2 LEADERSHIP
This section introduces and examines the field of generic leadership studies in
order to provide a framework for categorising the hospitality leadership studies
that are identified in Chapter 3. The development of the field of leadership
studies is described, as are the central tenets of the major theories to have
emerged during the 20th Century. Where appropriate, linkages are made
between core concepts in leadership theory and the aims of the current research.
2.1 Definitions of leadership
There are a great many definitions of leadership; Rost, for example, found 2 21 for
his 1991 publication Leadership for the twenty-first century. Yukl (1989: 252-
253) provided an excellent overview of the progress of the debate about how to
define leadership and, perhaps the most illuminating point which he makes
therein is that some commentators argue that ‘leaders’ (as opposed to
‘managers’) are able to influence people by means other than the ‘more
traditional’, ‘carrot and stick’ / ‘reward and punishment’ approaches. Leaders are
able to influence people by instilling/creating empathy for work goals, appealing
to people’s higher-order social and self-esteem needs – that is, leaders do not
coerce their colleagues/subordinates into action, rather, they inspire. Mintzberg’s
(1973) The Nature of Managerial Work identified 10 managerial roles, one of
which is leadership, which Mintzberg defined as, “...responsible for the motivation
and activation of subordinates; responsible for staffing, training, and associate
duties” (1973: 92). Elsewhere, Shortt describes Mintzberg’s leader role thus:
In the role of leader, managers encourage and motivate subordinates
to achieve organisational objectives. This role may be seen as a
supervisory one, in which the manager selects, trains, promotes and
dismisses subordinates.
(Shortt 1989: 122)The Mintzbergian approach, therefore, is not to position leaders apart from
managers, but to include leadership as an aspect of management. Table 2 - 1
illustrates Mintzberg’s categorisation of his ten management roles.