Chapter 11: SUPERVISORY LEADERSHIP AND THE MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE Leonard: Supervision 11e

AFTER STUDYING THIS CHAPTER, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO: • Define leadership and discuss its importance at the supervisory level. • Identify and describe some of the elements of contemporary leadership thought. • Discuss the delegation process and define its three major components. • Discuss why some supervisors do not delegate, and describe the benefits of delegation. • Compare the autocratic (authoritarian) approach to supervision with the participative approach.

AFTER STUDYING THIS CHAPTER, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO: • Suggest approaches for introducing change to employees and for proposing change to higher-level managers. • Understand the formula for organizational renewal.

Leadership: The Core of Supervisory Management • Leadership • Is the ability to guide and influence the opinions, attitudes, and behavior of others. • Is not defined by position. • Can be assumed by work group members (informal leadership). • Is a process rather than a positional relationship. • Resides in obtaining the work group’s willingness to follow the supervisor.

Leadership: The Core of Supervisory Management (cont’d) • Tests of Leadership • Does the leader possess a clear vision of what needs to be done (continuous pursuit of excellence and worthwhile objectives)? • Does the leader communicate that vision and get others to get “on board”? • Does the leader build a climate of mutual trust and respect? • Does the leader create the proper infrastructure to support the vision? • Does the leader enable the followers to be the best they can be? • Does the leader leave the organization better than he or she found it?

Leadership: The Core of Supervisory Management (cont’d) • Leadership Can Be Developed • The ability to lead is something that can be learned. • Leadership is unrelated to physical attributes. • Successful leader qualities: • Impeccable credibility (integrity) • Intelligent • Well-rounded in interests and aptitudes • Good communicator • Mentally and emotionally mature • Strong inner drives

Contemporary Thoughts on Leadership (cont’d) • Things people want from their leaders: • Direction—People want leaders to have a purpose. The leader has a clear idea of what is to be done. • Trust—The ability to trust a leader is perhaps more important today than at any other time in recent history. • Hope—Leaders believe, and they kindle the fire of optimism in followers. • Results—Leaders accomplish difficult tasks. Success breeds success.

Contemporary Thoughts on Leadership (cont’d) • Successful Leader Behaviors: • Challenging the process(searching for opportunities, experimenting, and taking risks) • Inspiring a shared vision(envisioning the future, enlisting the support of others) • Enabling others to act(fostering collaboration, strengthening others) • Modeling the way(setting an example, planning small wins) • Encouraging the heart(recognizing contributions, celebrating accomplishments)

Contemporary Thoughts on Leadership (cont’d) • Servant-Leadership • Is the notion that the needs of followers are looked after such that they can be the best they can be. • Is allowing subordinates to pursue their own direction as long as it is consistent with the overall vision for the organization.

Contemporary Thoughts on Leadership (cont’d) • Contingency-style Leadership • There is no one leadership style that is best; the appropriate style depends on a multitude of factors. • There is no simple set of do’s and don’ts a supervisor can implement to achieve high motivation and excellent performance. • The effective leader provides direction, instruction, guidance, support and encouragement, feedback and positive recognition, and enthusiastic help when necessary.

The Process of Delegation • Delegation • Is the process of entrusting duties and related authority to subordinates. • Accountability • Is the obligation one has to one’s boss and the expectation that employees will accept credit or blame for the results achieved in performing assigned tasks. • Responsibility • Is the obligation to perform certain tasks and duties as assigned by the supervisor.

The Process of Delegation (cont’d) • Delegation is a supervisor’s strategy for accomplishing objectives: • Assigning duties to immediate subordinates • Granting limited permission (authority) to make commitments, use resources, and take all actions necessary to perform duties • Creating an obligation (responsibility) on the part of each employee to perform duties satisfactorily.

Delegation By the Supervisor • Reasons for Lack of Supervisory Delegation • Shortage of qualified employees—”They can’t do it” mentality • Fear of subordinates making mistakes • The “I’d-rather-do-it-myself” mentality • “If it is to be done right–I have to do it” mentality • Fear of being replaced • “They won’t do it–you can keep it” mentality

Benefits of Delegation • Employees will make more of their own decisions and become more self-confident. • The supervisor will have more time to manage, to provide advice, and to manage employees. • Employees will perform more jobs and find more solutions that increase performance. • Employees will become more committed to better performance and more motivated.

