Scenario
I am in charge of a work team consisting of three other members. One is a jokester and not very task-oriented. Another is a “toe-the-line” kind of individual, who has little tolerance for off-task behavior. The remaining member appears to be more interested in telling you how to do your job and even trying to do it for me than in being a team player. This is how I would you interact with each of these individuals in an effort to have them function as a cohesive unit that satisfactorily completes its tasks utilizing the LMX Theory
Application of the Leader-Member Exchange Theory
As the leader of a small team, I have three employees. The first employee named Joe is a jokester and not very task oriented. The second employee is nicknamed “Colonel” and he is a boot-laced employee, does not tolerate any off-task behavior the last member named Jane of the team is a want –to-be leader, and is very critical of my leadership skills. My task for this very eclectic team is to make all of them work as a cohesive unit utilizing the Leadership-Management Exchange Theory.
Initial observations of the three individuals is that Joe and Colonel do not get along and Colonel is persistently on Joe’s case. Jane on the other hand would be considered according to LMX to feel that she is in the out-group, and she desires to be on the in-group of leaders. Currently I am in phase one of the Stages of Leadership Making. All parties’ roles are scripted, the influence is one way, our exchanges are of low quality, and each individual has their self-interest at heart.
In order to progress to the second phase I need to acquaint myself with the team members and allow the team members to get to know me. Establishing common areas of interests and informing them of the organizational goals. I would need to inform Joe that his lack of focus and his jokes go often unappreciated. I would learn why Colonel is so strict and intolerant and explain how it is effecting the other team members. Working with Jane would give me an understanding on why she is so critical of my leadership style, I would let her know that I am the boss but I would appreciate her insight on how things could work better. This would allow the roles to be tested, the influences will be mixed our exchanges would be of a medium quality and the interests would be not only self-interest but at the beginning stages of interest for the others.
As the team moved on to the last phase Joe, Colonel and Jane would work as a cohesive team. The interaction with each member of the team would be tailored to each individual. Joe as a jokester, Colonel as a no-nonsense fellow and Jane as an aspiring leader. Demonstrating to each individual that their respective character contributes to the overall good of the team. Roles would be negotiated, influences would be reciprocal, exchanges would be high quality, and the interests would be that of the group. Ideally, Joe would still crack a few jokes but remained focused on task. Colonel might even laugh at a few of Joe’s jokes and instead of balking at Joe straying from the task; he will encourage him back to the task. Jane would not only follow me as a leader but also contribute to my success as a leader by offering her insight and as an example to Joe and Colonel.
REFRENCES
Northouse, P. (2013). Leader-Member Exchange Theory. In Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed., pp. 161-
182). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
Pennsylvania State World Campus (n.d.). Module 8 Leader-Member Exchange Theory Retrieved from
https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/sp15/psych485/001/content/08_lesson/printlesson.html