Your Reference
Now that you have finished reading this chapter, you can
Describe the types of power that effective leaders employ:
- Leadership is the ability to influence others’ behaviors and thoughts toward a productive end (p. 212).
- Legitimate power comes from an individual’s role or title (pp. 212–213).
- Coercive power stems from the ability to threaten or harm others (p. 213).
- Reward power
is derived from the ability to bestow rewards (p. 213).
- Expert power comes from the information or knowledge an individual possesses (pp. 213–214).
- Referent power stems from the respect and affection that followers have for a leader (p. 214).
- Most leaders will use more than one type of power, and often leadership is shared by more than one individual (p. 214).
Describe how leadership styles should be adapted to the situation:
- The best leaders adapt their leadership styles to the situation (p. 214).
- A directive leader gives specific instructions; this is a good choice when members are unsure of expectations (p. 215).
- A participative leader views members as equals, inviting collaboration; this is effective when members are competent and motivated (p. 215).
- A supportive leader attends to members’ emotional needs; this is helpful when members are frustrated or discouraged (p. 215).
- An achievement-oriented leader sets challenging goals and has high expectations; this is useful when members are motivated to excel (p. 215).
- The best leaders behave ethically and avoid bullying (p. 217).
Identify how culture affects appropriate leadership behavior:
- Masculine leadership—valuing hierarchy and control—and feminine leadership—valuing nurturance and caring—may stem more from organizational situations and constraints than from deeply entrenched sex differences (p. 218).
- Leaders from high-context cultures tend to make suggestions rather than dictate orders or impose solutions (p. 219).
- Group members in a high power distance culture typically defer to those with higher status (p. 219).
List the forces that shape a group’s decisions:
- Cognitive forces are members’ thoughts, beliefs, and emotions (p. 220).
- Psychological forces refer to members’ personal motives, goals, attitudes, and values (p. 220).
- Social forces are group standards for behavior that influence decision making (p. 220).
Explain the six-step group-decision process:
- Identify and define the problem (pp. 220–221).
- Analyze the problem (p. 221).
- Generate solutions, identifying the criteria that eventual solutions will have to meet (p. 221).
- Evaluate and choose a solution (pp. 221–222).
- Implement the solution (p. 222).
- Assess the results (pp. 222–223).
List behaviors to improve effective leadership in meetings:
- To ensure a well-planned meeting, assess whether the meeting is necessary, ensure that those present are necessary, ask for information in advance, articulate goals, and set an agenda (pp. 224–225).
- To manage the meeting, you should arrive prepared; keep the group focused; summarize periodically; keep an eye on the time, perhaps using a nonbinding straw poll to help move things along; manage conflict; foster productive conflict; and follow up after the meeting (pp. 225–227).
- Use technology effectively, arranging a face-to-face meeting for the start-up, but as the team develops, allowing mediated communication (pp. 227–228).
Demonstrate three aspects of assessing group performance:
- Informational considerations: Does the group require all its members? Does it need more data? Does it come up with creative solutions? (p. 228)
- Procedural effectiveness: Does the group coordinate activities and communication? Manage problems? (pp. 228–229)
- Interpersonal performance: Do the group members reinforce one another? Feel a sense of solidarity? Cooperate freely? Respect one another? (p. 229)