STYLES OF MANAGEMENT By: Reginald T. Hardaway, Sr., MS, Ed.D (Presented at Concordia University, College of Business, June 26, 2008)
Doug McGregor developed the concept of Theory X, Theory Y style management. Theory X style management is one of coercion. One sees it in the workplaces of America, in our schools and corporation. Theory Y style management is one of empowerment. You give a staff member a task and monitor their progress. You have faith that they can complete the task. Theory X managers believe that workers are motivated by only money, and that workers dislike work, avoid responsibility and work strictly for the paycheck. Theory X managers further believe that workers will only respond to coercion, control, direction (telling them step by step) or threats. Theory Y managers assume that employees are motivated by their needs to fulfill their social, esteem etc. Theory Y managers further believe that the workers’ attitude toward work is positive and seen as a natural activity and will seek out opportunities. Theory Y Managers believe workers will respond best to favorable working conditions that do not pose threats or have a choke hold. Examples: A retail corporation is focused more on their social culture and not the task at hand. Also, not keeping up with brand names for their customers and knowing their industry, they sell only their brand of good, better, best. When one of their senior officers died, the culture of their stores changed to brand name merchandise the following day. Or an automobile corp. that refused to listen to Dr. Ed Deming after World War II and focused on the bottom line more than the needs of the customer. Dr. Deming decided to take his ideas across the waters where they were not only accepted but were cultivated into a Total Quality culture.
1
What style of management is used in our schools? Theory X or Theory Y Dr. William Glasser, perhaps the father of Quality Schools, like Dr. Deming, believes coercion cannot be used in schools. He believes learning should be fun and coercion is not the way to get children to learn. During the 1970s, when the Japanese-style management was popular, William Ouchi, took Theory X and Theory Y and moved it to a different level. He designed Theory Z. This is a style of management where the employee participates in every level of planning. I believe this concept makes sense because the employees will do the work and knowing the beginning of a concept will enable them to better perform the task at hand. Theory Z managers assume that employees are motivated by a strong sense of commitment to be a part of something worthwhile. Theory Z managers believe that employees will seek out opportunities to be responsible. In fact, they crave the opportunity to advance and learn more than the company. There was a software company in Cary, NC, who made a profit during 911. They provided amenities for their employees that were second to none. When other companies were losing monies after 911, they were still making monies. They saw their employees as an asset and not a liability. Their employees were on the left side of the balance sheet and not the right. A Swiss watch company failed to keep up with the industry when they failed to change the face of time. The Japanese, who believed in Kaizen, changed the marketplace when they changed the face of the watches, as we knew it. Michael Gerber, E-Myth, suggested that people should work on their business before they work in their business. Ray Kroc did exactly that when he created McDonald, Corp. SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT: There are those who believe that our corporations, due to the moral fiber of American corporations, could never be a Theory Z corporation due to their morals and focus on the bottom line and not the customer. Others, like Dwiggins, seem to believe in the goodness of the many. What do you think?
2