Phạm Văn Vạn_Phan Nguyệt Thu_Trần Ngọc Kiều Tiên

Read the article and answer the questios as following:

Love and Fear and the Modern Boss

by Scott A. Snook

Five hundred years ago, Niccolò Machiavelli posed the question of whether it is better
for a leader to be loved or feared, concluding that if you can’t be both (and few people
can), being feared is more effective. While the complexities of human nature resist
definition in such stark terms—behaviors lie along a continuum—the question of fear
versus love has been a fundamental one for leaders throughout history.

Until a generation or so ago, fear was the predominant model. In the 1950s and 1960s,
corporal punishment was common even in public schools, and the workplace was a
largely hierarchical and autocratic arena where leaders imposed rewards and
punishments based on conformity with the rules. Today, teachers in most of the
developed world would instantly lose their jobs for hitting a student, and in the office,
too, acceptable models of leadership have shown their softer side. This shift in the
predominant leadership model reflects the move from an industrial to an information
economy. In factories, you need strict rules and you reward people based on very simple
and clear productivity metrics. Knowledge workers don’t respond well to such rigidity,
and fearful service employees would have trouble putting on a good face for customers.
In fields like advertising, tight controls stifle creativity and commitment.

But even in the developed world, plenty of leaders still rely on fear, and many people
continue to put up with it. One reason is simply that people rationalize the fear model as
“just the way things are done around here,” as is the case with hazing, arguably a form
of leadership among students. Another reason is that some people feel a sense of pride
and accomplishment in toughing it out; they find satisfaction in meeting the standards of
a very demanding boss. Others simply prefer an autocratic style over an empowering
one; they don’t want to decide how to do their work but would rather just know the rules
and follow them. Still others actually believe that they will ultimately be more
successful with a strong boss, one who will push them beyond the limits to which they’d
stretch themselves.

2163010041_ 2163010031_ 2163010034_English4Management1

Phạm Văn Vạn_Phan Nguyệt Thu_Trần Ngọc Kiều Tiên
It’s just as well that we have people who can work under these bosses because some
circumstances still call for a fear-based style of leadership—where you want to
discourage risky behavior, such as in a nuclear power plant. With the stakes so high on
safety, tight control—not improvising—is prudent. Employees tend to self-select into
these companies. Leaders need to do the same—find roles that match their
temperaments.

Indeed, if a leader is stern and autocratic—even rude and insulting—he can inspire great
respect if he is also authentic, and if he genuinely cares about the people working for
him. Two of the most successful coaches in the history of college basketball exemplify
Machiavelli’s two extremes—the feared Bobby Knight at Texas Tech and Mike
Krzyzewski, Duke’s beloved Coach K—and both have won devoted followings among
players. Coach K, whose leadership style relies on open communication and caring
support, wrote a book called Leading with the Heart. Knight, on the other hand, has had
a career marked by controversies about his harshness, including allegations that he
choked a player during practice. Despite his bullying, he inspires tremendous loyalty
and even love. Texas Tech players know what they’re getting into, and they know that
Knight’s temper is integral to his being—and that he truly cares about them.

That’s why, five centuries after it was written, we can still take lessons from The Prince.
Leading by force and intimidation has its downsides—the potential for the leader’s
derailment chief among them. Thanks to his violent behavior and inability or
unwillingness to adapt his dominant style to changing societal norms, Knight was
eventually fired from his job at Indiana University (though quickly snapped up by Texas
Tech). But there are times when the softer approach to leadership is equally ineffective
—or simply inauthentic—and rule by fear is the way to go. Successful leaders read the
signals and adapt their styles accordingly, but they know their limits. A stretch
assignment for a leader might be a developmental opportunity that brings out previously
unrecognized strengths—but if the role requires a style beyond the leader’s adaptability,
the result is often disastrous.

Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2SMnuhx dated Dec 01, 2021

2163010041_ 2163010031_ 2163010034_English4Management1

Phạm Văn Vạn_Phan Nguyệt Thu_Trần Ngọc Kiều Tiên
Questions:

1. In your current workplace, what is the prominent leadership style? Do you

like that style? Why? (3 marks)

My current agency is under democratic leadership. The leader invites staff and
others to participate not only in the decision-making process but also in shaping the
vision of the organization. But the leader is the one who makes the final decision. I
like the working mode and leadership style above. Because it creates an opportunity
for staff members to discover their potential, creating spaces for staff members to be
proactive, creative, and flexible in the process of carrying out tasks, and always be
able to ensure the discipline, objectives, duties, tasks, and powers of the agency and
within the framework of the law at the same time.

2. Describe in detail the leadership style of your sitting boss/manager/director.

(4 marks)

My current direct leader has a fairly diverse leadership style, which is both
democratic, authoritarian, and fearful. 

He assigns work directly to each employee, sets fairly high goals, and requires
them to work hard to achieve. That puts a lot of stress on the employees of the agency.
However, I quite like this way of leadership. Because it inspires me to go beyond my
limits, I feel satisfied and proud when I get the highest demands set by the leader.

In some cases, he is willing to share his experiences, opinions, information with

staffs and listen to their opinions before making a final decision. It creates trust, fosters
creativity, and helps employees grow and develop. My direct leader is a person who
makes a lot of effort, invests in researching legal regulations, so in some tasks, he
makes decisions and asks staff members to follow them without listening to their
opinions. This is suitable for urgent jobs with short execution times, but it creates an
atmosphere of tension and lack of trust in the leader. In addition, the fact that he
seldom praises encourages, but he also motivates his employees who feel a lack of
motivation to develop their full ability and strive.

3. If you are a leader, which ones do you prefer to apply – to be feared or to be

loved model? And how would you do that? (3 marks)

2163010041_ 2163010031_ 2163010034_English4Management1

Phạm Văn Vạn_Phan Nguyệt Thu_Trần Ngọc Kiều Tiên
If I were a leader, I would focus on democratic leadership or participatory
leadership and how it can benefit my organization. In certain situations and for each
type of employee, it is necessary to apply different management styles to achieve the
best results.

To do that, I need good decentralization, delegation, and strict monitoring. It is

necessary to learn about the people working under their authority, thus setting up and
building work processes and frameworks so that everyone can function at their best,
and organize their activities effectively. Plan and assign tasks in a specific, clear, and
time-limited manner and follow up regularly. Explain, communicate with staff
members why it should be done, and direct them to voluntary and willing cooperation.
Constantly learning, exchanging experiences and skills with experienced people, and
at the same time listening to opinions and feedback from subordinates. Build a
leadership style that has a strong impact by setting an example, motivating as well as
sharing while in the dangerous and difficult times, being ready to take responsibility
and always be self-sufficient, believing, even when you feel insecure and anxious
inside.

2163010041_ 2163010031_ 2163010034_English4Management1