Leadership

PSYCH 485 blog

Transformational Leaders Gone Bad

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When we think of transformational leaders, we think of charismatic, contagiously motivated individuals whose infectious behavior overtakes their followers. In most scenarios, the transformational leadership approach seems like the ideal method to reign over followers, but sometimes this approach can take a dangerous turn. Whether or not we would like to admit, as a whole, people can be very influential, and as followers, we are easily influenced. Transformational leadership is an effective way to elicit change and get things accomplished by enlisting the help of your followers, but the intentions behind this approach are often what causes trouble (Czaja, 2015).
When does transformational leadership take a wrong turn? We often see examples of inappropriate transformational leadership within cults and other religious groups. Jim Jones and his Jonestown colony exemplify the dangers of transformational leadership. He forced his strong ideals and reservations on his followers, sucking them in with his evangelistic charisma and miracle healings. The Jonestown followers became so enamored with their leader, it ultimately led them to drink poisoned Kool-Aid that was responsible for roughly 900 deaths (“Jim Jones”, 2015).

 

 

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Another example of transformational leadership gone wrong is that of the Heaven’s Gate scandal of 1997, in which eccentric Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles convinced 38 people that an alien spacecraft was following a comet, which they were supposed to board in an effort to escape and survive the “recycling of earth”. Applewhite was so convincing and infectious in his thinking, he coerced the group into purchasing alien abduction insurance at the cost of $10,000. Roughly six months later, in a three day succession, this same man persuaded his followers to ingest applesauce infused with phenobarbital, which they washed down with vodka. To ensure the suicide process would be successful, each member then tied a plastic bag around their heads, to induce asphyxiation. While the whole concept of aliens sounds farfetched, the Heaven’s Gate group was convinced that the only way to survive and restart life on a new Earth was to commit suicide (Zeller, 2014).

 

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Probably the most well-known example of transformational leadership that is used for evil is that of the Phelps family and the Westboro Baptist church. Claiming to be old-school Baptist, the church is classified as a hate group, protesting pretty much everything they find offensive. They abhor homosexuality, and applaud death, as it is clearly God’s punishment for the existence of homosexuality. They applaud tragedies, such as the Sandy Hook shootings and tornadoes that claim lives. The church often makes public plans to protest funerals, because they “do not worship the dead”. Fred Phelps dropped out of college in the 1950s after being disgusted by normal college behaviors, such as flirting, partying, and inappropriate language. He was an extremely racist man, and combined his racism with all of the other “evils” to found and lead the Westboro Baptist Church (Reilly, 2015).

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There are many examples of transformational leadership that has been used for evil, all of them notorious. Their original charisma and go-to attitude elicits adoration among followers, who feel that the leader is a superior role model. Like various scenarios, people are drawn to such individuals because they offer new and exciting ideas in which everyone wants to be involved. Interestingly enough, most of these wayward transformational leaders start off with a bang, but ultimately fall apart after people become wise to the outrageousness of their behavior and actions. It is hard to imagine how one person can convince so many individuals to be so hateful, but such is the pull of transformational leadership.

 

 

Czaja, J. (2015) “The Trouble with Transformational Leadership”. Demand Media. Retrieved April 17, 2015, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/trouble-transformational-leadership-21793.html.
Jim Jones. (2015). The Biography.com website. Retrieved 04:14, Apr 14, 2015, from http://www.biography.com/people/jim-jones-10367607.
Reilly, R. J. (2015). “Westboro Baptist Church”. Huffington Post. Retrieved April 17, 2015, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/westboro-baptist-church/.
Zeller, B.E. (2014). “Heaven’s Gate: America’s UFO Religion”. NYU Press. Retrieved April 17, 2015, from http://www.salon.com/2014/11/15/anatomy_of_a_mass_suicide_the_dark_twisted_story_behind_a_ufo_death_cult/.

Team Leadership: Making Group Projects More Bearable

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If you are like me, the words “group activity” elicit a shudder every time I see it posted on a course schedule. Why do college students dislike group work so much? A social loafer may not mind so much, as they can throw out an idea or two in the forming and storming stages, and then kind of drop off the radar for the rest of the week (Alipour, 2015). Social loafing is the reason most of us hate group projects. Other obstacles include scheduling conflicts and feeling uncomfortable taking the reins within a group of individuals you do not know. Virtual groups are a challenge of their own, as someone attempting to assert their leadership can come off as brazen or overbearing, as tone cannot be determined via discussion boards and email. Personally, I feel as if I often appear demanding as I try to set deadlines and scuttle the group closer to our intended goal.

