What Do Leaders Do?

The Michigan behavioral studies are an important link in the ongoing development of behavioral theory in a leadership framework.

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

• Discuss the Michigan Leadership Studies generated in the 1950s and 1960s in the broader context of behavioral approaches to leadership

KEY POINTS

• The Michigan Leadership Studies of the 1950s and 1960s researched behavioral approaches and identification of leader relationships and group processes.
• The Michigan Leadership Studies classified leaders as either "employee-centered" or "job-centered".
• These studies identified three critical characteristics of effective leaders: task-oriented behavior, relationship-oriented behavior, and participative leadership.

TERM

• theory

  A coherent statement or set of ideas that explains observations or phenomena or that sets out the laws and principles of something known or observed; a hypothesis confirmed by observation, experiment.

The recognition of leaders and the development of leadership theory have evolved over centuries. Individual ideas, actions, and behaviors have been identified as indicating leadership within societal structures. This theoretical evolution has progressed over time, from identifying individual personalities or characteristics to formal studies related to what constitutes leadership and why leadership is or is not successful. Some of these studies and observations have been informal, while others have included empirical research and data.

Studies of individual leadership styles and behaviors continue to contribute to understanding what it takes to be an effective leader, one who is attuned to the needs of an organization and those it serves. Much of the evolution in the study of leadership behavior has become more connected not only to people within an organization but also extended to those outside the organization. This extension acknowledges that an understanding of the values, beliefs, and norms of those shaping the organization have a definite effect on the evolution and growth of the organization as a whole, as well as its ultimate impact on the community and people it serves.

A Brief History of Leadership Research

Rost (1991) writes that in the 20th century, over 200 definitions for leadership were proposed. Leadership research continues as scholars observe, identify, and promote the emergence of new leadership styles and behaviors in the 21st century. A multitude of approaches have been used to identify and explain the complex factors that shape leadership and how it is practiced. These approaches include quantitative methods such as surveys, questionnaires, and diagnostic tests, as well as qualitative observational and ethnographic studies. These theories evaluate the relationship of the leader to organizational members and examine styles of leadership, adding to the general knowledge of leader behavior and effectiveness.

Michigan Leadership Studies in the 1950s and 1960s

As a leading center of social science research, the University of Michigan has produced some of the most important studies of leadership. Studies dating back to the 1950s identified two broad leadership styles: an employee orientation and a production orientation. The studies also identified three critical characteristics of effective leaders: task-oriented behavior, relationship-oriented behavior, and participative leadership. The studies concluded that an employee orientation rather than a production orientation, coupled with general instead of close supervision, led to better results. The Michigan leadership studies, along with the Ohio State University studies that took place in the 1940s, are two of the best-known behavioral leadership studies and continue to be cited to this day.

Source: Boundless
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.