LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS OF ... - Drake University

team of highly motivated and skilled people who had produced excellent
work in the past (Lewin et al., 1939).
Two additional leadership styles or behaviors were identified by
Blake and McCanse (1 991) and were considered important variables
when evaluating leadership effectiveness. These researchers concluded
that consideration (relationship behaviors and concern for people) and
initiating structure (task behaviors and concern for production) were
essential variables. Consideration reflected the amount of warmth,
concern, rapport, and support displayed by leaders for their coworkers and
group members. Initiating structure, on the other hand, referred to the
extent to which the leader defines, directs and structures his or her role
and the roles of subordinates as they relate to the organization's
performance, profit and mission. Although consideration is associated with
greater subordinate satisfaction, the relationship between consideration
and initiative structure and subsequent job attitudes and performance is
more difficult to support (Yukl, 1989).
Blake and Mouton (1 964) added to the style theory with their
creation of the management grid. They theorized that different patterns of
leadership behavior could be grouped together and labeled as styles. The
identified styles include concern for task, concern for people, directive
leadership, and participative leadership. This grid has been adapted over
the years and is now referred to as the "leadership grid." Researchers at
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