Organizations, managers and successful management. Levels of management. Organizational success

Leadership is a social phenomenon, the study of which has interested many scientists from different historical eras, from hoary antiquity to the present day. The relevance of studying this issue has led to the emergence of different approaches and interpretations of understanding this phenomenon.

The most popular leadership theories are developed within the framework of political psychology, which studies political leadership. Gradually, political leadership became the subject of detailed analysis in political science, where many scientific studies are related specifically to this topic.

In addition to political psychology, leadership is studied by social psychology, management psychology, management, and other branches of social sciences. Let us consider in more detail the main theories and styles of leadership that modern science operates with.

What are the differences between a manager and a leader?

This question is one of the main ones.

A leader is a member of a group whose power, authority, and authority is voluntarily accepted by other members in the group. They are ready to obey him and help. Therefore, it turns out that the leader has informal, or unofficial, authority. Often the main reason is that the boss's leadership and management styles are different. Therefore, the rest of the group members choose the manager with whom they feel more comfortable working.

A leader is usually not appointed. As practice shows, this is a person who is recognized as a member of the group and who, in turn, wants to become one. Therefore, it turns out that the official leader is not always a leader. To be more precise, this is usually what happens. The main reason most often, as noted, is the ineffective leadership style of the manager. He is recognized by the group simply formally, as a person who signs documents at the right time.

A smart leader can take advantage of the current situation. He has the opportunity to shift his powers to more authoritative members of the team. But the main thing is to manage this process so as not to lose your place and ultimate authority.

There may be several leaders in a group, who often change depending on the current situation and the state of the group. A professional leader can manage a group. To do this, he needs to influence behavior and psychology through authoritative leaders with high status. But he must remember one basic law. Usually in such situations, the manager needs to completely manage the process, since the authority of the leaders in such a situation is no less than his. Therefore, the main thing is not to lose control.

At the initial stages of study, scientists did not distinguish between leadership styles, their typology and classification. But over time, several concepts emerged that had a certain evidence base.

How to develop leadership qualities

As a rule, it is he himself who prevents leadership from emerging in a person. Or rather, its internal barriers. Barriers can be psychological, for example, internal deep-seated beliefs. In the case of a teacher, he is 100% convinced that he cannot earn money by working as a teacher, and he does not even realize that he is limiting himself .

If you have similar problems, read the article: “Development of a leader’s personality - an example of solving problems with money,” there are examples of how such barriers work and how they can be removed.

Or the barrier may be in the form of psychological complexes, for example, excessive shyness; a person cannot speak in public, and without this skill one cannot become a leader .

Or a person experiences irrational fears, that is, in making decisions he is stopped by an internal monologue in his head, what if something goes wrong, what if something happens. A person who is afraid to make a decision also cannot become a leader.

In most cases, in order to overcome some kind of barrier, it is suggested to break yourself, to break yourself over the knee. For example, still go on stage and speak in public, even if the person is shaking with fear.

But why not act smarter, why doesn’t anyone want to choose a different development strategy: for example, remove the barrier. Psychotechnology to get rid of these psycho-complexes once and for all is in this book.

It’s a mistake to force yourself to do something, forcing yourself for a long time will not work, barriers need to be removed, and not waste energy on overcoming them. Ideally, there should still be a deep, essential motivation. For leadership there must be an understanding of one's mission in life, an understanding of its meaning . Examples for discovering the meaning and purpose of life are in this article.

It is critically important to discover exactly your goals and meanings, which emotionally resonate in your body, cause a surge of strength, and emotional uplift . Do not confuse this with what the “matrix” imposes on us, successful success, money, expensive clothes, and under the Soviet Union this was the construction of communism.

Typology of leaders

During the research process, several were identified. Let's look at them in more detail.

An authoritarian leader is characterized by the presence of the following personal and behavioral characteristics:

• authority;
• sole decision-making;
• imposing one's opinion;
• exerting psychological pressure;
• commitment to strict execution of expressed decisions;
• the use of orders as the main method of influence;
• avoidance of any personal relationships with subordinates;
• setting a business style of relationships.

