by Dr. Michael J. Urick and Jim Baehr
For Thomas.net
Image Credit: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com
Many stereotypes about intergenerational differences are not supported or are contradicted by recent academic research. However, the media is reluctant to recognize as much. This leads to a widening of the generational gap. This article advocates foregoing these stereotypes in an appeal to recognize the influences of leadership, followership, and mentorship on the multigenerational workforce.
Foundation of Leadership
There are many definitions of leadership. In its simplest form, it’s about exerting influence in a positive manner. Research by French and Raven shows leaders become more influential if they possess five “bases of power”:
- Power of Legitimacy — having a formal title.
- Power of Reward — the ability to provide things desired by others in the organization.
- Power of Coercion — the opposite of the power of reward, the individual with this base of power is influential because they can punish others.
- Power of Expertise — power that comes from being skilled and knowledgeable; to the point an organization may well be dysfunctional without the expert.
- Referent Power — the “likability” factor. The Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory by Graen and colleagues suggests leaders are more influential when they communicate openly and create trust. Additionally, Greenleaf’s servant leadership approach suggests sharing power by putting the needs of others first for the sake of the common good.