Leadership

Question 1

Explain what is meant by leadership

Answer 1

A relationship through which one person influences the behaviour or actions of other people.

Question 2

What are the four different leadership styles?

Answer 2

• Autocratic
• Democratic
• Laissez-faire
• Paternalistic

Question 3

In what order does are the 4 leadership styles arranged so that the amount of power decreases (of the manager) and the decision making goes from the employer to the employee.

Answer 3

• Autocratic
• Paternalistic
• Democratic
• Laissez - faire

From autocratic to laissez-faire the influence on employees decreases.

Question 4

What are the key characteristics of an autocratic leadership style?

Answer 4

• Sets the work and expects it to be performed precisely as directed.
• Doesn’t involve employees in decision making - leaders have full control of decision making.
• Very strict.
• Doesn’t believe in employee autonomy (self-governance)
• Believes in ‘top down’ communication and doesn’t encourage employees to contribute, so they have little/no input.
• Believes in close supervision.
• Thinks that employees are solely motivated by money + motivates through rewards.
• Makes decisions without talking to the team.
• Uses power to get others to carry out work as a result of this decision making.
• ‘I am the boss’ + ‘Do as I say’ manner.

Question 5

What are the benefits of an autocratic leadership style?

Answer 5

• Good for when a quick decision is needed + in emergencies.
• Could work well for employees who aren’t skilled and can’t make their own good decisions, as they are just told what to do and how to do it.
• Can be motivational to those who don’t want responsibility.
• Good for productivity as fast decisions are made so things are done immediately.

Question 6

What are the limitations of an autocratic leadership style?

Answer 6

• For skilled workers it is likely to be demoralising and demotivational as employees can’t give input so can’t share their own ideas and are likely to feel not valued.
• Creates a culture of dependence of staff waiting for instruction.

Question 7

What is an example of an autocratic leadership style?

Answer 7

Ferdinand Piech - CEO of Volkswagen.

- Made very tough goals and fired employees if they didn’t meet them.

Question 8

What stakeholders does an autocratic leadership style benefit?

Answer 8

Could be good for shareholders due to higher productivity from quick decisions, so likely to have higher profit levels so more dividends.

• Good for employees who are motivated by money or financial rewards.

Question 9

What are the key characteristics of a Paternalistic manager?

Answer 9

• It is a softer form of authoritarian leadership - leader decides what is best for employees and addresses their needs.
• Wanting the workforce to feel involved in decision making.
• Consulting employees.
• Persuades employees to accept their view, regardless of the employee’s own views.
• Ask employees to do something but explains the specific reasons why.
• Similar to a parent/child relationship - where the leader is seen as a “father-figure”.
• Tough love - do what is best for employees even if they may not like it.
• Still little delegation.
• Knows employees and what they do best + do what is best for employees.
• Control diluting.

Question 10

What are the benefits of a paternalistic leader?

Answer 10

• High loyalty because employees feel acknowledged and their needs are taken care of.
• Reduced absenteeism and labour turnover.
• The manager is given the power to rule from the idea that they are the most capable in making the best decisions for the team, which fosters trust and loyalty with employees.
• There is an open line of communication between the managers and the employees which will keep employees feeling important and satisfied.
• Decisions can still be made quickly.
• There is an understanding that the manager wants everyone to succeed, which can result in a lower amount of competition among employees.

Question 11

What are the limitations of a paternalistic leader?

Answer 11

• Bad decisions from above cause major employee dissatisfaction.
• The employees will become more and more dependent on the employer, which can cause an increase in necessary supervision in order to get things done in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Employees rely on the leader more than they would in a typical work setting. Because of this, the team can become highly competitive as they all vie for attention and affection.

Question 12

What are the key characteristics of a Democratic manager?

Answer 12

• Encourages employee input into decision making
• Believes in employee autonomy (self-governance).
• Encourages two-way communication.
• Allows employees to use their initiative.
• Believes that the motivation of employees is not simply financial.
• Focus of power is more with the group as a whole.
• Leadership functions are shared within the group.
• Employees have greater involvement in decision-making.
• Emphasis on delegation and consultation, although leader still has the final say.

Question 13

What are the benefits of a democratic leader?

Answer 13

• Empowering for employees, which increases motivation, so they’re more productive and could provide a better service.
• Encourages creativity which is also motivating.
• Employees can give feedback so feel involved.
• Increase staff retention as they feel valued because their involved but don’t have responsibility or final decision.
• Creates a culture of interdependence so managers can leave and the business would still function.

Question 14

What are the limitations of a democratic leader?

