The Supervisor as Leader

If people see you looking out only for your own best interests, they won’t follow you.

—Carlos M. Gutierrez,U.S. Secretary of Commerce

and former CEO, Kellogg

Chapter 8

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2013 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Learning Objectives

1. Discuss the possible link between personal traits and leadership ability.

2. Explain democratic vs. authoritarian leadership.

3. Explain major leadership theories.4. Identify criteria for choosing a leadership

style.5. Explain how supervisors can develop and

maintain good relations with their employees, managers, and peers.

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Leadership

Leading – the management function of influencing

people to act or not act in a certain way.

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Characteristics of a Successful Leader

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Leadership Theories

Authoritarian leadership – A leadership style in which the leader retains

a great deal of authority

Democratic leadership – A leadership style in which the leader allows

subordinates to participate in decision making and problem solving

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Leadership Theories

Laissez-faire leadership– A leadership style in which the leader is

uninvolved and lets subordinates direct themselves

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Possibilities for Retaining Authority

Figure 8.1

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The Managerial Grid

Task-oriented leader – focuses on the jobs to be done and the goals

to be accomplished.

People-oriented leader – primarily concerned with the well-being of the

employees being managed.

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The Managerial Grid

When supervisors help employees see their work as meaningful, give them the resources they need to get the job done, and express appreciation for their accomplishments, the supervisors are contributing to positive results at the same time they are making employees feel satisfied.

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The Managerial Grid

Figure 8.2

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Contingency Theories of Leadership

Fiedler’s Contingency Model– Each leader has a preferred leadership style,

which may be people oriented or task oriented.

– Performance depends on three characteristics of the leadership situation:

• Leader-member relations• Task structure• The position power of the leader

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Contingency Theories of Leadership

Fiedler’s Contingency Model– Fiedler recommends that a leader determine

whether his or her preferred leadership style fits the situation. If not, the leader should try to change the characteristics of the situation.

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Contingency Theories of Leadership

Hersey-Blanchard theory (Life cycle theory)– Assumes that the leader’s behavior should

adapt to the situation.– Leadership style should reflect the maturity of

the followers as measured by traits such as ability to work independently.

– Leaders should adjust the degree of task and relationship behavior in response to the growing maturity of their followers.

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Model of the Life Cycle Theory of Leadership

Figure 8.4

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Contingency Theories of Leadership

Path-Goal theory– suggests that the primary activities of a leader

are to make desirable and achievable rewards available to organization members who attain organizational goals and to clarify the kinds of behavior that must be performed to earn those rewards

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Path-Goal Theory

Leader should exhibit the following behaviors:

Directive behavior– involves telling followers what to do and how

they are to do it

Supportive behavior – involves recognizing that above all, followers

are human beings

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Path-Goal Theory (cont.)

Participative behavior – involves seeking input from followers about

methods for improving business operations

Achievement behavior – involves setting a challenging goal for a

follower to meet, and expressing confidence that the follower can meet this challenge

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Servant Leadership

Servant leadership – involves putting other people’s needs,

aspirations, and interests above your ownA good listenerEmpatheticHealing Aware Persuasive

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Entrepreneurial Leadership

Entrepreneurial leadership – involves believing that one plays a very

important role at a company rather than an unimportant one

Visionary, problem solver, decision maker, risk taker

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Choosing a Leadership Style

Characteristics of the leader:– The manager’s values– Level of confidence in employees– Personal leaderships strengths– Tolerance for ambiguity

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Choosing a Leadership Style

Characteristics of the subordinates:– Need for independence– Readiness to assume responsibility– Tolerance for ambiguity– Interest in the problem to be solved– Understanding of and identification with goals– Knowledge and experience– Expectations

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Choosing a Leadership Style

Characteristics of the situation:– Type of organization– Effectiveness of the group– The problem or task– Time available

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Supervisor’s Relationships with Their Employees

Supervisors as role models:– When employees evaluate the organization,

they look at the supervisor’s behavior and use it as a guide for how they should act.

– Supervisors should follow all the rules and regulations.

– Supervisors should be ethical and impartial.

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Supervisor’s Relationships with Their Employees

Developing trust:– The most important way to build trust is to

engage in fair, predictable behavior.– The supervisor should fulfill promises and

give employees credit when they do something well.

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Supervisors’ Relationships with Their Managers

Expectations– Loyalty– Cooperation– Communication – Results

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Supervisors’ Relationships with Their Managers

Learn about your managerIf you are dissatisfied

– Consider the source of the problem– Talk to your manager– Hunt for another job

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What Managers Expect ofSupervisors

Figure 8.6

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Supervisors’ Relationships with Their Peers

Competition– The more you cooperate, the better you will

all look.

Criticism– Do not go looking for things to criticize about

your peers or anyone else.– If a co-worker must be criticized, go directly to

that person and point out the problem before escalating to management.

– Focus on the problem and its consequences to the organization, not the personalities involved.