Final answer:
Both task-oriented and people-oriented behaviours are beneficial to organizations because they fulfill different but complementary needs. Leaders must balance these behaviours to match their employees' preferences and situations, fostering effectiveness and adaptability within teams.
Step-by-step explanation:
The behavioural approach to leadership emphasizes that both task-oriented behaviours and people-oriented behaviours are beneficial to organizations. Task-oriented behaviours are essential for achieving specific goals and maintaining standards within an organization, while people-oriented behaviours help in building team cohesion, morale, and fostering the personal development of individuals. Leadership theories such as transactional and transformational leadership, as developed by Bass, highlight the importance of a leader's ability to address both tasks and social dynamics within the workplace. Furthermore, the Theory X and Theory Y approach outlined by McGregor relates to the behavioural styles of management, with Theory X being more task-focused and controlling, and Theory Y being more people-focused and encouraging autonomy and growth.
Understanding the leader-follower relationship is crucial, as different individuals respond differently to various leadership styles. Some employees prefer clear structure and guidance, indicative of a desire for a more task-oriented approach. In contrast, employees who are more autonomous may thrive under leaders who provide less rigid structures, which aligns with a more people-oriented leadership approach. Therefore, a leader's effectiveness often results from their ability to balance and apply both task-oriented and people-oriented behaviours aptly, contingent upon their followers' characteristics and situational needs.