MGT 411 exam 2
Chapter 4
Three dimensions of followers
1- Thinking style
Effective: Independent followers, critical thinkers (inquisitive), shows
creativity/innovate
Less effective: dependent followers, uncritical thinkers accept the status quo
2- Level of engagement
Effective: fully committed to responsibilities, self-starters, go beyond the basic,
engage in organizational citizenship behavior
Less effective: doesn’t demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior,
lazy/irresponsible, waits for the leader.
3- Loyalty to the leader:
Effective: very truthful to the leader, never attempts to undermine, might not always
agree with leader (disagree= a constructive manner, political savvy)
Less effective: undermine the leader publicly disagreeing, an “end around” by
speaking with coworkers, matter of disagreement between leader and follower
Types of followers
Conformist-> dependent, uncritical. Level of engagement varies. Strong loyalty to
leader
-“does not rock the boat”- (sucking up)
-Some highly engaged and others withdrawn
-Does the job without question, reliable
-Highly effective
-Nagging problems not solved
-Innovate ideas not pursued
Alienated-> independent, critical. Unengaged. Loyalty varies as is
-Critical and independent thinker
-Low levels of engagement
-Routinely “shot down” ideas
-Had much to offer to the organization
Effective-> independent, critical. Engaged and strong loyalty to leader
1- Assuming responsibility and accountability
-Broad sense of responsibility to meet customer and clients demands
-Very engaged
-Thinks critically to solve problems that might prevent responsibilities from being
met
-Go beyond being held to account by others in that they have their own internal
sense of accountability
2- Balancing service with courage to challenge
-Serving to be highly engaged, show responsibility/loyalty
-Balanced with showing courage challenge the status quo and even challenging
their leaders
3- Support organizational goals and having courage to leave
-Extending beyond the leader to the organization
-Follower can disengage (lose-lose)
-Have the courage to leave, step down
Two caveats for effective followership
1- Effective leadership is important for effective followership, encourage and reinforce
independent, critical thinking and high levels of engagements= conformists or
alienated
2- Excessive loyalty can be harmful, no longer blindly loyal. Follower should speak up
“speaking the truth to power”
Managing up: build a good work relationship with the leader while meeting one’s
needs, onus on the follower to attempt to develop relationship
Accept feedback and direction
Feedback: info provided to an individual pertaining his behavior/performance
-Relationship with leader depends on accepting feedback
-First listen to, and accept, the feedback
-A follower should offer advice to help implement the decision and not whine or
even worse undermine the boss’s effort
Managing sideways
-Peers or coworkers leading each other
-Can be frustrating to lead without direct authority
-Use common goals of managing up
-Go to the formal leader as a last resort
4 steps to effective communication
1- Raptor
2- Understand and appreciate their world
3- Ask questions
4- Listen
To build relationships and the ability to adapt and blend your behavior style
Play not to lose
When you are playing to not lose…
-You are scared to make a mistake
-You play it safe
-You play stiff because you are holding back
-You play reckless and reactive
If you give up on your ideas too easily you are playing to lose
Play to win
-You understand that mistakes happen all the time
-You are willing to take risks
-Play fearlessly and energized
-Play aggressive and proactive
Play full out:
-I know what the company wants and am committed to getting it
-I am so focused on the company vision that I don’t get distracted
-I am willing to experience whatever it takes
-I am constantly doing things l’ve never done before
-I make at least one unreasonable request a week
-I don’t say yes when I want to say no even if it means rocking the boat or
upsetting another
-force myself to do something I am afraid of
-positive/supportive thoughts
-take time to relax and not burn out
Chapter 5
Ways to consider this situational approach
1- an inflexible manner of leading
-Inflexible : leader’s style is considered to be static (or not flexible)
2- Flexible: given leader can handle and adapt to the various needs and
capabilities of different followers and situations at various points in time
Overview of situational leadership models
Path-goal leadership:
-Day to day interactions and problems/issues that are faced by followers
-Needs of the follower and leader, as well as demands of the work environment
-Directive, supportive, participative, achievement oriented
Transactional relationship:
-Leader/organization: receive employee performance
-Followers: receive various rewards
-Issues/ difficulties that are obstacles for satisfactory transactions
The overall purpose is for leaders to adapt their style to fit the situational needs of
followers and their work environment
Directive leadership: for inexperienced followers or in response to time pressures,
clarify what needs to be done
Supportive leadership: to followers lacking confidence due to inexperience, increases
followers confidence
Participative leadership for followers desiring more involvement
-Enhances follower sense of control
Achievement-oriented leadership: for followers that aren’t appropriately challenged
-Prevents turnover
-Work is not challenging for followers
-Allows followers to strive for higher level goals
Hersey/ Blanchard:
-Decision-making
-Follower readiness in terms of both ability and motivation
-Directive, consultative, facilitative, delegative
Demarcation of control: the point at which decision-making control shifts from leader
to followers
Decision-making styles (DCFD)
Directive: leader makes decisions for followers and provides explicit directives or
instructions.