 
What can be done to make group work less loathsome? Hackmann and Walton (1986) proposed suggestions for effective group tasks and outcomes. The first step is a clear, elevating goal, in which team members must know what to do in order to accomplish the desired results (Alipour, 2015). In the results-driven structure step, deadlines are implemented for each group member to finish the assigned goal. For most of our group activities, this step is built upon the trust that each group member will accomplish their particular goal in the dedicated time period (Alipour, 2015). In virtual groups, this step is often the most challenging, as it is difficult to put your trust in complete strangers to get their work done, without knowing much about each person’s work ethic. We have all had experiences in group activities where one person has committed to a part of the assignment, only to fail to complete it on time. This leaves other members scrambling to finish the work at the last minute and creates resentment among group members.

 
The next step in Hackmann and Walton’s outline involves competent team members, which is not really a prominent issue in college group projects, as most class members are on the same level of competency. Perhaps the most important step involves unified commitment among team members. At this point, the project has been designed, tasks have been delegated, and members are familiar with each person’s responsibility. At this step, the project should be ready to commence like a well-oiled machine. For the project to proceed smoothly, a collaborative climate must be in place (Alipour, 2015). Each member knows what they need to do, and the team trusts each other to get the tasks done. Standards of excellence must be in place to apply just the right amount of pressure to each team member to ensure the work is completed in accordance with group expectations (Alipour, 2015). This is a prominent issue in group work, as often not all team members are motivated or pressured enough to perform to group standards, and is often also when social loafing may occur. If a person is held to lower standards, one can bet that he or she will be compelled to underperform, as it was allowed to happen. If a group is struggling with clarity issues or what is expected of them, a professor can serve as external support. Aside from support in this next step, recognition is also important to keep group members motivated and enhance performance (Alipour, 2015). Lastly, principled leadership provides productive coaching to group members when necessary. Being a prime example and exhibiting excellent work ethic conveys to other members what are necessary qualities of a highly functioning group (Alipour, 2015).

 
Hackmann and Walton’s outline for successful team outcomes highlights the steps needed for an efficacious group, but their method is not foolproof. The largest issue that occurs in our class group setting is time management. In most group activities, we are given one week to become familiar with our group members and hammer out the details of our projects. Since virtual groups are often diverse, every member usually allots their school work on a different schedule, and often members live in different time zones, which only compounds the issue. Being unable to meet at a designated time leaves only discussion boards and emails as methods of communication, which are often not viewed immediately, and thus further delay the project.

 
While communication delays and unfamiliarity among team members do indeed present implications that are detrimental to group projects, making an honest effort to implement Hackmann and Walton’s steps for successful group outcomes may make the process easier. Too often a lack of organization leaves members without an assigned task, and thus social loafing occurs when there is no accountability. Unfortunately, humans are unpredictable, so despite steps taken to ensure a smooth group process, some individuals may prove unreliable. Being knowledgeable regarding the various components of efficient team leadership allows us to enforce strategies that make group activities fair and productive.

Alipour, K. (2015) Lesson 9: Team Leadership. Retrieved March 18, 2015 from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/sp15/psych485/002/content/09_lesson/07_page.html

Hackman, J. R., & Walton, R. E. (1986). Leading groups in organizations. In P. S. Goodman & Associates (Eds.), Designing effective work groups (pp. 72-119). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Paying It Forward

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When the role of a leader is considered, people may think of an intimidating individual who tends to rule with an iron fist; or they may think of a likeable and accommodating person. We have already explored where the first scenario stems from, via the narcissistic personality of the psychodynamic approach, but what approach accounts for the empathetic leader? And where do the needs of the followers come in?

