As the corporation grew and evolved over the twentieth century, so did the relationships that managers had with employees. Once strictly hierarchical, these relationships are changing as managers become coaches and mentors and as employees are empowered and enfranchised. The number of books dedicated to helping managers and supervisors change their relationship with their subordinates, and the number of conferences and seminars which offer a myriad of tools to managers reinforces the concept that today's managers are under increasing pressure to be more than just good administrators. Leadership in particular gained momentum in the latter years of the twentieth century as companies and individuals within those companies sought to learn what separated successful organizations from struggling one. The idea that leadership was an innate trait began to be discarded by many analysts, and teaching leadership skills is an important function of business schools. This research considers the core competencies associated with leadership, and the roles that intelligence and emotional intelligence play in shaping leaders.
There is no single definition of leadership that is universally accepted. Some analysts maintain that all managers are also leaders since they cause tasks to be completed by others and thus depend on the willingness of others to follow them. Others maintain that managers are different from leaders, and that organizations require both to be successful. Bennis, for example, declared "leaders are people who do the right things and managers are people who to things right" (Morden 520). What emerges from various definitions of leadership is that all leaders must encourage and inspire those around them to achieve a desired result, and that successful leaders are able to accomplish this by engendering willing co-operation rather than "grudging submission" (Morden 519).
Traditionally, leadership has been considered as either...