JPSO Leadership Program

Leadership Theories & DISC Styles

Leadership vs. Management

Working in the system

React

Control risks

Enforce organizational rules

Seek and then follow direction

Control people by pushing them in

the right direction

Coordinate effort

Provide instructions

Working on the system

Create opportunities

Seek opportunities

Change organizational rules

Provide a vision to believe in and

strategic alignment

Motivate people by satisfying

basic human needs

Inspire achievement and energize

people

Coach followers, create self-

leaders and empower them

Agenda

Network Development for Agenda Achievement

Execution

Outcomes

Leadership Management

Establishing Direction

Develop future vision

Develop change strategies to achieve

vision

Aligning People

Communicate directly by words &

deeds to those whose cooperation is

needed

Influence creation of coalition/teams

that understand & accept vision and

strategies

Motivating/inspiring

Energy to overcome barriers (ex.

Political resource, bureaucratic) to

change by satisfying basic needs

Tends to Produce

Change often dramatic

Provides potential for very useful

change (ex. New products)

Planning/Budgeting

Develop detailed steps/ timetables for

results

Allocate necessary resources

Organizing/Staffing

Develop necessary planning, staffing,

delegation structures

Provide policies/procedures for guidance

and methods/systems for monitoring

Control/Problem Solving

Monitor results vs. plan in detail

Identify results/plan deviations and plan

and organize to correct

Tends to Produce

Order/predictability

Key results expected by stakeholders

The manager administers; the leader innovates.

The manager maintains; the leader develops.

The manager accepts reality; the leader investigates it.

The manager focuses on systems and structures; the leader focuses on people.

The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust.

The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.

The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.

The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader has his or her eye on the horizon.

The manager imitates; the leader originates. The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.

The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his or her own person.

The manager…; The leader…

Timeline of Leadership Theories

• 1900’s: Are leaders natural-born?

• 1930’s: How does leadership emerges & develops in small groups?

• 1940’s-1950’s: What traits do leaders have in common?

• 1950’s-1960’s: What patterns of behavior result in leadership?

• 1960’s-1970’s: Which leadership behaviors work in specific situations?

• 1980’s: What key traits, behaviors and situations allow leaders to lead their organizations to excellence?

Leadership Theories

• Trait Theory • Behavioral Theories (Ohio State studies)

– Role Theory – The Managerial Grid

• Participative Leadership – Lewin’s leadership styles (University of Iowa studies) – Likert’s leadership styles (University of Michigan

studies) • Contingency Theories

– Fiedler’s Least Preferred Co-Worker (LPC) Theory – Cognitive Resource Theory – House’s Path-Goal Theory of Leadership

• Situational Leadership – Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership – Vroom and Yetton’s Normative Model

Trait Theory

• Early on, it was thought that leaders were born with

inherent physiological and personality traits.

– Age

– Height

– Intelligence

– Academic achievements

• Stogdill (1974) – identified several general factors that differentiate leaders from non-leaders…

Continued

• Capacity: problem-solving capabilities, making judgments and working hard

• Achievements: accomplishments such as academic record, knowledge and sports

• Responsibility: dependability, reliability, self-drive, perseverance, aggressiveness and self-confidence

• Participation and involvement: highly developed social interaction, popularity, swift adaptation to changing situations, and easier cooperation compared to non-leaders

• Socio-economic status: effective leaders usually belong to higher socio-economic classes

Behavioral Theory

• Ohio State University studies focused on task and social behavior of leaders

• Identified two dimensions of leader behavior

– Initiating Structure: role of leader in defining his/her role and roles of group members

– Consideration: leader’s mutual trust and respect for group members’ ideas and feelings

• Two different behavioral theories:

Role Theory

Managerial Grid

Role Theory

• Assumptions about leaders’ in organizations are shaped by culture, training sessions, modeling by senior managers, etc.

– People define roles for themselves and others based on social learning and reading.

– People form expectations about the roles that they and others will play.

– People subtly encourage others to act within the role expectations they have for them.

– People will act within the roles they adopt.

Managerial Grid

• Developed by Drs. Robert R. Blake and Jane S. Mouton

• Believed managers have different leadership styles which led to two different dimensions of leadership:

• Concern for Production: manager who is task-oriented and focuses on getting results or accomplishing the mission (X-axis of grid)

• Concern for People: manager who avoids conflicts and strives for friendly relations with subordinates (Y-axis of grid)

Participative Theory

• Assumes the following

– Involvement in decision-making improves the understanding of the issues involved and the commitment of those who must carry out the decisions.

– People are less competitive and more collaborative when they are working on joint goals.

– Several people deciding together make better decisions than one person alone.

• Two different participative theories:

Lewin’s leadership styles

Likert’s leadership styles

Lewin’s Leadership Style

• Kurt Lewin’s studies at the University of Iowa (1939)

• Identified three different styles of leadership:

• Autocratic: centralized authority, low participation

(works where input would not change decision or employee motivation, excessive styles lead to revolution)

• Democratic: involvement, feedback

(appreciated by people, most effective style but problematic when there are a range of opinions)

• Laissez-Faire: hands-off management

(works when people are motivated and there is no requirement for central coordination)

Michigan Studies

• Studies conducted by Michigan University beginning in the 1950s

• Found 3 critical characteristics of effective leaders:

- Task-oriented behavior

– Effective Leaders didn’t do the same work as their subordinates.

- Relationship-oriented behavior

– Focus on task, but also on relationship with subordinates

- Participative leadership

– Use a participative style, managing at the group level as well as individually

– The role of the manager is more facilitative than directive

Contingency Theory

• Assumptions:

– No one best way of leading

– Ability to lead contingent upon various situational factors:

• Leader’s preferred style

• Capabilities and behaviors of followers

• Various other situational factors

• Effect:

– Leaders who are successful in one situation may become unsuccessful if the factors around them change

Situational Theory

• Situational factors (motivation, capability of followers, relationship between followers and leader) determine the best action of the leader

• The leader must be flexible to diagnosis the leadership style appropriate for the situation and be able to apply the style

• No one best leadership style for all situations

Path Goal Theory

Summary of Leadership Theories Theory Leadership Based On…

Trait Theory Leaders born with leadership traits

Behavioral Theory Initial structure and consideration

- Role Theory Shaped by culture, training, modeling

- Managerial Grid Concern for production and concern for people

Participative Leadership More people involved = better collaboration

- Lewin’s Style Autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire

- Likert’s Style Task oriented, relationship oriented, participative style

Contingency Theories No one best leadership style

- Fiedler’s LPC Theory Task focus v. relationship focus

- Cognitive Resource Theory Intelligence and experience make a difference

- House’s Path Goal Theory Help followers make their goals compatible with organizational goals

Situational Leadership Similar to contingency theory

- Hersey and Blanchard Based on relationship between leader and follower and task behavior

- Vroom & Yetton Decision quality and decision acceptance

DISC Styles

William Marston – Emotions of Normal People (1926)

• DISC is a behavioral style analysis that can help you improve your interpersonal communications and your business relationships.

• Basic assumptions: • There are four basic behavioral styles, none of which is better or worse than any

other. • Each style has its own characteristic strengths and weaknesses.

Your dominant style influences the way you act, react, and interact. • The behavioral patterns of one style tend to conflict with those of the other three

styles, making it easier to get along with people of the same style. • The behavioral patterns of one style can complement those of the other three

styles, making it more advantageous to work with people of different styles. • To create effective working relationships, it’s helpful to understand and adapt to

the behavioral styles of the people you are working with. • DISC describes behavior — what you say and do, the external and observable

expression of your life. • It does not delve into your personality (the mental, emotional, and behavioral

composition of your inner life), motives, values, skills, or experience.

Preliminary thoughts…

• We are often a blend of 2-3 styles.

• Every style is equally gifted, valuable & capable of leadership.

• Our styles may change, somewhat, depending on the context or demands of the environment.

• However, we can generally identify a predominant style in which we prefer to operate.

• Every strength overused can become a weakness.

• Each style has “fruit of the spirit” growth opportunities.

• We need to value & affirm each others strengths, and minimize & compliment each others weaknesses.

D I

C

Product Oriented

Active / Outgoing

Passive / Reserved

Process Oriented

Tas

k O

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ted

P

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ple

Orie

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d

S

3% 11%

17% 69%

Faster Paced

Slower Paced

Feel less powerful than environment

Feel more powerful than environment

Manage

Lead

Vie

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le/N

eg

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Enviro

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avora

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/Positiv

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D I

C

Product Oriented

Active / Outgoing

Passive / Reserved

Process Oriented

Task O

rien

ted

P

eop

le O

riente

d

S

3% 11%

17% 69%

Choleric Sanguine

Phlegmatic Melancholy

Opposites

Opposites

Play Work

Opposites

Opposites

We often

are blends

D I

C

Product Oriented

Active / Outgoing

Passive / Reserved

Process Oriented

Tas

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ted

P

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ple

Orie

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S

3% 11%

17% 69% Vie

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Enviro

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/Positiv

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D Dominant/Driver

General Characteristics

• Direct

• Decisive

• High Ego Strength

• Problem Solver

• Risk Taker

• Self-Starter

• See the big picture

D Dominant/Driver

Value to Team

• Bottom-line organizer

• Maintain focus on goals

• Push group toward decisions

• High value on time

• Challenges status quo

• Innovative

• Instinctive initiators/directors

D Dominant/Driver

Possible Weaknesses

• Oversteps authority

• Argumentative

• Dislikes routine

• Attempts too much at once

• Impatient

Greatest Fear

• Being taken advantage of

I Influencing/Inspiring

General Characteristics

• Enthusiastic

• Trusting

• Optimistic (sees the cup half…)

