This paper reports research designed to investigate the relationship between the maturity of followers and their preference for leader-behavior style. Ss were 108 student-clinicians who were participating in practicum training in a hearing and speech clinic under the direction of clinical supervisors. Inexperienced student clinicians preferred a leader-behavior style that emphasized consideration, while the more experienced preferred their leaders to initiate more structure.
References
1.
FiedlerF. E.A theory of leadership effectiveness. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967.
2.
HalpinA. W.Manual for the leader behavior description questionnaire. Columbus: Ohio State Univer., Bureau of Business Research, 1957.
3.
HerseyP.BlanchardK.A leadership theory for educational administrators. Education, 1970, 90, 1–8.
4.
HouseR. J.A path-goal theory of leader effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1971, 16, 321–339.
5.
KormanA. H.‘Consideration,’ and ‘initiating structure’ and organizational criteria—a review. Personnel Psychology, 1966, 19, 349–361.