 

 
Enter the situational approach. I could refer to the various levels and codes associated with this leadership approach, but what really struck me is the attention to the followers’ needs. Most of us might assume a leader is followed because the followers respect him or her, but how is that respect earned? Simply put, the leadership process is reciprocal. A leader’s actions need to benefit the followers, or thus he or she risks losing respect or must anticipate a disturbance. What is refreshing about the situational leadership approach is its emphasis on “leader flexibility” (Northouse, 2013, p. 105). In other words, situational leadership examines the needs of followers, and adjusts the leadership style accordingly. Some followers may thrive more efficiently with an increased support system, while others may fare better with a little more direction.

 

Recently, an issue arose at my workplace regarding a new policy that will soon be enacted by a new leader. While this policy may increase the efficiency of the business, it adversely affects a sizable portion of employees. This particular employee demographic depends largely on tips to supplement their income, and this new idea imposes limits of productivity, and thus imposes on income earned. Many individuals are open to and embrace change, however, the sole reason people have jobs is to earn money to pay for bills and provide for themselves and their families. When a new policy affects income, you had better believe issues will arise, and respect will be lost. Some employees may even leave after providing 10, 15, or even 20 years of loyal service, only to have their mostly consistent salaries slashed for the “benefit” of the company. Clearly, the situational approach to leadership has not been utilized in this situation, as the policy was a protected secret until its unveiling. Why the secrecy? I work in a place where nothing is sacred, and the only information that is hidden is generally the kind that causes an uproar. Those in the position of leadership showed no concern or empathy for employees regarding the facilitation of this change. Because of this blatant disregard for employee needs, an uprising or termination of employment is imminent as a reaction.

 
What can be done to mend this situation? It is likely that all affected employees will bring the issue to the leader’s attention, expressing concern in a civil and diplomatic way. While the leader’s reaction cannot be accurately predicted, an effective situational approach would be to listen to the needs of the subordinates, and amend the policy or reach a compromise. In this sense, both the leader and the followers are satisfied in some way. In this particular situation, support is needed from the leader in some form of appreciation, as the followers need to be reassured they have not put in years of hard work and service only to be robbed of their benefits.

 
So what course of action should the leader take in this situation? Attempt to impose change for the business to run more efficiently? Or risk losing employees along with their respect? Either way, efficiency will be affected, as employees certainly are not going to work harder for decreased salary.

Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. London: Sage Publications.

Leadership: Putting it into Perspective

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This week’s lesson describes some of the competencies required of those in a position of leadership. Social judgment skills are a vital component of any leadership position, but what happens if a leader lacks this important skill? According to the text, the skills approach tends to elicit hope that “many people have the potential for leadership” and “capabilities can be developed…via education and experience” (Northouse, 2013, p. 47). Unfortunately, not everyone takes the time to develop and continue to work on these skills, which often leads to resentment and unfair practices among leaders and followers.

 

 
Can leadership be effective without social judgment skills? There can be some degree of leadership without these skills, but the quality of the leadership will be questionable. Effective leadership is reflected in the satisfaction of the followers, and follower satisfaction is fulfilled via perspective and perception from the leader. Perception encompasses attention to how followers function within an organization, and behavioral flexibility entails adaptation to behavior dependent upon the insight of other’s perspectives. Social performance focuses on several areas, such as persuasion, communication, conflict resolution, and support. Now that we know what perception entails, I would like to cite a personal example of what happens to leadership when follower perspective is ignored (Northouse, 2013).

 

 
I have worked for a company for ten years where the supervisors show a severe lack of social judgment skills. Most of the employees are blunt regarding their attitudes regarding issues within the organization, in a last-ditch attempt to get their ideas and issues heard. While the issues are often heard, they tend to “go in one ear and out the other”, and no attempts are made to facilitate change or address the problem. The issue here is not lack of communication between leaders and followers, but rather a lack of adaptation to the follower’s perspective. When changes are proposed, the leaders often fail to consider how the followers will respond to the change, which is dangerous as the followers or employees are the cogs and gears of the organization. Upset employees equal unproductive employees, as they feel unappreciated since their perspective was not taken into account during the decision making process. Change may be better accepted if it is communicated correctly, which is a key component of social performance. Leaders lacking in social performance often fail to solve problems to their follower’s satisfaction, thus compounding the problem when future issues are not resolved correctly. In terms of coaching new directives to employees or subordinates, the leaders often execute the direction but fail to pair it with the support and reassurance needed to complete the task.

