What is Leadership Grid
The Leadership Grid is a theory of leadership behavior also known as the Managerial Grid. The leadership grid identified five leadership styles based on how much the leader is concerned about the team and about getting the job done.
Five leadership styles are plotted on the leadership grid based on two behavioral dimensions: concern for people (Y-axis) and concern for production (X-axis) on a scale from 1 to 9. The number reflects how much the leader’s concern for people and production, where 9 is the highest concern and 1 is the lowest level concern.
- Impoverished Management (1,1)
- Task Management also known as Produce-or-Perish Management (9,1)
- Middle-of-the-Road Management (5,5)
- Country Club Management (1,9)
- Team Management (9,9)
The leadership grid was developed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton in 1964, Blake and Mouton suggest that the team management leader is the most effective style of leadership.
Key Points
- The leadership grid identified five leadership styles based on concern for people and concern for production.
- The five types of leadership include: impoverished management, task management, middel of the road management, country club management, and team management.
- Blake and Mouton suggest that the team management leader is the most effective leadership.
Country Club Management (1,9)
The country club management in the leadership grid represents the leader that has little concern in the task completion but high concern about the team.
The leadership with this style tends to satisfy people and maintain the workplace’s atmosphere. The work environment with this leadership is friendly and comfortable. However, a little focus on work performance results in low productivity and lack of control.
Task Management (9,1)
The task management leadership is also known as the “Produce-or-Perish management” is the leader that has little concern about the team’s needs, but they are high concern with the task and target.
The leadership with the task management style believes that the employees need no taken care of, but punishment is an effective way to motivate the team. This style of leadership is the same as the Theory X of Douglas McGregor.
Middle of the Road Management (5,5)
The middle-of-the-road manager in the leadership grid is the leader that focused on the balance between the people and production. They seek to compromise rather than maximize both people and productivity.
Through continual compromise, their team results in average performance.
Impoverished Management (1,1)
Impoverished management represents a leader that has very little interest in production and team. This leader does the bare minimum to get by and aimed at preserving their job.
This is the most ineffective leadership compared to other leaders in the leadership grid. This style of management results in disorganization, dissatisfaction, and disharmony.
Team Management (9,9)
The team management in the leadership grid represents the leader that is highly concerned for both people and productivity. They are the leader who dedicates to their work for the best results. But, they are also inspiring and empowering the team they work with.
Blake and Mouton suggest that the team management leader is the most effective style of leadership, this is the approach all leaders should use. They are the leader in the Theory Y of Douglas McGregor.
