THEORETICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE PHENOMENON OF LEADERSHIP: CONCEPT, ESSENCE, STRUCTURE

Abstract

The article provides a theoretical analysis of the phenomenon of leadership as a complex socio-psychological phenomenon. The aim of the article is to generalize scientific approaches to understanding the concept of leadership, to reveal its essence and structure, and to determine the main psychological characteristics of leadership activity in modern social systems. It is shown that the problem of leadership has attracted the attention of researchers from various scientific fields – social psychology, political science, management and sociology. The evolution of theoretical approaches to understanding leadership is analyzed – from voluntarist concepts of the “great man” and theories of leadership traits to behavioral, situational and contingent models. It is established that early theories focused mainly on the individual psychological characteristics of the leader, while the further development of scientific research led to the understanding of leadership as the result of the interaction of personal, behavioral and socio-situational factors. It is substantiated that leadership in the modern scientific understanding has evolved from ideas about “innate traits” and “great man” to integrative models, in which it appears as a dynamic socio-psychological process. Its effectiveness is determined not by a universal set of qualities or a single style of behavior, but by the interaction of the leader's personal resources, his behavioral strategies, situational context and social recognition from the group. The psychological content of the concept of “leader” is revealed, which in modern science is associated with the ability of an individual to organize the joint activities of a group, to exercise communicative influence on its members and to coordinate interpersonal relationships in order to achieve common goals. It is shown that the essence of leadership lies in the implementation of the functions of influence, integration and regulation of group interaction. The structural components of leadership are determined, among which the personal qualities of the leader, behavioral management strategies and socio-psychological conditions of group functioning are distinguished. It is concluded that the modern understanding of leadership is based on an integrative approach, within which it is considered as a multidimensional process of interaction between the leader and the group. The effectiveness of leadership activity is determined by a combination of individual psychological characteristics of the personality, behavioral style and the specifics of the social context in which leadership influence is implemented