Dec
2018
Chapter 3: Skills Approach
Lauren Dodge
Leadership 1301
Dr. Wood
4 September 2018
Chapter 3: Skills Approach
- Who began the discussion that led to the skills approach?
Research began when Robert Katz published an article titled “Skills of an effective administrator” in the Harvard business review.
- What methods have Mumford and his colleagues used to investigate leadership skills and effectiveness?
They hosted a study that tested a leaders effectiveness by their ability to solve complex organizational problems.
- Explain the difference between a skill and a trait.
Skills are what leaders can accomplish, whereas traits are who leaders are.
- Explain each element of the Three-Skill Approach.
Technical skills: Knowledge and proficiency in a specific type of work or activity. Including analytical ability and ability to use tools.
Human skills: Knowledge about and ability to work with people.
Conceptual skills: The ability to work with ideas and concepts.
- At what organizational level are each of the three skills most important?
Human skill are most important in all levels of organization, but conceptual is important for top and middle management; technical important for middle and supervisory management.
- Explain each of the elements and components of the Mumford Skills Model.
The main goal was to explain the underlying elements of effective performance. They formed a capability model to examine the relationship between a leaders knowledge and skill. They test the individual attributes and the competencies then test the leadership outcome.
- Explain each of the nine key problem-solving skills of leaders.
Problem definition: the ability to define issues or problems impacting organization
Cause/goal analysis: ability to analyze the causes and goals relevant to addressing problems.
Constraint analysis: ability to identify the constraints influencing any problem situation
Planning: ability to formulate plans, mental simulations, and actions arising from cause and goal and constraint analysis.
Forecasting: the ability to anticipate the implications of executing the plans
Creative thinking: ability to develop alternative approaches and new ideas for addressing pitfalls of a plan
Idea evaluation: ability to evaluate alternative approaches’ viability in executing the plan
Wisdom: ability to evaluate appropriateness of these alternative approaches within the context or setting in which the leader acts
Sensemaking/visioning: ability to articulate a vision that will help followers understand, make sense of, and act on the problem.
- What career experiences could help a person develop his or her problem-solving skills?
Director of human resources to work with people, customers, other companies, but also you will have to approach others’ problems to give them guidance meaning you have to go through this process beginning with finding the root of the problem.
- Explain how all the arrows work in the Mumford Skills Model (Figure 3.3). How do attributes influence competencies? How do competencies influence outcomes? How do career experiences affect competencies and attributes? How do environmental influences affect competencies, attributes, and outcomes?
The individual attributes are what we must begin with. We use these attributes to help us learn and develop. As we gain more experience, we go through more learning processes and are challenged to grow in our thinking. Along this road of growing a becoming a better problem solver, we are faced with both internal and external challenges that will have an impact on our performance. Some may be communication or technology, but other times we may face political or economic challenges that will force us to take a different route.
- How might the skills approach be used for personal awareness and development?
The skills approach is a guide that you can follow and track your experiences and growth.
- What are strengths of the skills approach?
This approach makes it possible for everyone to become a leader.
Offers growth in multiple different ways.
- What are criticisms of the skills approach?
Focuses too much on management and makes leadership less passionate and more general.
- How does the skills approach fit with the four components of leadership?
Process- The skills approach itself is a process of problem solving and developing skills to better problem solve
Influence- Develops skills to be that influential leader and “manager”
Groups- You must work with people to further develop human skills.
Common goals- The common goal is performance and problem-solving.