Teaching guide: Tannenbaum Schmidt continuum

A model that highlights the range of different management styles that may be adopted ranging from a 'tell' approach to one that involves delegation.

Use this teaching guide in the classroom to engage your students, contextualise the model/theory in real-world business and prepare them for the exam.

Model/theory

Key points

The model highlights that there are a range of styles rather than categorising management and leadership simply in terms of either authoritarian and democratic. It shows that there is a continuum.

Where it's been used

Q12, A-level paper 1, 2017

When you can use this

When discussing the influences on and impact of different management and leadership styles you might want to consider:

• the advantages and disadvantages of each approach
• the factors that determine what style is adopted by a manager/leader
• when a given style might be appropriate e.g. you might consider how different styles might be appropriate in different situations or when making different types of change.