Leadership Styles - School Nutrition Association

What is Your
Leadership Style?
Attributes of Highly Effective
Managers and Directors
Diane Schweitzer, MA, SFNS, CFSP
Dkschweitzer@Hammond.k12.in.us

Organizational Flow Chart
Chiefs
Indians

What would happen if
there were too many chiefs
and not enough Indians?

Styles of Leadership
• Autocratic
• Democratic
• Free Rein

Autocratic Style
• Supervisor in charge gives orders and
expects orders to be followed without
question
• Supervisor likes being in charge of
subordinates
• Supervisor likes having power and
authority over others

Democratic
Style
• Supervisor is in charge, but employees
have some say-so so in the decision-making
process (consensus management)
• Supervisor has final say, but willingly
accepts opinions and feedback from
employees in making final decision
• Participative leadership style; employees
are allowed to participate in management

Free Rein
Style
• Supervisor places a great deal of trust in
employees to govern themselves with
almost no supervision
• Works best if employees are highly
motivated, very knowledgeable and very
skilled at their jobs

What Employees Need
• Direction- Need to know where they’re
supposed to go
• Training- Need to know HOW to do the task
and within parameters
• Feedback from management with regard to
decision-making abilities
• Support from management- Time, materials,
training
• Patience and fairness

There needs to be balance
between what employees
need and want and the
objectives of the
organization

Examples of employee
“wants” that may not be in
management plans

Employees want:
More money
Less work
Longer, more frequent breaks

Example: Employees may
want more money but more
money may not be
in the budget

Douglas MacGregor’s Theory X
• Employees hate work
• Employees are lazy
• Employees lack ambition
• Employees cannot think
• Employees must be controlled
• Supervisors must give orders, employees
must obey without question and without fail

MacGregor’s Theory Y
• Employees like work
• Employees know how to think and are
creative and interested in their work
• Employees can be self-governing if they are
provided training
• Employees actively seek responsibility

Abraham Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Needs
Self-Actualization
Self-Esteem
Social Needs
Safety and Security
Food, Shelter, Clothing, Sleep

Herzberg’s Motivators
• Opportunity to learn something new (job
challenges)
• Opportunity for advancement
• Recognition for a job well-done
• These things keep an employee from becoming
dissatisfied: : Good working conditions, job
security, and money. These things are not motivators.
• Money is not a job motivator

Expectancy Theory
• Employees will work harder if they
know there is opportunity for
advancement
• Advancement is expected to mean
more opportunities for recognition
(rewards, promotion, change in job
title, a raise).

Positive/Negative Reinforcement
• Positive reinforcement (rewards or
recognition) leads to behavior that gets
repeated
• Negative reinforcement (punishment) leads
to behavior that should slow down or stop

Think about various positive
reinforcements (rewards) that
can be used in the workplace

Delegating- The Pros
• Jobs can be delegated, RESPONSIBILTY is not
transferred. There is a difference between a JOB
and a RESPONSIBILITY.
• Productivity can be improved
• Employee can feel job enrichment
• Attitudes improve
• Job skills improve
• Increases employee morale

Delegating- The Cons
• Employees aren’t ready to take on more
responsibility (lack skills)
• Productivity suffers (takes too much time).
Supervisor would rather just do it herself.
• Employee expects compensation when no
compensation is provided
• Supervisor does not want the subordinate to
outshine her

Why Employees Don’t
“Step up to the Plate”
• Fear of appearing foolish or incompetent
• No pay, no work
• Lack skills
• Lack confidence
• Like things just as they are

Benefits of Conflict
• Keeps the workplace interesting
• Prevents boredom
• Results in change to take place
• Encourages communication at all levels by
providing and analyzing information and differing
points of view
• Reinforces the work unit by expression of
thoughts, ideas, opinions

Problems with Conflict
• Productivity suffers- Too much time spent on
emotions
• Negative impact on the morale of the team
• Disruption in service as a strong team may have
weakened
• Conflict may not necessarily be resolved quickly
(smoldering fire)
• Good employees may leave to avoid negative
emotions

What Employees Want
• Managers think:
• 1. Good wages
• 2. Job Security
• 3. Promotion/Growth
Opportunities
• 4. Good working
conditions
• 5. Interesting work
• Employees Say:
• 1. Appreciation
• 2. Feeling in the know
• 3. Help with personal
matters
• 4. Job security
• 5. Good wages

What Employees Want
• Managers Think:
• Employees Say:
• 6. Interesting work
• 6. Interesting Work
• 7. Tactful discipline
• 7. Promotion/Growth
• 8. Appreciation for
Opportunities
work done
• 8. Loyalty to workers
• 9. Help with personal
• 9. Good working
problems
conditions
• 10. Being in the know • 10. Tactful discipline

Leadership Style
• Have you been able to identify YOUR
leadership style: Autocratic, Democratic,
Free Rein?
• How will you use this knowledge to be a
better leader with YOUR employees?