Donald Trump, former president of the United States has been widely criticized for many because of his inefficiency and type of leadership. Although the many critics have been right to comment on his time as commander in chief, no one has defined the style approach that he had while in office.
The style approach focuses on observable behavior and is directly related to leadership effectiveness (Hamel, 2021). This approach does this by incorporating the leader, follower, and situation into a theory of leadership to determine if the style of leadership has been effective. The style approach consists of two types of behaviors: task behaviors and relationship behaviors. For the analysis of Trump’s time in office, it is best to speak about both types of behaviors as his goals and his supporters were heavily involved in and important to his time in office.
Task behaviors are behaviors that are focused on accomplishing the goals the leader set forth (Northouse, 2019). In other words Trump should have a ‘concern for production,’ meaning he should be concerned with achieving organizational tasks (Hamel, 2021). Although accomplishing tasks is what would categorize him as an effective leader, he had many failures that did not conclude in him accomplishing the goals he set when entering the presidency. For example, he campaigned to dismantle Obamacare when he did not deliver on his promise for universal healthcare (Haltiwagner, 2021). One of his most important goals, to be re- elected, was also not achieved as current president Joe Biden took office in January.
The second kind of behavior task is relationship behaviors. This is defined as behaviors that “help followers feel comfortable with themselves, each other, and with the situation” (Hamel, 2021). In other words, Trump should’ve had a ‘concern for people’ (Northouse, 2019) which means he should’ve been attentive to his Make America Great Again (MAGA) supporters to achieve his goals. In some ways he did, and in others he did not. The way he did ‘show’ concern was by helping his wealthy supporters in slashing the corporate tax rate nearly fifteen percent at the expense of the middle and lower class (Haltiwagner, 2021), most of whom are MAGA supporters. On the other hand, he did not show concern, by provoking his MAGA supporters to attempt a coup at the U.S. Capitol based on his incorrect and baseless claims on voter fraud in the 2020 election (Haltiwagner, 2021). Here he led his supporters into certain danger. However, both situations good and bad lead back to Trump helping his supporters, wealthy or poor, feel comfortable with themselves: legally stealing and squeezing out the middle class; feel comfortable with each other: being overtly racist; and with the situation: creating chaos that benefits only Trump.
Therefore, Trump can only be categorized as exemplifying a team management style of leadership defined as a leader that emphasizes both tasks and relationships (Northous, 2019). Whether you like Donald Trump or not, he stimulated participation in the form of riots, was determined to close borders, and made his racist, zenophobic, and homophobic priorities clear. Trump’s behaviors during his time in leadership although not great and widely criticized had a profound impact on himself, his followers, and situation through the tasks he performed as well as in the relationships he created.
References:
Hamel, R. (2021). Lesson 5: Style and Situational Approaches.
Haltiwanger, J. (2021, January 20). Trump’s biggest accomplishments and failures from His 1-term presidency. Retrieved February 16, 2021, from https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-biggest-accomplishments-and-failures-heading-into-2020-2019-12#failure-impeachment-11
Northouse, P .G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications