WORKING THROUGH GOLEMAN READING

1.     Describe the 6 basic leadership styles.

a.    The coercive style- can be very effective in a turnaround situation or when working with problem employees. However in most situation, coercive leadership inhibits the organization’s flexibility and dampens employees’ motivation

b.    The authoritative style-“come with me” approach. States the overall goal but allows employees to choose the means of achieving said goal.

c.     Affiliative style-“People come first” attitude. Builds team harmony and increases morale. Can allow poor performance to go without correction. Little advice for employee improvement is offered. 

d.    Democratic style-gives workers a voice in decisions, however this may result in endless meetings and confused employees who do not know who to turn to.

e.    Pacesetting style-lead from the front mentaitly. Sets high performance standards and exemplifies them himself. Some employees may feel overwhelmed by the leader’s demands for excellence.

f.      Coaching style-focuses more on development that immediate results. Works well when employees are aware of their weaknesses; does not work however when employees are resistant to changing who they are.

2.     What does Goleman essentially argue about the relationship of these 6 styles of leadership to climate? And, by the way, what is climate?

a.    Climate refers to six key factors, flexibility, responsibility, standards, rewards, clarity, and commitment, that influence and organization’s working environment. Goleman argues that these six leadership styles each had an effect on the climate of the organization. He states that leaders who used styles that affected the climate in a positive manner saw better financial results than those who did not use these styles positively.

3.     Explain in detail for me what the table on page 10 is telling us.

a.    The table on page 10 shows in detail the correlation, showing both strength and directionality, between each style of leadership and each of the six factors, or “drivers,” of climate.

4.     Which style of leadership do you think that YOU would be good at?