The guidance continuum is one of fir tree and Schmidt developed guidance theory. They provided a seven-level typology of alternative styles of leadership on the basis the criterion of the participation in decision situations. The two authors regard thereby the styles of leadership developed by Kurt Lewin authoritarianly and democratically as the two poles of a continuum and insert between these bend points five gradations. (Steyrer 1996, P. 203)

Filters of styles of leadership

Deciding match area: Set forward versus coworker

• authoritarianly: Set forward decides alone and arranges
• patriarchalisch: Set forward and justifies its decision arranges
• informing: Set forward suggests ideas and permits questions
• advisory: Set forward decides provisionally, catches up opinions and decides finally
• cooperatively: Set forward the problem points out, which suggests group solutions, superiors decides
• partizipativ: Set forward the problem points and specifies the deciding match area, group out decides
• democratically: Group decides autonomously, superiors is co-ordinator

A goal

This theory tries to explain, which behavior of a high-level personnel leads in different situations to success (so-called situative behavioral theory). Contrary to the so-called characteristic theories it concerns here concrete leadership behavior ways.

Situative factors of influence

Fir tree and Schmidt work the most important situativen factors out, which are with the choice of the correct leadership behavior of importance in further consequence:

• its value system
• its confidence into the coworkers
• its guidance qualities
• the extent at security, which it feels in the certain situation

• Extent at experience in decision making
• their technical authority
• their commitment for the problem
• their requirements regarding vocational and personal development

• Kind of the organization
• Characteristics of the group
• Kind of the problem
• temporal distance to the action

Dependent on the given constellations of these individual characteristics another style of leadership is to be used in each case.

A leading is successful if he succeeds, which stops different situativen factors of influence realistically to estimate and its leadership behavior accordingly to it. (Steyrer 1996, P. 205)

Evaluation

The authors point the different styles of leadership out and bring these into a logical order. They proceed from in the reality to observing leadership behavior, the theory correspond therefore strongly to the everyday life understanding. The guidance continuum theory in particular attained large value in the American guidance leadership.

Criticism

Only one behavior characteristic of the guidance, is considered the participation, (so-called linear entrance).

Literature

• Steyrer, Johannes: Theories of the guidance. In: Kasper/Mayrhofer (Hrsg.): Personnel management: Guidance and organization. 2. Edition. Ueberreuter, Vienna 1996, P. 203-205, ISBN 3-7064-0248-3
• Steel: Management. 7. Edition. Vahlen, Munich 1994, ISBN 3-8006-1892-3
• Manfred training to living: Organization. 4. Edition. Vahlen, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-8006-3205-5, P. 220
• Fir tree, R.; Schmidt, W.H. (1985): How ton choose A leadership pattern. In: "Harvard Business Review". 36/1958, pg. 95-102
• Samuel A. Culbert: "Biography OF Robert min of building of firs Memorial", journal OF Applied Behavioural Science, Dec 2003, 39, pg. 360

Articles in category "Guidance continuum"

We found here 9 articles.

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