Leadership and Decision-Making: The Vroom-Yetton-Jago Model
Completion requirements
Up to this point in our study of leadership, there have been multiple viewpoints and perspectives. This text uses the contingency approach and looks at leadership from working within the group and how leaders must make different decisions based on the tasks and situations. The decision tree presented in This text may prove helpful when trying to work out what to do and what leadership approach to take. Pay attention to the Vroom-Yetton-Jago model, which starts at the most autocratic style and moves along a continuum of five scales to a collaborative group decision.
Decision Types
The Vroom-Yetton-Jago model defines five different decision approaches that a leader can use. In order of participation from least to most, these are:
- AI – Autocratic Type 1: Decisions are made completely by the leader. Leaders make the decision on their own with whatever information is available.
- AII – Autocratic Type 2: The decision is still made by the leader alone, but the leader collects information from the followers. Followers play no other role in the decision-making process.
- CI – Consultative Type 1: The leader seeks input from select followers individually based on their relevant knowledge. Followers do not meet each other, and the leader's decision may or may not reflect followers' influence.
- CII – Consultative Type 2: Similar to CI, except the leader shares the problem with relevant followers as a group and seeks their ideas and suggestions. The followers are involved in the decision, but the leader still makes the decision.
- GII – Group-based Type 2: The entire group works through the problem with the leader. A decision is made by the followers in collaboration with the leader. In a GII decision, leaders are not at liberty to make a decision on their own.