Particularly relevant to the topic of the course is the nature of leadership in various organizational structures. It is this issue that I would like to study in particular detail. In modern conditions of the development of social and economic relations in society, the role of informal levers of influence on interpersonal relations in service teams significantly increases. The topic is quite undiscovered in terms of practical research, but the concern about what informal processes influence the establishment of leaders in different teams is growing in the scientific field.
Taking into account the specifics of the research, the process of evolution of views on the phenomenon of leadership is proposed to be considered through the prism of socio-psychological categories. The analysis of the scientific works of foreign scientists devoted to this problem allows us to single out five such categories: personality, social behavior, social situation, interpersonal relations, and social group. Thus, most of today’s studies of leadership are based on five conceptual approaches, within the framework of each of which separate directions and theories explaining the essence and nature of this phenomenon are developed (Blake, 2022). Nevertheless, the definitions given to this concept become insufficient when it comes to the informal nature of leadership. This aspect has a profound psychological nature, and the prospects of its study belong to the plane of personal and social psychology.
Under the influence of A. Maslow’s ideas about different levels of human needs, an approach centered on the employee, the leader’s follower, and the so-called humanistic theories of leadership emerged in the 60s. The theory of humanistic direction offered by N. Evans proceeds from the position that a human being is a complex motivated organism. And since any collective consists of people, it is, in principle, always manageable (Evans, 2021). The leader should only transform the collective (or the organization he heads), to let an individual be free to realize his own goals and needs, and, on the other hand, he would be ready to contribute to the goals of the organization.
Motivational theories of leadership (A. Maslow and L. Evans) became popular around the same time. The motivational approach in the study of leadership is focused on the study of the outlook and motives of a leader and his followers, as well as on the study of models and principles of interaction between them. According to motivational theories, the effectiveness of leadership actions depends on how the leader influences the motivation of followers, on their ability to carry out work effectively, and on their feeling of satisfaction from the activity. At the same time, special attention is paid to group motivation and the study of different components of leadership process structure: attitudes and behavior of followers, their motivation, tasks, and power system in the group (Mitchell & Daugherty, 2019). The development of this approach may lead to the emergence of a unified theory of leadership.
Thus, based on the analysis of foreign leadership research, the following conclusions can be made. Among the approaches to the definition of informal signs of leadership, the most widespread ones incluse: theories of charismatic leadership, theories of leadership interaction, implicit concepts of leadership, and motivational and value theories of leadership. Among applied theories, the five-factor model of leader personality traits, the management grid by N. Blake, enjoys particular success. Moreover, there is a tendency for convergence and interaction of various approaches and leadership concepts. This, in turn, leads to the emergence of a new approach in the study of leadership – a comprehensive (systemic) approach.
Blake, N. (2020). Authentic Leadership: How Does It Differ From Transformational Leadership? AACN Advanced Critical Care, 31(2), 196–197. Web.
In this paper, the author explores transformational leadership through a humanistic perspective.
Evans, L. (2021). Is leadership a myth? A “new wave” critical leadership-focused research agenda for recontouring the landscape of educational leadership. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 174114322110662. Web.
This paper aims to explore the notion of leadership through the lens of an individual’s motivational sphere and how it affects corporate processes in the workplace.
Mitchell, T., & Daugherty, J. (2019). Learning to Lead: Perceptions of Undergraduate Leadership Minor Programs. Journal of Leadership Education, 18(1), 133–145. Web.
This article examines leadership from a motivational perspective. The authors seek to demonstrate how this phenomenon can be introduced into the educational process.
References
Blake, N. (2020). Authentic Leadership: How Does It Differ From Transformational Leadership? AACN Advanced Critical Care, 31(2), 196–197. Web.
Evans, L. (2021). Is leadership a myth? A “new wave” critical leadership-focused research agenda for recontouring the landscape of educational leadership. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 174114322110662. Web.
Mitchell, T., & Daugherty, J. (2019). Learning to Lead: Perceptions of Undergraduate Leadership Minor Programs. Journal of Leadership Education, 18(1), 133–145. Web.