HOW TO CHOOSE A

LEADERSHIP PATTEN
TANNENBAUM AND SCHMIDT
PROBLEM

• How to be democratic in his/her relations with subordinates and at the same time
maintain authority and control in the organization for which he or she is responsible.
WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

• This is the influence that particular individuals exert on the goal achievement of others in
an organizational context.
• Strategic leadership involves the ability to anticipate, envision, maintain flexibility, think
strategically, and work with others to initiate changes that will create a viable future for
the organiztion.
ARE LEADERS BORN?

• Trait theory of leadership looks at the personal qualities or traits that a person has.
• Serious limitation associated with this theory.
• Need to look at the behaviour of the leader and also the situation.
THREE TYPES OF LEADERSHIP STYLES

• Autocratic – top down – to tell.

• Laissez-faire.
• Democratic – bottom up – to ask.
• Note: two central tendencies – task centric and people centric.
RANGE OF BEHAVIOUR

• Manager makes the decision and announces it.

• Manager sells his or her decision.
• Manager presents his or her ideas and invites questions.
• Manager presents a tentative decision subject to change.
• Manager presents the problem, gets suggestions, and then makes the decision.
EXHIBIT I

• Left hand side you have boss-centered leadership.

• Right hand side you have subordinate centered leadership.
• Looking at the use of authority versus area of freedom for subordinates.
• At the bottom of the model, you have the varying types of behaviour that managers and
non-managers have.
EXHIBIT II

• Expanded model.
• Situational and contextualized by the societal environment and organizational
environment.
• It is about manager’s power and influence as opposed to authority v. nonmanager’s power
and influence. Leadership is about power and influence.
• Looking at the amount of discretion that the manager has versus the discretion that sub-
ordinates have.
ESSENTIALLY WE HAVE

• Either the manager defines the limits and requests the group to make a decision, or
• The manager permits the group to make the decision within prescribed limits.
FOR CONSIDERATION – KEY QUESTIONS

• Can a boss ever relinquish his or her responsibility by delegating it to someone else?
• Should the manager participate with his or her sub-ordinates once he or she has
delegated responsibility to them?
• How important is it for the group to recognize what kind of leadership behaviour the
boss is using?
• Can you tell how democratic a manager is by the manner of decisions his sub-ordinates
make?
HOW TO DECIDE TO LEAD?

• Three types of leadership patterns…

• Democratic – to ask, bottom up.
• Laissez-faire – what ever = chaos.
• Autocratic – to tell, top down.
FACTORS OR FORCES

• Forces in the manager.

• Forces or factors in sub-ordinates.
• Forces or factors in the situation.
FORCES IN THE MANAGER TO CONSIDER

• Personality factors.
• Value system.
• Confidence in sub-ordinates.
• The manager’s own leadership inclinations.
• Feelings of security in an uncertain situation.
FORCES IN SUB-ORDINATES

• If the sub-ordinates have relatively high needs for independence.

• Readiness to assume responsibility.
• Tolerance for ambiguity.
• If sub-ordinates are interested in the problem and perceive it to be important.
• If they understand and identify with the goals of the organization.
• If they have the maturity, knowledge, and education to handle the situation.
• If they have learned to expect to share in the decision-making.
SITUATIONAL

• Type of organization, age, size.

• Group size and effectiveness.
• The nature of the problem.
• Time line and pressures.
TO DEVOLVE POWER AND INFLUENCE

• Depends on what has to be accomplished.

• Need to raise the level of employee motivation.
• Need to increase the readiness of sub-ordinates to accept change.
• Need to improve the quality of decisions.
• Need to develop teamwork and morale.
• Need to empower individuals and develop the employee.
SUCCESSFUL MANAGERS KNOW…

• Success goes to the manager who is keenly aware of his or he self, sub-ordinates, and the
situation.
• Has knowledge of the limitations.
• Good leadership is a balancing act.
• Where does the power of the leader come from?