Blake and Mouton Grid: Leadership Style Case Studies

Mark Young: Evolution of Leadership Style

Mark Young clearly experienced an evolution of leadership style — shaped not only by his previous work experience, but also by the situational demands of his workplace. At first, he was very task-oriented, generally taking most of the responsibility and making decisions independently, while his team worked as subordinates who simply took orders and carried out work. Later, as he became more accustomed to working as part of a team, Mark began to create a greater balance between relationships and the tasks required to make his work successful. This shift made his department the most successful at the hospital.

The question that remains is how to maintain the great success that Mark has established with the painting department. While it is beneficial that he has achieved a successful balance between task- and relationship-oriented leadership, it is possible that this balance could erode over time, since both tasks and relationships tend to be fluid rather than static. A consultant might therefore consider Mark's situation not only from the perspective of his present success, but also in light of future issues that might arise.

As noted, both Mark's task and relationship orientations are high, which places him within the Team Management style on Blake and Mouton's Managerial Grid. In other words, he is concerned both with production and with the human needs of his workers, taking time to socialize with them, taking them to lunch, and engaging in similar relationship-building activities. In this way, he provides a platform for a meaningful and enjoyable work experience for his subordinates. According to many leadership experts, this is a vital component of effective leadership, since it creates a consistently positive experience among followers and cultivates a high level of loyalty.

Mark's leadership style changed significantly throughout his career. Initially, his previous status as an independent contractor appears to have created a drive toward completing tasks independently, while regarding workers primarily as instruments for accomplishing required work. Later, however, he became more team-oriented — delegating work while still keeping a close eye on operations and ensuring that tasks did not take a subordinate position to relationships.

In the case of Susan Parks, her leadership style appears to be more static than Mark's. Like Mark, she has allowed her situation to shape the way in which she conducts her business and its related relationships. While her extremely driven nature has created success for her business, the same cannot be said for her relationships with the teams working under her.

Susan Parks: Task-Oriented Leadership and Its Effects

Susan is disproportionately task-oriented without balancing this with an adequate sense of the needs of those working for her. Her business focus dictates that she concentrates on tasks to be accomplished in order to promote success and growth, rather than cultivating relationships within her workplace. This imbalance is the primary reason why there are such divergent reactions to her leadership style. If Susan is to increase the happiness and loyalty of her team, she will need to make changes in her approach.

Susan's high focus on tasks and low focus on relationships places her within the Authority-Obedience category of the Blake and Mouton grid. She is far more concerned with production than with the personal or human needs of those working for her. According to leadership research published in the Harvard Business Review, leaders who neglect the relational dimension of management often encounter diminishing returns in team engagement and long-term productivity.

This positioning explains why those working for Susan display such a wide array of reactions to her style. While some workers clearly share her focus on production and admire her driven nature, others value a more personable approach. Susan's lack of such an approach tends to alienate this latter group, creating inconsistency in the loyalty and satisfaction of her workforce.

Susan could be even more effective if she adjusted her style. Currently, her focus on production places a significant burden on Susan herself — she manages all administrative tasks while subordinates are assigned only the work she deems necessary to maintain the shop's success. A more balanced focus on both tasks and relationships would enable her to delegate some responsibilities while still maintaining control over production, and at the same time winning loyalty and creating greater satisfaction among her workers.