Grid Leadership vs LEAD

During the three day program at Pegasus, the LEAD - Leadership Effectiveness and Adaptability, instrument was administered. The LEAD Self instrument is a pen and paper instrument in which respondents are presented with 12 situations, each with four alternative answers. Of the four alternative answers to each situation, there is one answer for each of the four leadership styles:
1. telling/directing style (high task/low relationship),
2. selling/coaching (high task/high relationship),
3. participating/supporting (low task/high relationship), and
4. delegating (low task/low relationship).

The LEAD Self instrument developed at the Center for Leadership Studies in 1979.

The participants earlier had gone through the Grid Leadership module. After the instrument was administered it was found that most of the participants had a high score on Coaching (High Task High Relationship) and Supporting (Low task and High Relationship) and almost zero on the Delegating (low Task Low relationship)

The facilitator explained that these scores indicate how adaptable you are as a leader based on the situation. He further clarified that there is no one style that is best among the four instead it is the leader's ability to choose the right style based on situation that determines his effectiveness. He asked the participants to map their sub-ordinates into the four quadrants and then compare them with their scores. It was clear that most participants were operating predominantly from the two quadrants mentioned above and were not directing and delegating enough.

At this point one of the participants raised a point, which is very interesting. The participant said that earlier in another Leadership Training, the facilitator mentioned that a Leader should operate from High Task High Relationship quadrant - 9,9 or atleasst balance at 5,5 and the LEAD model is contradicting with that.

At this point I realized what might have happened and could relate to the participant. In one training the facilitator says this is the best model and in another one it is contradicted, who should the participant believe. In fact I also went through similar experience earlier. This situation arose because the whole program was not fully integrated and the modules are loosely fitted together.

The Facilitator from Pegasus, may be due to time constraint or any other reason, carefully avoided going into the depths of the question - How come LEAD is contradicting with Grid. The facilitator just mntioned that both are different and LEAD indicates the preferred method.

But to be precise, according to my understanding, LEAD is built from where Grid leadership was left. Grid tried to bring out the people element part of the Manager's job and balance Manager's focus between Task and Job, which is correct. On the other hand LEAD tried to take it further by adding the Situation, the third dimension to the Leadership Style.

Therefore there is nothing wrong with GRID and there is no great difference between what Grid says and LEAD says, only difference is that Grid is just two dimensional while LEAD is three dimensional. LEAD brings in the dimension of Subordinate and recommends that the Leader adapts his style based on subordinate's current state of ability and willingness.

To summarize LEAD, the ideal style that a Leader should choose is:

1. Directive - When the subordinate is new, ability is low and willlingness is high
2. Coaching - When the subordinate is reasonably capable and needs motivation as willingness beccomes low due to the initial hurdles
3. Supporting - When the subordinate is capable but needs a pat on the back regularly
4. Delegating - When the subordinate is highly capable and is self motivated and mature to take care of things on his own.

If the Leader uses any of the style wrongly then there is a great chance that the subordinate will get frustrated andd may leave.

The above points can be very well used in a Training program for Team Leaders and Managers on how to Lead to Teams

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