A century of research focused on unraveling of the mysteries of leadership has shown a very strong relationship between specific personality traits and the emergence of leaders. Although there is no list of traits that all leaders display, the research identified five traits that function to encompass literally thousands of repetitious individualistic traits into five comprehensive dimensions of personality (Pennsylvania State World Campus, 2014). The trait approach to explain leadership is only part of the story, though. Leadership is dependent upon the environment, as well. There may be factors in an environment that enhance or diminish effectiveness of leading a workforce. Leadership also correlates with several behaviors. Behaviors are actions occurring in response to some sort of stimuli. More simply put, traits are inherent and behaviors are learned (The Pennsylvania State University: World Campus, 2014). This distinction is important in regards to the skills approach to leadership because it entertains the notion that leadership is something that can be learned (The Pennsylvania State University: World Campus, 2014). This is significant from the perspective of an organization because it supports the value of training and development, instead of searching for a specially endowed leader in a sea of followers (Northouse, 2013). Likewise, this approach supports the legitimacy of hierarchal structures (i.e., corporations and governments).
While doing research on human resource management within the nonprofit sector, I found several overarching themes of leadership which are applicable between theoretical approaches and across industries. Steady growth in the nonprofit sector yielded a twenty-five percent increase in the total number of organizations identified as nonprofits in 2010, up from 2009. The sector substantially outperformed the growth of the for-profit and public sectors (Urban Institute , 2012). Adding to the staffing needs within the nonprofit sector is the aging labor force (Nonprofit HR Solutions, 2013). The impending retirement of baby boomers, the group of Americans born between 1946 and 1964, increases the sense of urgency to develop new solutions for managing human capitol. While the nonprofit sector is growing faster than other areas of the economy, the insight into the weaknesses in the sector apply to for-profits, as well. A major problem I noticed, in regards to hiring practices, was a significant lack of planning. The majority of nonprofits do not staff with the organization’s future in mind when they are recruiting. After that, there is insufficient focus on the future in regards to training, retention and succession.
In trying to quantify and improve the effect of leadership on employee production, researchers have developed an expansive catalog of activities, tests, surveys and questionnaires, all designed as assessments to evaluate and quantify leadership in some way. The foundation of an organization is the employees who make it run. While there are many ways to increase performance through leadership, finding and keeping well-suited employees is key. Northouse (2013) outlines a basic method for achieving a well matched employee (p. 10).
The first step in this technique is to determine what the necessary skills and talents are for a candidate. The result of this process is a “competency model” (Penn State World Campus, 2014, p. 10). After completing the competency model to determine what skills are needed in the leader, a candidate selection process known as the multiple hurdles approach can be used to sort out the possibilities; the goal being the retention of a leader who is an ideal match to the position. To use this approach, an interviewer will assess the candidates, seeking to move a qualified candidate through to the next hurdle or an unqualified candidate out of the running for consideration (Penn State World Campus, 2014). These tests can be personality inventories, intelligence tests or other examinations specifically designed for a company or job role. The applicants who successfully pass the first hurdle move on to the second hurdle; this is the structured interview (Pennsylvania State University, 2014). This type of interview asks the same questions of each candidate, facilitating the compilation of data that hiring managers will base their decision. These interviews also expedite comparisons between applicants. The final step of the process moves the remaining candidates, those who passed the first and second hurdles, into a simulation setting, or “assessment center” (Penn State World Campus, 2014, p. 10). In the assessment center, a hypothetical, on-the-job scenario is staged; the applicants fill the role of the position that they are applying for (Penn State World Campus, 2014). The multiple hurdles approach is, by no means, the only option for candidate selection, but it illustrates the way different approaches to leadership and different leadership qualities are quantified as data and applied to real-world conditions.
Evaluating candidates is a multifaceted process that involves knowing the organizational mission, goals, and values. Additionally, evaluation involves defining the abilities, attitudes and proficiencies a job requires. Finally, it is important to understand the environment that the leader will need to function in and also the existing followers that the leader will be working with. Leaders do not need to use one specific theory to effectively influence follower performance. However, leaders must be attuned to their followers and decide what the best approach will be to meet the unique needs of their unique circumstance. By systematically approaching and operationalizing subjective processes, leadership can proactively plan for the future of an organization.
Nonprofit HR Solutions. (2013). Nonprofit Employment Trends Survey 2013. Washington, DC: Nonprofit HR Solutions.
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
The Pennsylvania State University. (2014, January 15). Lesson 04: Skills Theory. Retrieved February 3, 2014, from Psych 484: Work Attitudes and Motivation: https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/sp14/psych485/001/content/04_lesson/ 03_page.html
Urban Institute . (2012). Urban Institute Research Area: Nonprofit Sector. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from Nonpartisan Economic and Social Policy Research: http://www.urban.org/nonprofits/more.cfm