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SHRM – Theories Exam Study Guide.
Blake-Mouton Theory - answer✔X & Y Axis form of leadership
X - Concern for Production
Y - Concern for People
Resulting in the following Leadership Styles:
1 - Impoverished Manager (1, 1)
2 - Country Club Manager (1, 9)
3 - Authoritarian Manager (9, 1)
4 - Middle of the Road Manager (5, 5)
5 - Team Leader (9, 9)
Blake-Mouton Theory
Impoverished Manager (1, 1) - answer✔The indifferent (previously called impoverished) style
(1,1): evade and elude. In this style, managers have low concern for both people and production.
Managers use this style to preserve job and job seniority, protecting themselves by avoiding
getting into trouble. The main concern for the manager is not to be held responsible for any
mistakes, which results in less innovation decisions.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Country Club Manager (1, 9) - answer✔The accommodating (previously, country club) style
(1,9): yield and comply. This style has a high concern for people and a low concern for
production. Managers using this style pay much attention to the security and comfort of the
employees, in hopes that this will increase performance. The resulting atmosphere is usually
friendly, but not necessarily very productive.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Authoritarian Manager (9, 1) - answer✔The dictatorial (previously, produce or perish OR
Authoritarian) style (9,1): control and dominate. With a high concern for production, and a low
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concern for people, managers using this style find employee needs unimportant; they provide
their employees with money and expect performance in return. Managers using this style also
pressure their employees through rules and punishments to achieve the company goals. This
dictatorial style is based on Theory X of Douglas McGregor, and is commonly applied by
companies on the edge of real or perceived failure. This style is often used in cases of crisis
management.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Middle of the Road Manager (5, 5) - answer✔The status quo (previously, middle-of-the-road)
style (5,5): balance and compromise. Managers using this style try to balance between company
goals and workers' needs. By giving some concern to both people and production, managers who
use this style hope to achieve suitable performance but doing so gives away a bit of each concern
so that neither production nor people needs are met.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Team Leader (9, 9) - answer✔The sound (previously, team leader) style (9,9): contribute and
commit. In this style, high concern is paid both to people and production. As suggested by the
propositions of Theory Y, managers choosing to use this style encourage teamwork and
commitment among employees. This method relies heavily on making employees feel
themselves to be constructive parts of the company.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Opportunistic - answer✔The opportunistic style: exploit and manipulate. Individuals using this
style, which was added to the grid theory before 1999, do not have a fixed location on the grid.
They adopt whichever behaviour offers the greatest personal benefit.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Paternalistic - answer✔The paternalistic style: prescribe and guide. This style was added to the
grid theory before 1999. In The Power to Change, it was redefined to alternate between the (1,9)
and (9,1) locations on the grid. Managers using this style praise and support, but discourage
challenges to their thinking.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Behaviors - 7 key elements - answer✔Initiative - Taking action, driving and supporting
Inquiry - Questioning, researching and verifying understanding
Advocacy - Expressing convictions and championing ideas
Decision making - Evaluating resources, choices and consequences
Conflict resolution - Confronting and resolving disagreements
SHRM – Theories Exam Study Guide.
Blake-Mouton Theory - answer✔X & Y Axis form of leadership
X - Concern for Production
Y - Concern for People
Resulting in the following Leadership Styles:
1 - Impoverished Manager (1, 1)
2 - Country Club Manager (1, 9)
3 - Authoritarian Manager (9, 1)
4 - Middle of the Road Manager (5, 5)
5 - Team Leader (9, 9)
Blake-Mouton Theory
Impoverished Manager (1, 1) - answer✔The indifferent (previously called impoverished) style
(1,1): evade and elude. In this style, managers have low concern for both people and production.
Managers use this style to preserve job and job seniority, protecting themselves by avoiding
getting into trouble. The main concern for the manager is not to be held responsible for any
mistakes, which results in less innovation decisions.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Country Club Manager (1, 9) - answer✔The accommodating (previously, country club) style
(1,9): yield and comply. This style has a high concern for people and a low concern for
production. Managers using this style pay much attention to the security and comfort of the
employees, in hopes that this will increase performance. The resulting atmosphere is usually
friendly, but not necessarily very productive.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Authoritarian Manager (9, 1) - answer✔The dictatorial (previously, produce or perish OR
Authoritarian) style (9,1): control and dominate. With a high concern for production, and a low
, ©BRAINBARTER 2024/2025
concern for people, managers using this style find employee needs unimportant; they provide
their employees with money and expect performance in return. Managers using this style also
pressure their employees through rules and punishments to achieve the company goals. This
dictatorial style is based on Theory X of Douglas McGregor, and is commonly applied by
companies on the edge of real or perceived failure. This style is often used in cases of crisis
management.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Middle of the Road Manager (5, 5) - answer✔The status quo (previously, middle-of-the-road)
style (5,5): balance and compromise. Managers using this style try to balance between company
goals and workers' needs. By giving some concern to both people and production, managers who
use this style hope to achieve suitable performance but doing so gives away a bit of each concern
so that neither production nor people needs are met.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Team Leader (9, 9) - answer✔The sound (previously, team leader) style (9,9): contribute and
commit. In this style, high concern is paid both to people and production. As suggested by the
propositions of Theory Y, managers choosing to use this style encourage teamwork and
commitment among employees. This method relies heavily on making employees feel
themselves to be constructive parts of the company.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Opportunistic - answer✔The opportunistic style: exploit and manipulate. Individuals using this
style, which was added to the grid theory before 1999, do not have a fixed location on the grid.
They adopt whichever behaviour offers the greatest personal benefit.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Paternalistic - answer✔The paternalistic style: prescribe and guide. This style was added to the
grid theory before 1999. In The Power to Change, it was redefined to alternate between the (1,9)
and (9,1) locations on the grid. Managers using this style praise and support, but discourage
challenges to their thinking.
Blake-Mouton Theory
Behaviors - 7 key elements - answer✔Initiative - Taking action, driving and supporting
Inquiry - Questioning, researching and verifying understanding
Advocacy - Expressing convictions and championing ideas
Decision making - Evaluating resources, choices and consequences
Conflict resolution - Confronting and resolving disagreements
