Question

You are Steve Hewitt, City Administrator, and you have gone through training to use Vroom’s Time-Driven model of leadership style. Using expert software to assist you in making the correct decision about leadership style, you have determined that you need to delegate to make a decision. Which of the following behaviors is most in line with using a delegate style?

a. You allow your group to define for itself the exact nature and parameters of the problem and then develop a solution on its own.
b. You present the program to your group members individually, obtain their suggestions, and then make the decision.
c. You present the problem to your group at a meeting, define the problem and its boundaries, and then encourage discussion as your group members make the decision.
d. You make the decision alone and then announce or "sell" it to your group.

Answer 1

The behavior most in line with a delegative leadership style is allowing the group to independently define the problem and develop a solution, which reflects a laissez-faire approach.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Vroom’s Time-Driven model of leadership, using delegative leadership means opting for a leadership style where the leader assigns responsibility for decision-making to group members. The correct behavior associated with delegative style, from the given options, is option a: You allow your group to define for itself the exact nature and parameters of the problem and then develop a solution on its own. This choice aligns with the notion of a laissez-faire leader, who takes a hands-off approach and trusts the group members to manage themselves and make their own decisions, which can be beneficial if the members are mature and self-motivated. It contrasts with authoritarian and democratic leadership styles—the former involves the leader making decisions alone, while the latter involves seeking consensus in a participative manner.