Leadership is often talked about and discussed without  thoroughly  being  explained.  Exactly, what is leadership? Are leaders born or can they be trained? Management specialists have been searching for the correct answers for over 90 years. The Navy defines leadership as the ability to influence others toward achieving the goals and objectives  of  the  organization.  Leadership involves inspiring, motivating, and developing others. Many theories have been developed to explain the leadership process. The theories range from Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y to William Ouchi’s Theory Z. The Japanese used Theory Z to develop the Total Quality Manage- ment (TQM) leadership style, discussed later in this chapter. Based on Theory X, the leader assumes people are basically lazy; will avoid working if possible; must  be  coerced,  controlled,  directed,  or threatened; wish to avoid responsibility; have no ambition; and want security. People who base their leadership style on that theory use threats to motivate subordinates. Theory Y proposes that the leader assumes people  like  to  work;  will  seek  additional responsibility when the proper work environment exists; will exercise self-direction and self-control; and have a high level of imagination, ingenuity, and creativity. People who pattern their leadership style after this theory help subordinates perform work assignments. According to Theory Z, people who don’t fit either Theory X or Theory Y are really a combination of the two. People who develop a leadership style based on Theory Z use different styles of leadership with different people, depending on the situation. Relation to Management Civilian management sees leadership as just one of its five functions. It expects its managers to plan, organize, control, staff, and then apply leadership to motivate employees. The Navy sees leadership as all-encompassing. The Navy leader first and foremost motivates subordinates. The Navy then applies the management functions of planning, organizing, controlling, and staffing as needed to meet organizational goals. Although the views of the civilians and the Navy seem to be different, both have one element in common. Effective leadership involves planning, organizing, controlling, and staffing. Good leaders plan well, establish an effective organiza- tion, set up an efficient and effective control system, and staff required jobs with the right people. Finally the leader excels at inspiring and motivating subordinates. Leadership Styles What’s your style of leadership? Do you practice one style of leadership all the time, or do you vary your actions according to the particular situation or type of people with whom you are working? You might have asked yourself, How do I maintain respect for my position of authority and at the same time allow my people to voice their opinions? How can I take the time to get their point of view when I’m under pressure to get the job done? These questions are puzzling, and they have no easy answers. A leader must walk a tightrope when it comes to solving these dilemmas of leadership. As a leader, you can practice leadership in many ways. Research on leaders and leadership has identified several leadership styles. Most people have a preferred range of styles. No one leadership style is right or wrong; the appropriate style  depends  on  the  people  being  led,  the situation, and the requirements of the job. In any situation, a leader must perform six tasks that in some way involve or affect subor- dinates. A good leader takes the following actions: • Listens to subordinates to diagnose or solve problems • Sets goals and develops short- and long- range action plans • Gives directions about who is to do which tasks to what standards • Provides feedback on task performance • Rewards or disciplines task performance and personal characteristics • Develops  subordinates The way these six tasks are handled at any one time varies with the nature of the jobs. A different leadership style should be used for routine tasks than for innovative tasks or for situations that require crisis management. Similarly, tasks of short duration often warrant a different style from those that extend over long periods. 3-15