Tough-Controlling Leadership
Managers who primarily use this approach are stringent on safety to control losses.
Managers adopting this leadership style maintain high standards for behavior and performance. They control every aspect of work to ensure compliance. Often, these managers may not place a great deal of trust in their employees, feeling the need to exert control over them.
This leadership approach is most commonly seen in the "traditional" management model. However, as employers develop a deeper understanding, their attitudes and strategies evolve to better meet their legal and financial obligations. They become adept at designing safety systems that successfully reduce injuries and illnesses, which in turn lower production costs. In a tough-controlling environment, stringent oversight is essential to meet numerical targets. Communication typically flows from the top down, with information wielded as a means of control. Often, a safety "director" is appointed, but their role aligns more with that of a safety enforcer or "cop" rather than a consultant. This safety "cop" focuses on enforcement and control, whereas a safety consultant emphasizes education, analysis, and crafting solutions.
While tough-controlling leaders do move past using punishment threats as their main strategy to influence behavior, they still, to a degree, depend on negative reinforcement and punishment. They might also employ positive reinforcement as a strategy for control. It's worth noting that tough-controlling leadership styles might or might not create a culture based on fear.
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1-6. In which leadership approach is the safety manager more likely to take on the role of a cop rather than a consultant?
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