The Nature of Leadership

What does it mean to be a leader? Among all the ideas and writings about leadership, three aspects stand outpeople, influence, and goals. Leadership occurs among people, involves the use of influence, and is used to attain goals.Influencemeans that the relationship among people is not passive. Moreover, influence is designed to achieve some end or goal. Thus,leadership, as defined here, is the ability to influence people toward the attainment of goals. This definition captures the idea that leaders are involved with other people in the achievement of goals. Leadership is reciprocal, occurringamongpeople.Leadership is a "people" activity, distinct from administrative paperwork or problem-solving activities. Throughout this text, we have looked at various organizations that are experimenting with baselessness. But every team and organization needs leadership. As described in the "Sunny Side Up" box being a "leader" can be more powerful than being a "boss."

Leadership Takeaways

Contemporary Leadership

Servant Leadership

Authentic Leadership

Charismatic and Transformational Leadership

Interactive Leadership

Power and Influence

Both followers and leaders use power and influence to get things done in organizations. Sometimes the termspowerandinfluenceare used synonymously, but there are distinctions between the two.Poweris the potential ability to influence the behavior of others.Influenceis the effect that a person's actions have on the attitudes, values, beliefs, or behavior of others. Whereas power is the capacity to cause a change in a person, influence may be thought of as the degree of actual change.

Most discussions of power include five types that are available to leaders,and these can be categorized as eitherhard powerorsoft power. Hard power is power that stems largely from a person's position of authority and includes legitimate, reward, and coercive power. Soft power includes expert power and referent power, which are based on personal characteristics and interpersonal relationships more than on a position of authority.

• Identify three "major takeaways" that will influence your leadership style.
• Explain whyeachresonates with you.
• Please reference whereeachof these three major takeaways came from within our chapter (e.g., what leadership theory influenced each major takeaway).