Modern Leadership: Examining Leaders from Health, Public Service, and Private Industry through the Lens of the Behavioral Approach

Jessica Jordon

Introduction

The behavioral approach to leadership offers a lens through which we can examine leadership effectiveness, by examining the behaviors they display in task and people-centered situations (Leadership, 84-85). Leaders are faced with complex challenges they must problem solve on multiple dimensions. The behavioral approach helps us qualify and quantify a leader’s effectiveness, based on the behaviors and actions they exhibit in the face of challenge.

For this teaching case, we will examine three well-known leaders from both the private and public spaces. These leaders have faced significant challenges that required them to balance the tasks of their jobs with empathy and communication:

• Dr. Anthony Fauci
• Stacey Abrams
• Sundar Pichai

Using The Leadership Grid,  and its five major leadership styles, we find a lens through which to compare and contrast each leader’s style through their behaviors. 

Leader Background

Dr. Anthony Fauci: Middle-of-the-Road Management

Task-Oriented Behaviors

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, became a key figure during the COVID-19 pandemic.1 He relied on scientific data to provide clear and consistent public health guidelines.2 As the pandemic evolved, Dr. Fauci adjusted recommendations, ensuring they were in line with emerging research on the virus. He led efforts to manage testing, vaccines, and treatment plans, coordinating with various governmental and health organizations to create a coherent strategy for tackling the crisis. Dr. Fauci’s leadership was heavily grounded in task-oriented behaviors.

Relationship-Oriented Behaviors

While Dr. Fauci’s leadership was task-driven, he also showed a deep sense of care for the public’s well-being. His communication, even when delivering difficult news about lockdowns or mask mandates, was delivered with empathy and an understanding of the fears people were experiencing.2 Throughout his career, Dr. Fauci has worked to make scientific information accessible to the public, helping to build trust in his leadership, despite political pressures and public frustration.3 In the face of public health crises, Dr. Fauci is quoted as balancing the “excellence of a disciplined of a disciplined physician-scientist with the compassion, bravery, and common decency…essential in helping a nation heal."3 Throughout his career Dr. Fauci has emphasized the importance of highest and common sense in overcoming the crisis, making people feel that their individual actions mattered in the collective fight against COVID-19.

Dr. Fauci’s role calls for frequent compromise - balancing concern for a task at hand with concern for people. His very public role during the COVID-19 pandemic frequently saw him soft-pedaling forward or backwards - depending on pressures from the Trump administration and pressures from the NIH - in an effort to avoid conflict and remain a trustworthy leader.

Stacey Abrams: Team Management

Task-Oriented Behaviors

Stacey Abrams’ leadership has been characterized by a strategic and organized approach to expanding voter access and fighting voter suppression.4 Her work founding Fair Fight Action focused on specific goals to address voter suppression, including registering underrepresented voters and challenging restrictive voting laws.4 Abrams used data-driven tactics to target areas with low voter turnout, ensuring that her efforts were efficient and impactful.4 Academically successful and active in politics since the 1990’s, Abrams was elevated to speechwriter for a congressional campaign while only 17 years old and still in high school, thanks to improvements she made to a campaign speech as a typist.4

Relationship-Oriented Behaviors

Complimenting her Task-Oriented behaviors, Stacey Abrams also displays significant Relationship-Oriented Behaviors. Abrams is deeply connected to the communities she serves in Georgia and committed to advocating for inclusivity in public service.4 She frequently displays people-oriented behaviors in her leadership which goes beyond logistical efforts to remain engaged in politics by actively engaging with people in her community, and voters of all ages.5 Working to foster trust in the democratic process, Abrams is a civil rights champion and activist, fiercely dedicated to political participation by all.5 Abrams’ people-oriented behavior is evident in how she builds coalitions across racial, socioeconomic, and political lines, creating an inclusive environment where everyone’s voice is heard.4 But while her leadership centers on advocacy, Abrams is also known for being openly critical and for directly, publicly, and legally challenging political leaders and opponents.4 

