4. SKILLS APPROACH

Skills approach takes a leader-centred perspective on leadership. This approach is emphasises skills and abilities that can be learned and developed.  Skills approach suggests that knowledge and abilities are needed for effective leadership.

4.1 THREE-SKILL APPROACH

Skills and traits are two different things. Traits are leaders inborn characteristics. Skills are defined as the ability to use one’s knowledge and competencies to accomplish a set of goals or objective.

According to Katz (1955), the Effective administration or leadership depends on three basic personal skills; technical, human and conceptual.

Technical Skills

Technical skill is a proficiency-based on specific knowledge in a particular area of work. It includes competencies in specialized area, analytical ability and the ability to use appropriate tools and techniques.(Katz, 1955).  For example, the accountant should aware of accounting principal in-depth. a software engineer must be knowing technical skills related to his areas such as c+ language and programming.

As shown in the figure1, technical skills are crucial for lower level and middle-level management. Technical competencies are not essential for top management as they have skilled individuals to get work done. Eg: IT specialist – to do IT related works, Accountant: to handle accounting principles.

Human Skills

Human skills can be said interpersonal skills.  It is leaders’ ability to work with people.human skills help leaders to persuade followers to work willingly to achieve organizational goals effectively and efficiently. Having a great level of human skills develops trust and it helps to motivate employees.

As Shown in the figure1, Human skills are equally important in all three levels. There is no one work isolate without interacting with others. In order to work get done, should have the capability to work with people.

Conceptual Skills

Conceptual skills are the ability to work with ideas and concepts. As shown in the figure1, conceptual skills are essential for top management.the CEO, Director or administrator of an organization should be able to see things, analyse and share ideas and communicate vision with peers to achieve the ultimate goal. Basically, it is a mental work. 

Figure 1

4.2 Skill-based model of Mumford’s group

Mumford and colleagues formulated a skill-based model of leadership. The model has characterized as a capability model because it examines the relationship between a leader’s knowledge and skills (capabilities) and the leader’s performance. (Mumford, Zaccaro, Harding, et al., 2000,p.12)

Mumford's model has five components as; competencies, individual attributes, leadership outcomes, career experience and environmental influences.

Figure 2

1.      COMPETENCIES

As shown in figure 2, skills model consists of three competencies; problem-solving skills, social judgment skills, and knowledge are the significant factors which are crucial for effective performance.

Problem-Solving Skills are the leader’s ability to identify, analyse, gather information, define and seek the solution for infrequent and strange problems arises within and outside the organization.  Dealing with vague organizational problems is a complex task. in order to find solution effectively, problem-solving skills are essential.

Social judgement skill is where leaders are able to understand people and social systems. (Mumford etol, 2000). Further, the leader's ability to understand the attitudes of others towards the particular problem or solution, being sensitive to people’s perspectives and having social intelligence. In simple form, the leaders know the pulse of others on any issue at any time. (Zaccaro et al., 1991)

Knowledge is where leader’s ability to organize information to make it meaningful. The knowledgeable people are called experts.

2.      INDIVIDUAL ATTRIBUTES

As shown in figure 2, skills model classifies four individual attributes as; general cognitive ability, crystallized cognitive ability, motivation and personality.

General cognitive abilities are brain-based skills we need to carry out any task from the simplest to the most complex. They have more to do with the mechanisms of how we learn, remember, problem-solve, and pay attention, rather than with any actual knowledge. (Michelon.P, 2006). When people get older, it demises.

Crystalized cognitive abilities are the collection of knowledge we learn or gain through experience. A leader’s ability to learn new skills over a period of time. Once you acquired the knowledge and skills it will remain forever.

3.      LEADERSHIP OUTCOMES

According to Skills model ( figure 2) effective problem solving and performance is the outcomes of leadership. Leader’s competencies largely influence the outcomes of leadership.

Problem-solving is a vital skill every leader should obligate.  The effective problem solving is where the solutions are logical, effective, and unique and go beyond given information.

performance and problem solving go hand in hand. If the outcome is positive means, the leader has performed well and successfully solved the problems.  In other words, performance is the degree to which a leader has effectively performed the given responsibilities. (Northhouse, 2016)

  

PRONS

It is a leader-centred model which explains the importance of skills of leaders. It clearly describes the skills needed at each management level. It will help managers to identify their weaknesses and to learn those skills.

Skills approach distinct from personality traits. It suggests that competencies can be learned or develop. Anyone can become a leader if they have the ability to learn new skills.

The skill approach contains the multitude of factors such as problem-solving skills, social judgment skills, knowledge, individual attributes, career experiences, and environmental influences. These models give expanded idea of leadership and how competencies play a crucial role in leadership.

Skills approach provides a structure that helps to structure programs of leadership education and development programs.

CONS

Skills approach is Relatively complicated to understand. it emphasizes many factors which contradict. The skill model of Mumford and others becomes more general and less precise in explaining leadership performance.

The skills model is weak in predictive value. The model can be faulted because it does not explain how skills lead to effective leadership performance.

The skill model research was done on military personnel through observing their performance in the armed services. There is a question mark, will it suit for organization context.

Though it appeals good, skill approach is not been used in training programs.