In research to identify specific behaviors that account for leadership effectiveness, Bowers and Seashore "distilled the following four dimensions of effectiveness" (Kast and Rosenzweig 1979, 326):
1 Support. Behavior that enhances someone else's feeling of personal worth and importance.
2 Interaction Facilitation. Behavior that encourages members of the group to develop close, mutually satisfying relationships.
3 Goal Emphasis. Behavior that stimulates an enthusiasm for meeting the group's goal or achieving excellent performance.
4 Work Facilitation. Behavior that helps achieve goal attainment by such activities as scheduling, coordinating, planning, and by providing resources such as tools, materials, and technical knowledge.
An article that was viewed, in April 2000, on a web site at wysiwyg://48/http://www.fastcompany.com/online/13/9faces.html adds an example in practice.
The article was written by Heath Row, and he states that it first appeared in Fast Company issue 13 page 52. I quote the major points of the article from the above web site, but in abbreviated form.
FedEx uses these criteria to identify potential leaders.
According to FedEx, its best leaders share nine personal attributes - which the company defines with remarkable specificity. FedEx also has a system for rating aspiring leaders .... Judge yourself against these edited descriptions of the nine faces of leadership at FedEx.
Charisma
Instills faith, respect, and trust. Has a special gift ....
Individual consideration
Coaches, advises, and teaches .... Actively listens and gives indications ....
Intellectual stimulation
Gets others to use reasoning and evidence, rather than unsupported opinion. Enables others to think ....
Courage
Willing to stand up for ideas ..... Will do what's right for the company and for employees even if it causes personal hardship.
Dependability
Follows through and keeps commitments. Takes responsibility for actions....
Flexibility
Functions effectively in changing environments. ... handles more than one problem at a time. Changes course when the situation warrants it.
Integrity
Does what is morally and ethically right. Does not abuse management privileges. Is a consistent role model.
Judgment
Reaches sound and objective evaluations of alternative courses of action through logic, analysis, and comparison. Puts facts together rationally .... Uses past experience and information to bring perspective to present decisions.
Respect for others
Honors and does not belittle the opinions or work of other people, regardless of their status or position.
End of quoted material.
Any organization/company/manager that even comes close to the principles illustrated above in their relationship with their employees should be commended. I am envious of anyone lucky enough to work for this type employer/manager.
A major portion of the principles illustrated/specified above also apply to the home and family system of relationships.
Administrators/managers/supervisors who violate the above principles cause extensive mental anguish for employees (or for family members) and chaos for the workplace. The influence and consequences of this type environment also invade the home and family environment of all parties. The stresses are, in many cases, transferred to the family relationships of all involved. The family members of offending managers are probably affected more, because the attitudes and characteristics demonstrated in the workplace are highly likely to be demonstrated at home, and possibly even more because of the lower visibility and "cover" provided by the family for various reasons.
I do not remember observing today's gross violations of these and related principles during the early years of my career in the private sector. However, during the last two-thirds of my career, which has been in the public sector, I have had the opportunity to observe and experience many public-sector violations of the basic leadership principles; forget the more advanced/complex ones. This has been especially true during my most recent experience - a period in excess of a dozen years. During this time I've observed closely and experienced at least two situations that exemplify the profile of perverse characteristics introduced above and further described below. Their ambidextrous utterances distort reality in order to achieve their own ends. The Machiavellian behavior observed has evoked threats of violence and actual violence in the workplace and home, and other consequences lurk beneath the surface and are sometimes manifested. Those who enable these "managers" wear the same cloak. The employee that is exposed to and subject to this type situation must act with caution and find uplifting, meaningful example, counsel, and direction elsewhere. The least bothersome of the two individuals moved on to another organization prior to 2002 (he was promoted to a more influential job); the other is still firmly entrenched. I moved to a new organization in October of 2003. Others have also moved on to other organizations during this period, and others are searching for new jobs outside the organization.