A democratic leader is the opposite of the first type. In your actions with subordinates, the following features are predominant:

• respect for employees and consideration of their opinions;
• recognition of their right to act in accordance with their decisions;
• equal communication style;
• contacting employees with requests and advice.

A liberal leader differs significantly from the first two types in his reluctance to bear responsibility for the team and the common cause. The following characteristic features can be distinguished:

• providing employees with complete freedom of action and decision-making;
• the absence of any control on his part, only formal;
• unwillingness or inability to influence subordinates;
• distribution of their powers among authoritative employees;
• development and decision-making is carried out collectively;
• The manager behaves like an ordinary employee.

A bureaucratic leader prefers to use a formal bureaucratic method of leadership. Thanks to this, he forces everyone to follow the established order. His formalism and bureaucracy are manifested in everything: in communication and interactions with people, execution of papers and documents, compliance with regulations, etc. The process of managing employees is usually carried out through regulations and written instructions.

An opinion leader is a person whose judgments are considered authoritative by the group, who is listened to, and whose assessments are trusted the most. This role is usually played by an experienced and informed professional. However, it will not always occupy a leading position in other parameters. As they say, everyone is good in their place.

A nominal leader is a leader who takes his place formally. In fact, he does not perform his duties in the group, and the team is managed by someone else, appointed or not appointed as a manager. There are situations when no one personally leads at all, all decisions are made collectively.

A people-oriented leader is a person whose primary concern is the well-being of group members. He often becomes a kind of “psychologist” for the company; everyone shares their experiences with him. But such a manager is not always able to fully manage a group, since business problems come second to him. This is not enough to promote a company on the market.

Work-oriented leader. This is a leader who considers his main function to be solving the problems facing the group. Employee well-being takes a backseat. In an ideal situation, the manager begins to take into account the interests of the performers. If such a combination appears, then he can be called an ideal leader.

A situational leader can perform these responsibilities in a group for some time if the situation in the group is favorable for this. In some cases it may become permanent. Especially if he can live up to the expectations of the group.

Management levels

The management hierarchy is an organizational structure in the shape of a pyramid and consisting of higher, middle and lower levels of management. Three main levels of management (according to Talcott Parsons):

1. Technical - these are the daily ongoing operations and actions necessary to ensure production work without disruption in the production of products and the provision of services.
2. Managerial – this is the coordination and coordination within the organization of various actions and forms of activity of different divisions, as well as the development of production programs and budgets. 3. Institutional - developing long-term plans, formulating goals, adapting the organization to various changes and regulating relationships with the environment. [td]
3. Senior managers (president, vice president, general, university rector)

Fig.1 Management hierarchy

Leadership theories

The core concepts address the following basic questions in different ways:

• Why does a manager use certain leadership and management styles?
• What optimal qualities should he have?
• Is everyone capable of becoming a good manager?

Each theory of leadership styles contains answers to these questions in a systematized and generalized form. Let's look at them in more detail.

Within the framework of charismatic theory, it is implied that a leader must possess special personal qualities. It is thanks to them that he will be able to become a leader in the team. The theory notes that such properties are given from birth as a special gift. However, there are still no practical studies that could confirm this concept. Scholars have tried to identify and describe similar qualities of good leaders. But it was not possible to do this objectively. The main reason is that it was never possible to create a single list of innate leadership qualities. Therefore, this concept has not found its practical confirmation to date.

Situational theory emphasizes that a person does not have to possess certain personal characteristics in order to be a leader. To achieve this goal, it is enough for him to master some positive qualities that are valued by people and take advantage of a favorable situation to demonstrate them. Therefore, in an optimal situation, those employees usually become leaders whose merits become in demand and important for other team members. Therefore, the emphasis is shifted from the personal characteristics of a person to the state of the group that has developed at the moment.

Value exchange theory refutes the concepts described above. At its center is the consideration of the situation that develops in the group and the peculiarities of the interaction of the subject with this group. If we can talk about the presence of common interests or values, as well as their mutual complementarity, then this person will be able to become a leader.

However, none of the highlighted concepts is able to prove its theoretical positions. Naturally, each of them contains a certain amount of truth and correctly focuses on those positions that are necessary for leadership. But one can note the peculiar one-sidedness of the phenomena under consideration.

In this regard, the system concept is currently considered the most optimal. Within its framework, the following provisions are approved:

• leadership cannot be clearly defined by one single factor;
• In order to nominate the desired manager, it is necessary that a combination of certain conditions simultaneously arise (the presence of certain personal merits, a suitable situation, the correspondence of one’s own values ​​to the values ​​of other employees, and so on).

#5. Transformational

In this case, the leader acts as the main source of motivation for employees and plays the role of “ringleader.” He knows how to inspire with words and often holds meetings with employees where he shares his views and values.

Such a leader strives to instill optimism and confidence in people. He transmits these emotions through his behavior and uses various techniques (trainings, corporate events, team building, lectures and courses).

Transformational leadership involves individual work with employees. The leader explores the potential of each team member and strives to give him opportunities for development. Particular attention is paid to the development of creative and innovative ideas of employees.

Famous followers of the style:

• Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Atlantic Group,
• Elon Musk, founder of Space X, Tesla Motors, Boring Company
• Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon
• Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook

Leadership Style Classifications

In modern socio-psychological literature there is a traditional division into certain types. We are talking about three basic leadership styles: authoritarian, democratic and liberal. First, let's make some adjustments.

At first glance, the concepts of “types of leadership” and “leadership style” are similar in meaning. They denote a set of methods and means of psychological influence that a manager uses to influence other members of the team. Leadership styles in an organization include all possible relationships and interactions that develop between the leader and subordinates. This is a fairly broad and generally accepted understanding.

As practice shows, the concepts of “leader” and “leadership styles” are often used as synonyms. This interpretation is also acceptable. Let's explain why.

The typology of leaders discussed above in some positions coincides with the classification of styles, which will be discussed below. This is not a random pattern.

The type of leader is usually determined by what style he prefers. But this is, on the one hand. On the other hand, the leadership style is distinguished in accordance with the individual (personal) characteristics of the leader. That is why in some situations there is similarity in terminology and their content.

Authoritarian leadership style

For this approach, the ideal subordinate is a disciplined performer who has virtually no say. In such groups there is only one leader - himself.

The authoritarian leadership style is characterized by the leader’s pronounced authority, directiveness of his actions and unity of command when making decisions. In addition, he systematically monitors the actions of his followers, monitoring their every step.

An authoritarian leadership style implies that the leader will not allow subordinates to interfere with the leadership of the group, question or challenge the decisions he makes. He always shares his rights and responsibilities with his employees, limiting their actions solely to executive functions.

If the leader has undeniable authority, the group respects and recognizes him. Otherwise, he is afraid, and the employees would like to have another place of work.

#2. Democratic

A key feature of a democratic management style is collective discussion of problems. The decision is made after everyone has spoken and/or voted. At the same time, a democratic leader is not afraid to delegate authority and strives to maintain team spirit in his work.

This style is most effective for managing a team of professionals who know their job and do not need constant supervision.

Famous followers of the style:

• Indra Nooyi, CEO PepsiCo
• Mukhtar Kent, CEO of Coca-Cola
• Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM
• Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook
• Steve Jobs, founder of Apple

Democratic leadership style

This approach is significantly different from the first. A democratic leadership style involves regularly seeking the opinions of subordinates in order to obtain their advice and involve them in the development and adoption of decisions. The leader collaborates with the group without drawing clear lines between their rights and their responsibilities.

The democratic leadership style implies that he, if necessary, voluntarily transfers some of his powers to his subordinates. The latter take them upon themselves, helping the leader perform his functions.

A democratic leader values ​​such qualities in people as independence, initiative and a creative approach to business. Not only business, but also personal relationships in the team are important to him.

Usually in such groups you can notice a friendly, optimistic and interested attitude. Employees and management strive for a common goal and perceive this as their own business.

Organizational success

An organization is considered successful if it has achieved its goal. Organizational success criteria:

• survival - the ability to exist as long as possible is the primary goal of most organizations;
• effectiveness and efficiency - according to Peter Drucker, effectiveness is a consequence of the fact that “the right things are done”, and efficiency is a consequence of the fact that “the right things are created”;
• productivity, i.e. the relative effectiveness of the organization has a quantitative expression. It is defined as the number of output units divided by the number of input units. An important element of productivity is quality.

Liberal leadership style

With this approach, the manager tries not to fulfill his responsibilities for leading the team. He does not choose the role of a leader, but prefers the functions of an ordinary member.

Therefore, the basic problems of intragroup life are usually resolved by the majority of employees using voting, or they are left unattended. Therefore, the leader is only nominally, and no one personally manages the team.

This management style is ideal if the group is well-coordinated and its members are professionals. In it, everyone should know their responsibilities.

The ones described above are traditional leadership styles. However, recent socio-psychological studies have described and substantiated innovative approaches. Let's look at some of them.

Additional materials for this lesson

You can also read useful materials on leadership in the special “Leadership and Relationships” section of our blog. The topic of this lesson is complemented by articles:

• Adizes model: how to become an effective leader
• Fred Fiedler's Model of Effective Leadership

Please also note that some test questions for this lesson, as well as for the leadership exam, are based on the material in the above articles.

Flexible leadership style

It may contain all of the above-described approaches to leadership. But it is not stable. Such situational leadership styles change from time to time depending on the relationships within the group.

Not only the situation and plans of the company can influence, but also the state and mood of the leader himself. Ideally, the manager acts this way because he adapts well to the current situation and tries to turn the current situation to the benefit of the company. However, situations are possible when the manager simply does not know what is best to do and uses the “trial and error” method. In such a situation, it will be difficult for him to gain the authority of his employees.

What is an effective leadership style?

Until now, there is no clear answer to this question in theory and practice.

At first glance, it may seem that the democratic style is the best, since it has many attractive features. It contributes to the formation of a favorable psychological atmosphere for the work of the team and is perceived by its members as comfortable.

However, practice shows that the democratic style is not always optimal. For example, if the team is poorly organized and developed, there is a shortage of time, but it is necessary to achieve the desired results as soon as possible. In such situations, strict discipline, responsibility and coordination of actions and, accordingly, an authoritarian approach are required.

In some groups, where each employee knows his job and is a recognized authority and professional, the best option for a manager is to most often use a liberal style. This usually applies to creative companies or those that have been working with the same staff for a long time. But, as a rule, there are few groups of the second type in business.

Therefore, modern conditions dictate to the leader that he must know and apply all leadership styles, depending on the situation and atmosphere in the group. Therefore, the most optimal is a flexible approach and the manager’s ability to adapt well to changing conditions. Otherwise, his place may be taken by an unofficial leader who takes these requirements into account.

#3. Paternalistic

Paternalistic leadership is partially similar to authoritarian leadership. The leader strives to dominate subordinates and partners, likes to keep everything under control, demands or encourages maximum output in work.

At the same time, he treats his employees like “family.” He strives to create comfortable conditions for everyone, takes care of the needs of his subordinates, listens to their opinions, is ready to make concessions and encourage talented people.

The paternalistic management style is considered flexible and can be successfully combined with other types of leadership. Particularly popular in Asian countries, where family values ​​traditionally play a large role in culture and business.

Courses on the topic:

Business and management

Project management 2.0

Pavel Kharikov, Head of IoT at Veon Group (Kyivstar, Beeline)

Business and management

Top manager

Vitaly Nuzhny, ex-Vice President, Automotive Engineering at Luxoft

Famous followers of the style:

• Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company
• Jose Mourinho, football coach, at different times headed the football clubs Chelsea, Manchester United, Real Madrid
• Dhirubhai Ambani, founder of Reliance Industries
• Lee Gong Hee, Chairman of Samsung

The principle of non-interference

Most often, this type of management is called laissez-faire, which translated from French means “let go of the situation.” Subordinates are not given specific requirements and are allowed to work at a convenient pace.

Employees make decisions on many issues independently; the leader readily delegates authority to them.

Individualistic employees and specialists whose work does not require constant feedback from their superiors work most effectively in this mode. Creative areas are most suitable for the principle of non-interference.

Famous followers of the style:

• Warren Buffett, investor, founder of Berkshire Hathaway
• Queen Victoria (ranked among the most famous laissez-faire leaders because she often trusted others to handle important business matters)
• Steve Jobs, founder of Apple