Problem
It was a crisp fall evening in Oswego, New York and Charlie was sitting on the front porch with his two uncles. Charlie had worked hard as a maintenance employee at the local college (SUNY Oswego), and he was about to be promoted to a supervisory position. Both of his uncles had been successful businesspersons, so Charlie asked them the following: "I'm not quite sure how I should try to relate to my subordinates when I'm a supervisor. Should I treat them as friends, or should I be a boss who mainly gives orders to them?" Uncle Tony said, "If you treat them as friends, they'll just try to manipulate you. Be the boss." Uncle Ray said, "If they don't like you, they won't cooperate. Be a friend to them." Charlie was puzzled. He lay awake that night trying to resolve his dilemma. How could both of his uncles have been successful, when each of them used significantly different methods of leadership?
a) Using your current knowledge of effective leadership principles (and assuming that both of Charlie's uncles had indeed been successful businesspersons), explain how it's possible that both of Charlie's uncles are correct. Be specific.
b) Explain how each of the following leadership theorists would answer the question that Charlie asked his uncles: (i) Douglas McGregor (ii) Blake & Mouton (iii) Hersey & Blanchard (iv) Kouzes & Posner. Be specific