Final Paper
Behavioral Approach
Chapter 4
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Behavior Approach Overview
Behavior approach perspective
Ohio State studies
University of Michigan studies
Blake & Mouton’s Leadership grid
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Behavior Approach Description
Perspective
Emphasizes the behavior of the leader
Focuses exclusively on what leaders do and how they act
Definition
Comprised of two general kinds of behaviors
Task behaviors
Facilitate goal accomplishment: Help group members achieve objectives
Relationship behaviors
Help subordinates feel comfortable with themselves, each other, and the situation
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Ohio State Studies
Leadership Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQ)
Identify number of times leaders engaged in specific behaviors
150 questions
Participant settings (military, industrial, educational)
Results
Certain clusters of behaviors were typical of leaders
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Ohio State Studies, cont’d.
LBDQ-XII (Stogdill, 1963)
Shortened version of the LBDQ
Most widely used leadership assessment instrument
Results - Two general types of leader behaviors:
Initiating structure – Leaders provide structure for subordinates
Task behaviors - organizing work, giving structure to the work context, defining role responsibility, scheduling work activities
Consideration - Leaders nurture subordinates
Relationship behaviors – building camaraderie, respect, trust, & liking between leaders & followers
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University of Michigan Studies
Exploring leadership behavior
Specific emphasis on impact of leadership behavior on performance of small groups
Results - Two types of leadership behaviors conceptualized as opposite ends of a single continuum
Employee orientation
Strong human relations emphasis
Production orientation
Stresses the technical aspects of a job
Later studies re-conceptualized behaviors as two independent leadership orientations - possible orientation to both at the same time
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Historical Perspective: Blake & Mouton’s Managerial Leadership Grid
Development
Developed in early 1960s
Used extensively in organizational training and development
Purpose
Designed to explain how leaders help organizations to reach their purposes
Two factors:
Concern for production: how a leader is concerned with achieving organizational tasks
Concern for people: How a leader attends to the members of the organization who are trying to achieve its goals
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Blake & Mouton’s Managerial (Leadership) Grid
Historical Perspective
Leadership Grid Components
Authority-Compliance
Country Club Management
Impoverished Management
Middle-of-the-Road Management
Team Management
Paternalism/Maternalism
Opportunism
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Authority-Compliance
Definition
Efficiency in operations results from arranging conditions of work such that human interference is minimal
Role Focus
Heavy emphasis on task and job requirements and less emphasis on people
Communicating with subordinates mainly for task instructions
Results-driven – people regarded as tools to that end
Leaders – seen as controlling, demanding, hard-driving, & overpowering
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Country Club
Definition
Thoughtful attention to the needs of people leads to a comfortable, friendly organizational atmosphere and work tempo
Role Focus
Low concern for task accomplishment coupled with high concern for interpersonal relationships
De-emphasizes production; leaders stress the attitudes and feelings of people
Leaders – try to create a positive climate by being agreeable, eager to help, comforting, noncontroversial
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Impoverished
Definition
Minimal effort exerted to get work done is appropriate to sustain organizational membership
Role Focus
Leader unconcerned with both task and interpersonal relationships
Going through the motions, but uninvolved and withdrawn
Leaders - have little contact with followers and are described as indifferent, noncommittal, resigned, and apathetic
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Middle-of-the-Road
Definition
Adequate organizational performance possible through balancing the necessity of getting work done while maintaining satisfactory morale
Role Focus
Leaders who are compromisers; have intermediate concern for task and people who do task
To achieve equilibrium, leader avoids conflict while emphasizing moderate levels of production and interpersonal relationships
Leader - described as expedient; prefers the middle ground, soft-pedals disagreement, swallows convictions in the interest of “progress”
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Team
Definition
Work accomplished through committed people; interdependence via a “common stake” in the organization’s purpose, which leads to relationships of trust and respect
Role Focus
Strong emphasis on both tasks and interpersonal relationships
Promotes high degree of participation & teamwork, satisfies basic need of employee to be involved & committed to their work
