Style Approach: Tasks vs. Relationships
There are two important behaviors related to leadership style: task and relationship. Task behaviors facilitate goal accomplishment by helping group members achieve their objectives (Northouse, 2004, p. 65). Relationship behaviors help “subordinates feel comfortable with themselves, with each other, and with the situation in which they find themselves” (Northouse, 2004, p. 65). Finding the optimum way to lead has been the optimum goal of many researchers at several universities.
The Ohio State University Studies
In the late 1940s, the leadership research program at “Ohio State” measured specific leadership behaviors. The researchers had subordinates complete questionnaires about their leaders by using the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQ). Researchers found that subordinates’ responses on the questionnaire clustered around two underlying dimensions of leader behaviors: initiating structure and consideration. Initiating structure behaviors were essentially “task” behaviors focused on getting work completed as efficiently as possible. On the other hand, consideration behaviors were essentially “relationship” behaviors focused on building friendships. Around the same time, researchers at the University of Michigan were also investigating leadership behavior.
University of Michigan Studies
The “Michigan studies” revealed two types of leadership behaviors: employee orientation and production orientation. Surprisingly, those studies revealed similar concepts to initiating structure and consideration. Employee orientation describes the behaviors of leaders who approach followers or subordinates with a humanistic perspective or “relationship” orientation. On the other hand, production orientation describes the behaviors of leaders who focus on productivity and efficiency or “task” orientation. Northouse (2004) explains, “Unlike the Ohio State researchers, the Michigan researchers, in their initial studies, conceptualized employee and production orientations as opposite ends of a single continuum” and further explains, “that leaders who were oriented toward production were less oriented to employees, and those who were employee oriented were less production oriented” (p. 68). Since then, researchers have used this framework to better understand the behaviors of leaders from different cultures. There are several key traits that contribute to a leader’s success.
For this SLP, you will complete a short survey and then will analyze your results.
Survey instructions: Take the following task vs. relationship leadership survey. After you have completed the survey, add up your scores for tables 1 and table 2 to determine your dominant leadership style. To determine your dominant personal leadership style, circle one of the following options that best describe how you see yourself (or the person that is being evaluated) regarding each statement. For each statement, you can indicate the degree to which you (or the person being evaluated) engage (s) in the stated behavior. A rating of 1 means Never and a rating of 5 means Always with the person demonstrating the specific behavior.
Table 1 – “A” Style and Orientation
Questions Never…………………Always
1. Tells group members what they are supposed to do.
1 2 3 4 5
2. Sets standards of performance for group members.
1 2 3 4 5
3. Makes suggestions about how to solve problems. 1 2 3 4 5
4. Makes his or her perspective clear to others. 1 2 3 4 5
5. Develops a plan of action for the group. 1 2 3 4 5
6. Defines role responsibilities for each group member. 1 2 3 4 5
7. Clarifies his or her own role within the group. 1 2 3 4 5
8. Provides a plan for how the work is to be done. 1 2 3 4 5
9. Provides criteria for what is expected of the group. 1 2 3 4 5
10. Encourages group members to do high-quality work. 1 2 3 4 5
Total score for “A” Orientation:
Table 2 – “B” Style and Orientation
Questions Never………………Always
11. Acts friendly with members of the group. 1 2 3 4 5
12. Helps others feel comfortable in the group. 1 2 3 4 5
13. Responds favorably to suggestions made by others. 1 2 3 4 5
14. Treats others fairly. 1 2 3 4 5
15. Behaves in a predictable manner toward group members. 1 2 3 4 5
16. Communicates actively with group members. 1 2 3 4 5
17. Shows concern for the well-being of others. 1 2 3 4 5
18. Shows flexibility in making decisions. 1 2 3 4 5
19. Discloses thoughts and feelings to group members. 1 2 3 4 5
20. Helps group members get along. 1 2 3 4 5
Total score for “B” Orientation
A = Task Orientation Scores: ___ B = Relationship Orientation Scores: ___
45-50 Very high range
40-44 High range
35-39 Moderately high range
30-34 Moderately low range
25-29 Low range
10-24 Very low range
After doing some research, please prepare a paper that addresses your results for the survey (more task oriented or relationship oriented) and how you plan on using your results to become a more influential leader. Also, discuss whether you think it is more beneficial for a leader to be focused on tasks or relationships in an organization. Please provide examples to justify your response.
Your paper should be short (2-3 pages, not including the cover sheet, references, and assessment sheet) and to the point. You are expected to deal with these issues in an integrated fashion, rather than treating them as a series of individual questions to be answered one by one and left at that.
You will be particularly assessed on:
Your completion of all the steps in the exercise.
Your ability to synthesize information and present a concise and meaningful paper.
The clarity and quality of your writing.
SLP Assignment Expectations
Make sure that you use your own language (rather than copying sentences from the article).
Your paper will be graded based on the following criteria: Precision, Clarity, Breadth, Depth, Grammar/Vocabulary, Referencing, and Application.
Use 12-point type size (Times New Roman), double-spacing, and one-inch margins. Add a cover page and a references list.
Cite your sources: APA Style – Trident requires all PhD work to be in APA form. We also encourage all other students to comply with guidelines for proper citation of references. You may use the tutorial found on the following link (press “view the tutorial”): The Basics of APA Style
Reference
Northouse, P. G. (2004). Leadership: Theory and practice (3rd edition). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE.
