Leadership Styles - a Drill Sergeant at First

Given the huge task of turning the hospital's paint department around, Mark started out with a leadership style that would most likely be considered "Authority-Compliance (9, 1)" on the Blake and Mouton grid. After doing a four-month analysis of the department and their goals, he then adopted an "all task" approach and did not ask for input from his team, rather, he gave them tasks to complete. While this style does not work in all settings, in a department where there are specific metrics that must be met on-time and within budget, this style can be an effective one. If you give certain employees clear directives so there is no ambiguity in their duties; that can make their jobs easier. This style would not work well for a more senior level employee or one who is used to working autonomously with great latitude to be a problem solver or strategist. However, in a manual labor setting where there are time constraints and budgetary concerns, this style works.

Mark's leadership style morphed and changed over time, as he began to both gain their trust and trust in their capabilities. He sounds as if he was the kind of leader who was very abreast of what was going on in his department and what his employees were capable of. He also began to delegate more which empowers team leads to make decisions and attach themselves to the mission/vision for the department. If your employees are engaged and fully understand the mission of the department, you are more likely to have more productive employees. During this phase of his leadership, I would say that Mark would probably be classified as "Team Management (9,9)" on the Blake and Mouton grid. One key element of this style is that it creates trust and respect, which Mark appears to have with his team, illustrated by his being concerned with their engagement in the process and rewarding them with a "thank you dinner" at the local sports bar.

While Mark may have been more task oriented at first, I don't think that was his true leadership style. I think he adopted that in the beginning so he could meet hospital objectives and prove himself to his team. It's a very strong message to share with your team that they have exceeded expectations and have a 92% customer satisfaction rating. Because Mark changed his approach and began to delegate tasks and recognize accomplishments, I feel as if he is actually a leader who understands relationships and his true leadership style is relationship-oriented. I am basing my opinion on the fact that he realized the importance of recognizing hard work in a personal way; by taking his team out for dinner and spending time with them. Truly great leaders understand employee's motivations, which are not always based on money. Many employees find far more satisfaction from a pat on the back and a "thank you" from a leader than they do their paycheck.

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