Question

Explain Three (3) Theories of Leadership in Organisation Behaviours.

1. Behavioural Theories

2. Trait Theories

3. Contingency Theories

4. Attribution Theories

Answer 1

Theories of leadership in organizational behavior-

1. Behavioral theories- these theories are developed scientifically by behavior focused studies of a leader’s behavior in a conditioned situation that one can have a specific response to specific stimuli. This provides real marketing potential. Behavioral theory focuses on how leaders behave and believes that leaders can be made, not born. It considers the observable actions and reactions of leaders and followers in a given situation. These theories concentrate on what leaders actually do instead of their qualities. According to behavioral theory of leadership, people can learn to become leaders through teaching and observation and certain behavioral patterns of their may be identified as leadership styles.

2. Trait theories- it is based on the characteristics of leaders (both successful and un-successful). It is used to predict leadership effectiveness. Leadership candidates usually take personality assessment to pinpoint their traits. Trait theory is also known as dispositional theory. It usually focuses on identifying different personality traits and characteristics of a person that are linked to successful leadership quality across a variety of situations. According to trait theory people are born with leadership traits. Some leadership traits are: adaptability, flexibility, assertiveness, capacity to motivate people, courage, resolution, creativity, decisiveness, eagerness to accept, emotional stability, etc.

3. Contingency theories- these theories are an organizational theory that claims that there is no best way to organize a corporation. Contingency leader effectively applies their own style of leadership to the right situation. According to this theory, an individual can be an effective leader in one circumstance and an ineffective leader in another circumstance. There are some sub-theories which come under contingency theory: Fiedler’s contingency theory, situational leadership theory, path goal theory and decision making theory. Motivation and leadership are examples of many independent variables of contingency theory, while productivity, turnover, and absenteeism are some examples of dependent variables of contingency theory.

4. Attribution theories- it suggests that a leader’s judgment about his employees is influenced by the leader’s attribution of the causes of the employees’ performance. It believes that people will try to understand why other people do what they do. The impact of this theory on organizational behavior is fairly evident. Leaders in an organization will form their opinions towards employees based on what they see, and the employees will do the same about the leader.