PARTICIPATIVE LEADERSHIP AND DELEGATION

NATURE OF PARTICIPATIVE LEADERSHIP

Participative Leadership involves the use of various decision procedures that allow other people some influence over the leaders decision.

Varieties of Participation
Autocratic decision Consultation Joint Decision Delegation

Autocratic decision

Delegation Consultation Joint Decision

No influence by others

High influence by others

Continuum of Decision Procedures

Potential Benefits of Participation

Decision quality
Decision acceptance Satisfaction with the decision process Development of participant skills

Normative Decision Model by Vroom and Yetton

The decision procedure used by a leader affects the quality of a decision and decision acceptance by the people who are expected to implement the decision. This in turn determines how effective the decision will be after it is implemented, which has obvious for the performance of a team. However, the effect of decision procedures on decision quality and acceptance depends on various aspects of the situation and the procedure which is effective in some situations might be ineffective in other situations.

Decision procedure

Decision quality and acceptance

Unit/team performance

Situational Variables

Causal Relationship in the Normative Decision Model

Decision Procedures in Vroom and Yetton Model

AI Leader makes decision without any additional information AII Leader seeks information and makes decision alone CI Leader shares problem with others individually and makes decision alone CII Leader shares problem with others collectively and makes decision alone GII Group discusses problem collectively and the group makes the decision

Situational Variables in Vroom and Yetton Model

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

The amount of relevant information possessed by leader and subordinates The likelihood that subordinates will accept an autocratic decision The likelihood that subordinates will cooperate if allowed to participate The amount of disagreement among subordinates with respect to preferred alternatives The extent to which the decision problem is unstructured and requires creative problem solving

The model also takes into account whether

The decision is important or trivial Whether the decision will be accepted by the subordinates even if they are not involved in making it

Decision Rules in Vroom and Yetton Model

Guidelines for Participative Leadership

Diagnosing Decision Situations

Evaluate how important the decision is

Identify people with relevant knowledge or expertise

Evaluate likely cooperation by participants

Evaluate likely acceptance without participation Evaluate whether it is feasible to hold a meeting

Guidelines for Participative Leadership

Encouraging Participation
Encourage people to express their concerns Describe a proposal as tentative Record ideas and suggestions

Look for ways to build on ideas and suggestions

Be tactful in expressing concerns about a suggestion Listen to dissenting views without getting defensive Try to utilize suggestions and deal with concerns Show appreciation for suggestions

Delegation
Delegation involves the assignment of new responsibilities to the subordinates and additional authority to carry them out.

Varieties of Delegation
Assignment of new and different tasks or responsibilities to the subordinates. The extent to which a subordinate must check with the boss

Reporting requirements
The flow of performance information in monitoring a subordinates activities

Delegation
Potential Advantages of Delegation
Improvement in decision quality
Greater subordinate commitment

Making subordinates jobs more interesting, challenging, and meaningful Improved time management
Important form of management development

Delegation
Reasons for Lack of Delegation

Aspects of the leaders personality Fear of subordinate making a mistake High need for personal achievement Characteristics of the subordinate

Nature of the work

Guidelines for Delegating

What to Delegate
Tasks that can be done better by a subordinate
Tasks that are urgent but not high priority Tasks relevant to a subordinates career Tasks of appropriate difficulty Both pleasant and unpleasant tasks Tasks not central to the managers role

Guidelines for Delegating

How to Delegate

Specify responsibilities clearly Provide adequate authority and specify limits of discretion

Specify reporting requirements

Ensure subordinate acceptance of responsibilities

Guidelines for Delegating

How to Manage Delegation

Inform others who need to know Monitor progress in appropriate ways

Arrange for the subordinate to receive necessary information

Provide support and assistance, but avoid reverse delegation Make mistakes a learning experience