Chapter 1

The conceptual level of science works with:

• Constructs

• Conceptual definitions

• Conceptual relationships

• Theory

The operational level of science involves:

• Empiricism

• Variables

• Operational definitions

• Measurement and manipulation

• Empirical relationships

To measure leadership we go back to the leader, we never measure the outcome

The leadership style is based on the goal a leader has

• Theory and empirics to shwo science (science always has two sides)

• Empirics = test theory

• Theorey: why, how, what; it is based on hypothesis (hypothesis are based on concepts and you adapt a concpet in the empirical part)

Research conducted in one of the biggest hospital in the US

CEO asked: Can you motivate our nurses to go the extra-mile ?

• putting more effort to help patients

• staying overtime if needed

·      A personality attribute

·      An exercise of influence

·      A particular kind of act

·      A form of persuasion

·      A power relation

·      An instrument in the attainment of goals

·      The initiation of structure

·      A focus on group processes

1980s – Explosion of research

• Leader’s will

• Influence

• Traits

• Transformation

21st century – Complexity of leadership

is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.

—> you need all components to solve the equation

—> we can look / study each individual part, but need a holistic view to understand success

Goals, power, decision-making, steering, accountable, respect, relationship, conflict resolution, helping others, inspiring, responsibility

Kennedy and Steve Jobs —> good outcome, but not good leaders = we don’t look at the outcome!

Leadership is about the leader, follower and context – without taking all into account we can’t talk about leadership

• The leader takes charge and guides the performance or activity

• The follower performs under the guidance and instructions of the leader

• The context is the situation surrounding a leader-follower relationship

• The process reflects that which is embedded in the act of leadership

• The outcome includes anything arising from interplay between the leader, follower, and situation(context)

We are biased what good leadership is —> we focus on the leader

—> first leader often gives stamp of approval to join a group

= as a follower you have a lot of power, which means we should also look at followers when we are talking about leadership e.g. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozinak, Trump – Steve Bannon

Even as a follower you have influence on the leader – can kill the influence of the leader

Video: first you are cool being on the outside than there is a switch and you are cool if youd ance

—> the context is sometimes not ready and the others are ready (or the other way around)

Context can take away power

• people first were not ready to use a computer (Apple)

• Trumps first election he had silent majority (flying overstates enabled Trump to win, were tired of Washington’s politic = context was ready for him (before he failed)

• This year again people underestimated context, which was inflation. So, the economy is not good which means people want a strong leader. Trump also talked about supermarket prices which is sth. common people experience (where they see economy not good) = Harris lost

• Hitler: context 1933 was ready for a strong leader, because of a weak economy (before he was in jail, at this point context was not ready)

• We choose our friends that have common characteristics  we look for a social circle that is mirroring us (e.g. when open facebook see content that reflects own beliefs)