• Persuasive

• Talkative/Conversationalist

• Impulsive/Spontaneous

• Comfortable with expressing emotion

I Influencing/Inspiring

Value To Team

• Creative problem solver

• Gifted brain-stormer

• Great encourager

• Motivates others to achieve

• Positive sense of humor

• Negotiates conflicts; peace maker

• Instinctive communicators

I Influencing/Inspiring

Possible Weaknesses

• More concerned with popularity & social dimension than tangible results

• Inattentive to detail

• Overuses gestures and facial expressions

• Wants to talk more than listen

Greatest Fear

• Rejection

S Stable/Steady

General Characteristics

• Good listener

• Team player

• Supportive

• Steady; predictable

• Understanding; Friendly

• Common sense

• Possessive

S Stable/Steady

Value To Team

• Reliable/dependable

• Loyal team player

• Compliant towards authority

• Good listener

• Patient, empathetic, supportive

• Good at reconciling conflicts

• Finds the simple way of doing things

• Instinctive relators

S Stable/Steady

Possible Weaknesses

• Resists change

• Takes a long time to adjust to change/make decisions

• Sensitive to criticism

• Holds a grudge

• Difficulty establishing priorities

Greatest Fear

• Loss of security/stability

C Compliant/Correct

General Characteristics

• Accurate; Analytical

• Fact-Finder; Precise

• Detail oriented

• Conscientious

• Careful; Cautious

• High Standards

• Systematic

C Compliant/Correct

Value To Team

• Perspective: “The anchor of reality”

• Conscientious and even tempered

• Thorough in all activities

• Gathers, criticizes and tests information

• Quick to sees potential problems, pitfalls

• Quality control

• Follows through on details

• Instinctive organizers

C Compliant/Correct

Possible Weaknesses

• Needs clear-cut boundaries/rules

• Bound by procedures/policies/methods

• Gets bogged down in details

• Prefers not to verbalize feelings

• Will give in rather than argue

• Can be critical/perfectionistic (Sees the cup 1/2…)

Greatest Fear

• Criticism

D I

C

Product Oriented

Active / Outgoing

Passive / Reserved

Process Oriented

Task O

rien

ted

P

eop

le O

riente

d

S

3% 11%

17% 69%

Choleric Sanguine

Phlegmatic Melancholy

Force of character /

Clear direction

Persuasion /

Inspiration

Data / Analysis Support / Slowing

things down

CONTROLS/LEADS BY:

D I

C

Product Oriented

Active / Outgoing

Passive / Reserved

Process Oriented

Task O

rien

ted

P

eop

le O

riente

d

S

3% 11%

17% 69%

Choleric Sanguine

Phlegmatic Melancholy

Autocratic managers

– great in crisis

Participative

managers – influence

& inspire

Participative managers

– accomplish goals via

relationships

“Do it yourself”

managers – create &

maintain systems

MANAGEMENT STYLE

D I

C

Product Oriented

Active / Outgoing

Passive / Reserved

Process Oriented

Task O

rien

ted

P

eop

le O

riente

d

S

Do it… My Way Do it… The fun way

Do it… The easy way Do it… The right way

Just do it! You can do it!

Do it right! We can do it!

What Who

Why How

Task Orientation

D I

C

Product Oriented

Active / Outgoing

Passive / Reserved

Process Oriented

Task O

rien

ted

P

eop

le O

riente

d

S

Communication Strengths

Direct

Clear

Confident

Outspoken

Brings focus

To the point

Big picture

Decisive

Directive

Expressive

Talkative

Accepting

Encouraging

Optimistic

Persuasive

Sense of humor

Encouraging

Thinks out loud

Great ideas

Sincere

Genuine

Soft spoken

Sensitive/Gentle

Easy going

Personal

Friendly

Accepting

Diplomatic

Strives for harmony

Soft spoken

Reserved/quiet

Concise/accurate

Asks great questions

Logical

Systematic

D I

C S

Communication Growth Tips

• Work on gentle approach

• Focus more on subordinate’s’

feelings, opinions, ideas than

task, projects

• Resist having to “win” every

argument

• Resist sarcasm

• Talk less

• Listen more

• Speak slowly

• Complete your thoughts, sentences

• Be careful of interrupting &

dominating conversations

• Don’t run from conflict

• Be more direct/assertive in

interactions

• Work on expressing thoughts,

opinions, feelings

• Initiate conversation more

• Work on expressing

thoughts, opinions, feelings

• Focus less on facts, logic &

more on subordinates’

feelings, concerns

• Criticize less

• Praise more