5.3.4 Leadership theory summary This brief review of leadership theories has indicated that there are no simple answers to what it is that makes some leaders more effective than others, and no single best leadership style or approach. What matters is that the style adopted should fit with the expectations of those being led and be consistent with the task at hand (that is, it should not ignore the specific characteristics of the task itself). There are no simple answers, which is perhaps why this continues to be the s
5.3.3 Contingency theories Contingency theories are based on the idea that there is no single best style of leadership but that the most effective style depends upon the circumstances. The aspects of the circumstances identified as significant are: the leader's characteristics and style (thus absorbing the two earlier theories). the subordinates' expectations and experience. the nature of the task and the organisational environment.
5.3.2 Style theories Style theories are based on the assumption that it is the style of leadership that matters. The alternative styles are generally phrased in terms of ‘task centred’ or ‘person centred’; these have also been called ‘structuring’ and ‘supporting’ styles, corresponding roughly to the ‘scientific’ and ‘social relations’ styles of management. The leadership styles are not mutually exclusive and can be represented in the form of a grid, as in Author(s):
5.3 Leadership theories Many theories about leadership tend to focus on the question ‘What is it that makes one leader more effective than another?’ The hope is that by observing carefully enough how successful leaders operate, it will be possible to arrive at a theory which will either enable others to be more effective leaders, or at least enable organisations to select better leaders. These theories of leadership fall into three broad categories: trait theories, style theories and contingency theories. I'll e
5.2.2 Owning problems Problem ownership is a tricky issue. It's also an issue that good leaders get right instinctively, and poor leaders get wrong consistently. The point is that there are two distinct classes of problems faced by leaders. The first consists of problems which are owned by the group members. Examples include when some additional resources are required, when instructions are not understood or when members complain that something is wrong. Under these conditions the leader's function is to provide p
5.2.1 Providing evaluative feedback One of the roles of a leader is to provide group members with feedback on their performance. This is often an uncomfortable process for both the leader and the recipient. The main reason for this is a failure by both parties adequately to distinguish between the individual and what is being evaluated. When criticism is carelessly given, it is easy for the recipient to take it as an attack on his or her self-esteem. The result is that the recipient resists the feedback and responds in a defens
5.1 The leader's role This reading is concerned with the relationship between the leader and his or her subordinates and the effectiveness of different approaches to this relationship. First I will examine the leader's role, in an attempt to answer the question of why we need leaders. Then I will examine the issue of authority, and the tensions and potential conflicts that relate to this issue. Next, I will consider some of the theories that have been put forward about leadership. What makes a leader? What m
4.5 Conclusions There are many different types of projects; all have specific objectives, constraints (such as budgets and schedules) and a group or team responsible for the completion of the project. Project teams are effective when both task and relationship behaviours are competently handled. The main task-oriented behaviours are: Â estimating and planning; assembling a team;
4.4.2 Relationship-oriented behaviours
Managing and coordinating work
Once the project work begins, the project manager's job is to manage the work, and coordinate the efforts of different team members and different bodies within the organisation, in order to achieve the project's objectives.
Managing change
Few projects, if any, work out exactly as they were initially planned. Problems arise that require changes to plans. These may be short term (e.g. delaying a particular task because a necess
4.3.2 Setting goals and objectives Whatever the structure and culture of an organisation and the range of people involved, goals and objectives are usually seen as a valuable management tool. This is as relevant to a project team as it is to a whole organisation. What I will focus on here are some of the tensions and ambiguities surrounding the management of goals, especially in the context of team development. To be effective in clarifying and achieving the team task, we need to take account of the variety of (often conflicti
4.3.1 ‘Players in the game’ A surprisingly large number of people in addition to the project manager and project team members can be involved in one way or another with projects. All of these people are important to some degree either because they are affected by the outcome of the project, or because they can affect its outcome, favourably or adversely. These various ‘players’ in the project ‘game’ may only be involved peripherally. It is important to be aware of who all the players are and what role they play
4.1 Types of projects Formal projects are a familiar part of nearly all work situations and are often a staple part of some organisations. Because of this it is worth looking at some of the features of formal projects and their management, as they have some different characteristics from other ongoing activities. To write about projects, we have to define what they are and describe how they arise. Projects and project work are often contrasted with process: ‘process’, in this sense, describes the normal
3.3 Conclusions The main points made in this reading have been: Groups cannot be understood simply in terms of the interactions between individual members because: Â individuals have contracts with the group as a whole and this is distinct from their relationships with other members of the group on a one-to-one basis; people behave differently in groups; there are simply too many poss
3.2.6 The creative cycle The creative cycle refers to the cycle of development that takes place within a single meeting of a group, as opposed to the longer-term cycle just described which may occur over many meetings. As in the case of the longer-term cycle, the creative cycle can be thought of as occurring in four phases: nurturing, energising, peak activity and relaxing (Author(s):
3.2.5 Group development Next on the list of priorities in the functioning of groups is the process of group development. One popular conception of the way in which groups ‘gel’ and become effective was first suggested by Tuckman (1965) and then extended by Tuckman and Jensen (1977). Tuckman originally identified four stages in this development process, which he named ‘forming’, ‘storming’, ‘norming’ and ‘performing’. These stages (see Author(s):
3.2.4 Functional and team roles When individuals are being selected for membership of a team, the choice is usually made on the basis of task-related issues, such as their prior skills, knowledge, and experience. However, team effectiveness is equally dependent on the personal qualities and attributes of individual team members. It is just as important to select for these as well. When we work with other people in a group or team we each bring two types of role to that relationship. The first, and more obvious, is our
6.5 Market experience It is some 20 years since the Topper project was conceived by Peter Bean, Technical Director of Rolinx and Ian Proctor, the designer of the original GRP boat. Sales initially were excellent, especially to sailing schools and clubs where there was much demand for a small, light and very safe sailing boat for children. But after that, the market became saturated, sales were heavily dependant on individuals and families, so decreased despite attempts to export the boat to the USA and Israel, for
6.4 Case history: the Topper boat Replacement of one polymeric material by another may be undertaken entirely for manufacturing reasons, and this is what happened in the redesign of the Topper dinghy for thermoplastic polymer. The dinghy was originally designed for hand lay-up GRP in 1969 by Ian Proctor, a well known designer of small boats and yachts (Figure 61
5.5.1 Non-uniform mixtures Moulded rubbers and plastics are compounds of a polymer matrix and a variety of additives. The mixing history of the material before and during the moulding process can have a critical influence upon the final product properties. If mixing is done badly then the microstructure of the moulding can be non-uniform. Lack of uniformity can cause variations of strength and other physical properties within the moulding. The degree of dispersion or distribution of relatively minor quantities of addit
4.1 Understanding the polymerization process Converting monomer to long chain polymer is the final step in the polymer manufacturing sequence. Polymerization is usually highly favourable in thermodynamic terms, mainly on energetic grounds because ordering molecules into linked chains is a process where the entropy is decreased. Heat is always given out during polymerization owing to the very favourable energetics of reaction, a point you may have noticed if you have ever made GRP parts for your car, for example! Advances in cataly
