Question

1. Discuss the reasons that both position power and personal power are required for effective leadership
2. Discuss the four leadership styles based on concern for task and concern for people.
3. Discuss and explain the difference between transactional leadership and transformational leadership.

Answer 1

Discuss the reasons that both position power and personal power are required for effective leadership

Personal power refers to ability to influence people through special set of skills and abilities while positional power refers to authority that is bestowed upon by the organization to lead people. A combination of both personal power and positional power makes the leadership effective. The reasons are mentioned below:

1. Personal power creates followers but limits the decision making power of the leader; positional power enables the leader to make decisions but they have to make efforts to convince people and work towards its execution. Therefore a combination of personal and positional leadership gives the leader ability to make decisions as well as execute it.

2. Leaders with personal power motivate their followers but they cannot reward the performers or punish the defaulters; leaders with positional power have only rewards and punishments without the ability to influence or motivate. Therefore a combination of both personal and positional power empowers the leaders to motivate as well as reward or punish them.

Discuss the four leadership styles based on concern for task and concern for people

1. Impoverished managers: These managers are low task oriented as well as low people oriented. They are ineffective managers who do not have concern for the people; they are also not interested in productivity and company goals.

2. Produce or perish managers: These managers have low concern for people and high concern for production. They are highly task oriented; they set high goals and strive at achieving them without taking into account human factor.

3. Country club managers: These managers are people oriented. They have high concern for people and low concern fir production. They prioritize human relations before task accomplishment.

4. Team managers: These managers are production oriented as well as people oriented. They have high concern for people as well as production. These managers are most effective leaders.

Discuss and explain the difference between transactional leadership and transformational leadership.

Transactional leaders are best at maintaining routine processes; they follow strict rules and regulations; they have hierarchical position. Transactional leaders use rewards and punishments as a means of task accomplishment.

Transformational leaders are charismatic and motivators. They are innovators and encourage innovation and greater participation of their followers. Transformational leaders have followers; they do not use rewards and punishments; rather they transform the behavior of their followers through motivation.