Leadership Style and Decision Making

This assignment explores the leadership style of a manager who emphasizes honesty, integrity, and unity among employees. She adopts a transformational leadership style, encouraging participation and decision-making involvement from her team members. The manager discusses her approach to managing time effectively, prioritizing work, and handling client delays. This case study provides insights into situational leadership, democratic leadership, and the importance of employee engagement in decision-making processes.

LEADING QUESTIONS
Motivation questions / Leadership questions
1. (Do you believe employees are motivated by Maslow’s or Herzberg’s
theory?) (show graphs)
Answer- The employees are motivated but the organizations approaches
are not exactly same as the one that is mentioned in the theory by
Maslow. The idea of love and belonging is not existent in the
organization and the relationships that are prevalent in the organization
are completely professional in nature. The employees are motivated
because most of their needs are taken care of by the organization and
they have the amount of security in the job for sustenance.
Source- (Stoyanov, S., 2017)
2. Do you observe any differences in motivation regarding to different
factors such as : Geography / Cultural dimension / Economic context /
Diversity (gender, age,…)
Answer- The manger says that diversity is good for the organization as it
allows for better skill sets to enter into the work process from those who
come from the varying backgrounds. The differences in motivation is not
seen in the organization as everyone is treated equally and the regular
promotions makes sure that no age group is stuck in a specific post for a
long time. Even the managers are moved from their posts after a period
of three months.

Content school :
3. Which theory between Maslow’s and Herzberg’s do you observe from
your company’s behaviour?
Answer- The Company follows the lines of Maslow’s theory of
motivation. The manager says that it is essential to make sure that the
employees have satisfaction on all fronts in the workplace. The various
sectors such as physiological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization
are provided by the organization to its employees.
4. A) If Maslow : How do you make it realizable for your team to grow
according to Maslow’s hierarchy? And your company? (After her opinion)
Answer- The manager says that the organization is supportive to the
employees and it provides them with opportunities after any initial
mistake an employee makes. The team is provided with motivation by
allowing them the job safety and promoting the members at regular
intervals so that the social esteem of the employees are intact in the
society. The employees are asked for participation in the decision
making process and it makes gives them a self-realization of their worth
in the organization.
5. How do you create interesting / meaningful job?
Answer- The jobs are made interesting by adding the scope of regular
promotions. The employees stay motivated and work in the best way
possible. The clients relationship maintenance is done by the employees
and it gives a new dimension of communication to the job.
Process school :
6. How do you (or the company) manage to treat your team members in an
equal way in terms of rewards and if people feel treated unequally, how
do you deal with that? Does it affect their productivity and absenteeism?
(Equity theory)
Answer- The manager says that the organization is primarily based on
the idea of performance based rewards. The employees who perform
well will be given out the perks and those under performing shall be
motivated to work harder and achieve the goals. It does not impact the
productivity because the other works hard to achieve the position of the
ones who are being rewarded by the organization.
7. How do you see the relation between goals, motivation and
performance? (Goal setting theory)

Answer- The manager says that all the three are well connected. It is the
organizational goals and target that will pave the target for the employee
and fulfilling of those targets will have regular perks and such perks both
financial and other motivates the employees to deliver their best to the
organization. In this way the three are connected.
8. In your opinion and from your experience, what do you think that
motivates more employees after a good performance, monetary rewards
(extrinsic reward) or any other type of appreciation (intrinsic reward)?
(Expectancy theory)
Answer- Money does motivate people but as it is seen that people work
for appreciation from the organization so that they are recognized for
their good work. The expectancy theory suggests the trends that can
motivate an employee and it depends exclusively on the employees. It is
essential for the organization recognize the idea and deliver accordingly
to its employees.
9. How would you describe your company’s performance evaluation
system?
Answer- The manager says that the company has a policy of promoting an
employee to the next level in a cycle of 90 days. The kind of work that is
done is being evaluated by both oral and written reports. These reports
have more about the employees rather than the statistical inputs. Good
work is appreciated always in her organization.
10. Job Characteristics Model : When a job has to be designed, which
characteristics do you focus on : Skill variety, Task identity, Task
significance, Autonomony, Feedback?
Answer- According to the manager, focus has to be presented on skill
variety and feedback. The feedback is essential in order to make sure that
progress is made in the job and it also ensures that stagnation does not
occur.
11.What traits do you have? (8 traits : Drive; desire; honesty and integrity;
self-confidence; intelligence; job relevant knowledge; extraversion;
proneness to guilt)
Answer- The manager says that she has the trait of honesty and integrity.
Her response to the question refers to the fact that she believes in uniting
the workforce together so that they can deliver the best. Any treachery on

the part of employees shall not be withstood as she herself believes in
honesty.
12.Do you think there are more traits?
Answer- There are a few more traits such a communicating and empathetic
feelings for the employee. If there is lack of communication between the
manager and the employee and the manager fails to respond to their
emotions then the success of the organization shall be doubted.
13.How do you influence other people? (Transactional leader,
transformational leader)
Answer- The manager responds to the question by saying that she is more
of a transformational leader. She passes on the power of decision making
and makes the process participatory so that people feel a part of the
organization’s entire decision making process. The employees are not only
restricted to their tasks but their overall input is expected by her.
14.What is your behaviour concerning leadership?
Answer- The manager says that she is a person who believes that a company
can perform well if the employees are kept satisfied. She believes that a
motivating approach is must for leadership.
15.On the Managerial grid, where do see yourself?
(Insert Managerial Grid)
Answer- The manager sees herself to be an accommodating leader with
scores of 1, 9 on the axis of the grid. The concern for her employees is
high so she makes sure that they are well taken care of and is given equal
opportunity to grow in the organization. She ensures productivity but

keeping mind about her staff.
Source- (Leadership-Central.com, 2018)
16.When do you include participation in decision making? When do you
make the decision yourself?
Answer- From the interview it is understood that she uses the
participative concept in decision making whenever there is a need to
take up a decision that will impact the employees and the clients. Even is
the decision is to be taken by her, she invites for participation so as to
get better ideas and the point of views of the employees on an issue.
17.What type of leader are you : Directive, supportive, participative or
achievement-oriented leader?
Answer- The manager says that she is a participative kind of leader and
involves the employee in the decision making process for the company.
18. University of Iowa : Which style of leader are you : Democratic,
Autocratic or Laissez-faire style?
Answer- The manager says that she is Democratic for most of the times,
but she switches to Autocratic means if performance levels are not met.
She is democratic mostly as she conducts meeting and takes everyone’s
approach into account for a decision to be taken.
19. Are you a situational leader? In which situation do you change your
leadership style?
Answer- According to the manager, she changes her leadership style when
she finds a problem and she takes advice from everyone. Though she may

be well aware of the solution, yet she involves others so that they feel
connected to the decision making process. But this does not work all the
time as people tend shy away from taking such responsibilities.
Situational leader : A flexible leadership style depending of the situation
with the employee / team member.
20. What can be controlled by an employee and what can’t? Example : time,
home office, prioritize work, … )
Answer- The manager says that the team and employees can manage their
time and achieve the targets; it is something that is in their hands. The
factors which they cannot control are the delays that are from the client’s
end. She stresses on the point that employees can however manage every
situation by managing time efficiently.

Reference
Leadership-Central.com. 2018. Managerial Grid Model - Also known as Leadership Grid.
[online] Available at: http://www.leadership-central.com/managerial-
grid.html#axzz5A4dB2Ydu [Accessed 18 Mar. 2018].
Stoyanov, S., 2017. A Theory of Human Motivation. CRC Press.