Question

New Boss and his Leadership Style

For Several months employees of a large corporation have been very dissatisfied with the new division head. Before the arrival of the new division head, the department had functioned as a cohesive, effective unit, combining hard work with equal amount of leisure. The new division head has very strong idea about the types of environment his employees should have. As one supervisor puts it, it resembles a full scale military operation. No longer are occasional informal gatherings during office hours.

The bottom line has become productivity first, with the employees' feelings being considered as an afterthought. Grass-root employees as well as supervisory personnel are very upset about the changes in structure, and their dissatisfaction is beginning to show up in their performances. Because of the decreased productivity levels, the supervisors have been informed that if they don't shape up their subordinates, "the axe will fall on several heads".

The frustration and anger is now beginning to come to a full boil and the supervisors have decided to meet to discuss the situation.

Questions

a. Identify the leadership style of the division head from the angle of Managerial Grid.

b. From the view point of theory of X and Y, what assumption did the new head make about the way in which people work most effectively?

Answer 1

The new division head's leadership style aligns with an authoritarian approach on the Managerial Grid, focusing on productivity with little regard for employees' feelings. From McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y, the new head is operating under Theory X assumptions, treating employees as inherently lazy and needing strict control and punishment to ensure productivity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The leadership style of the new division head can be identified using the Managerial Grid. This grid assesses leadership style based on a leader's concern for people vs. their concern for production. The division head's style seems to be high on concern for production and low on concern for people, which aligns with a task-oriented, or authoritarian, leadership style. Occasional informal gatherings are no longer permitted, and productivity is greatly emphasized over employees' feelings, matching characteristics of an authoritarian approach.

From the perspective of McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y, it appears that the new head assumes a Theory X approach towards management, believing that employees are inherently lazy and require strict supervision, control, and a system of punishments to ensure productivity. This is evidenced by the division head's military-like operation procedures and the threat of 'the axe will fall on several heads' if subordinates do not improve their performance.