they drag their feet or ignore me, I dont
  threaten them directly, but they know by my tone
  of voice and general behavior that I will not
  tolerate that.
• _____ 2. If you expect to get things done,
  people need to know you have clout and arent
  afraid to use it. Therefore, when Im in charge,
  I make sure others know that if they dont do
  what they are told, theyre in real trouble. I
  tell them exactly what to do and how to do it.
  All they have to do is follow my instructions and
  well get along just fine.
• _____ 3. The best way to get things done is to
  make people feel obligated to do your bidding.
  If youre friendly to people, do them small
  favors, and turn your back when they bend a rule
  or two, theyll come through for you in the
  clutch.
• _____ 4. It is important that people feel they
  are being treated fairly. If I ask someone to do
  something for me, I make it clear to them what
  they will receive in return -- whats in it for
  them.
• _____ 5. Peoples actions reflect their
  general values and beliefs. When I make a
  request, I tie it into those things that are
  salient to that individual. For example, if they
  feel that being a loyal team member is very
  important, I imply that loyal people would do
  what Im asking.
• _____ 6. People like to understand why they
  are doing something. Therefore, when I make a
  request, I present the facts justifying the need
  for the action up front. This way there is no
  misunderstanding about the purpose or urgency of
  the task.

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Influence Strategies
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Checklist for Selecting an Influence Strategy

• Retribution Strategies (Coercion and
  Intimidation)
• Power-holder has much more power than target
  person.
• Ongoing commitment to organizational goals or
  collaboration with power-holder is critical.
• Quality of workmanship, innovation, or personal
  judgment is not essential to job performance.
• Time constraints are tight.
• Request involves specific, unambiguous
  activities.
• Issue in question is not vital concern of target
  person. It does not impinge on central values or
  strong convictions.
• If issue is vital, possible negative consequences
  of hostility and alienation are acceptable
  (surveillance is possible, target person could be
  replaced if necessary, others in group have
  generally positive attitudes and are not likely
  to be adversely influenced).

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Checklist for Selecting an Influence Strategy

• Reciprocity Strategies (Exchange and
  Ingratiation)
• Parties are mutually dependent (each can harm or
  benefit the other).
• Sufficient time is available to work out
  agreement.
• Rules or norms governing exchange agreements
  exist.
• Commitment to long-term goals and values is not
  essential, only agreement to perform specific
  task in return for given reward.
• Parties view each other as trustworthy. Neither
  is interested in exploiting other.
• Both parties have authority and resources
  necessary to implement agreement.

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Checklist for Selecting an Influence Strategy

• Rational Strategies (Persuasion based on facts
  and Appeal to personal values)
• There are few time constraints.
• Initiative and innovation are vital ingredients
  of effective performance.
• Parties have common goals or at least treat each
  others perspective as legitimate.
• Relationship between parties is ongoing, and
  there is not much interpersonal conflict.
• There is a high level of trust between parties.
• It is important for other persons to understand
  why request is being made. Either because it
  entails personal inconvenience or because
  personal judgment must be used during
  implementation.
• Ongoing commitment to broad goals and values is
  important.

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Leadership

• What is a leader?
• What is a manager?

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Differences Between Leadership and Management

• Management
• Planning and budgeting
• Organizing and staffing
• Controlling and problem solving
• Leadership
• Setting a direction for the group
• Aligning people with that direction through
• communication
• Motivating people to action

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Schools of Thought Regarding Leadership

• Trait Theories
• Behavior Theories
• Situational Theories

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Trait Theories

• Early genetic theory
• Trait approach

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Behavior Theory

• TASK BEHAVIOR
• The extent to which the leader engages in
  defining roles telling what, how, when, where and
  if more than one person, who is to do what.
• Goal-setting
• Organizing
• Establishing time lines
• Directing
• Controlling

• RELATIONSHIP BEHAVIOR The extent to which a
  leader engages in two-way communication,
  listening, facilitating behaviors, socioemotional
  support.
• Giving support
• Communicating
• Facilitating interactions
• Active listening
• Providing feedback

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Life Cycle Model of Leadership
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Life Cycle Model of Leadership
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Transactional and Transformational Leaders
Transactional
Transformational
Uses personal attributes to inspire
followers Excites followers
Use formal rewards and punishments Deal
making Contractual obligations
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Influence Action Plan

• A. Select one individual you need to influence
  and plan your next interaction with them. Think
  about
• Whats the situation? Why do you need to involve
  them?
• What outcome are you hoping for?
• What are the benefits for you and and your
  target if the situation goes well?
• Next, develop an influence session script for
  your next interaction with this person.
• Which influence approach(es) will be most
  effective?
• What specifically will you say/do to use the
  influence approach identified?
• Meet with one other person to share your insights.

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The Words Leader and Educator are Synonymous

• Your job is to educate your people, to help them
  develop to the point where they can take
  responsibility for their work and to give them
  opportunities to perform.

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The most powerful kind of leadership is to offer
people pathways and permissions to do things they
want to do but feel unable to do for themselves.
That sort of energy evokes energies within people
that far exceed the powers of coercion. (Pal
mer 1993)