Chapter 4
Participative Leadership, Delegation, and
Empowerment
© 2006 Prentice Hall
Leadership in Organizations
4-1
Learning Objectives
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Understand what research methods have been
used to study participative leadership
Understand the major findings in research on
consequences of participative leadership
Understand the situations in which participative
leadership is most likely to be effective
Understand the major findings in research on the
normative theory of leader decision making
© 2006 Prentice Hall
Leadership in Organizations
4-2
Learning Objectives
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Understand procedures for the effective use of
consultation
Understand the potential benefits and risks of
delegation
Understand when and how to use delegation
effectively
Understand why follower perceptions of
empowerment are important
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Leadership in Organizations
4-3
Varieties of Participation
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Autocratic Decision
Consultation
Joint Decision
Delegation
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Leadership in Organizations
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Consequences of Participative Leadership
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Consequences of Participative Leadership
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Potential Benefits of Participation
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Decision quality
Decision acceptance
Satisfaction with the decision process
Development of participant skills
Objectives of Different Participants
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Leadership in Organizations
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Research on Effects of Participative
Leadership
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Example of Research on Participation – Bragg &
Andrews (1973)
Effects of Participation
Limitations of Participation Research
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Measurement problems with survey field research
Combining interventions
Short-term programs
Difficulty comparing results across studies
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Normative Decision Model
Vroom and Yetton Model
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Decision Procedures
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AI – Leader makes decision without any additional
information
AII – Leader seeks information and makes decision
alone
CI – Leader shares problem with others individually
and makes decision alone
CII – Leader shares problem with others collectively
and makes decision alone
GII – Group discusses problem collectively and the
group makes the decision
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Normative Decision Model
Vroom and Yetton Model
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Leadership in Organizations
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Normative Decision Model
Vroom and Yetton Model
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Situational Variables
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The amount of relevant information possessed by
leader and subordinates
The likelihood that subordinates will accept an
autocratic decision
The likelihood that subordinates will cooperate if
allowed to participate
The amount of disagreement among subordinates
with respect to preferred alternatives
The extent to which the decision unstructured and
requires creative problem solving
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Normative Decision Model
Vroom and Yetton Model
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Decision Acceptance – Degree of commitment to
implement a decision effectively
Decision Quality – Objective aspects of the
decision that affect group performance aside from
any effects mediated by decision acceptance
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Leadership in Organizations
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Normative Decision Model
Vroom and Yetton Model
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Leadership in Organizations
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Normative Decision Model
Vroom and Jago Model
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Incorporates additional aspects of the situation
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Incorporates additional outcome criteria
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Severe time constraints
Amount of subordinate information
Geographical dispersion of subordinates
Concern for subordinate development
Concern for decision time
Managers given more choices in setting priorities
for the criteria in the model
Allows managers to differentiate among five
choices in describing the situation
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Leadership in Organizations
4-13
Normative Decision Model
Simplified Version
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Leadership in Organizations
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Normative Decision Model
Vroom and Yetton Model
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Research on the Model
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Some support but more research needed
Extended model needs to be tested
Conceptual Weaknesses
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Decision processes are treated as single, discrete
episodes
The model is too complicated
Leaders are assumed to have necessary skills to use
the various decision procedures
Leadership in Organizations
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Guidelines for Participative Leadership
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Diagnosing Decision Situations
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Evaluate how important the decision is
Identify people with relevant knowledge or expertise
Evaluate likely cooperation by participants
Evaluate likely acceptance without participation
Evaluate whether it is feasible to hold a meeting
Leadership in Organizations
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Guidelines for Participative Leadership
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Encourage Participation
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Encourage people to express their concerns
Describe a proposal as tentative
Record ideas and suggestions
Look for ways to build on ideas and suggestions
Be tactful in expressing concerns about a suggestion
Listen to dissenting views without getting defensive
Try to utilize suggestions and deal with concerns
Show appreciation for suggestions
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Delegation
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Varieties of Delegation
Potential Advantages of Delegation
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Improvement in decision quality
Greater subordinate commitment
Making subordinates’ jobs more interesting,
challenging, and meaningful
Improved time management
Important form of management development
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Potential Advantages of Delegation
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Delegation
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Reasons for Lack of Delegation
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Aspects of the leader’s personality
Fear of subordinate making a mistake
High need for personal achievement
Characteristics of the subordinate
Nature of the work
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Reasons for Lack of Delegation
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Guidelines for Delegating
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What to Delegate
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Tasks that can be done better by a subordinate
Tasks that are urgent but not high priority
Tasks relevant to a subordinate’s career
Tasks of appropriate difficulty
Both pleasant and unpleasant tasks
Tasks not central to the manager’s role
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Guidelines for Delegation
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How to Delegate
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Specify responsibilities clearly
Provide adequate authority and specify limits of
discretion
Specify reporting requirements
Ensure subordinate acceptance of responsibilities
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Delegation
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How to Manage Delegation
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Inform others who need to know
Monitor progress in appropriate ways
Arrange for the subordinate to receive necessary
information
Provide support and assistance, but avoid reverse
delegation
Make mistakes a learning experience
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Perceived Empowerment
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Nature of Psychological Empowerment
Consequences of Empowerment
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Facilitating Conditions for Empowerment
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Benefits
Consequences
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Job design
Organizational structure
Organizational culture
Leader selection and assessment
Procedures for influencing decisions
Shared leadership
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Conditions Facilitating Psychological
Empowerment
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Guidelines for Empowerment
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Clarify objectives and explain how the work supports them
Involve people in making decisions that affect them
Delegate responsibility and authority for important activities
Take into account individual differences in motivation and
skills
Provide access to relevant information
Provide resources needed to carry out new responsibilities
Change management systems to be consistent with
empowerment
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Leadership in Organizations
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Guidelines for Empowerment
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Remove bureaucratic constraints and unnecessary
controls
Express confidence and trust in people
Provide coaching and advice when requested
Encourage and support initiative and problem solving
Recognize important contributions and achievements
Ensure that rewards are commensurate with new
responsibilities
Ensure accountability for the ethical use of power
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