Sundar Pichai: Country-Club Management

Task-Oriented Behaviors

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google, is noted for his deep technical and business expertise.5 These come through in his Task-Oriented leadership style as a focus on innovation, and vision - and are right at home at revolutionary tech giant Google where he has led Google’s growth into new areas while maintaining the company’s core businesses.6 His clear strategic vision for Google includes setting ambitious goals and ensuring that teams have the resources and direction they need to succeed.5 Pichai’s vision and ability to adapt in the frenetic technology market have enabled Google to launch numerous successful products.6

Relationship-Oriented Behaviors

Pichai demonstrates Relationship-Oriented behaviors through his ability to unify Google’s global employee base through his vision and organizational goals while continually cultivating an  inclusive company culture where alternative views and opinions are encouraged.5 Pichai is a strong advocate for diversity and transparency at Google, ensuring that employee voices are heard, even when the company faces internal challenges fueled by its own culture of radical candor and ideological debate.7 Pichai people-oriented approach has helped Google navigate internal tensions, allowing him to lead the company through significant transitions while maintaining employee morale.6

Leadership Challenges and Approaches

Each of these leaders faced unique challenges that tested their ability to balance task- and relationship-oriented behaviors:

Dr. Fauci had to manage the logistical complexities of the COVID-19 response while addressing the emotional toll the pandemic took on the public. His challenge was to ensure compliance with public health guidelines while maintaining trust, even in the face of political opposition.

Stacey Abrams had to overcome significant political barriers in her political ambitions and her fight for voter rights, balancing the need for efficiency in registering voters with the emotional and community-building aspects of grassroots organizing.

Sundar Pichai faced external pressures of an uncontrollable market and internal pressures from the company culture he fosters. His challenge was to lead technological innovation while addressing employee concerns and maintaining the company’s commitment to ethical practices.

In each case, the leader’s ability to balance task-oriented actions with relationship-oriented leadership played a crucial role in their success. Dr. Fauci’s reliance on data and scientific rigor was matched by his empathy for a fearful public. Stacey Abrams’ strategic planning was balanced by her personal connection with the voters she sought to empower. Sundar Pichai’s vision for technological advancement was coupled with his inclusive leadership style, ensuring that his team remained motivated and engaged.

Discussion Questions

The Behavioral Approach to leadership emphasizes the importance of balancing tasks with relationships; it maintains that we don’t lose sight of the importance of human connection when pursuing organizational goals. When a leader is off-balance, or demonstrates a preference  toward one side of the other, teams - and leaders - may struggle to achieve the results they’re after. Keep that in mind as you weigh the following discussion questions:

1. Consider the five major leadership styles of The Leadership Grid, and the three examples given here. Do you believe each leader has been assigned correctly? Why or why not?
   
2. How did each leader balance their task-oriented and people-oriented behaviors? Can you think of any moments when they had to prioritize one over the other?
   
3. One of the criticisms of the Behavior Approach includes the weight of context, especially how cross-functional teams may have unique needs that challenge a particular leadership style. How might these leaders adjust their leadership styles to different contexts or challenges?

4. Another criticism of the Behavior Approach is the implication that the most effective leadership demonstrates a high-task and high-relationship style. Do you believe that is true? Can you think of some situations where a high-high style may be an impediment?

References

1. Dr. Fauci’s Official Bio on NIAID’s website via National Institute of Health
2. Dr. Fauci, Wikipedia
3. Gold Foundation medals to be awarded to 3 titans of humanism in healthcare
4. Stacey Abrams, Wikipedia
5. Sundar Pichai: CEO of Alphabet and Google
6. Sunar Pichai, Wikipedia
7. Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber aka “The Google Memo”

Author Bio

Jessica Jordon is a communications professional with over a decade of experience supporting senior leaders in the financial sector. She specializes in strategic communications: integrated messaging, executive communications consulting, speechwriting, and leadership presence. Currently pursuing a master's degree in public policy from the University of Northern Iowa, Jessica is bringing a level up to integrated communications plans by combining her professional and educational experiences.

License

This case study is licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.