HRM335/HRM335e Leadership Development – Leadership discusses the weakening of formal power of leaders, Singapore

Assignment Details:

Question 1
“Between leaders and followers it was presumed until only recently that leaders should dominate and followers defer. Leaders were generally expected to tell followers what to do, and followers were generally expected to do as they were told. No longer. Now follower, are far sturdier than they used to be, stronger and more independent.

There is less respect for authority across the board—in government and business, in the academy and in the professions, even in religion. Power and influence have continued to devolve from the top down—those at the top having less power and influence; those in the middle and at the bottom having more. For their part, followers, ordinary people, have an expanded sense of entitlement—demanding more and giving less.”

(Barbara Kellerman, The End of Leadership)
The book on End of Leadership discusses the weakening of formal power of leaders. This begs the question: can leadership be practiced without formal authority?

Using theories you have learned in the course, analyse how leaders can practice influence within the context of the dissolution of respect for authority.

In your essay, also explore the limitations of your answer. In other words, discuss external barriers that may prevent leaders from influencing others given the decreasing respect for authority followers or others may have towards them.

In your essay, you will have to:
(i) Discuss the fundamentals of, and perspectives on leadership.
(ii) Articulate the dynamics of leadership and its impact on employees and the organisational activities.
(iii) Examine the various aspects of the relationship between leaders and teams, and their impact on organisations.
(50 marks)

Question 2
In this age of the “End of Leadership”, many teams and organisations are decentralising and some are becoming leaderless. Many teams are becoming what they call “leaderless teams”. The Orpheus Orchestra, the one and only orchestra in the world without a conductor is one key example.

Analyse how teams can functions without a formal leader. What are the pre-requisites of such a team? What are the norms and processes that need to be in place for such a team to function effectively?
(50 marks)