3.2.1 Understanding management, leadership and decision making.

Question 1

What do managers do?

Answer 1

Setting objectives.
Analysing data or information e.g. analysing the likely impact on cost and demand to changes to various external factors.
Leading staff.
Making decisions.

Question 2

What is the difference between managers and leaders?

Answer 2

Managers are thought to be relatively risk adverse, seeking to avoid conflict where possible. Whereas leaders are thought to be risk seeking, when pursuing their vision, they assume its natural to encounter obstacles to overcome.

Question 3

Outline the Tannenbaum Schmidt continuum.

Answer 3

Simple model of leadership that shows the relationship between the level of freedom in relation to the decision making that a manager choses to give to a team of workers and the level of authority retained by the manager.

Question 4

Outline level one of the Tannenbaum Schmidt continuum

Answer 4

Level One: The manager makes the decision and ‘tells’ the team the decision.

Question 5

Outline level two of the Tannenbaum Schmidt continuum

Answer 5

Level two: The manager makes the decision and then explains or ‘sells’ the decision to the team.

Question 6

Outline level three of the Tannenbaum Schmidt continuum

Answer 6

Level three: The manager makes the decision, presents the decision to the team, provides background ideas that led to the decision and invites questions or ‘consults’ the team.

Question 7

Outline level four of the Tannenbaum Schmidt continuum

Answer 7

Level four: The manager suggests a provisional decision, invites discussion about it by ‘consulting’ the team and then makes the decision.

Question 8

Outline level five of the Tannenbaum Schmidt continuum

Answer 8

Level five: The manager presents the problem, ‘consults’ the team by getting them to make suggestions and then makes the decision.

Question 9

Outline level six of the Tannenbaum Schmidt continuum

Answer 9

Level six: The manager explains the situation, identifies any limitations on the decision to be made and asks the team to come up with the decisions; the manager ‘shares’ the problem with the team.

Question 10

Outline level seven of the Tannenbaum Schmidt continuum

Answer 10

Level seven: The manager allows the team to identify the problem, develop the options and make the decision within any limits set; the manager ‘shares’ the problem with the team.

Question 11

Describe the two aspects of a managers/leaders behaviour (Blake Mouton grid).

Answer 11

Concern for people - the degree in which a manager or leader considers the needs and interests of team members when deciding how best to accomplish a task.

Concern for production - The degree to which a manager or leader emphasises organisational efficiency and high productivity when deciding how best to accomplish a task.

Question 12

Outline the country club (aka accommodating) leadership style.

Answer 12

High concern for people/low concern for production.

Question 13

Outline the product or perish (aka dictatorial) leadership style.

Answer 13

High concern for production/low concern for people.

Question 14

Outline the middle of the road (aka status quo) leadership style.

Answer 14

Medium concern for production/medium concern for people.

Question 15

Outline the team (aka sound) leadership style.

Answer 15

High concern for production/high concern for people.

Best management and leadership style.

Question 16

Outline how the company structure and span of control can effect management/leadership.

Answer 16

The number of layers of management and the extent to which decision making is delegated further down the organisation.

Question 17

Outline how the particular situation can effect management/leadership.

Answer 17

If a crisis occurs, such as a natural disaster, or if dangerous faults are found in a product, an authoritarian leadership style that is very task-oriented may emerge to ensure urgent action is taken that is co-ordinated and tightly focused.

Question 18

Outline how the organisational culture and traditions can effect management/leadership.

Answer 18

The culture of an organisation affects, and is affected by, the style of leadership, which in turn is a major influence on the degree and effectiveness of delegation and consultation. Will also affect the amount of resistance to change.

Question 19

Outline how the nature of the tasks involved can effect management/leadership.

Answer 19

Classification of the task, e.g. risky or safe, complex or simple, will dictate which type of management and leadership is most appropriate.

Question 20

Outline how the employees, their skills and their abilities can effect management/leadership.

Answer 20

The more skilled and experienced employees are, the more autonomy they want and the less likely an authoritarian style of management will be successful.

Question 21

Outline how group size can effect management/leadership.

Answer 21

A large team may require an authoritarian style of management to ensure coordination and organisation to achieve business objectives.

Question 22

Outline how personalities and skills of managers and leaders can effect management/leadership.

Answer 22

Will dictate the extent to which they are able to demonstrate appropriate management skills.

Question 23

Outline how time frame can effect management/leadership.

Answer 23

An authoritarian style management may be needed to ensure focus on a goal, during a time based situation.