Approaches to Supervisory Leadership • Autocratic (Authoritarian) Supervision • Relies on formal authority, threats, pressure, and close control. • Is based on Theory X assumptions. • Is appropriate when task structure is high, employees need direction, and quick results are desired. • Bureaucratic Style of Supervision • Emphasizes strict compliance with organizational policies, rules, and directives. • Is the expected managerial style in some cultures.

FIGURE 11.5Leadership style continuum.

Approaches to Supervisory Leadership (cont’d) • General Supervision • Means that the supervisor sets goals and limits but allows employees to decide how to achieve goals. • Is based on Theory Y assumptions. • Is appropriate and advantageous when employees are competent and have a desire to participate. • Participative Management • Allows employees to influence and share in organizational decision making.

Approaches to Supervisory Leadership (cont’d) • Directive (Communication) Approach • Relies on the supervisor conveying to employees what, how, and why something is to be accomplished. • Open-book Management • Helps employees understand how the impact of what they do affects the organization’s bottom line. • Free-rein (Laissez-faire) Supervision • Is the process by which a supervisor delegates virtually all authority to employees to decide and act without the supervisor’s involvement. • Stretch Targets • Are job objectives that present a challenge but are achievable.

FIGURE 11.6The advantages of participative management/ general supervision. • FOR SUPERVISORS • Frees the supervisor from many details, which allows time to plan, organize, and control. • Gives the supervisor more time to assume additional responsibility. • Instills confidence that employees will carry out the work and develop suitable approaches to making decisions on the job when the supervisor is away from the department. • The decisions made by employees may be better than the ones made by the supervisor because the employees are closest to the details. • FOR EMPLOYEES • Have a chance to develop their talents and abilities by making on-the-job decisions. • May make mistakes but are encouraged to learn from those mistakes and the mistakes of others. • Are motivated to take pride in their decisions. • May feel that they have a better chance to advance to higher positions.

Introducing Change • Unplanned Change • An unexpected situation causes you to initiate a strategy for change. • Making Change Means Supervisory Involvement • “All progress is change, but not all change is progress.” • The introduction of change usually requires implementation at the departmental level. • The success or failure of any change is usually related to a supervisor’s ability to anticipate and deal with the causes of resistance to change.

Introducing Change (cont’d) • Reasons for Resistance to Change • Change can threaten employees: • Socially by upsetting personal relationships • Psychologically by changing the familiar workplace • Economically through loss of skills, jobs, or layoff • Overcoming Resistance to Change • Provide adequate information • Supplying all the information employees consciously and subconsciously need to know.

Introducing Change (cont’d) • When employees have an opportunity to work through new ideas and methods from the beginning, usually they will consider the new directives as something of their own making and will give those changes their support. The group may even apply pressure on those who have reservations about going along with the change, and it is likely that each member of the group will carry out the change once there is agreement on how to proceed.

FIGURE 11.8Overcoming the Barriers to Change

Introducing Change (cont’d) Proposing Change to High-Level Managers Obtain Needed Information Consult with Other Supervisors Create a Formal Written Proposal Make a Formal Presentation

Culture of Change • Studer believes that you create movement by connecting the dots to the hub so that people truly know they can make a difference. • The true tests of leadership include: • Whether anyone follows • The legacy the leader leaves

Culture of Change (cont’d) • Remember that as a leader of the team, you are also a member of the team • Identify the issues facing the organization • Analyze how those issues prevent goal attainment • Recognize the difference between needed change and change for the sake of change • Identify metrics that will be used to monitor and evaluate the change process • Communicate to and involve all who have a stake in the change • Understand what needs to be changed • Seek consensus • Confront the resistors to change • Establish clear targets • Take risks, experiment and innovate • Spend money to develop employees so they have the competencies to implement the change • Focus on the outcomes • Monitor progress • Provide feedback • Celebrate victories

Accountability Autocratic (authoritarian) supervision Bureaucratic style of supervision Contingency-style leadership Delegation Directive General supervision Leadership Organizational renewal Participative management Responsibility Servant-leadership Stretch targets Unplanned change KEY TERMS

Chapter 11: SUPERVISORY LEADERSHIP AND THE MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE Leonard: Supervision 11e