Leadership and productivity in planning organizations: a case study

This paper presents the findings of a case study dealing mainly with the effects of two divergent leadership styles on the productivity of a planning organization. Changes in various kinds of participation in the agency's activities--an important side effect--are also linked to the two leadership patterns. The agency studied, a private health and welfare council in a medium-sized American city, varied considerably in its output of planning activities and decision making depending on whether it had a participative or a directive leader. The results indicated that there was a trade-off between such highly revered social values as leadership and the extent of participation by staff, board members, and local agency administrators. Implications focus on ways to achieve diversity in communication style among managers and the role of productivity measures in determining the overall effectiveness of planning agencies.