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Lean Manufacturing Leadership

Leadership Levels & Issues

Issues and Problems

For most organizations, problems prevent the direct, linear achievement of a goal. The tasks for accomplishment may be murky and solutions to problems may be unclear.  Moreover, the goal itself may be unclear, unknown or controversial.

The problems faced by an organization may be adaptive in nature. Adaptive problems require changes in organizations structure, behavior, values, culture or objectives. Non-adaptive problems simply require the application of existing approaches.

Mahatma ghandi Great Leaders- Mahatma Ghandi

The people who should be involved in problem-solving varies. It depends on the problem and on the available solutions.

Table 1 summarizes several types of problem-solution complexes and the people that should be involved in their resolution. These various problem-solution combinations require different levels of leadership.

Table 1-- Organizational Issues

Problem/Issue Types Solutions Available People Involved

Adaptive, Non-Technical & Unclear

Unknown and Unclear; Requires Evolution of Values and Innovation

All Stakeholders

Non-Technical but Clear

Partly Known -Some Adaptive Learning Required

Experts Aid Diagnosis; Group Solves Problem

Technical & Clear

Technical, Solutions Exist

Expert-Leader Solves Problem

 

Levels of Leadership

Table 2 summarizes one perspective on leadership. It views leadership at different levels: Transactional, Relational, Transformational and Charismatic. Clicking on each the level below takes you to further discussion of that leadership level.

If we map the leadership levels of table 2 to the issue types of table 1, we see that lower levels of leadership can cope with technical and non-adaptive problems.  Murky, adaptive issues require higher levels of leadership.

Different writers and researchers attach different meaning to these terms. For example, some writers view charismatic leaders as any leader possessing charisma. Others view charismatic leaders as transformational leaders with the added characteristic of charisma.

When viewing these pages and the other literature, you must infer from the context whether the discussion is about the pure Charismatic or Transformational- Charismatic Leader.

Table 2-- Levels of Leadership

Level

Activities & Competencies

Personal Characteristics

IV

Charismatic- Transformational

(Click for More ..)

  • All of Level III +...

  • Personal Charisma

  • All of Level III +...

  • Self-Confident

  • Knows Him/Herself

  • Eloquent

  • Free of Internal Conflict

  • Expressive Emotionally

III

Transformational

(Click for More ..)

  • All of Level II +...

  • Frames Holistic Issues

  • Sets New Goals & Direction

  • Creates Meaning

  • Manages Creative Conflict

  • Promotes Organizational Learning

  • Creates A Context for Dialogue

  • Manages Paradigms

  • Creates Commitment Through Shared Values

  • Assertive

  • Seizes Opportunities

  • Tolerates Risk

  • Uses Systems Thinking

II

Relational

(Click for More ..)

  • Creates Commitment Through Participation

  • Motivates Intrinsically

  • Promotes Teamwork

  • Manages Politics

  • Works Within  Existing System

  • Participative & Consultative

I

Transactional

(Click for More ..)

  • Accepts Organizational Goals

  • Uses  Extrinsic Motivators

  • Works Within  Existing System

  • Takes Action

  • Directive

  • Dominating

  • Action-Oriented

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