7S Model

• Managers tend to reply heavily on the Hard S’

• Leaders focus on the more soft elements

  • Watson (1983) suggested this difference between leaders & managers

• managers are more a structured role whereas leaders are more emergent and behavioural

• Managers role could be split into interpersonal, informational and decisional roles

Roles a manager may take on

Authoritarian Leadership

Also known as autocratic leaders, they are strict and tell workers what to do. They have a high level of control: they make all the decisions themselves and expect no input from workers.

Pros

• Quicker decision-making process
• Workers are closely supervised so less mistakes.

Cons

• Employee motivation can be low.
• Labour turnover can be high.
• Less creativity due to lack of worker input.

Democratic Leadership

Also known as participative leadership, where workers will contribute in the decision-making process. There is considerable scope for involvement and participation.

Pros

• Worker involvement encouraged, which can lead to better decisions.
• Motivation is high and labour turnover low.

Cons

• Consultation with staff can be time consuming.
• Should staff be involved in some areas of the business e.g. sensitive or more complex issues?

Laissez Faire Leadership

These leaders leave their colleagues to get on with their work without supervision or control. The leader will often set boundaries and a given task and not monitor until it is complete.

Pros

• Employee motivation is high.
• Workers are often most creative with this form of management.

Cons

• Manager control is required at times and this lack of involvement can lead to mistakes or failed projects.

The Leadership Continuum

Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid