Here Are The Questions You Should Address1 What Was Your Per
Here Are The Questions You Should Address1 What Was Your Perception
What was your perception of management and leadership before this class? Has anything change? If there are any changes in your perception about management and leadership? What are they? What is leadership to you? In this chapter, Peter Northouse wrote that leadership can be a trait and/or a process? What is your opinion on that? Do you think leadership should be assigned or emergent? Peter Northouse listed six bases of power. How would you use each of these power as a leader? As a follower, how would you use the six bases of power? What is your opinion on coercion and leadership? Can a person be both a leader and a manager? Please do not just answer the questions. You are expected to add your reflection, thoughts, and opinions on the subject. Make sure to use correct APA in-text citations for paraphrased ideas and quoted text.
Paper For Above instruction
Introduction
The concepts of management and leadership are fundamental to organizational success and personal development within professional settings. My perceptions of these roles have evolved significantly through academic study and personal reflection, leading to a deeper understanding of their nuances, interrelationships, and practical applications. Before embarking on this course, I viewed management primarily as a set of administrative tasks focused on efficiency and controlling resources. Leadership, on the other hand, was perceived as charismatic influence that inspires followers. However, my perceptions have shifted, recognizing that both management and leadership encompass overlapping attributes and are critical for organizational growth.
Perceptions Before and After the Course
Initially, I believed that management was more structured and formal, involving planning, organizing, and controlling. Leadership was viewed as a more dynamic and innate trait, often associated with charisma and vision. After engaging with course materials, including Northouse’s insights, I now understand that leadership is both a trait and a process. Northouse (2013) describes leadership as a process that involves influence and shared goals, which can be developed over time through experience and learning. This realization has led me to see leadership not solely as an innate quality but as a set of skills that can be cultivated and refined.
What Leadership Means to Me
Leadership, to me, is the ability to influence others ethically and effectively towards achieving common goals. It involves guiding, motivating, and facilitating collaboration among team members. True leadership is characterized by integrity, vision, empathy, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. I believe effective leaders foster an environment of trust and respect, empowering followers to realize their potential.
Leadership as a Trait and/or Process
Peter Northouse’s assertion that leadership can be a trait and/or a process is compelling. I lean towards the perspective that leadership is both innate and developed. Traits such as confidence and integrity can predispose an individual to be an effective leader, but the process of leadership—motivating, influencing, and guiding—is dynamic and learned through experience, feedback, and deliberate effort. Therefore, effective leadership often involves a blend of inherent qualities and learned skills (Northouse, 2013).
Assigned vs. Emergent Leadership
I believe leadership should be both assigned and emergent. Formal authority and roles can designate certain individuals as leaders; however, emergent leadership arises based on individuals' actions, expertise, and ability to influence others regardless of their official position. An emergent leader can often inspire trust and loyalty more authentically than one simply appointed by title, suggesting that leadership is partly situational and relational.
Uses of Power as a Leader and a Follower
Northouse identifies six bases of power: legitimate, reward, coercive, expert, referent, and informational. As a leader, I would leverage expert power by demonstrating competence and knowledge to foster trust. Reward power could be used to motivate and reinforce positive behaviors, while legitimate power provides authority to guide actions aligned with organizational goals. Coercive power, which involves the ability to impose sanctions, should be used sparingly to avoid fostering resentment.
As a follower, I would utilize the same bases of power by providing feedback and support to influence leadership positively. For example, I can use informational power by sharing insights and expertise, and referent power through building strong relationships and trust. Recognizing these power dynamics enhances collaboration and mutual respect within teams.
Coercion and Leadership
In my opinion, coercion undermines effective leadership if overused. While necessary in certain situations to maintain discipline or ensure compliance temporarily, relying heavily on coercive tactics can erode trust, damage morale, and stifle innovation. Ethical leadership emphasizes influence through persuasion, motivation, and shared values, which foster sustainable results and organizational integrity (Northouse, 2013).
Leader and Manager: Are They the Same?
I believe a person can be both a leader and a manager. While managers focus on planning, organizing, and controlling resources, leaders inspire, motivate, and influence others. An effective individual often embodies both roles, guiding teams through strategic vision while ensuring tasks are completed efficiently. The integration of leadership and management skills enhances organizational effectiveness and employee engagement (Kotter, 1991).
Conclusion
My understanding of management and leadership has deepened through academic insights and personal reflection. Recognizing that leadership involves both traits and processes, and that influence is rooted in various powers, broadens my perspective on how to develop these qualities. Engaging with Northouse’s frameworks and theories has reinforced the importance of ethical influence, shared vision, and adaptable skills for effective leadership. Ultimately, combining management acumen with genuine leadership fosters organizational resilience and growth.
References
- Kotter, J. P. (1991). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 69(1), 59-67.
- Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Sage Publications.
- Bass, B. M. (1998). Transformational Leadership: Industry, Military, and Educational Impact. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in Organizations. Pearson Education.
- Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. Harper & Row.
- Northouse, P. G. (2019). Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice. Sage Publications.
- French, J. R. P., & Raven, B. (1959). The bases of social power. Studies in Social Power.
- Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2005). Leading and managing in organizations. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
- Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., & Bommer, W. H. (1996). Transformational leader behaviors and substitutes for leadership as moderators of relationship between leader behaviors and follower satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81(3), 380–392.
- Avolio, B. J., & Bass, B. M. (1991). The full range of leadership development: Basic and advanced manuals. Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (Eds.), Transformational Leadership: 101-116.