Research Developments
Popularizing this Approach:
1. Lewin, Lipitt, & White
Study
2. The U of M Studies
3. The Ohio State Studies
4. The Managerial Grid
Building a Pyramid Exercise!
Leadership:
A Behavioral
Approach
The Lewin, Lippitt, &White Study

Groups of 10- and 11-year- old boys to meet
after school to work on various hobbies.

Each group included a man who adopted
one of three leadership styles The
authoritarian, or autocratic, leader
 The democratic leader
 The laissez-faire leader
The Lewin, Lippitt, &White Study

The authoritarian, or autocratic, leader


The democratic leader


Took no input from the members in making decisions about
group activities, did not discuss the long-range goals of the
group, emphasized his authority, dictated who would work on
specific projects
Made certain that all activities were first discussed by the entire
group. He allowed the group members to make their own
decisions about work projects or partners and encouraged the
development of an egalitarian atmosphere.
The laissez-faire leader

Rarely intervened in the group activities. Groups with this type
of atmosphere made all decisions on their own without any
supervision, and their so-called leader functioned primarily as a
source of technical information.
Results
Autocratic
Increasingly
more
submissive &
demanded the
leader's attention and
approval.
Productivity
was
same as democratic,
but required leader's
presence
Democratic
Showed
less tension
and hostility
More
cohesion and
cooperation.
About
as productive
as autocratic, but also
in leader's absence.
Laissez-faire
Overall,
lower
productivity,
satisfaction, and
cohesiveness
The University of Michigan Studies

Likert viewed leadership as having 2 primary
dimensions :


"production- centered"
"employee- centered."
Production Centered Behavior

When a leader pays close
attention to the work of
subordinates, explains
work procedures, and is
keenly interested in
performance
Employee Centered Behavior

When the leader is
interested in developing a
cohesive work group and
in ensuring employees are
satisfied with their jobs.
A Single Continuum

These two styles of leader behavior were believed to
lie at the ends of a single continuum
Ohio State Studies

Developed 2 measures to assess preferred leadership
behaviors:

The LBDQ (Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire)


Measures subordinates perceptions of the leader behaviors
The LOQ (Leader Opinion Questionnaire)

Measures leaders perception of own style.
Items Adapted from LBDQ
Consideration Items:





1. Is easy to get along with
2. Puts ideas generated by the group into operation
3. Treats everyone the same
4. Let's followers know of upcoming changes
5. Explains actions to all group members
Initiating Structure:





1. Tells group members what is expected
2. Promotes the use of standardized procedures
3. Makes decisions about work methods
4. Clarifies role relationship among group members
5. Sets specific goals and monitors performance closely
Ohio State Studies

Surveyed 1000's of workers about their perceptions
of their supervisor (LBDQ)

Found results which suggested two basic leader
behaviors or styles:


Initiating structure behavior
Consideration behavior
Initiating Structure Behavior

When the leader clearly defines the leadersubordinate, establishes formal lines of
communication, and determines how tasks are to be
performed.

CHARACTERISTICS:

Leaders of high producing groups; leaders rated
highly by superiors; low morale, high grievance rates,
high turnover
Consideration Behavior

The leader shows concern for subordinates and
attempts to establish a warm, friendly, and
supportive climate.

CHARACTERISTICS:

Leaders of groups with high morale; leaders of groups
with lower productivity
Two Variables

These two behaviors were not viewed as opposite
ends of a continuum, but as independent variables.
Initiating Structure
Consideration
Consideration
Four Leadership Styles Derived
from the Ohio State Studies
High
Low
Low Structure, High
Consideration
High Structure, High
Consideration
Low Structure, Low
Consideration
High Structure, Low
Consideration
Low
High
Initiating Structure
The Leadership Grid

The results of behavioral studies were incorporated
into a grid

The Leadership Grid utilizes the Concern for People
versus Concern for Production dichotomy
The Leadership Grid
High
1.9
Country club
management
Concern for People
9
8
9.9
Team management
7
5.5
Middle-of-theroad-management
6
5
4
3
2
1
Low
9.1
Authoritycompliance
1.1
Impoverished
management
Low
1
2
3
4
5
6
Concern for Production
7
8
9
High
Let’s Build a Pyramid!

You are about to engage in a timed exercise.

Using only the paper and tape given to you, the
group to build the tallest free-standing structure at
the end of 10 minutes wins.

Good luck!
Survey
(keep your response private)
1
Not at all
Satisfied
5
Extremely
Satisfied
Using the scale above, rate your overall satisfaction
with your group process.
Strengths of the Behavioral Style
Approach
-
Marked a big shift in the focus of leadership work
-
A wide range of studies validates and gives
credibility to this approach
-
Underscores the importance of the 2 core
dimensions of leadership behavior: task and
relationship.
Weaknesses of the Approach
-
No adequate relationship between behavior and
performance outcomes (morale, satisfaction,
productivity) has been documented.
-
Failed to find universal leader behaviors that could
be effective in almost every situation.
-
This approach implies that the most effective
leadership style is high-high- but this actually may
not be the case in all situations.