Consultative: leader seeks input from followers, allows for questions, and overall
provides followers with some degree of voice
Facilitative: leader encourages participation with followers in a decision-making process
-Action is not reached until both the leader and follower come to consensus
-Has just one voice, followers have equal voice
Delegative:
-Process and its implementation are turned over to followers
Fluidity: different styles of leadership might be shown to the same followers, in different
decision-making situations
-Facilitative or delegative with technical details
-Directive or consultative with broader organizational issues
3 key limitations of situational approaches
1- Extend of leader flexibility
2- Differences in leader and follower perceptions
3- Limited scope
Leader flexibility: leader can truly exhibit each of the styles and alter them to fit the
needs of any given situation
Chapter 6
Integrity: state of being whole, complete, unbroken in perfect condition
Morality: generally accepted standards of what is desirable and undesirable
Ethics: right and wrong conduct, good and bad behavior
Organizations that have a climate of this nature are characterized by
-Decision making that is free of biases
-Favoritism
-Personal interests
Issues and challenges of EML relevant leaders at all levels of organizations
For top-level executives
-Involves setting policies, making strategic decisions and leading by example
For lower-level managers
-Setting an example, enforcing ethical standards, acting in an open and truthful
manner and avoiding abusive behavior
These principles are organized our discussion of EML in terms of
1- Ethical/moral person
2- Ethical/moral actions as a leader
3- Responsibility and accountability
4- Complicating questions
Pre-conventional: level of moral development at which an individual is primarily
concerned with the following rules or laws to avoid penalty. Acts in accordance with self-
interests
Conventional: level of moral development at which an individual follows in line with the
groups (frats, clubs) with which he or she identifies. Lives up to expectations, norms.
Adheres the laws of society (most prevalent)
Post-conventional: level of moral development at which an individual acts in
accordance with his/her own sense of values pertaining justice. Strong sense of
right/wrong (don’t really cares what others think). Concerns of others above his interests
Action as a leader:
1- Serving as a role model for ethical values
-Always “on stage”
-Walk the talk
2- Demonstration of courage
-Work through challenges
-Courage to speak up
3- Enforcing ethical/moral standards
-Make ethical decisions
-Be consistent
-Monitor
-Needs to maintain and enforce ethical standards
4- Openly communicating and sharing info
-Related to integrity
5- Avoiding abusiveness
-Abusiveness can cause fear
Servant leadership: assumes role of servant to show responsibility.
-Show responsibility toward others by assuming the role of servant
Dealing with both traditional pyramidal structure as well as the inverted pyramid
-Maintaining overall control of situations
-Stressing conformity, allowing for exceptions
-Being clear with followers
-Placing high requirements on followers
-The best way to maintain control is to let go
3 Predominant types orientations that leaders might have
Traditional economist : a firm and its leadership should be responsible toward just one
narrow set, specifically owners/shareholders
-A very defensive approach to CSR (corporate social responsibility)
-CSR can be costly
Opportunity seeker: recognition of the concerns of a wide range of stake holders,
including those beyond owners (they will yield fiduciary benefits for owners)
-Sense of accountability only toward owners
-Also shared by the traditional economist orientation
Integrator: a broad sense of both responsibly and accountability on the part of the
leader
-Sense of responsibility toward employees
-Outcomes that benefited the firm
