LEADERSHIP:

1. Define leader and leadership and explain why managers should be leaders.

Students should be able to provide the definitions in the text – that a leader is someone who
influences others and that leadership is the process of influencing others to achieve a goal.
However, encourage students to think about their own definitions of who a leader is and how they
personally define leadership.

2. What does each of the four behavioral leadership theories say about leadership?

The University of Iowa Studies explored three styles of leadership: autocratic, democratic, and
laissez-faire. Initial results found that a democratic style leader was more effective. However, later
studies had mixed results. When group member satisfaction was examined, it was found that a
democratic style was more effective than an autocratic one. The Ohio State Studies found that a
leader who was high in both initiating structure and consideration sometimes achieved high group
task performance and high group member satisfaction, but not always. The University of Michigan
Studies presented two dimensions of leadership: employee orientation and production orientation.
Researchers concluded that leaders who were employee oriented were able to get high group
productivity and high group member satisfaction. Finally, the Managerial Grid attempted to
categorize various leadership behaviors. Ultimately, the grid offered no answers to the question of
what made a manager an effective leader; it only provided a framework for conceptualizing
leadership style.

3. Explain Fiedler’s contingency model of leadership.

Fiedler’s model proposed that group performance was based upon the leader’s style and the
amount of control in a given situation. After a leader’s style is assessed through the least-preferred
coworker questionnaire, three contingency dimensions are examined: leader-member relations,
task structure, and position power. Ultimately, the model suggests that effectiveness is achieved
when a leader is matched to a particular situation or if the situation is changed.

4. How do situational leadership theory and path-goal theory each explain leadership?

Situational leadership theory focuses upon the readiness of followers. It treats the leader and
follower relationship like that of a parent and child. As the child (follower) matures, the parent
(leader) relinquishes more control. Path-goal theory puts the focus on the leader and his or her
ability to guide followers and remove obstacles.

5. What is leader-member exchange theory and what does it say about leadership?

Leader-member exchange theory states that leaders establish “in-groups” and “out-groups.” Those
in the in-group will have higher performance, lower turnover, and greater job satisfaction. This is
due to the leader and follower investing in the relationship.

6. Differentiate between transactional and transformational leaders and between charismatic and
visionary leaders.
A transactional leader guides and influences followers by exchanging rewards for the followers’
productivity. A transformational leader stimulates and inspires followers to achieve extraordinary
outcomes. A charismatic leader is an enthusiastic, self-confident leader whose personality and
actions influence people to behave in certain ways. A visionary leader is one who articulates an
appropriate vision for the future.

7. What are the five sources of a leader’s power?

The five sources of a leader’s power are legitimate, coercive, reward, expert, and referent.

8. What issues do today’s leaders face?

Today’s leaders face the issues of managing power, developing trust, empowering employees,
leading across cultures, and becoming an effective leader.

9. Do you think that most managers in real life use a contingency approach to increase their
leadership effectiveness? Explain.

As managers participate in mentoring, development training, networking, and on-the-job

experience, they should become more comfortable and adept in their use of a contingency approach
to increase their leadership effectiveness. Organizations that offer leadership training often include
contingency approaches. Ask your students to give examples to illustrate how their managers in the
workplace use a contingency approach for successful leadership.

10. Do the followers make a difference in whether a leader is effective? Discuss.

It is the leader’s ability to get the follower to carry out the goals of the organization that ultimately
determines a leader’s success. However, if the followers are not skilled or do not have the
appropriate knowledge to accomplish the task then the effectiveness of the leader suffers. You may
want to use the example of a coach who has lost key players due to unexpected injuries. If this
player is taken out of the game, then the team may lose the game regardless of the quality of the
coaching.

CASE 1:

Growing Leaders

1. What do you think about Buckley’s statement that leaders and managers differ? Do you agree?
Why or why not?

Student responses will vary. However, those who see a difference between management and
leadership should be able to identify “influencing” as a key term associated with leadership. Have
students think of analogies where a manager and a leader may be two different individuals – such as
a team captain and the coach.

2. What leadership models/theories/issues do you see in this case? List and describe.
In this case, students may see various contingency theories of leadership as leaders are trained in
one part of 3M for roles in potentially other parts of the company. In addition, because of the
attributes leaders are expected to have at 3M, students may associate these with transformational
leadership. Also, in Buckley himself, some students may recognize a visionary leadership style.

3. Take each of the six leadership attributes that the company feels is important. Explain what you
think each one involves. Then discuss how those attributes might be developed and measured.

Student responses will vary greatly, but encourage students to think in terms of what they would
expect from 3M employees if they were managers. Also, when it comes to developing and
measuring the attributes, have students apply good goal setting practices by ensuring that the
measures are achievable, specific, and measurable.

4. What did this case teach you about leadership?

Though students may share their opinions regarding this question, encourage them to think about
their own leadership styles. What style of leadership are they already developing? If they play a
sport or are involved in a campus organization, how do they think teammates would characterize
their leadership style? Is that congruent with their own self-assessment? Also, ask students if,
based upon what they read, would they find 3M an enjoyable environment in which to work? Why
or why not?

CASE 2:

1. What do you think of this description of Captain Holly Graf’s leader style? Do you think that
Captain Graf could even be called a leader? Discuss.

This case epitomizes the difference between a manager and a leader. Students should question
whether legitimate power does indeed make a leader. In other words, does title alone ensure that
subordinates will view the person “in charge” as a leader.

2. What kinds of power do you think Graf used as a ship commander? Explain your choices.

Though the case may not present a daily log of Graf’s actions, from what is illustrated, students
should be able to point to legitimate power as the obvious source of power. But, they may also
identify coercive power in the way Graf behaved toward crews.

3. Not surprisingly, this whole scenario rocked the Navy to its core since it reflected on the way the
Navy chooses, promotes, and then monitors its handpicked leaders. What changes, if any, do you
think need to take place in its leadership training and development?

Student responses will vary, but encourage them to think about the hierarchy involved. If the
students were Graf’s superior officer, how would that individual view the training process? Or, if
one of Graf’s crew members, what would that person view as important in terms of training and
development? Students might also consider the differences in leadership styles when one is
operating in a time of war versus managing say, a retail store or a restaurant. Is an autocratic style
of leadership necessary on a Navy ship? In every situation?
4. Some critics of Graf’s treatment have said that institutional sexism played a role in her removal.
Do you think that could be possible? Discuss. Would that “excuse” the way she led? Explain.

As students consider this question, have them think about the pioneering steps Graf took in her
career. Being the first woman to command a destroyer is a significant accomplishment in the U.S.
Navy. Have students explore the contingency theory of leadership. What if a leader chooses the
wrong style of leadership in a given situation? Is it possible that Graf was varying her leadership
style, but in an incorrect fashion – such as using an autocratic style when she should have been more
democratic or even laissez-faire? And, is a military environment completely different than the
private, business sector?