During the early years of my public employment, although I did observe behavior and actions I didn't agree with, I also was not conscious of serious problems with these, or variants of, and other accepted leadership and management principles. However, as time progressed, I became aware of the insidious aspects of practices by individual managers and of those insidious practices that have become a part of organizational culture. Stated management objectives and programs of improvement of practices appear to be only "window dressing." Little changes.
Supervisors who seem to be unable to open their mouth without making derogatory remarks about someone can cause immeasurable damage to the reputation or career of their subordinates or any other unlucky individual or group of people subject to their relationships and influence. Those sycophants who pursue or court the favor of this type individual add an additional, heightened degree of risk for the unsuspecting fellow employees or those who are unwary. In many cases the damaged individual or group does not even know it is happening. Those seeking special favor, and willing to do whatever is necessary to obtain it, may do well to remember a statement attributed to Chilon: "Prefer a loss to a dishonest gain; the one brings pain at the moment, the other for all time." Their essence and price are often easily observed. The "Affirmative Action" groupies are in a class by themselves [1] [2] [3], and offer special career benefits to those managers who appropriately consider their special standing. The managers that cater to and indulge these perverse interests choose the path of personal benefit rather than that of principle. Practice of and promotion of this perverse type of behavior by management tends to "institutionalize" the behavior and reward those who participate. It becomes a part of the organization's culture and contributes to an organizational atmosphere of intimidation and distrust. Observation of this type situation often reminds me of several "old sayings" or "wisdoms."
Investigation of this aggressive, hostile, and intimidating type behavior suggests that it is highly indicative of immaturity and insecurity in the offending manager. It is a defense mechanism to head off and suppress disagreement and challenge, and to instill control over persons and factors by which the manager feels threatened. Observed behavior also includes a ready arsenal of profane and expletive and invective-laden language to further suppress unwanted response. It is also expressed in various control-type situations. This base behavior is addressed and detested by many [1] [2]. Edward M. Forster, an English novelist (1879-1970), is attributed with stating the following: "Very notable was his distinction between coarseness and vulgarity, coarseness, revealing something; vulgarity, concealing something." In situations that I've observed, I have also seen instances where this behavior is believed to be fueled by vindictiveness and/or jealousy and underlying inner rage.
The above management behavior often appears to be rewarded. It seems to be an "in-your-face," collaborative attitude and defense. The rewards are bestowed in an atmosphere of celebration "by the masses" in a thunderous outpouring of silence and wonderment until, upon cue, they deliver their knowing, tongue-in-cheek approval. The honoree is bare.
I have heard this type manager described as a "snake in the grass." Somehow, I think, I would rather deal with the snake, since there is usually an antidote for the snake's venom. This type manager very often reacts to a situation on the basis of who is present to witness the reaction and on the desired effect on, and identity of, the recipient of the reaction.
One principle of conflict management is "avoidance," and its application may be appropriate in this situation. Control your exposure to abuse. Avoid being alone with this type manager or other individual, and minimize contact and opportunities for exposure to the behavior of, and exploitation by, the perpetrator. If encounter is unavoidable, try to do it in the presence of a neutral or aware, supportive, trustworthy co-worker.
Biblical treatment of this behavior can be found in the teachings of the apostle Paul: "Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him." [Titus 3:10, NIV.]
And in Ephesians Paul counsels: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." [Ephesians 4:29, NIV.]
Another conflict management principle is that of "withdrawal." It aids in the avoidance of production--production of creative and innovative harassing issues and of opportunities for attack or other performance and relationship-damaging activities. This principle essentially says:
You can take.....and.....it. I am going to perform my job as best I can within the constraints imposed on me by your behavior. I do not intend to be subject to or respond to your abusive, demoralizing, unethical (and often illegal) activities.
Other resolution techniques include (Robbins 1974, ix):
Expansion of resources.
Smoothing.
Compromise.
Authoritative command.
Altering the human variable.
Altering structural variables.
Workplace Bullys
