Leadership and Management Models

Four Frameworks for Leadership: The Bolman/Deal Model

1. The Structural Framework The "structural" manager tries to design and implement a process or structure appropriate to the problem and the circumstances. This includes: to clarify organizational goals manage the external environment develop a clear structure appropriate to task, and environment clarify lines of authority focus on task, facts, logic, not personality and emotions This approach is useful when goals and information are clear, when cause-effect relations are well understood, when technologies are strong and there is little conflict, low ambiguity, low uncertainty, and a stable legitimate authority.

2. The Human Resource Framework The human resource manager views people as the heart of any organization and attempts to be responsive to needs and goals to gain commitment and loyalty. The emphasis is on support and empowerment. The HR manager listens well and communicates personal warmth and openness. This leader empower people through participation and attempts to gain the resources people need to do a job well. HR managers confront when appropriate but try to do so in a supportive climate This approach is appropriate when employee is high or increasing or when employee morale is low or declining. In this approach resources should be relatively abundant; there should be relatively low conflict and low diversity.

3. The Political Framework The political leader understands the political reality of organizations and can deal with it. He or she understands how important interest groups are, each with a separate agenda. This leader understands conflict and limited resources. This leader recognizes major constituencies and develops ties to their leadership. Conflict is managed as this leader builds power bases and uses power carefully. The leader creates arenas for negotiating differences and coming up with reasonable compromises. This leader also works at articulating what different groups have in common and helps to identify external "enemies" for groups to fight together. This approach is appropriate where resources are scarce or declining, where there is goal and value conflict and where diversity is high.

4. The Symbolic Framework This leader views vision and inspiration as critical; people need something to believe in. People will give loyalty to an organization that has a unique identity and makes them feel that what they do is really important. Symbolism is important as is ceremony and ritual to communicate a sense of organizational mission. These leaders tend to be very visible and energetic and manage by walking around. Often these leaders rely heavily on organizational traditions and values as a base for building a common vision and culture that provides cohesiveness and meaning. This approach seems to work best when goals and information are unclear and ambiguous, where cause-effect relations are poorly understood and where there is high cultural diversity.

Comparing the Four Frameworks

Each of the four frameworks approaches management tasks differently as can be seen in the following table.

Planning Structural: set objectives and coordinate resources Human relations:promote participatoin Political:arenas to air conflict and realign power Symbolic: ritual to signal responsibility	Decision Making Structural: rational Human relations: open process to produce commitment Political: opportunity to gain or exercise power Symbolic: ritual to provide comfrot and support until decisions made
Reorganizing Structural: realign roles and responsibilities to fit tasks Human relations: maintain a balance between human needs and formal roles Political: redistribute power and for new coalitions Symbolic: maintain an image of accountability and responsiveness	Evaluating Structural:formal control system for distributing rewards Human relations: process for helping people grow and improve Political: opportunity to exercise power Symbolic: occasion to play roles in shared rituals
Conflict resolution Structural:: authorities resolve conflict Human relations: develop relationships Political: develop pwer by bargaining, forcing, or manipulating others Symbolic: develop shared values	Goal Setting Structural: keep orgnaization keaded in right direction Human relations: keep peole involved and communications open Political: provide opportunities for people and groups to make interests known Symbolic: develop symbols and shared values
Communication Structural: transmit facts and information Human relations: exchange information, needs, and feelings Political: vehicles for influencing or manipulating others Symbolic: telling stories	Meetings Structural: formal occasions for making decisions Human relations: informal occasions for involvement, sharing feelings Political: competitive occasions to win points Symbolic: sacred occasiosn to celebrate and transform the culture
Effective leadership Structural: social architect Human relations: catalyst and servant Political: advocate Symbolic: prophet and poet	Effective Leadership Process Structural: analysis and design Human relations: support and empowerment Political: advocacy, coalition building Symbolic: inspiration, framing experience
Ineffective leadership Structural: petty tyrant Human relations: purshover Political: hustler Symbolic: fanatic, fool	Ineffective leadership process Structural: management by detail and fiat Human relations: management by abdication Political: manipulation Symbolic: smoke and mirrors
Organizational Change Structural:change causing confusion; need to realign and renegotiate formal policies Human relations: change can cause people to feel incompetent, powerless; need to develop new skills, involvement, support Political: change creates winners and losers; need to create arenas where issues can be negotiated Symbolic: change creates loss of meaning and purpose; people form attachments to symbols need symbolic healing	Motivation Structural: economic incentives Human relations: growth and self-actualization Political: coercion, manipulation, and seduction Symbolic: symbols and celebrations

Choosing a Frame

There are times when any of the four frames is appropriate. The table below suggests some ways of determining when each is appropriate Question Structural Human Resource Political Symbolic

• If commitment and motivation are important: human resources and symbolic
• If there is ambiguity and uncertainty: Structural
• If resources are scarce: structural, political, symbolic
• If there is conflict and diversity: political and symbolic
• If there is a top down approach: structural and human resources

A Situational Leadership Model