 

 
So how does an organization function with a lack of social judgment skills? For starters, lacking social judgment skills can impact an interviewer’s perception of a potential employee. Ignoring employee issues only complicates matters, and employees and followers lose respect for leaders when their concerns are dismissed. Lack of communication sows discord between followers and leaders, as they feel left in the dark or out of the loop, and unimportant to the organization. An organization whose leaders fail to exercise social judgment skills create resentment and apathy within their company, as followers who feel disrespected by their leaders also fail to emanate respect as well. Perspective and perception must be instituted by those in a position of leadership, or followers will show discontent and possibly turn on the leader. Followers are just as much an integral part of the leadership process as the leaders themselves.

 
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications

Electing Leaders, Not gods

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As I gain more insight regarding leadership and what it takes to be an ideal leader, I feel it is important to stress the point that all leaders are still human. While I am not condoning the less than stellar actions of some of our famed leaders (presidents, politicians, etc.), the media often blows any trivial matter out of proportion (with the exception of cases involving leaking secret information or illegal use of funds, etc.), hell-bent on exposing a particular leader’s flaws to the public. With that being said, what good does exposing an affair or some similar transgression to the public really do? Facilitate embarrassment? Ruin families? Destroy reputations? Or simply remind us that leaders are human and make mistakes as well? Everyone does things he or she is not proud of, but most of us can luckily deal with such issues in private, rather than have our every move scrutinized by millions of spectators waiting eagerly for a leader to fail, or show their human nature. Political commentator James Carville has said that ever since the Watergate scandal, the media often seek out any situation that can be made into a political scandal, as every reporter or editor wants to be responsible for the next big story that brings down a leader or elicits political change, thus stirring up false rumors to get a story (Ginsberg, Schefter, 1999).
To further validate this issue, as public citizens we hold our leaders to high standards, and they should indeed serve as an example to the public, by distancing themselves from activities that will thrust them into an unfavorable public spotlight. However, when we elect a leader and then show disapproval at his or her choices, we try to assuage our own feelings of inferiority in electing a human leader by barraging the leader with our objections to his or her behaviors or policies. I will be the first person to admit I am a bit apathetic regarding voting anymore, because I have found that no matter who is chosen to lead, no one person is going suit everyone. Why? Because while this leader may share many of our opinions and sentiments, he or she is still not a clone of us, and still makes human decisions and mistakes of his or her own accord. We often feel elated when our chosen leader is elected to power, but I am sure the majority can name one decision that was made by their chosen candidate that was unexpected and not consistent with what they envisioned. We studied the five trait approach to leadership in Chapter 2 this week, citing that leaders should possess determination, integrity, intelligence, sociability, and self-confidence (Northouse, 2013). While every person can possess these traits, he or she may not necessarily make an ideal leader, and must not be solely assessed in character simply because of this criteria. For example, Hitler may have been viewed as a great leader at the time of his reign, but that did not necessarily make him a good person, as we are all familiar with what he managed to accomplish via his leadership power.

It probably seems as though I am defending politicians, presidents, and every other leader involved in a scandal, but I assure you that is not my intended goal in this post. Those who engage in activities that could affect public security or are squandering public money for personal use, etc., are by no means entitled to a free pass. What I am trying to convey is that leaders should hold themselves to a higher level of character, but also they are going to make mistakes or decisions that do not please every single person over which they exercise power; because they are humans, not gods. I am not making excuses for these individuals, but rather pointing out the fact that as long as we elect humans to positions of leadership, we will have to deal with the fallout of human nature. These individuals are held to a higher expectancy, which he or she should do their best to exemplify, but will still fail at some point in time, just as we all do. The main reason we hear so much dramatic news regarding leader’s faults is that they are sought out by those looking to maim reputations, and are then broadcasted all over the media so the public is informed of these indiscretions. Many of us would likely also make the news with our mistakes as well if we were scrutinized by media outlets as well. Point being, we cannot expect our human leaders to be flawless, but we also must realize that simply because a leader exemplifies all the leadership traits we expect, does not necessarily mean he or she has a matching personality.

Ginsberg, B., Shefter, M. (1999) Politics by Other Means: Politicians, Prosecutors, and the Press from Watergate to Whitewater. Revised Edition. New York: Norton.
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

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