The leader-participation modelpresents the various actions a leader might take
with respect to the decision-making processes of the group he or she leads.^56 The model
provides a sequential set of rules that should be followed to determine the form and
amount of participation desired by the manager or group leader in decision making, as
dictated by the situation. It is a complex decision tree incorporating eight contingency
variables that identify which of five leadership styles to use when making decisions.
The five leadership styles the model proposes leaders can use in a given situation are
Autocratic I (AI), Autocratic II (AII), Consultative I (CI), Consultative II (CII), and Group
II (GII). Thus the group leader or manager has the following alternatives from which to
choose when deciding how involved to be with decisions that affect a work group:
AI: You solve the problem or make a decision yourself using whatever facts you
have at hand.
AII: You obtain the necessary information from employees and then decide on
the solution to the problem yourself. You may or may not tell them about
the nature of the situation you face. You seek only relevant facts from them,
not their advice or counsel.
CI: You share the problem with relevant employees one-on-one, getting their
ideas and suggestions. However, the final decision is yours alone.
CII: You share the problem with your employees as a group, collectively obtain-
ing their ideas and suggestions. Then you make the decision, which may or
may not reflect your employees’ influence.
GII: You share the problem with your employees as a group. Your goal is to help
the group concur on a decision. Your ideas are not given any greater weight
than those of others.The original leader-participation model has been revised to include 12 contingency
variables, 8 problem types, and 5 leadership styles, and is too complex to describe in
detail in a basic OB textbook. There is a computer program that cuts through the com-
plexity of the new model. The major decision factors include the quality of the deci-
sion required, the degree of commitment needed from participants, and the time
available to make the decision.
Research testing of the original leader-participation model was very encouraging.^57
We have every reason to believe that the revised model provides an excellent guide to help
managers choose the most appropriate leadership style in different situations.
CREATIVITY INORGANIZATIONAL
DECISION MAKING
“Canada is not a very creative culture,” according to a National Research Council report
written by Professor David Bentley of the English Department at the University of
Western Ontario.^58 The report suggests that concrete steps need to be taken to promote
a culture of innovation, and improve the creativity of individuals. The report gives a
number of suggestions for improving creativity, including using metaphors, empathetic
thinking, and imagining to help see things in new ways.
Bentley’s call for improving creativity is consistent with a survey showing that 58
percent of large public companies and entrepreneurs recognize a link between creative
thinking within the organization and having a competitive edge.^59 “It [creative thinking]
will not necessarily spell the difference between success and failure. But it is one of
those tangential issues that can add a few cents per share profit,” noted the head of an
Ontario agriproducts company, who was not identified by the survey. Moreover, research
Chapter 9Decision Making, Creativity, and Ethics 3095 How can we get more
creative decisions?leader-participation model A
leadership theory that provides a set
of rules to determine the form and
amount of participative decision
making in different situations.