Chapter 2 Literature Review
2.1. Effective Leadership Behaviors of Local government Leaders
2.1.4. Theoretical background of leadership behaviors
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17 traditional leaders to settle land disputes. Whereas for exchange tactics, it is the leaders who influence the target directly. The relocation of street vendors is the example of the exchange tactic. Therefore, we argue that these two tactics are different in practice although they have similar objective. How these tactics performed by leaders in order to implement the poverty alleviation policy?
2.1.4. Theoretical background of leadership behaviors
Lack of evidences to provide an answer for question to what extent local government‟ leaders' behaviors are effective has confirmed Yukl (2012) argument that most leader behavior studies tend to emphasize how much the behavior is used rather than how well it is used. Similarly, Ferris et.al, (2002) argued that although considerable research has examined organizational politics, a serious omission has been the failure to evaluate the political skill of the influencer. Thus, not enough information why influence efforts are (or are not) successful in other words, it is not enough to study particular influence tactics of political behaviors that reflect the
“what” of influence. We also need to critically examine the political skill of the influencer to understand the “how” influence, which address the selection of the most situational appropriate influence tactics and their successful execution.
It is likely that specific behaviors interact in complex ways, and that the leadership effectiveness cannot be understood unless these interactions are studied.
There are four meta-categories were discussed by Yukl (2012) to describe the leadership‟s influence (Table 2.1). Each meta-category has a different primary objective. To accomplish work in an efficient and reliable way is the primary objective of task-oriented behavior. Moreover, to increase the quality of human resources and relations (human capital) is the primary object of the relation-oriented
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behavior. Meanwhile, to increase innovation, collective learning, and adaptation to the external environment is the primary objectives of the change-oriented behavior.
Finally, to acquire necessary information and resources, and to promote and defend the interest of the team or organization is the primary objective of the external leadership behavior.
Table 2-1 Hierarchical taxonomies of leadership behaviors Task-oriented Clarifying
Concerning the public organization performance, leaders may incline to one or more meta-category of behaviors in order to be effective. The goal of public organization is to make sure that all people have equal access to public services regardless their personal background. Therefore, it is difficult for leaders to fall into a particular meta - category of behaviors to do their activities. Adjusting to the local condition of each region, leader may incline to one or more meta-category of behaviors in order to be effective in achieving their objectives.
Some scholars wrote about the failure of decentralization and the need for the right leadership had proposed characteristics that suitable for leader of decentralized region. For example, Manyak & Katono (2010) discussed the importance of
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19 accountability and transparency due to the absence of honest and effective leadership in Africa. In the context of local government in Indonesia, Abdullah (1985) discussed the importance of the respected and trusted leader. Moreover, Abraha (2010) found that the absence of appropriate leadership has led the nation building into a complete failure, hence he suggests for a directive, visionary, participative and interactive leader who possess a quality, legitimacy, justice, care, competence and character (honesty, integrity, trustworthiness and principle centeredness) as the ideal characteristics of leader in Eritrea. Essentially, the main point of these proposed ideal characteristics for leader in decentralized system is that trustworthy matters.
To examine the effectiveness of the organization based on other‟s perception using leader‟s behaviors as the indicators may require additional or new category of behaviors taxonomy. We propose trust behavior building into this taxonomy. Stephen Covey noted that trust is the emotional bank account between two people, which enables two parties to have a win-win performance agreement. If two people trust each other, based on the trustworthiness of each other, they can enjoy clear communication, empathy, synergy and productive interdependency. On the other hand, if one has a character flaw, he or she must make and keep promise to increase internal security, improve skills and rebuild a relationship of trust. Trust or the lack of it is at the root of the success or failure in relationships and in the bottom line results of business, industry, education and government (Potter and Hasting 2004). In addition, people may prefer to trust or follow leaders whose actions are signaling the personal integrity behaviors rather than those whose action are corrupt. Further, a leader who are not trusted by his people will have less influence than those leaders who are trusted. Hence, we propose trust-oriented category as an additional behaviors for leaders of local government to be effective.
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Figure 2-1 The sources of theoretical building
Source: author
The sources of theoretical building of this study come from different scholars (Figure 2-1). This study uses the concept of administrative skills developed by Northouse (2009). It includes managing people, managing resources and technical competence. We categorize these skills as similar to the task-oriented behavior of Yukl. Communication skills here referred as the ability to effectively exchange information through active and passive means (Wart 2005). The behaviors used to examine the communication skills in this study are developed based on Van Wart‟
stereotyping of four main elements of communication skills. The skills represent the task-oriented, change-oriented or relation-oriented behaviors of Yukl. Furthermore, in this study, we develop the behaviors of coalition and exchange tactics based on Yukl‟s guidelines for political or organizational action of implementing change (G.
Yukl 2002) in which their behaviors can be groupeaaa change-oriented and externabehaviorrs categories. Finally, we develop the personal integrity behaviors
IDEAL LEADER(SHIP) CHARACTERISTICS
SKILLS
TRAITS INFLUENCE
BEHAVIORS
PROPOSED LEADERSHIP POSITIVE CHARACTERISTICS FOR DECENTRALIZED REGION Van Wart (2005) Yukl (2002),
Northouse (2009)
Yukl (2002)
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based on Van Wart conceptions. In summary, the following table shows the behaviors which will be observed.Table 2-2 Taxonomy of local government leadership behaviors
Characteristics
To identify the effect of public leader‟s performance on the local government performance, we will examine personal integrity, communication and administrative skills, and coalition and exchange tactics. It is expected that the combination of these leadership attributes might explain how leader choose which behaviors were relevant.