Week 5 study materials and course content

Accounting -- Economics

ACCOUNTING and ECONOMICS WEEK 5 QUESTIONS

Can someone who is not a leader be an effective manager?

In many situations, it probably is possible to be an effective manager without being a leader, but doing so would require additional skill and effort in other management areas to compensate for comparative shortcomings in leadership skills. Certain specific types of work may preclude management success without leadership competence, particularly where hands-on leadership is a central feature of the industry or work environment. Such areas might include military and law enforcement careers whose structure is based on hierarchical leadership (Greenstein & Learner, 1971).

Managerial candidates in other fields might require extraordinary abilities in other areas, such as effectively assessing personnel strengths and weaknesses, identifying leadership potential in others, team building based on assessed abilities, and, most of all, the ability to delegate leadership responsibilities to less experienced, but qualified individuals with better leadership skills relative to their peers. Question 1b: Does the corporate culture of the firm have anything to do with it?

The corporate culture of the firm plays a large role in determining whether or not managerial candidates are likely to succeed without strong leadership skills. Just as certain types of industries such as law enforcement absolutely require leadership in management, so do private sector firms whose established corporate culture emphasizes that particular quality in management. Whereas a corporate culture that does not specify any specific preferred management style may allow managers to overcome their shortcomings in this area and ultimately succeed without leadership skills, corporate cultures that strongly emphasize one-on-one mentorship and hands-on team leadership at the managerial level likely do not (Ross, 2002).

Question 2a: How does a leader increase self-leadership among his/her followers?

Leaders can increase self-leadership among their followers by demonstrating them by example, especially in conjunction with explaining the role and importance of leadership as an essential professional quality. Leaders can also increase self-leadership by withdrawing from the team leading function and by motivating each team member (perhaps privately) of the expectation and hope that each will develop leadership skills to his or her full potential. Finally, leaders can increase leadership among their followers by gradually increasing leadership responsibilities at appropriate opportunities.

Question 2b: How might an understanding of knowledge-based trust explain the reluctance of a person to change jobs?