Chapter
12 HUMAN
RELATIONS AND LEADERSHIP
Kinds
or Types of Leaders
1. According
to Status
a. Formal
leader-one who officially occupies a position
of leadership as president, vice-president, king, etc.
b. Informal
or contributing leader-one who has no
official position but who provides or contributes bright ideas for the groups.
2. According
to Managerial Grid
a. Autocrat-one
with very high regard for work but very little regards or cares for workers.
b. Missionary-one
with the highest concern for people.
c. Compromiser-one
with equal concern for work and people.
d. Deserter-one
with very little concern for service and people.
e. Executive-one
with the highest regard for service or work as well as for workers or people.
This is the highest type of leadership.
3. According
to Manner of Participation
a. Autocratic-there
is practically no participation of the group in decision-making.
b. Participatory-authority
is decentralized. The group is involved in decision-making.
c. Free
rein-the leader depends upon the group for
decision-making.
4. According
to democratic Practices
a. Authoritarian-decision-making
is in the hands of one man.
b. Democratic-decision-making
is in the hands of the group. The group itself is self-governing.
Functions
and Roles of a Leader in an Organization
The leaders:
1. Establishes
well-defined patterns of organization, channels of communication, and ways of
getting jobs done.
2. Serves
as spokesman and representative of the group.
3. Helps
the group determine procedures in decision-making and in carrying out plans.
4. Initiates
plans.
5. Settles
conflicts and difficulties in the group. Helps establish a social climate, esprit
de Corp.
6. Clarifies
duties and helps the group organize itself.
7. Serves
as guidance counselor.
8. Maintains
membership, cohesiveness, cooperation; develop the feeling that to stay is
pleasant.
9. Works
for the attainment of goals and objectives.
10. Delegates’
responsibility and authority to maximize participation and performance.
How
a Leader Deals with His Subordinates
In dealing with
his subordinates, a leader must assume the following roles:
-
Supporter and friend,
especially for promotion.
-
Provider of necessary
information and facilities.
-
Trainer, helps group
learn from experience or otherwise.
-
Counselor, counsels`
subordinates.
-
Practices democratic
ways with subordinates.
-
He should maximize
subordinates` ideas and participation. He should not grab ideas as his own but
should give credit to whom it is due.
Methods
a Leader May use in influencing the Group in Decision-Making
·
Telling.
The leader identifies the problem, considers alternative solutions, and selects
one and informs the group of his decision. The leader makes the decision
without consulting the group.
·
Selling.
The leader makes the decision and convinces the group to accept by citing its
advantages.
·
Testing.
The leader presents the problem and necessary information. Then the members of
the group, including himself, give proposals to solve the problem. Then they
test the proposals to see which is the best and the most relevant.
·
Consulting.
The leader presents the problem with background information. Then he asks the
members to give their ideas and alternative solutions. Then he selects the best
proposal according to his own judgment.
·
Joining.
The leader joins and participates in the, discussion and agrees to abide by
whatever decision the group makes.
The
Problem-Solving Process a Leader may Use
·
Identify, state, and
define or clarify the problem (project).
·
If the problem or
project is complicated, it may be divided into sub-problem. Committees are
assigned to gather facts about each sub-problem.
·
In plenary session, all
available facts should be utilized in discussing all the ramifications of the
problem or project.
·
This is now the
idea-getting process. The members are enjoined to give their proposed or alternative
solutions to the problem or project.
·
This is now the
ides-evaluation process which follows the idea-getting process. The advantages
or disadvantages of each proposed or alternative solution are presented.
·
Choice of the final
proposed or alternative solution is achieved by voting or by other presented.
·
Implementation.
Salesmanship
The leader is a
salesman. However, he does not sell material goods for personal profit. What he
sells are ideas in the sense that he uses his persuasive powers to convince his
group to adopt his ideas for the good of the group. Following are some
suggestions for an effective selling techniques:
S-Sell an
important ides. Be sure the idea benefits those it is intended for. An instance
is the setting up of a cooperative.
A-Advertise
the idea. Inform all the people involved. In the example above, it is the
putting up of a cooperative.
L-Let the people
learn all the essential aspects of the idea. A seminar or a meeting may be
held where everything is explained.
E-Be enthusiastic
and eloquent. Enthusiasm begets enthusiasm.
S-select points,
that appeal most b the people. Is it credit cooperative?
M-Let one
move for the adoption or approval of the idea. This is decision-making, the
voting.
A-Apply
the idea if it is approved. This is implementation.
N-If the idea is
not approved, the extreme necessity of its adoption must be pointed out
more emphatically.
S-Be sincere.
If the people see the sincerity of the leader in pushing through the idea, they
may relent.
H-Hear
the people talk about their objections. The objections may be overcome by an
impassioned appeal.
I-Interest
the people more. Motivate them and use all kinds of motivation.
P-Persist
in pushing through the idea. Do not give up so easily. If the session is to be
closed, do not slam the door. Shut for good. Instead, give the people enough
time to think and study the idea further and make a hint that the issue may be
reopened in some opportune time in the future.
General
Functions of a Leader
Summarizing, the
general functions of a leader are:
·
Planning-making
plans for the activities of the organizations.
·
Organizing-putting
up the structure of the organization.
·
Staffing-assigning
personnel to the organization.
·
Directing-guiding
the activities of the organization.
·
Coordinating-systematizing
the activities of the group.
·
Budgeting-estimating
the income and expenses of the organization.
These general
functions are acronym POSDCORB. These functions are not performed alone by the
leader but they are usually done under his direction and supervision.
