Chapter 4 – Behavioral Approach What leaders do
The behavioral approach examines how leaders act toward followers and tasks. Two classic research streams are:
- Ohio State studies – identified initiating structure (task-oriented) and consideration (relationship-oriented).
- University of Michigan studies – distinguished employee-oriented versus production-oriented leadership.
Blake and Mouton’s Leadership Grid integrates these into concern for results (task) and concern for people (relationship), producing styles like authority-compliance, country-club, impoverished, middle-of-the-road, and team management.
1. What is the primary focus of the behavioral approach to leadership?
The behavioral approach focuses on what leaders do, especially how they balance task-oriented and relationship-oriented behaviors. Instead of asking who leaders are, it looks at patterns of actions—such as structuring work, setting goals, and building trust—and how these behaviors relate to follower satisfaction and performance.
2. Describe the two main dimensions of leadership behavior identified in the Ohio State studies.
The Ohio State studies identified: (1) Initiating structure – the extent to which a leader defines roles, sets clear expectations, and organizes work (task-focused behavior); and (2) Consideration – the degree to which a leader shows concern for followers’ needs, supports them, and builds mutual trust and respect (relationship-focused behavior). These two dimensions are largely independent.
3. How did the University of Michigan studies contribute to our understanding of leadership behavior?
The University of Michigan studies distinguished between employee-oriented leaders, who emphasize human relations and individual needs, and production-oriented leaders, who focus on technical aspects of the job and task accomplishment. The research suggested that employee-oriented behavior was generally associated with higher group performance and satisfaction, reinforcing the importance of relationship-oriented leadership.
4. Explain the main components of Blake and Mouton’s Leadership Grid. What does each style represent?
The Leadership Grid uses two axes: concern for production and concern for people, each rated from low to high. It defines several styles, including: impoverished (low–low), country-club (low production, high people), authority–compliance (high production, low people), middle-of-the-road (moderate on both), and team management (high–high). Team management is seen as the most effective style in many situations because it combines strong task focus with high concern for people.
5. In what ways does the behavioral approach help leaders assess and improve their leadership effectiveness?
The behavioral approach gives leaders a concrete framework for self-assessment. By reflecting on how much time they devote to task structuring versus relationship building, leaders can identify imbalances and adjust their behavior. Tools such as leadership style questionnaires and feedback from followers make these patterns visible, supporting targeted development rather than vague personality changes.
6. What are the practical strengths and limitations of the behavioral approach when applied in real organizational settings?
Strengths: (1) it is based on observable behavior, which is easier to train and measure; (2) it highlights the importance of both task and relationship behaviors; (3) it provides clear guidance for leadership development programs. Limitations: (1) it does not identify one “best” style for all situations; (2) it underplays contextual factors like culture or follower readiness; and (3) it can oversimplify leadership by reducing it to two dimensions only.