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What is meant by Likert's Approach of leadership?
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Rensis Likert and his associates have studied the patterns and style of managers for three decades and have developed a behavioural theory of leadership. Rensis Likert regards leadership as the central and most component of management. In his view, organisational effectiveness significantly depends on the manner in which managers provided leadership to their subordinate group. According to his view, the most effective way lo lead people is to involve them in decision making as a group build an effective communication system and create a supportive environment that provides employees oppori unities to seek the fulfilment of their personal and group needs and realise their sense of personal worth.
Likert classified leadership styles in four categories, or, what he calls four systems:
(i) System 1—Exploitative.
(ii) System 2—Benevolent authoritative.
(iii) System 3—Consultative.
(iv) System 4—Participative-group.
System 1—Exploitative authoritative leaders are highly production oriented, display no confidence in their subordinates, provides them no influence in decision making use fear, threat, punishment and occasional rewards to enforce compliance and engage mainly in downward communication.
System 2—Benevolent authoritative leadership style has condescending confidence and trust in subordinates, such as a master has in his servant, sometimes seeks and uses their ideas, use rewards and some punishment to get out performance, allows some delegation in decision making exercises close supervision, and permits some upward communication.
System 3-Consultative leaders display substantial confidence in their subordinates and consult them before making decisions but make decision themselves.
System 4—Participative-group leaders emphasise group decision-making, group goals and performance, seek and use ideas of their subordinates, create an environment of mutual support, trust and confidence and set high performance goals. Likert is a strong proponent of this kind of leadership. Il is based on four basic principles: (i) overlapping group form of structure with each work-group linked with the rest of the organisation, (ii) supportive relationship, (iii) group decision-making and group methods of supervision, and (iv) high performance goals. According to Likert, managers using System 4 achieve greater success in achieving high levels of performance and enhancing the morale and satisfaction of employees.
