1. Leadership 12 – Skills Approach

2. Skills Approach
Like the Trait Approach, the skills approach focuses on the leader.
Examines skills and abilities instead of fixed personality traits.
Skills and abilities can be learned therefore leadership can be learned.
How is this different than the trait approach?

3. Three Skill Approach
Effective leadership is the result of three skills.
Technical
Human
Conceptual

4. Three Skill Approach – Technical Skill
Knowledge or ability in a type of work or activity.
Involves an ability to use tools and techniques.
Working with things
Ex. Knowing how to program in a software company.

5. Three Skill Approach – Technical Skill
Most important at lower and mid level management/leadership positions.
Less important in top level management/leaders.
Top level leaders have to focus on other tasks and let others do technical operations.

6. Three Skill Approach – Human Skill
Human skill is knowledge about and ability to work with people.
Help a leader work with subordinates, peers, and superiors to achieve common goals.

7. Three Skills Approach – Human Skill
Being aware of the perspective of others on issues.
Involves creating an atmosphere of trust where employees can feel comfortable and secure.
Encourage others to become involved in planning.
Addresses the needs and motivations of others.
Human skill must be at all levels of a group.

8. Three Skills Approach – Conceptual Skill
Ability to work with ideas
Technical = things
Human = people
Conceptual = ideas

9. Three Skill Approach - Conceptual
Leader would be comfortable working with ideas which shape the group’s future.
Create goals, and visions for the group.
Can figure out paths to accomplish goals and tackle challenges.

10. Three Skills Approach – Conceptual
Most important at the top level of a group structure.
When leaders do not have conceptual skill they jeopardize the entire groups chances at success.
Not needed at the bottom level of a group.

11. Abilities by Leadership Level
Human
Top Level
Leader
Conceptual
technical
Mid level
Leader
Technical
Human
Conceptual
Technical
Human
Bottom Level
Leader
Conceptual

12. Analyzing a Structure
Analyze the structure of a group or organization that you are part of.
How is the organization structured I.E Leader, mid management, bottom level workers.
What technical, human and conceptual skills are needed at each level?

13. Skills Model
Developed out of the U.S. military to answer what specific skills do high performing leaders have?
Analyzes the relationship between a leader’s knowledge and skills and the leader’s performance.
Three main components of the skills model are
Individual Attributes
Competencies
Leadership Outcomes

14. Individual Attributes – General Cognitive Ability
General Cognitive Ability – ability to process info, reason, think creatively, and memorize.
These are traits you are born with.
Increase to early adulthood then decline.

15. Individual Attributes – Crystalized Cognitive Ability
Intellectual ability that is learned over time.
Attained through experience
Only increases with age
Social judgement skills, problem solving skills, comprehension

16. Individual Attributes - Motivation
Leaders must be willing to to take on challenges
Leaders must be willing to express dominance and take charge of a group
Leader must be committed to the social good of the group to do what is best or right.

17. Individual Attributes - Personality
Important personality traits which help develop leadership.
Open-mindedness, curiosity, determination, tolerance
Any trait which helps a person deal with challenges.

18. Competencies
Problem Solving Skills
Social Judgement Skills
Knowledge

19. Competencies – Problem-Solving Skills
Problem-solving skills are a leader’s creative ability to solve new and ill defined organizational problems.
Defining the problem
Gather info
Understand the problem
Formulate plan

20. Competencies – Social Judgment Skill
Perspective taking – understanding the attitudes or point of view of others
Social Perceptiveness – How others function? What motivates them? How will they react?
Social Performance – ability to make others see things your way. Persuasion of others, being a mediator in conflict. Convincing others to follow your lead.

21. Competencies - Knowledge
Knowledge is the application of problem-solving skills.
Ability to know how to tackle a complex problem based on relating it to similar experience.
Allows leaders to develop plans based on their expertise in a given area.

22. Leadership Outcomes
Effective Problem Solving – competency in problem solving leads to a result of good problem solving.
Good Problem solving involves solutions that are logical, effective, and unique.
Performance – Degree to which a leader meets expected duties.

23. Career Experiences
Career experiences moves people from individual attributes to Competencies.
Through practice leaders become competent.
Leadership is learned

24. Environmental Influences
Environmental factors are things which are out of the control of the leader.
Environmental factors influence possible solutions.
Aging technology, low skilled team members, lack of money, may be things which are not controllable.

25. The Skills Model Individual Attributes Competencies
General Cognitive Ability
Crystalized Cognitive Ability
Motivation
Personality
Problem Solving Skills
Social Judgment Skills
Knowledge
Effective Leadership