Part 05: You Make The Decision: Leading

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Congratulations! Your answers suggest that you have a good working knowledge of leadership behavior styles and that you know the best way to use different styles depending on your work environment. Grade: 100%

Initiating Structure After Sharon talks about her management style, Adam turns to you and says, "I thought I heard something about different styles being effective in different situations. According to Fred Fiedler's Contingency Theory, what situation would be best for Sharon's management style?" A very favorable situation in which Sharon had very good relations with her employees, and the employees are doing highly structured tasks. A moderately favorable situation in which Sharon's relationships with her employees are strained, but where the employees are still doing highly structured tasks.

A very favorable situation in which Sharon had very good relations with her employees, and the employees are doing highly structured tasks.

Style of Leadership

At this point in the meeting, Adam asks, "Sharon, how long have your four employees been with the zoo?" Sharon answers, "Well, if you don't count our intern, each of my employees has worked for us for more than five years." Then Adam asks, "And does your team get along pretty well as a group?" Sharon thinks about this, then answers, "Yes, I think so. I know that they go out to Louie's Bar every Friday night after work, and that if one of them encounters a problem, the others will go out of their way to help fix it." Adam turns to you and asks, "What impact does Sharon's situation have on the style of leadership she should use?"

Decision How do you answer? I would say, "This situation is ideal for Sharon's leadership style. Sharon's team has expertise, which means that they know how to do the work they are being assigned, and they are cohesive, which means they will all band together to do the work that they need to do. I'd keep on managing exactly the way Sharon is managing." I would say, "This situation is a problem for someone with Sharon's leadership style. Sharon's team has been on the job for a while, and that gives them expertise, which is a substitute for leadership. In addition, the team is cohesive, which neutralizes leadership attempts. I think I'd try to develop relationships with people on the team, rather than telling them how to do their work."

I would say, "This situation is a problem for someone with Sharon's leadership style. Sharon's team has been on the job for a while, and that gives them expertise, which is a substitute for leadership. In addition, the team is cohesive, which neutralizes leadership attempts. I think I'd try to develop relationships with people on the team, rather than telling them how to do their work."

Classify Behavior Those researchers would classify Sharon's behavior as: Consideration Initiating Structure

Initiating Structure

Introduction

Recently, you accepted an internship position with the Tulawaka Zoo in Tennessee. You report to Sharon Molacavage, the Senior Animal Keeper, who is in charge of all of the big cats at the zoo. Sharon reports to the zoo director, Adam Teitelbaum. You like your job a lot, because you play an active role in all of the zoo meetings and discussions. Adam is particularly interested in what you are learning in your Management classes, because he likes keeping up with new leadership ideas. Today the zoo team is having a meeting to talk about the zoo's upcoming review by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Ohio State Studies

The meeting starts when Adam asks Sharon to talk about the way she manages the employees who report to her. Sharon says, "I'm pretty focused on getting the work around here done, and making sure that all the employees do what is best for the animals. I give my staff specific instructions on what to do every day, and then I check to be sure that they've followed those instructions exactly. I don't tolerate mistakes." As you listen to Sharon you think about what you've learned about the Ohio State studies of leadership.