The Leadership Grid Explained: Five Styles Every Leader Should Know

The Leadership Grid—originally known as the Managerial Grid—is a foundational model of leadership developed in the 1960s by Robert R. Blake and Jane S. Mouton. It evaluates leadership style along two dimensions:

• Concern for Production (horizontal axis): The degree of focus on tasks, results, and performance.

• Concern for People (vertical axis): The degree of focus on team members’ needs, relationships, and support.

Each axis is rated on a scale of 1–9, producing a grid that highlights five primary leadership styles:

1. Impoverished (1,1): Low concern for both people and production. Minimal effort; often ineffective.

2. Country Club (1,9): High concern for people, low concern for production. Creates a friendly environment but may sacrifice results.

3. Produce or Perish (9,1): High concern for production, low concern for people. Results-driven but risks low morale and burnout.

4. Middle of the Road (5,5): Moderate concern for both people and production. Seeks balance but may achieve only average outcomes.

5. Team Leadership (9,9): High concern for both people and production. Encourages collaboration and commitment; often considered the most effective style.

How the Leadership Grid Works

To use the grid, leaders rate their concern for team members and their concern for results. These ratings are plotted on the X–Y grid.

For example:

• A score of (9,1) means the manager is very results-oriented but cares little about people.

• A score of (1,9) means they’re very people-oriented but less focused on results.

By identifying their point on the grid, leaders can reflect on where they stand and how their approach affects their team.

The model reveals that overemphasizing one axis usually hurts performance—a sole focus on production can erode morale, while an exclusive focus on people can sacrifice productivity. The goal is to find an optimal mix.

The Five Leadership Styles

1. Impoverished Management (1,1)
Low concern for production and people. This style is passive and detached. Leaders avoid conflict and do the bare minimum, resulting in disorganization and disengaged teams.

2. Authority-Compliance / Produce-or-Perish (9,1)
High concern for production, low concern for people. Leaders push hard for results with strict rules and little regard for morale. While effective short-term, it often causes burnout and turnover.

3. Country Club Management (1,9)
High concern for people, low concern for production. Managers prioritize comfort and relationships over results. The environment is pleasant, but productivity often suffers.

4. Middle-of-the-Road Management (5,5)
Moderate concern for both production and people. This compromise keeps teams somewhat satisfied but rarely produces exceptional performance.

5. Team Leadership (9,9)
High concern for both production and people. Leaders are balanced, supportive, and goal-oriented. They foster trust and participation while achieving strong results—Blake and Mouton’s ideal style.

Benefits and Limitations of the Grid

Benefits:

• Improves self-awareness and reflection.

• Identifies strengths and development areas.

• Encourages balance between performance and people.

• Boosts engagement and motivation when applied effectively.

Limitations:

• Relies on self-assessment, which can be subjective.

• Doesn’t account for context—different situations may demand different styles.

The grid works best when paired with tools like 360° feedback and used as a flexible framework, not a rigid formula.

Applying the Leadership Grid in Practice

1. List recent leadership experiences. Identify key projects or challenges.

2. Rate your approach. Ask: Did I meet goals? Was my team motivated?

3. Identify gaps. Compare your style to the (9,9) ideal.

4. Adapt consciously. Adjust your focus depending on context and team needs.

By repeating this reflection process, leaders move closer to the balanced, high-performing (9,9) Team Leadership style.

Emotional Intelligence and the Leadership Grid

Modern leadership success depends heavily on Emotional Intelligence (EI). EI helps leaders adapt their focus between people and performance.

Key EI practices include:

• Developing self-awareness: Recognize emotional triggers.

• Practicing empathy: Listen and understand perspectives.

• Building trust and rapport: Invest in relationships.

• Fostering positivity: Celebrate wins and recognize effort.

Combining EI with the Leadership Grid allows for greater flexibility and resilience as a leader.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and the Grid

The grid also supports inclusive leadership. Balancing results with people focus naturally aligns with DEI goals.

Practical applications:

• Reflect on potential bias—does low concern for people exclude certain voices?

• Set DEI-focused goals and metrics.

• Seek diverse perspectives when making decisions.

• Create belonging by ensuring all team members feel valued.

Real-World Examples

• General Electric: Used the Leadership Grid at Crotonville to help managers balance results and people in their leadership development programs.

• Southwest Airlines: Demonstrates a (9,9) balance—delivering operational excellence while maintaining a strong people-first culture.

• U.S. Military: Teaches leaders that mission success (production) must always align with care for troops (people).

These examples illustrate that the most successful leaders balance both axes—achieving sustainable performance through engagement and trust.

Launch 360: Enhancing Leadership Through Assessment

At Launch 360, we extend the Leadership Grid’s principles through our 360° Leadership Assessment. This tool gives leaders comprehensive feedback from peers, managers, and direct reports—revealing whether they lean more toward people or production.

Because the system is cloud-based and easy to deploy, organizations gain actionable insights quickly. Reports guide leaders toward a balanced (9,9) style with personalized development plans.

Conclusion

The Blake–Mouton Leadership Grid remains one of the most practical and enduring models for understanding leadership behavior. By mapping concern for people against concern for production, it helps leaders see where they stand and how to grow.

When combined with emotional intelligence and 360° feedback, the Leadership Grid becomes more than a model—it’s a roadmap for stronger leadership, higher engagement, and long-term success.