Session 4 - Style approach

Question 1

What perspective doe the style approach take? (think focus)

Answer 1

• emphasizes behaviour of the leader
• focuses excplusively on what leaders do and how they act

Question 2

What two kinds of behaviors does the style approach consider/ comprise?

Answer 2

1. Task behavior:
   - faciliatiate goal, help group members achieve objectives
2. Relationship behavior
   - help subordinates feel comfortable with themselves, each other and the situation

Question 3

What is the purpose of the style approach?

Answer 3

• explain how leaders combine task and relationship behaviors to influence followers in their efforts to reach a goal

Question 4

What are the ohio state studies? What was their process?

Answer 4

• followers should compleze questionnaires about leaders
• questionnaire asked them to identify # of times leaders engaged in certain types of behaviors

Question 5

What are the results of the Ohio state studies? (two types of behaviors)

Answer 5

1. initaiting structure:
   - taking the first step
   - providing stcture for subordinates
   -> task behavior
2. Consideration:
   - nuture subordinates
   - establish trust and camaraderie
   -> relationship behavior

(both behaviours are independent of each other)

Question 6

What are the michigan studies, what did they do?

Answer 6

• also explored leadership behavior
• emphasized leadership behavior on perfromance in small groups

Question 7

What was the result of the michigan study? (also two types)

Answer 7

–> Two types of leadership behaviors conceptualized as opposite ends of a single continuum

1. employee orientation:
   - emphasis on strong human connections
   - interest im workers as human beings
2. production orientation:
   - emphasis on technical and production
   - workers are there to accomplish work

Question 8

What is the focus and overall scope of the style approach?

Answer 8

assessing leadership as a behavior with two dimensions, task and relationship behavior

Question 9

What are strengths of the style approach?

Answer 9

• major shift: from exclusively trait focus to include behaviors and actions of leaders
• credibility through range of studies
• approach applied to anything a leader does
• it’s heuristic - leaders can learn a lot about themselves and how they come across to others by trying to see their behaviors in light of the task and relationship dimensions

Question 10

What is criticm about the style approach?

Answer 10

• unclear effect to perfromance outcome
• no universal style of leadership that is effective in every situation
• most effective style is “high-high” (high task and high relationship), but research finding support is limited

Question 11

How can style approach be applied?

Answer 11

• training / development programs are designed around style approach
• mamagers can assess own style by others and learn how to be more effective
• applies to nearly everything a leader does

Question 12

On a high level: what is the trait approach?

Answer 12

emphasizes the personality characteristics of a leader

Question 13

On a high level: what is the skills approach?

Answer 13

emphaszies the leader’s capabilities

Question 14

On a high level: what is the style approach?

Answer 14

emphasizes the behavior of the leader

Question 15

what is the leadership grid by blake and

Answer 15

5 main types:

1. authority
2. country club
3. impoverished
4. middle-of-the road
5. team

2 more types that use more than one:
1. Paternalism/ Maternalism
-> depending on how good bad the follower is (reward/ punishment)
2. Opportunism
-> depending on what gains max. advantage