Answer 14

• Hard when a quick decision has to be made as employees should be involved.
• There could be more pressure for employees which could create demotivation as they may feel some tasks are not their responsibility as they don’t get paid for it.
• It is more time consuming.

Question 15

What are the key characteristics of a laissez-faire manager?

Answer 15

• Is remote from employees, may not be there often.
• Provides very little direction for employees.
• Adopts a ‘let them get on with it’ approach + ‘hands off’.
• Often requires employees to set their own tasks and objectives.
• Employees have freedom, meaning responsibility lies with the group.
• Believe autonomy (self-governance).
• Leaders get employees to choose how to complete objectives, make decisions and resolve problems on their own.
• Given a target but not told how to get there or how to do it.

Question 16

What are the benefits of a laissez-faire leader?

Answer 16

• High job satisfaction from autonomy.
• Managers don’t need to manage employees carefully
  = have time for other things.
• Motivational for employees who don’t like to be closely monitored + are confident.
• Employees have independence so can make their own decisions which is also motivational.

Question 17

What are the limitations of a laissez-faire leader?

Answer 17

• Could be too much pressure for some, so demotivational.
• Damaging if team members don’t manage time well or don’t have knowledge of skills, so would benefit from closer management.
• Employees may not have resources to make their own decisions.

Question 18

What is an example of laissez-faire management?

Answer 18

Surgeons - they won’t need to be monitored closely as they are highly qualified, experienced and motivated - they know what they’re doing.

Question 19

What is the best leadership style?

Answer 19

Not one leadership style is better than the other, the best leaders will switch between the styles depending on the situation.

Question 20

What are the two leadership theories I have learnt?

Answer 20

• McGregor Theory X and Theory Y

- Blake and Mouton

Question 21

What is McGregor’s theory about?

Answer 21

It is concerned with how a manager perceives staff.

• The view adopted will affect how the manager believes employees should be treated and motivated.
• Has the idea that what we believe leads to our behaviour.

Question 22

How does a theory X manager view employees?

Answer 22

• Inherently lazy, disliking work and responsibility - do as little work as possible.
• Lacking the will and ability to work unsupervised.
• Lacking initiative.
• Largely motivated by money.
• Lacks ambition + prefers to be led.
• Not very intelligent.

Question 23

What leadership style will a manager use who has a theory X view and what are the characteristics of the managers view?

Answer 23

Likely to manage in an autocratic manner, offering little if any scope for employee input.

• Communication will be limited.
• The way in which work is carried put will take little account of job satisfaction, because it is assumed that the employee’s driving force is money.
• Piecework will likely be the favoured method of payment.

Question 24

What is the idea that beliefs feed into behaviour - give examples of the manager? (for theory x)

Answer 24

• If a leader believes staff don’t like responsibility they won’t delegate.
• If leader thinks employees are lazy they will be controlling.
• If they believe staff lack initiative there will be close supervision.

Question 25

How does a theory Y manager view employees?

Answer 25

• Enjoying their work if the right conditions are created.
• Willing to accept responsibility and challenges.
• Creative and willing to contribute.
• Able to exercise self-discipline.
• Not just motivated by money.

Question 26

What leadership style will a manager use who has a theory Y view and what are the characteristics of the managers view?

Answer 26

The style will be democratic, with employees encouraged to set their own goals and exercise self-control.

• A manager will see employees as valuable assets, rather than a cost to be minimised.
• Motivation comes from factors like variety, challenge and self-development.
• Training needs will therefore be identified and employees encouraged to develop their skills.

Question 27

Are there any situations when it would be effective to adopt a theory x approach?

Answer 27

In low skilled jobs with little opportunity for self-development and where labour turnover is high.

Also in time pressured and critical situations and where decisions need to be made - controlling + close supervision may be necessary.

Question 28

How might a theory x approach become a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Answer 28

• Autocratic treatment and poor motivation may bring the very response from employees that managers thought existed in the first place.
• If you believe something, it will happen.
• Managers lead + employees act in the way they are expected, which confirms a managers view that staff are lazy.

Question 29

If employees were managed as if they operated on theory y, then they would respond as theory y employees (McGregor). Explain one reason that this might occur.

Answer 29

• The management style would lead to employees responding in the same way. For example, if they were given freedom, they would use their initiative - so take the responsibility. If you allow them to take responsibilities + chances they will, so respond in that way.
• If managers give employees chances to show initiative + responsibility they will like it + prove theory y.

Question 30

Which theory did McGregor favour?

Answer 30

He favoured theory y and wanted leaders to use it + change their style (from theory x to theory y) to get a different response from employees.

