Attribution Theory
Attribution Theory of Leadership
Attribution theory was a psychological theory first proposed by Fritz Heider in 1958 and extended by Harold Kelley in 1967. Terence R. Mitchell first introduced attribution theory as a leadership theory in 1979(Martinko, 1995). This theory says that we observe the behavior of others and then attribute cause on it. It can be used in two sides of the leadership area. First, it can be used in attribute leadership qualities. Which is that followers’ judgment to their leaders depends on the leaders’ behaviors and performances. Second, it can also use by leaders to attribute followers’ behavior.
“A person is a leader (good or bad) because others say so” (McElroy, 1982). Followers or employees attribute causes to their leader’s performance and behaviors, and look for leadership quality from their leader. Depending on the attribution, followers will have either positive or negative impression about their leaders. For example, if a company is doing very well in the market and has increasing its revenue, its employees would probably attribute this success to both themselves and their leader. And the leader of this company will have high prestige in the company; his/her subordinates are more willing to follow his/her steps and accept assigned tasks. Therefore, we say this leader is a good leader to the company. Charismatic leadership theory has the similar way with attribution theory, which is to observe the leader’s behaviors and skills; then we make attributions based on leader’s behaviors and performances. However, if a company is facing a recession and losing money, its employees will also attribute this to the ability of their leader. Employees will think the recession is due to the ability of their leader. This group of leader will not have a high prestige in his/her employees’ mind and is hard to survive in the company. According to Shackleton’s (1995) example, in poorly performing football teams, it
Attribution theory was a psychological theory first proposed by Fritz Heider in 1958 and extended by Harold Kelley in 1967. Terence R. Mitchell first introduced attribution theory as a leadership theory in 1979(Martinko, 1995). This theory says that we observe the behavior of others and then attribute cause on it. It can be used in two sides of the leadership area. First, it can be used in attribute leadership qualities. Which is that followers’ judgment to their leaders depends on the leaders’ behaviors and performances. Second, it can also use by leaders to attribute followers’ behavior.
“A person is a leader (good or bad) because others say so” (McElroy, 1982). Followers or employees attribute causes to their leader’s performance and behaviors, and look for leadership quality from their leader. Depending on the attribution, followers will have either positive or negative impression about their leaders. For example, if a company is doing very well in the market and has increasing its revenue, its employees would probably attribute this success to both themselves and their leader. And the leader of this company will have high prestige in the company; his/her subordinates are more willing to follow his/her steps and accept assigned tasks. Therefore, we say this leader is a good leader to the company. Charismatic leadership theory has the similar way with attribution theory, which is to observe the leader’s behaviors and skills; then we make attributions based on leader’s behaviors and performances. However, if a company is facing a recession and losing money, its employees will also attribute this to the ability of their leader. Employees will think the recession is due to the ability of their leader. This group of leader will not have a high prestige in his/her employees’ mind and is hard to survive in the company. According to Shackleton’s (1995) example, in poorly performing football teams, it
Cited: CNNMoney. 10 Moat Powerful Business Man in China. May 31, 2012. Shackleton, E. (1995). Business Leadership (Pg. 55). London, UK: Thomas Learning. Weiner, B Winkler, I. (2010). Contemporary Leadership Theories (Pg. 10). New York: Springer Heidelberg Dordrecht London.