Week One

Leadership Approach

Leadership Approach

Countless managers work tirelessly each day to help create thriving and dynamic organizations. Some of these managers possess unparalleled leadership qualities while others lack the knowledge and appropriate people skills to motivate and empower employees. Managers and Leaders have varying definitions. A manager can be effective without leadership qualities and a leader can be effective without management skills. However, in chapter one of Organizational Leadership, Yukl (2010) states, "defining managing and leading as distinct roles, processes, or relationships may obscure more than it reveals if it encourages simplistic theories about effective leadership (p. 8). The following paper provides an overview to the leadership approach of behavior as well as provides a description of the strengths and weaknesses of this approach.

Behavior Approach

The Behavior Approach began in the early 1950's after researchers declared the Trait Approach as being an ineffective means for identifying positive leadership qualities (Yukl, 2010).

English: Some APEX teen leaders were invited to a ...

A graphical representation of the managerial grid ...

English: School of Leadership

Researchers believed the key to* to successful leadership included the positive behaviors management displayed while on the job. Additionally, management** stated behavior research falls into two general subcategories: (1) how managers spend their time and the typical patterns of activities, responsibilities and the functions for managerial jobs and (2) focuses on identifying effective leadership behavior (Yukl, 2010).

Time Well Spent

Monitoring how management handles daily activities is imperative but to be a great manager, he or she must also possess the skills to cope with demands, constraints and role conflicts in their jobs (Yukl, 2010). Being a successful*leaders means handling issues professionally, respectfully and in a timely manner. When the Behavior Approach was first identified, data was collected through a number of methods. Direct observation is usually the first form. Unfortunately, many times when managers realize someone is watching, he or she may act uncharacteristically. Other forms of...