3.2.1 - Understanding management, leadership and decision making

Question 1

What is management?

Answer 1

The process of setting objectives and taking decisions to make the most effective use of an organisation’s resources.

Question 2

What is leadership?

Answer 2

Influencing and directing the performance of group members towards achieving the goals of the organisation.

Question 3

What are the main roles of a manager?

Answer 3

1. Set objectives
2. Analyse performance
3. Review performance
4. Make decisions
5. Lead others

Question 4

What is the traditional view of leadership?

Answer 4

• Command and control
• Decision-making

Question 5

What is the modern view of leadership?

Answer 5

• Inspiring employees
• Creating a vision
• Shaping core values and culture
• Building effective teams

Question 6

Describe the autocratic management/leadership approach.

Answer 6

• authoritarian leadership
• assumes that information and decision making are best kept at the top of the organisation
• primarily one-way communication from the manager to the employees
  -Minimal delegation
  -Close supervision of employees

Question 7

Describe the paternalistic management/leadership approach.

Answer 7

• a dominant figure decides what is best for employees
• Managers act as a parental figure
• little delegation
• employees are consulted over issues and their feedback or opinions are listened to.

Question 8

Describe the democratic management/leadership approach.

Answer 8

• participative leadership
• managers operate the business according to decisions agreed by the majority
• more delegation and consultation
• issues are discussed between the leader and employees so employees are empowered.

Question 9

Describe the laissez faire management/leadership style.

Answer 9

• leader has minimal input into the day-to-day operation of the business
• employees are empowered to take the majority of decisions
• workers are self-motivated and empowered

Question 10

What are the influences on the styles of management and leadership used in a business?

Answer 10

1. Tradition and history of the business
2. The type of labour force
3. The nature of the task and the timescale
4. The personality of the manager or leader
5. Speed of change in an industry
6. External environment changes

Question 11

What is the Tannenbaum and Schmidt Continuum?

Answer 11

A model of leadership which shows the relationship between the level of freedom that a manager chooses to give to a team and the level of authority used by the manager.

Question 12

What are the four main styles of leadership on the continuum?

Answer 12

1. Tells
2. Sells
3. Consults
4. Joins

Question 13

What is the tells stage on the Tannenbaum and Schmidt continuum?

Answer 13

Leader identifies problems, makes decisions and announces them to subordinates, there is an expectation that these are implemented.

Question 14

What is the sells stage on the Tannenbaum and Schmidt continuum?

Answer 14

Leader makes final decision but makes employees feel more involved through discussion and persuasion.

Question 15

What is the consults stage on the Tannenbaum and Schmidt continuum?

Answer 15

Leader identify problems and present them to the group. They listen to this advice and take suggestions into account before making a decision.

Question 16

What is the joins stage on the Tannenbaum and Schmidt continuum?

Answer 16

Leader defines the problem and passes on decision-making to the group containing the manager.

Question 17

What takes place at the tells stage of the continuum?

Answer 17

Leader identifies issue, makes the business decision and tells the workforce.

Question 18

What takes place at the sells stage of the continuum?

Answer 18

Leader makes the business decision and sells the decision to the workforce by using a rationale.

Question 19

What takes place at the consults stage of the continuum?

Answer 19

Leader makes a decision and encourages employees to ask questions and raise issues - these suggestions are taken into account to make the final decision.

Question 20

What takes place at the joins stage of the continuum?

Answer 20

Leader presents a problem and asks for suggestions on how to solve the issue so they are assisted in making the final decision.