Styles of Leadership in the IT Industry
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES & CHALLENGES IN CORPORATE EXCELLENCE
“STYLES OF LEADERSHIP IN THE I.T. INDUSTRY”
Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. --Warren G. Bennis
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ABSTRACT
Leadership is a complex process by which a person influences others to accomplish a mission, task, or objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. Leadership, as a process, shapes the goals of a group or organization, motivates behavior toward the achievement of those goals, and helps define group or organizational culture. It is primarily a process of influence. Leadership is a dynamic or changing process in the sense that, while influence is always present, the persons exercising that influence may change. Possession of influence depends upon the situation and upon the relevancy of the individual's skills and abilities to any particular situation. Not all leaders are managers, and similarly, not all managers are leaders. Within a team environment, manager and leader are simply roles taken on by members of the team. Most teams require a manager to "manage" -- coordinate, schedule, liaise, contact, organize, and procure -- their affairs. The functions of this role may well be quite different from those of the leader (to motivate followers towards the achievement of team goals). Management roles need not presuppose any ability to influence. A leader, on the other hand, must have the ability to influence other team members. A leader must, by definition, have followers.
Leaders must be able to cope with complex technological change in their organizations; general leadership skills are not sufficient in IT enriched environments. Specific technology-related knowledge is required and it must directly relate to the tools, medium, strategies and competencies found within the culture. An IT leader must possess analytical and
“STYLES OF LEADERSHIP IN THE I.T. INDUSTRY”
Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. --Warren G. Bennis
]
ABSTRACT
Leadership is a complex process by which a person influences others to accomplish a mission, task, or objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. Leadership, as a process, shapes the goals of a group or organization, motivates behavior toward the achievement of those goals, and helps define group or organizational culture. It is primarily a process of influence. Leadership is a dynamic or changing process in the sense that, while influence is always present, the persons exercising that influence may change. Possession of influence depends upon the situation and upon the relevancy of the individual's skills and abilities to any particular situation. Not all leaders are managers, and similarly, not all managers are leaders. Within a team environment, manager and leader are simply roles taken on by members of the team. Most teams require a manager to "manage" -- coordinate, schedule, liaise, contact, organize, and procure -- their affairs. The functions of this role may well be quite different from those of the leader (to motivate followers towards the achievement of team goals). Management roles need not presuppose any ability to influence. A leader, on the other hand, must have the ability to influence other team members. A leader must, by definition, have followers.
Leaders must be able to cope with complex technological change in their organizations; general leadership skills are not sufficient in IT enriched environments. Specific technology-related knowledge is required and it must directly relate to the tools, medium, strategies and competencies found within the culture. An IT leader must possess analytical and
References: Fred Luthans –(7th Revised Edition); Organizational Behavior; McGraw Hill International editions Stephen P. Robbins- (10th Revised Edition); Organizational Behavior);Prentice Hall Time ( Special Report India’s new dawn) June 19th 2009, pg 43 WEBSITES www.epnet.com www.neoit.com www.hinduonnet.com