Solving The Puzzle of

L d
Leadership
hi Styles
St l

The Persuader
The Prescriber

The Permitter

The Participator

© 2008 Tony Knapp

The Means…
Ch
Choosing
i Leadership
L d hi Styles
St l
The starting point for choosing which style is best for you
is to look at three key issues.
issues

z The job to be done

How well defined is the job versus how poorly defined.

z Social / emotional relationships

p
How much attention is needed is terms of maintaining
harmony and attending to people problems, morale etc.

z Willingness / ability to take initiative

How achievement oriented is yyour team? How
educated, experienced and able are they to work on
their own?
© 2008 Tony Knapp
 Understanding Leadership Styles

Leadership Job Structure Social / Willingness /

Style Emotional Ability to take
Relationships initiative
The Prescriber Well low need to be low willingness
Defined concerned and ability to
about harmony take initiative
The Persuader Well high need to be low Willingness
Defined
D fi d concerned but high ability
about harmony to take initiative
The Participator Not high need to be high willingness
Well
W ll D
Defined
fi d concerned but needs
about harmony assistance
The Permitter Not low need to be high willingness
Well Defined concernedd andd high
hi h ability
bilit
about harmony to take initiative
© 2008 Tony Knapp
 The Prescriber: high task, low relationship

“In this situation, the leader directs people by prescribing

what they should do.” (the leader call the shots)

What to do? When to use?

z Plan and make decisions z Low performance
independently maturity
z Expect people to follow z Very little time
directions and bring z New employees or low
problems to the leader skill level
z Check on progress often z Temporarily to gain
z Minimize interpersonal control
interactions z During
D i ttransitioniti or major
j
change
© 2008 Tony Knapp
 The Persuader: high task, high relationship

“In this situation the leader basically persuades people to

do the job.” (the leader calls the shots after getting input)
What to do? When to use?
z Consider input prior to making z Demonstrated performance
d i i
decisions andd setting
tti t it
maturity
standards z High levels of trust
z Invite two-
two-way z Personnel who are willingg to
communication, give and take be involved
z Interact frequently; may z Risk is accepted as a
interact socially on/off the job condition for job growth
z Provide support and
encouragement
z Treat
T t people l as individuals
i di id l
© 2008 Tony Knapp
 The Participator: low task, high relationship

“In this situation the leader basically participates.” (the

emphasis in on being a leader to a group of pros)
Whatt to
Wh t do?
d ? When tto use?
Wh ?
z Communicate general z High level performance for
expectations about results managers and personnel
andd methods
th d z Personnel who are self
z Encourage personnel to disciplined
structure their own jobs with z Leader willing to assume a
generall guidelines
id li facilitators role
z Encourage people to solve z High need for personal /
their own problems professional development
z Help people solve problems
when they can’t do it
themselves.
z Interact frequently on job and
personal topics
© 2008 Tony Knapp
 The Permitter: low task, low relationship

“In this situation the leader basically permits people to do

their own jobs with very little direction.” (convey the plan
and get out of the way)
What to do? When to use?
z Provide general definition of z Highest level of performance
the job and the structure maturity
needed to do it z Leader is willing to be an
z Allow ppersonnel to p provide advisor / mentor
their own job structure and z Personnel are eager and able
definition to take initiative on their own
z Interacts freely and willingly z Personnel are completely self
z Allow
All personnell tto make
k th
their
i sufficient
ffi i t andd autonomous
t
own decisions and solve their
own problems
z Provide help and support in
limited amounts
© 2008 Tony Knapp