We have discussed above how different styles of leadership reflect the behaviour pattern of the leaders. The manager leader may be effective or ineffective depending upon the leadership style adopted by him. He may be employee-centred (i.e., relations-oriented) or production centred (i.e., task oriented). In other words, the style may reflect the leaders concern for people or concern for production.
But in reality, the manager-leader may combine his concern for people and concern for production with different degrees of emphasis on each. This idea was developed in the form of what is known as ‘Managerial Grid’, which is briefly outlined below.
Managerial Grid : The managerial grid refers to a diagramatic representation of the possible combinations of concern for people and concern for production which may be reflected in the style of leadership. The concept of managerial grid was developed by Blake and Mouton in 1964.
· style, where the manager has minimum concern for people as well as production, is known as impoverished management. This represents a casual attitude of the manager towards his job and the organisation cannot be expected to survive.
· 9.1 style reflects the manager’s highest concern for production but least concern for people. It is known as task management.
· 1.9 style in which the manager has the maximum concern for people and minimum concern for production is described as country club management. It implies that the manager is inclined to keep people happy expecting that happiness will make them more efficient, which is not true for business enterprises.
· 5.5 style represents moderate concern for both people and production and therefore known as middle of road management. This style of leadership is preferred by many managers whose approach to management is that of “live and let live”.
· 9.9 style is the best combination of concerns for people and production with maximum concern for both. In this case, the manager tries to integrate the objectives of the organisation with the objectives of the people employed. This style therefore represents team management. It may be suggested that the 9,9 management style is likely to be most effective.
