It’s not just the “boss” that can influence and demonstrate leadership skills, there are many leaders in organizations that don’t have a title. Most times we correlate leadership with someone who has an assigned leadership position. Someone who has an assigned leadership position within an organization such as a supervisor or manager has assigned leadership, but this does not mean they become the leader in a particular setting (Northouse, 2016). In many organizations there are lower level employees that demonstrate leadership within their assigned group. Northouse (2016) conceptualized leadership as having four components leadership is a process, involves influence, occurs in groups and there is a common goal. Many times, this is left up to the assigned leader of the group, but there are individuals who take initiative and fall into the emergent leadership role. Emergent leadership is when someone is perceived as the most influential member of the group, regardless of title, Fisher (1974) added that they demonstrate positive communication behaviors, they seek others opinions, they are informed, initiate new ideas, and are firm but not ridged (Northouse, 2016).
I have witnessed many new employees that have a great attitude and willingness to learn, they make friends with others in the group and ask questions. This is the beginning of someone who has emergent leadership, they want more than just to be a member of the group. Developing someone who already has the drive and willingness to learn can be easy, but the transition for them into a leadership role can be difficult. I had a young man, Mike who started as an operator and was well liked by the team, he made many friends and learned the machines quickly. He asked questions everyday about how machines work to how we determine what we are running. He very quickly had expert power within the group, he was even teaching the new supervisor how to run the machines. Expert power is a primary function of the leader, being an expert in an area can influence others in the group, followers may have more expert power than leaders (Northouse, 2016) Even though he was friends with the group, they respected him and when he asked others to do tasks they complied without question, he made influencing the group look easy. Referent power is when the leader is seen as a role model and has the ability to influence due to the strength of the relationship between the leader and follower (Northouse, 2016). Although Mike didn’t have legitimate power, he was still contributing to the positive influence of the team. Legitimate power is similar to assigned leadership, it is associated with having formal job authority (Northouse, 2016).
When there was a lead position open Mike applied and was promoted, moving from emergent leadership to assigned leadership role. He was moved to a different shift to make the transition to a leadership role easier. He excelled at training and leading the team when the supervisor was not available. Mike continued to grow in the lead position and was promoted to a shift supervisor recently.
Emergent leadership is sometimes overlooked in organizations, but this is where people who want to move up and become assigned leaders start. I have witnessed leaders who have had a dedicated employee who takes initiative to communicate team goals with the group and influence as if they were the group leader. But overlook these individuals when there is an assigned leader position available. Sometimes the excuse for not promoting is they don’t have a degree, or I don’t think they are ready for the responsibilities. I’m in a leadership position because I showed emergent leadership skills and proved to my boss that I had leadership qualities and the willingness to learn. I don’t have my bachelor’s degree yet and that was a requirement for my supervisor position. If more organizations promoted from within, because of leadership skills that have been demonstrated instead of what degree they have, I feel they would have stronger teams and be more productive. Internal promotions at my organization has boosted morale and lets new employees know there is room for advancement.
References:
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. 7th Edition. Los Angeles: Sage Publication.
The sentiment that organizations should promote from within based on demonstrated leadership ability resonates with me because I, too, have moved-up in the leadership chain without a college degree and as a result of emergent leadership skills. Several characteristics are perceived to be attributed to emergent leaders, such as confidence, dominance, initiating new ideas, and seeking new opinions from the group (Northouse, 2016). Watson and Hoffman (2004) found that women who displayed these characteristics were successful and equally influential as their male counterparts (as cited in Northouse, 2016). Nevertheless, the women were rated lower in leadership potential than comparable men in the same group (Watson & Hoffman, 2004, as cited in Northouse, 2016).
Gender-biased perceptions are an issue in leadership theory because the prevailing attributes endorse stereotypical male characteristics that are usually not viewed favorably when displayed by a woman. For example, a results-driven male leader is applauded for being assertive, while a female leader in the same circumstance is chastised for being too aggressive. Female emergent leaders are subjected to the “assertiveness penalty” (Menzies, 2018). To emerge as a leader, they must display the masculine traits that align with leadership stereotypes (Menzies, 2018). However, when they breach gender stereotypes, they are penalized for it, considered less likable, and jeopardize their careers (Menzies, 2018). Men are labeled as the boss, while women are labeled bossy (Menzies, 2018). Studies have shown that both male and female managers are overly critical of their female subordinates (Menzies, 2018).
Mike quickly became an expert operator in your story, even showing the supervisor how to run the machines. I wonder if Mike had been a female, showing the same eagerness, intelligence, dominance, and confidence, if the outcome would have been the same. Or, would the incumbent team and supervisor have felt threatened by an aggressive woman? Yes, sometimes, the excuse for not promoting from within is that a person does not have a degree. However, sometimes, it is an unconscious gender bias that prevents emergent leaders (with our without a degree) from transitioning into assigned leadership positions.
References
Menzies, F. (2018, May 06). Gender Bias At Work: The Assertiveness Double-Bind. Retrieved from https://cultureplusconsulting.com/2018/03/10/gender-bias-work-assertiveness-double-bind/
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory in practice (7th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.