Leadership Metaphors Given the nature and importance of leading people there are many leadership metaphors.

Here are some examples to get you started. For the first time in 2005 an EU presidency had an animated logo, which consisted of swans. The reason: "The idea is a metaphor for leadership, teamwork and efficiency, which is particularly appropriate for the EU, given the system of rotating leadership," says Kate Thomson of the Cabinet Office's European Secretariat. "Migrating birds fly in a V formation. This is highly efficient, because all the birds in the formation, except for the leader, are in the slipstream of another bird. Periodically the leading bird drops back and another bird moves up to take its place." In 2005 the Guardian 2005 commented on a senior public figure's situation in metaphor by referring to the opening episode of ITVs drama saying it ends tonight with a Ferrari sinking slowly to the bottom of a swimming pool. As the chairman, Michael Grade, unveils annual results to the City today, he will hope it is not a metaphor for the troubled broadcaster's future Mr. Nelson Mandela wrote in his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom of how important gardening became to him during his 27 years as a political prisoner. For years he asked his jailers for permission to start a garden in the courtyard and, when they finally agreed, he grew vegetables for the whole prison, finding this gave him a sense of control. He told the Ground Force team he felt gardening was a metaphor for leading the way. So either setting your style or business challenge out in metaphor can be very useful, as many of the individuals over the years have found. As a suggestion: My leadership is like____? Because ________?

Leadership Continuum Theory by Tannerbaum and Schmidt Posted on March 30, 2013 Leadership Continuum Theory is a contingency leadership theory developed by Tannenbaum and Schmidt (1958). This theory is based on the idea that many classifications of leadership such as autocratic or democratic are extremes and leadership practices in real life situations lye somewhere between the two extremes.

In other words, the main rationale behind the introduction of the model is that current classifications of leadership styles are too general, in black and white terms, and in reality leadership practices exercised by the majority of organisational managers lies somewhere in the middle.

Tannerbaum and Schmidts Leadership Continuum Theory effectively addresses the criticism that leadership styles cannot be described in highly general authoritarian or democratic manners, and the actual leadership styles practiced in the majority of organisations lie somewhere between the two (Gosling et al, 2003)

Source: http://moodle.rissaigon.edu.vn/IBBM/Human_resources/page_78.htm

Accordingly, Tannenbaum and Schmidt (1958) propose the idea of leadership continuum and place different variations of leadership practices along the continuum that move from autocratic leadership style towards democratic. Specific leadership styles specified within the continuum include telling, selling, consulting, and joining leadership styles.

The Leadership Continuum Theory represents a just and valuable framework for analysing leadership style. This is because the theory provides wider options for the classification of leadership style, and thus has a high level of applicability in the real life business management.

However, according to the criticism of Leadership Continuum Model three factors to consider when selecting a leadership style are very subjective. In other words, determining which style to use, and when, is not clear in the model (Lussier and Achua, 2010, p.161).

The Behavioral Approach to leadership by SREE RAMA RAO on FEBRUARY 2, 2009 When it became evident that effective leaders do not seem to have a particular set of distinguishing traits researchers tried to isolate the behavior characteristics of effective leaders. In other words, rather than try to figure out who effective leaders are, researchers tried to determine what effective leaders do, how they delegate tasks, how they communicate with and try motivate their followers or employees, how they carry out their tasks, and so on. Behaviors, unlike traits, can be learned so it followed that individuals trained in appropriate leadership behaviors would be able to lead more effectively. These researchers have focused on two aspects of leadership behavior: leadership functions and leadership styles.

Leadership functions:

Researchers exploring leadership functions came to the conclusion that to operate effectively groups need someone to perform two major functions task related or problem solving functions and group maintenance or social functions. Group maintenance functions include such actions as mediating disputes and ensuring that individuals feel valued by the group.

An individual who is able to perform both successfully would be especially an effective leader. In practice, however, a leader may have the skill or temperament or time to play only one role. This does not mean that the group is doomed. Studies have found that most effective groups have some form of shared leadership one person (usually the managers or formal leader) performs the task function while another member performs the social function.

Leadership Styles:

The two leadership functions task related and group maintenance tend to be expressed in two different leadership styles. Managers who have a task-oriented style closely supervise employees to be sure the task is performed satisfactorily. Getting the job done is given more emphasis than employees growth or personnel satisfaction. Managers with an employee oriented style put more emphasis on motivating rather than controlling subordinates. They seek friendly trusting and respectful relationships with employees, who are often allowed to participate in decisions that affect them. Most managers use at least a little of each style, but put more emphasis on either tasks or employees.

How a manager leads will undoubtedly be primarily influenced by his or her background, knowledge, values and experience (forces in the manager). For example a manager who believes that the needs of the individual must come second to the needs of the organization is likely to take a very direct ive role in employees activities.

Through experience, Steve Braccini leaned not to take an overly directive role in employees activities. As founder and CEO of pro Fasteners Inc., an industrial parts distributor based in San Jose, California, Braccini confronted the challenge of increasing the quality of the companys products. Pro had become accustomed to accepting mistakes. Since customers rarely became particularly upset, the company did not feel compelled to reach for higher standards. Then, in the early 1990s., Braccini noticed tremendous market opportunities, but realized that Pro would have to decrease errors to only a few per million parts shipped in order to be eligible for the lucrative long term contacts that were becoming available. He first attempted the directive approach. He supposed he has to follow a lot of his peers in thinking that his job was to control anything and everything about this company. Braccini confessed. He soon realized though, that he alone could not improve quality; the employees had to take ownership of their work. He began selling the employees on this idea that this was their company he explained that they needed to run this company. And it was through this by taking a less directive approach that Pro was able to reach the desired quality standards.

Finally a managers choice of leadership style must address such situational forces as the organizations preferred style; the size and cohesiveness of specific work group, the nature of the groups task, the pressures of time and even environmental factors all of which may affect organizations members attitudes toward authority. Most managers for example lean toward the leadership style favored by the organizations top ranking executives. 1 1

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