Which of the following would be a leader according to Bentham’s defini

QUESTION

Which of the following would be a leader according to Bentham’s definition of leadership but would NOT be a leader according to Cooke’s definition of leadership?

A) an executive who influences other employees to reject their company’s vision of social responsibility
B) a manager who excels at executing clearly defined tasks but consistently fails at tasks that are more fluid and flexible
C) an employee who defines his personal goals based on the company’s goals
D) a division leader who wields power based on fear instead of professional duty
E) a corporate officer who inspires others by describing a compelling vision of the future

ANSWER

Answer: A
Explanation: A) Cooke believes that leaders help organizations achieve their goals, but in Choice A, the executive is working against the organization’s goals but is effective at influencing, and so that executive would be a leader according to Bentham. Choices B, D, and E: Success on different kinds of tasks (Choice B), the sources of power (Choice D), and the tactics used (Choice E) aren’t relevant. Choice C doesn’t provide any evidence of successful influencing, and so that employee wouldn’t be a leader according to either definition.