Leadership Styles
Michael Scott is the prime leader in the two episodes of "The Office", played by Steve Carell.
Michael's leadership style involves a combination of autocratic unrestrictive and a few cases of
transformational leadership, though poorly executed. In this second episode, Michael often
makes unilateral decisions without involving his team in decision-making, as an autocrat would
prefer. He claims that one branch will have to close down, making it difficult for people to
believe him. This indicates that he is not sensitive and cannot communicate messages formally
(Ed, 2020). Through the episode Diversity Day, Michael tries to be a transformative leader,
organizing diversity training. Unfortunately, his lack of cultural sensitivity and inappropriate
behaviours contradicted his intentions and left team members more confused and uncomfortable
than ever before. Therefore, this episode shows us that he could not inspire or rally his team
towards genuine inclusivity and understanding (CassO, 2020).
Group Dynamics in the Office Episodes
In 'The Office' videos, the group dynamics are such that there is no unity, and frequent
interpersonal conflicts are evident. Employees often express passive-aggressive behaviour, and
there is a lack of effective communication and cooperation among them. Michael's conduct as an
erratic leader worsens these challenges since his decisions often disrupt the workflow, creating
an environment of uncertainties and tension.
For instance, in the second episode, this happens when Michael tells the staff about potential
downsizing, leading to anxiety and speculation among them. In place of establishing support,
Michael's insensitivity towards this causes fear and insecurity (Ed, 2020). Also, on Diversity
Day, more harm is done to the group through Michael's misguided efforts on diversity. Through
his inappropriate jokes along with exercises, he shows racial and cultural differences that lie
beneath office life, giving rise to discomfort with further exclusion (CassO, 2020).
Hyperpersonal Model in "Computer-Mediated Communication" Video
The hyper-personal model posits that online interaction can be more intimate and personal than
face-to-face encounters, as described in a video on computer-mediated communication (UCVT,
2019). This model suggests that by selectively presenting themselves with reduced cues, people
create idealized images of themselves, resulting in intensified relational development (UCVT,
2019).
The model also argues that people become more deliberate and thoughtful when composing their
messages due to the asynchronous nature of online communication (UCVT, 2019). Non-verbal
cues have minimal effect without physical presence, promoting more controlled and optimized
interactions. Such selective self-presentation may increase emotional bonds or boost higher
levels of self-disclosure, leading to hyper-personal relationships as significant or meaningful
Illusions (UCVT, 2019).
References
CassO. (2020). The Office S1 E2 Diversity Day. In Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/417030023
Ed, J. (2020). The Office [101] Pilot. In Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/485189963
UCVT. (2019). Computer-Mediated Communication and Hyperpersonal Interaction. YouTube.
https://youtu.be/CQEHU5ryPfQ
