Behavioral Approaches to Leadership

Shift from Traits to Behaviors: Early research on leadership traits led to the conclusion that while traits are important, leader behaviors also play a significant role in effectiveness.
Ohio State University Studies:
- Identified two key leader behaviors:
  - Consideration: Relationship-oriented, focuses on supportive and friendly interactions, recognizing group members, and open communication.
  - Initiating Structure: Task-oriented, focuses on scheduling, planning, coordinating work, and setting performance standards.
- Leaders can display both behaviors simultaneously.
- Finding: Effects of these behaviors are not consistent across situations, and no single best style emerged.
University of Michigan Studies:
- Identified similar leader behaviors:
  - Job-centered: Devoted to supervisory functions like planning and scheduling.
  - Employee-member-centered: Focuses on consideration and support for organizational members.
- Reinforced the importance of leader behavior.
- Later research identified: Support, work facilitation, goal emphasis, and interaction facilitation as additional effective behaviors.
- Leader's role: To set the tone and create a climate where these critical behaviors are present.
The Leadership Grid (Blake and Mouton):
- Classifies leadership styles based on two dimensions: Concern for Results (production) and Concern for People.
- Example: The (9,9) style represents high concern for both results and people.
- Blake and Mouton's contention: The (9,9) style is universally most effective.
- Research finding: There is no universally effective style of leadership; the (9,9) style is not always effective.
- Effectiveness of (9,9): May be effective when high initiating structure is required and the leader is also perceived as warm, supportive, and considerate.