Leader Behavior Feedback: A Learning Exercise

Abstract

The need for effective leaders is pronounced in the competitive, global business world. This environment demands that managers “make things happen” within complex organizational structures with diverse populations. Business students receive management theory in class but most leave college without understanding either their leadership behaviors or how their behavior affects leadership outcomes. Although our behavioral course work has been experientially driven for many years, leadership theory on behavior and outcomes always seemed difficult to operaionalize. This lead us to develop a process to help students recognize some aspects of their leadership style, and to appreciate the value of obtaining feedback concerning their leadership styles.