Question 31

What is the task and people needs problem, and how is it over come? (theories of leadership styles)

Answer 31

A narrow view of management is that its function is to ‘get the job done’. This view ignores the fact that achieving this effectively depends on people doing their jobs effectively. Therefore creating the dilemma between ‘task needs’ and ‘people needs’.

• A manger who has an over-riding desire to ‘get the job done’ will be task-orientated.
• A manager whose principle aim is to make employees contented and keep them in high spirits will be people -orientated.

Most managers are a mixture of the two, neither is right or wrong.
-One of the best ways to approach this was developed by Blake and Mouton and is called the Leadership Grid/Blake’s grid.

Question 32

What are people needs?

Answer 32

The needs of employees. A manager who concentrates on people needs will try to make employees contented and keep them in high spirits. This may be at the expense of getting the work done.

Question 33

What are task needs?

Answer 33

The opposite of people needs. A manager who has an overriding desire to ‘get the job done’ will be orientated towards the task rather than employees’ needs.

Question 34

What is the layout of Blake and Mouton’s leadership theory?

Answer 34

Along the horizontal axis of the leadership grid are ‘task needs’.

‘People needs’ are plotted on the vertical axis.

By considering a manager’s responses to a research questionnaire, their style of leadership can be established by where they are placed on the grid.

Question 35

What are the five possibilities that can arise from Leadership grid questionnaire?

Answer 35

• Country Club
• Team Leader
• Middle of the road
• Impoverished
• Authoritarian

Question 36

What is Blake and Mouton’s leadership grid? - definition.

Answer 36

It concentrates on the trade-off between task and people needs which would then influence the likely style of leadership.

• Blake’s grid - a method of identifying the actions, priorities and therefore leadership style of a manager. This is undertaken through an analysis of task and people needs.

Question 37

What are the characteristics of a country club leadership manager?

Answer 37

• Concerned about the well-being + feelings of their team of people, rather than completing the required tasks.
• Uses predominantly reward power to maintain discipline + encourage achieving goals.
• Fears power could jeopardise relationships.

Question 38

What are the benefits of a country club leadership manager?

Answer 38

• Morale likely to be high.

Question 39

What are the limitations of a country club leadership manager?

Answer 39

• Some employees may take advantage.
• If deadlines are missed there may be repercussions on other areas of the business which depend on the completion of a task by a certain date.

Question 40

What are the characteristics of an authoritarian leadership manager?

Answer 40

• Will be concerned with the task rather than the employees - task orientated + hard on employees.
• Believes that the needs of the employee must always take second place to completing the task.
• Leadership will be authoritarian and motivation very much a secondary consideration.
• Give little/no allowance for cooperation or collaboration.
• Expect people to do what they’re told without question.
• When something goes wrong, they focus on who is to blame not how to prevent it.

Question 41

What are the limitations of an authoritarian leadership manager?

Answer 41

• Lack of attention to employees’ needs can lead to resentment, a lack of commitment and other HR problems.

Question 42

What are the characteristics of an impoverished leadership manager?

Answer 42

• Have lack of concern for either task or people needs.
• They will be unable to devise procedures to ensure that work is completed to the required standard or on time, or to stimulate and motivate employees.
• This sort of leader is very ineffective at everything.
• Uses delegate and disappear.
• May lack concern for employee needs and not committed to task or people.

Question 43

What are the limitations of an impoverished leadership manager?

Answer 43

• Morale and productivity are both low and this leader’s actions are therefore likely to affect other areas of the business negatively.

Question 44

What are the characteristics of a team leader leadership manager?

Answer 44

• Strong and equal regard for both employee and task needs - this is what a manager should aim for.
• These leaders believe that if employees are treated as genuine stakeholders, then their needs and the business’s task needs will be in harmony.
• Leads by positive example + fosters a team environment where all members can reach highest potential.
• Encourage team to reach goals effectively + work to strengthen bonds in team.

Question 45

What are the benefits of a team leader leadership manager?

Answer 45

• High levels of motivation will be accompanied by high productivity.

Question 46

What are the characteristics of a middle-of-the-road leadership manager?

Answer 46

• Compromises between the two sets of needs, and less than optimal outcomes for each are achieved.
• These leaders may be indecisive and timid.
• The task and people needs compromised so neither are truly met.

Question 47

What is the best leader style to be in Blake’s grid?

Answer 47

• There isn’t a best style, it depends on the firm and the situation.
• For example of a crucial contract needs to be fulfilled on time then a greater emphasis on task needs will be appropriate.
• The grid can be a timely reminder to a leader of what they should be aspiring to, in order to avoid being stuck in one particular style.