Student Sample
EDL 810 – Leadership Theory Paper
Introduction
Prior to the 1950’s, leadership was thought of in terms of traits and skills that people
possessed. A leader could not be trained or taught; they were either born with these
characteristics or possessed certain skills, such as charisma, that made them a born leader.
However, the Ohio State Studies on Leadership marked an influential change on what most
scholars assumed was a leader. By placing an emphasis on interdisciplinary research and using
new models to measure key variables, the researchers at Ohio State discovered that leaders are
not necessarily just born with inherent traits or skills. These studies founded the behavioral
leadership theory that in turn acted as a springboard for future leadership theories to show that a
leader can indeed be cultivated (Schriesheim & Bird, 1979).
Origin of Theory
Carrol Shartle and Ralph Stogdill are seen as the primary figures associated with the Ohio
State Leadership Studies. Shartle had a background that originated in government programs and
studied leadership applications and research in the military sector. Realizing that research in all
applications of leadership was necessary, including that in a multidisciplinary setting, Shartle
searched for a university that would enable him to act on his intuition that a leader could be
shaped. It was at this point that he arrived at Ohio State where he found Ralph Stogdill (Shartle,
1979).
Stogdill had been a doctoral student at Ohio State, where he graduated in 1934 only to
move on to become the Associate Director of the Leadership Studies. Soon after, Shartle and
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Stogdill began their research on leadership by studying the Office of Naval Research which
eventually led to their multidisciplinary approach (Shartle, 1979; Van Fleet, 1979).
One of the most unique features of the leadership studies, for its time, was the
multidisciplinary approach that Stogdill and Shartle focused on. Faculty from all over Ohio
State University participated as researchers in the study and represented departments from
psychology and sociology to economics and education. By using this multidisciplinary
approach, the researchers in the leadership studies were able to take advantage of a higher
volume of exposure in various publications (Schriesheim & Bird, 1979).
Theory Definition and Characteristics
The primary approach in which those in the leadership studies gathered data on key
variables was the Leadership Behavior Description Questionnaire. This questionnaire contained
scales to measure leadership responsibility, authority, delegation, etc. which allowed the
researchers to pinpoint patterns. The LBDQ could also be used by organizations to assist them
in recognizing leaders and aid in goal setting (Schriesheim & Stogdill, 1975).
Once the data from the LBDQ was retrieved and analyzed, after being given to various
industries, both government and private, two variables emerged. The data showed that most
leaders are either people oriented or task oriented. The researchers eventually named these
variables initiating structure and consideration. Those individuals who are categorized in the
initiating structure variable are very task oriented and tend to define role responsibilities and
favor delegation and task organization. On the other side of the spectrum, those individuals in
the consideration variable are very people oriented and focus more on relationship building than
tasks performed.
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The variables were not interdependent upon each other. An individual did not need to be
low on the scales in consideration in order to be high in initiating structure. However, the
researchers did conclude that the best leader performed high in both variables, which was ideal
for leadership qualities (Schriesheim & Bird, 1979).
By identifying these key variables in leadership behavior, the Ohio State Leadership
Studies played a vital role in the birth of behavioral leadership theory, which then evolved into
Situational and other leadership theories. At the outset of the studies, Shartle himself realized
the situational aspect of the variables noting, “New situational variables might make a leader or
an organization that was rated at the top in a study at the bottom six months later when we
returned for a follow-up visit” (Shartle, 1979, pp.132).
Educational Leadership Implications
The results of the Ohio State Studies on Leadership and their discovery of initiating
structure and consideration play a vital role in educational leadership. By using their
methodological survey, the Leadership Behavior Description Questionnaire, an individual in an
educational leadership position can determine what their style of leaderships is and then focus on
their strengths and weaknesses, as pointed out by the survey, to work on certain goals. They may
also note that their current work environment requires someone who is high on the initiating
structure scale. Once they discover they are higher on the consideration scale, they can then
change their style of leadership to become more task oriented. Of course, as situations change,
so can the leader based on the behavioral leadership theory. An individual does not carry certain
unchangeable traits. Instead, based on the Ohio State Studies, an individual can focus on their
strengths and weaknesses as a task or people oriented leader to complete any objective.
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References
Schriesheim, C.A., Bird, B.J. (1979). Contributions of the Ohio State Studies to the field of
leadership. Journal of Management, 5(2), 135-145.
Schriesheim, C.A., Stogdill, R.M. (1975). Differences in factor structure across three versions
of the Ohio State leadership scales. Personnel Psychology, 28(2), 189-206.
Shartle, C.L. (1979). Early years of the Ohio State University leadership studies. Journal of
Management, 5(2), 127-134.
Van Fleet, D. D. (1979). The Ralph M. Stogdill memorial symposium. Journal Of
Management, 5(2), 125-126.
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