Leader - stimulates participation, acts determined, makes priorities clear, follows through, behaves open-mindedly and enjoys working
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Paternalism/Maternalism
Definition
Reward and approval are bestowed on people in return for loyalty and obedience; failure to comply leads to punishment
Role Focus
Leaders who use both without integrating the two
The “benevolent dictator;” acts gracious for purpose of goal accomplishment
Treats people as though they were disassociated from the task
Regards the organization as a family
Makes most of the key decisions
Rewards loyalty and punishes non-compliance
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Opportunism
Definition
People adapt and shift to any grid style needed to gain maximum advantage
Role Focus
Performance occurs according to a system of selfish gain
Leader uses any combination of the basic five styles for the purpose of personal advancement
May be seen as ruthless and cunning
May also be seen as adaptable and strategic
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Leaders usually have a dominant style used in most situations and a backup style that is reverted to when under pressure
Behavioral Approach
Focus
Primarily a framework for assessing leadership as behavior with a task and relationship dimension
Overall Scope
Offers a general means of assessing the behaviors of leaders
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Situational Approach
Chapter 5
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Situational Approach Overview
Situational approach perspective
Leadership styles
Developmental levels
How does the situational approach work?
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Situational Approach Description
Description
“Leaders match their style to the competence and commitment of subordinates” (Hershey & Blanchard, 1969)
Perspective
Focuses on leadership in situations
Emphasizes adapting style - different situations demand different kinds of leadership
Used extensively in organizational leadership training and development
Situational Approach Description (cont’d)
Definition
Comprised of both a directive dimension & supportive dimension:
Each dimension must be applied appropriately in a given situation
Leaders evaluate employees to assess their competence and commitment to perform a given task
(Hersey & Blanchard, 1969)
Leadership Styles
Definition
Leadership style - the behavior pattern of an individual who attempts to influence others
It includes both:
Directive (task) behaviors
Supportive (relationship) behaviors
Leadership Styles (cont’d)
Dimension definition
Directive behaviors - Help group members in goal achievement via one-way communication through:
Giving directions
Establishing goals & how to achieve them
Methods of evaluation & time lines
Defining roles
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Leadership Styles (cont’d)
Dimension definition
Supportive behaviors - Assist group members via two-way communication in feeling comfortable with themselves, co-workers, and situation by:
Asking for input
Problem solving
Praising, listening
S1 - Directing Style
Leader focuses communication on goal achievement
Spends LESS time using supportive behaviors
S 1
Directing
High Directive
Low Supportive
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S2 - Coaching Style
Leader focuses communication on BOTH goal achievement and supporting subordinates’ socioemotional needs
Requires leader involvement through encouragement and soliciting subordinate input
S 2
Coaching
High Directive
High Supportive
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S3 - Supporting Style
Leader does NOT focus solely on goals; uses supportive behaviors to bring out employee skills in accomplishing the task
Leader delegates day-to-day decision-making control, but is available to facilitate problem solving
S 3
Supporting
High Supportive
Low Directive
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S4 - Delegating Style
Leader offers LESS task input and social support; facilitates subordinates’ confidence and motivation in relation to the task
Leader lessens involvement in planning, control of details, and goal clarification
Gives subordinates control and refrains from intervention and unneeded social support
S 4
Delegating
Low Supportive
Low Directive
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Development Levels
The degree to which subordinates have the competence and commitment necessary to accomplish a given task or activity
Definition
Dimension Definitions
D1
Low Competence
High Commitment
D2
Some Competence
Low Commitment
D3
Mod-High Competence
Low Commitment
D4
High Competence
High Commitment
D4
D3
D2
D1
Developed
Developing
High
Moderate
Low
Developmental Level of Followers
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Situational Approach
Focus
Assumes that subordinates vacillate along the developmental continuum of competence and commitment
Leader effectiveness depends on:
assessing subordinate’s developmental position, and
adapting his/her leadership style to match subordinate developmental level
Overall scope
Requires leaders to demonstrate strong degree of flexibility
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