Page 312 - Business Principles and Management

Chapter 12 • The Manager as Leader

Leadership characteristics are personal qualities rather than specific ways
that managers behave. Each company, each job, and each situation is different.
Leadership characteristics prepare managers to be flexible and adjust to changes.
Two managers who possess the same leadership qualities will probably respond
in different ways to specific situations but will be able to work well with people
to get the necessary work accomplished.

CHECKPOINT
How do leadership characteristics help managers do their work?

Influencing People

Managers influence people to accomplish the work of the organization. How-
ever, there are both negative and positive ways to influence others. Just because
managers can get others to do what they want does not mean that the managers
are effective leaders.

MANAGEMENT POWER
Managers can influence employees because of their power. Power is the ability to
control behavior. There are several ways that managers obtain power. The type of
power will determine how employees respond to managers. Four types of power
available to managers and the source of each type are summarized in Figure 12-2.
Position power comes from the position the manager holds in the organization.
If a manager is an employee’s boss, the manager has the power to give directions
and expect the employee to complete that work. If the manager does not directly
supervise the employee, the manager’s directions are more requests than orders.
The manager does not have the position power to tell that employee what to do.
Reward power is power based on the ability to control rewards and punish-
ments. If a manager can determine who receives new equipment, preferred work
schedules, or pay increases, or can penalize people for poor work or inappropriate
performance, employees are likely to respond to that manager’s requests.

FIGURE 12-2 Managers use power to influence the behavior
of employees.

TYPE OF POWER RESULTS FROM

Position The manager’s position in the organization

Reward The manager’s control of rewards/punishments

Expert The manager’s knowledge and skill

Identity The employee’s perception of the manager

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