Foundations of Leadership

¶ … Flow of the Great Man Era

Critique on the Prentice Article

This article, Understanding Leadership by W.C.H. Prentice, analyses leadership through unconventional approach. The author discredits the popularly recognized characteristics of a leader as basis of analysis. The article sidelines factors such as popularity, power, showmanship or even wisdom as basis of analysis of what makes a leader. On the contrary, the author believes that a leader is one who effectively marshals his human collaborators and successfully executes a plan, even though he may be of little skill or of no influence. Leadership is the way of getting things done. However, this approach devalues the role of a leader in motivating and influencing workers.

In Understanding Leadership, the author details the problems and illusions associated with motivating people. The article looks into the complexities in relationships as an impediment to motivations as well as examining the best ways in motivating other to perform tasks. The author believes that the Golden Rule: "treat others as you would like to be treated as a motivational rule is ideal. However, there are pitfalls of perception, the author states that for " for followers to recognize their leader as he really is may be as difficult as it is for him to understand them completely" (Prentice 3). The articles points out common issues between leaders and their subordinates. The author explains that a good leader will keep a psychological distance that allows his workers accept his position without resentment and not think lowly of them. An effective leader will let the worker understand their role in development.In addition, the leader must apply tact in getting work done, tact in communication, training and in motivation. The author uses the example of an ochestra conductor in directing a group of people, there is need for clear and understood rules that are easily followed. The author concludes by advocating "Low-Pressure" leadership, "which does not enlist the active participation of workers by showing them ways to personal fulfillment in the common task" (Prentice) low pressure leadership is fit for a continuing human relationship.

Prentice presents a perfect guide on leadership. He delves into the issue putting emphasis on development of relationships as a motivating factor. However, it takes time to develop the skills necessary to fully understand complexities of human beings. Unfortunately this cannot be achieved overnight. For this to happen, then a leader must spend time learning his workers and at the same time focussing on work at hand, unless Prentice's presentation lends itself to the Bass theory of leadership that claims that some personality traits may lead people naturally into leadership roles.