Blake And Mouton Managerial Grid: What It Is And How To Use It

Leaders and managers can choose from an impactful and effective managerial style. The Blake and Mouton grid tool helps you learn about your executive style and provide pointers to make you a better leader.

Managers and leaders can benefit from referring to this grid for every project. It can help them adopt an effective leadership style as per the project. 

For instance, switching between tech projects to creative projects, you can use this grid to develop an approach that suits the projects. 

It is based on various factors that help you choose a people- and task-oriented approach. You will know which aspects to emphasize based on the grid. You can evaluate your leadership style and choose the best approach to get desired results. 

What is Blake And Mouton’s Managerial Grid?

It depicts your managerial style in various situations, whether you are people-oriented or task-oriented. For example, do you emphasize people’s happiness or getting the job done?

The grid has a horizontal and vertical axis. The result-oriented style is rated on the horizontal axis. The people-oriented parameters are rated on the vertical axis. 

This grid lets you discover much about your managerial style that fits one of the five evaluated. 

Blake and Mouton’s five leadership styles

The five leadership styles can be analyzed from the score on the grid.

Evaluate your managerial style before starting any project, as it helps you set your priorities right and create an effective action plan and the right approach toward handling any project. 

Impoverished Management

The most ineffective and inefficient managerial styles. It shows a low score on task and people-oriented results. It shows the person is ineffective in keeping their employees happy and does not get results. 

If this defines your managerial style, you have much room for improvement. Access your priorities, strengths, and weaknesses, and create an action plan. Work on empathy and create a happiness factor at the workplace to make the employees comfortable to work.

You can devise methods to motivate your team by taking their feedback and surveys. You can come up with team-building strategies to bring forth better collaborative efforts. 

Produce-Or-Perish Management

This managerial style focuses more on getting results than empathy for people. It creates a high-strung atmosphere and anxiety when goals are achieved. 

If you score high in this style, consider connecting better with your employees and getting them involved in group activities. It is essential to boost employees’ morale while keeping them motivated to complete the task.

Schedule a day or two for fun group activities to keep your team members’ emotional and mental states on an even keel. They stay motivated to perform better with these strategies.

Middle-Of-The-Road Management

A balanced and effective style that takes the middle road without being too result or people-oriented.

This style is not universal and may not be suitable for every project. It is better to develop an adaptive approach when choosing your managerial style, depending on the project.

For example, more task-oriented projects, such as software development projects. You need to have a balance between being more task and people-oriented. 

Make a list, prioritize, schedule, and plan to increase productivity and team engagement.

The grid is useful in analyzing your performance as a leader or a manager and helps you develop an effective plan.

Country Club Style Management

This is more people focused than result-oriented style. It is ineffective in getting tough jobs done.

This is the best management style for running a kindergarten school or a counseling center. 

This style is not suitable for most competitive organizations or corporates. You must focus on areas to delegate work and see through its completion within deadlines.

Evaluate your progress and make improvements if this is your management style. 

Team Management Style

This is the most effective style, focusing on employees’ morale and completing tasks. This is a manager, a leader committed to completing the tasks and working towards team building.

They get involved in the personal and professional growth of their employees. It creates an environment of trust and progress.

You could also play the role of a mentor to your team members and be their personal and professional council. 

Identifying Your Managerial Style with Blake and Mouton’s Grid

Connect the horizontal and vertical axis scores to know your managerial style and create an action plan. The score gives you good insights into which areas to improve. 

Before making changes and creating an action plan, analyze the situations and projects where the managerial style is effective. Do not blindly make improvements before analyzing how they will impact your situation. 

Projects requiring strict adherence to rules, policies, and protocols must be more task-oriented and focus little on people’s emotions. If you score high on task-oriented for these projects, you are likely to do well. 

For instance, when dealing with a creative project, you must have a balanced approach between task and people-oriented. So, if you are used to the authoritative style, then it is essential to reconsider that style of handling people and tasks. 

Analyze Your Past Leadership Roles

Make a list of your past leadership roles. For example, have you been people-oriented or task-oriented, or have you taken the middle ground? Analyzing your past leadership roles helps you understand your effectiveness as a leader. 

Have you prioritized your team’s emotions or focused on completing the task? Using the grid to evaluate your score on the horizontal and vertical grid helps you use the right approach for any project. 

You can change your leadership style as per the project instead of adhering to a leadership style that you are accustomed to. 

Identify Areas To Be Improved

The score on the grid gives you a clear picture of the areas to be improved. For instance, if you have been more task-oriented, you can focus on people management skills. In addition, you can find better ways to connect with your team. 

Come up with strategies to improve the areas to strengthen them. For example, creating team-building exercises to connect with your team works better if your team needs motivation. 

Conclusion

The Blake and Mouton grid helps transition into any leadership styles mentioned earlier. In addition, it enables you to bring better results and keep the team motivated.

It lets you evaluate your leadership style for every project and work on your strengths.

This grid is essential for every leader as it helps them become effective leaders. 

Key Takeaways

• The Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid measures a manager’s concern for people and concern for production.

• The grid identifies five leadership styles: impoverished management, country club management, middle-of-the-road management, task management, and team management.

• The best leadership style is team management, which shows a deep concern for people and production.

• The grid can assess a manager’s leadership style and effectiveness and develop leadership skills.

• The limitations of the grid include its oversimplification of complex leadership dynamics and potential cultural and industry-specific limitations.

• The grid can be a useful tool for improving communication and teamwork in the workplace.

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