BEHAVIORAL LEADERSHIP THEORIES

·         Behavioral theories of leadership emerged as researchers started to focus less on the personal characteristics of effective leaders and more on the way in which such leaders went about doing their work.

·         This shift of focus coincided with the eminent rise of behavioral psychology, which dominated US thinking from the 1920s-1960s.

The 2 Factor Model

Early behavioral theories explored two ways of leading:

·         A concern for results

·         A concern for people

-Although different researchers refer to these two aspects by different names.

-Results-focused leadership is concerned with delivering results primarily through strong hierarchal control and standardized operating procedures.

-By contrast, people-focused leadership is concerned with drawing the best out of staff through meeting their inner needs, such as the desire to feel important and accepted by others.

-Just as trait theorists had sought to identify a single 'right' type of person to lead well, behavioral theorists sought to identify a single, 'right' way to lead.

University of Iowa Studies

-Democratic style of leadership was most effective.

·         Democratic style: involving subordinates, delegating authority and encouraging participation.

·         Autocratic style: dictating work methods, centralized decision making and limiting participation.

·         Laissez-Faire Style: giving group freedom to make group decision and complete work.

Ohio State

-High-high leader (high inconsideration and high in initiating structure)achieved high subordinate performance and satisfaction but not in all situation.

·         Consideration: being considerate of followers ideas and feelings.

·         Initiating Structure: structuring work and work relationships to meet goals

University of Michigan

- Employee oriented leaders were associated with high group productivity and higher job satisfaction.

·         Employee Oriented: emphasized interpersonal relationships and taking care of employee needs.

·         Production Oriented: emphasized technical or task aspect of job.

Managerial Grid

-Leader’s performed best with a 9.9 style (high concern for production and high concern for people)

Concern for people: measured leader’s concern for subordinates on a scale of 1-9(low to high).

Concern for Production: measured leader’s concern for getting a job done on a scale of 1 to 9(low to high).

The Leadership Grid