Evolution of Leadership Themes through the 1980s

What defines leadership, how we articulate best practices of effective leadership, has evolved over time. Here is a short summary of the evolution of leadership over time:

1900’s-1920’s: — Control

“The ability to impress the will of the leader on those led and induce obedience, respect, loyalty, and cooperation.” (Moore, 1927)

1930’s: — Traits

“Leaders differ consistently [from followers] in personal dispositions or traits and are propelled into leadership position if warranted by the needs of the situation.” (Bass, 1974)

1940’s — Groups

Leadership as a behavior of an individual directing group activities; i.e., Kurt Lewin’s leadership styles: Autocratic Leadership (my way or the highway), Democratic Leadership (our way), Laissez-Faire Leadership (your way).

1950’s — Behaviors

Leadership as a relationship to develop shared goals, with an emphasis on the leader’s behaviors and effectiveness in influencing group effectiveness: i.e., Weber’s Charismatic Leadership, “mystical, narcissistic, and personally magnetic savior with extraordinary capabilities and a doctrine to promote.” (Bass, 1974)

1960’s — Influence

Leadership as a behavior that influences people toward shared goals, leaders who influence followers towards a shared direction; i.e., Participative Leadership or consulting followers for suggestions in decision making with differing degrees of allowed influence.

1970’s — Organizational Behavior

“Leadership is the reciprocal process of mobilizing by persons with certain motives and values, various economic, political, and other resources, in a context of competition and conflict, in order to realize goals independently or mutually held by both leaders and followers.” (Burns, 1978)

1980’s — Engagement

“[Leadership happens] when one or more persons engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality” (Burns, 1978), e.g., Transformational Leadership.