engleski

Police managers’ leadership styles – task-oriented or people-oriented leadership?

Abstract The purpose of management is to achieve organizational goals optimally. That is primarily realized through adequate interaction between managers (leaders) and executors (followers). Leadership and following depend on several factors, pri- marily on managers’ and executors’ qualities, manner of internal communication within the organization, but most certainly on leadership styles used by managers (leaders). Regarding the latter, empirical research was conducted to determine police officers’ perceptions of police managers’ leadership styles. The research in- strument used was the Leadership Self- Assessment Questionnaire (R. Blake and J. Mouton). This instrument measured two dimensions of leadership – task orientation and people orientation. Research results were presented in a ma- trix – managerial grid. The grid consists of four quadrants, each representing one of the typical leadership styles. On this occasion, the above-mentioned ques- tionnaire was used oppositely, i.e., it did not examine police managers’ percep- tions and self- assessment, but police officers (followers) were questioned about the police managers’ leadership styles. The questionnaire aimed to get a bigger picture of the police managers’ leadership styles, not the leadership style of a specific (in- dividual) manager. Respondents were police officers – students of the special- ist graduate professional study program of Criminal Investigation at the Police College in Zagreb. 54 respondents participated in the questionnaire. Research results showed that there is a perception of the prevailing presence of an indolent (reduced) leadership style of police managers (Impoverished Leader), character- ized by their relatively low concern for both people and tasks. The level of rep- resentation of other leadership styles from the managerial grid (Authoritarian Leader, Country Club Leader, and Team Leader) in respondents’ perceptions is insignificant. Improving the leadership capacities of managers in the police is of great importance. It can be achieved, primarily, through processes of selection and education of police managers. This research is specific (inverse) and limited in character, but its results may be a relevant basis for conducting further research on leadership and management issues in the police.

police managers ; leadership styles ; managerial grid ; police officers’ perception

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