11.4: Describe the concepts that underlie traditional leadership Flashcards
What is transactional leadership? (LO 11.4)
Transactional leadership is a leadership style based on an exchange or transaction between leader and follower, where rewards or punishments are used to influence behavior.
What is the foundation of the full range of leadership approach?
The combination of transactional and transformational leadership, which provides a research-backed behavioral prescription for leadership effectiveness.
Why is trust important in transactional leadership?
People are unlikely to put effort into tasks or follow someone they do not trust, making trust a crucial factor in leadership effectiveness.
What is the key mechanism of influence in transactional leadership?
The leader exchanges rewards for desirable behaviors or enforces consequences for undesirable behaviors.
What are the two main behaviors in transactional leadership?
Management-by-exception – Taking action only when problems occur, often through contingent punishment.
Contingent reward behavior – Rewarding employees for doing a good job, reinforcing desired behavior.
What are the benefits of contingent reward behavior?
It leads to improved job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job performance, and organizational citizenship.
How can managers effectively provide contingent rewards? (OB Playbook 11.1)
Describe the desired behavior.
Explain the benefits of the behavior.
Explain associated rewards.
Provide examples and answer questions.
Reward the behavior when it is performed.
How should managers provide contingent punishment? (OB Playbook 11.2)
Meet privately to discuss the issue.
Describe the undesirable behavior.
Explain its negative impact.
Allow for questions and clarification.
Explain the consequences if behavior does not change.
Provide examples and follow through with the appropriate response.
Why is contingent reward behavior essential in leadership?
It links performance to rewards, reinforcing a positive feedback loop that helps employees understand what they are doing right and encourages continued good performance.
What is the significance of transactional leadership in LMX relationships?
Transactional leadership helps build trust and high-quality leader-member exchange (LMX) by ensuring fairness and clear expectations.
What are the three main roles of transactional leadership behaviors?
Establishing credibility, trust, and respect for the manager.
Providing a foundation for other effective behaviors.
Ensuring fairness in the workplace through accountability and clear expectations.
Why is addressing poor behavior early important in transactional leadership?
Ignoring bad behavior sends the message that it is acceptable and creates perceptions of unfairness in the workplace.
What is management-by-exception in transactional leadership?
A leadership approach where managers take action only when problems occur, often using contingent punishment to correct undesirable behavior.
Why do some managers avoid early intervention in problem behaviors?
Discomfort with confrontation.
Hope that the issue will resolve itself.
Fear of lacking managerial support.
Belief that the behavior is not severe enough to address yet.
How does transactional leadership lay the foundation for effective leadership?
By addressing basic performance issues and ensuring fairness, it creates a stable work environment where employees feel treated fairly and are motivated.
What is the difference between transactional and transformational leadership?
Transactional leadership builds a foundation through structure and fairness, while transformational leadership pushes employees to exceed expectations and adapt to new challenges.
What is the main takeaway from OB Skills Challenge 11.3?
Effective leaders must set high expectations, motivate their team to improve, and seek ways to take their organization to the next level.
