Bennis competency based leadership model

One’s feelings waste themselves in use of words; they ought all to be distilled into actions and into actions which bring results.

Florence Nightingale

This chapter provides a historical summary and overview of leadership theory as it has evolved over the ages. Major theories and models are presented. Early documents (2300 B.C.) outlining leadership principles and definitions (400 B.C.) are addressed, with the discussion then proceeding through the contemporary and accepted models of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. This chapter presents the theories and models in the original light that the creating authors intended. Strengths and weaknesses of each theory, as well as applications and strategies for use, are integrated into each theoretical overview.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

· 1. Describe the progression of leadership thought as portrayed in theories and models from the “great man” and trait phase, to the behavioral phase, to the situational or contingency phase.

· 2. Distinguish constructs of a trait theory or model, a behavioral theory or model, and a situational or contingency theory or model of leadership, and interpret those constructs’ value in the present day.

· 3. Apply a behavioral theory or model and a situational or contingency theory or model of leadership, and demonstrate the application in an example based on a definition of leadership.

· 4. Compare and contrast, through the use of illustrative diagrams, two or more behavioral or situational/contingency theories or models of leadership.

· 5. From the progression of leadership thought, design, create, and explain a personal leadership model applicable to leading health organizations today.

· 6. Appraise and relate constructs and variables from the progression of leadership thought to your personal leadership model for leading health organizations today.

INTRODUCTION

The study of historical leadership is important for both graduate students and early careerists for several reasons. First, as with the study of any historical theory grounded in the literature, it is important to know where the study of the discipline began so that leaders do not repeat mistakes of the past or spend effort on advocating philosophies no longer considered relevant in the study of leadership. Second, early careerists will recognize opportunities and best practices discovered by predecessors that, if applied properly, can aid them in developing competencies in their own leadership practice. Third, leadership theories and models have built upon one another over time; contemporary leadership theories, models, and practices have a lineage stretching back for decades—if not centuries—that have paved the way and informed modern leadership thought.

These are the most salient reasons to study the history of leadership thought. In reality, hours-long discussions could be sustained pondering many other reasons to explore the history of the discipline. You can learn from the past and build upon the work and thinking of others to develop your leadership plan and model for your career in the health industry. For practical purposes, better-known theories and models are presented in this chapter; a thorough discussion of leadership theories and models could easily run to thousands of pages of text.

Which theories and models and which constructs and variables form the basis for your leadership model? Read this chapter critically not only to learn about leadership theories and models, but also to form the base of your leadership plan/model. This is not “just history,” but a focused exploration of leadership history through theory and models so you can learn from history and use it to your advantage. How will your career look if you are a better leader than anyone else? How will it look if you are one of a hundred or a thousand with similar leadership capabilities? Build your leadership plan to lead people and manage resources.

The progression of leadership thought is a constructivist approach over time; that is, early theories and models form the foundations or stepping stones for the next theories or models proposed. As you read about the theories and models, list the constructs and variables associated with each theory or model under the various phases of leadership thought and begin to identify which constructs and approaches are salient to health leadership in today’s environment. As you study the leadership progression of thought and research, think about which theories and models are descriptive, prescriptive, or both. Ultimately, you should begin to identify leadership constructs and approaches that resonate with your own philosophy, thereby enabling you to build a preliminary personal leadership model that you can utilize in your career.