Friday, October 10, 2008

LMX Theory

Pages 192-3 in the textbook talks about the LMX (Leader-Member eXchange) theory, and how the leader may interact with one member of a group more than the rest, causing an imbalance in the manner of interaction the leader has with the members of the group.

This may be the case when one member a group brings more value to the team compared to others. The manager may therefore spend more time with that member, and place greater emphasis on that member's opinions compared to others in the same group. Although this is the natural response of the manager, it may not brood well for a group where other team-members may feel resentment because only one among them gets specialized treatment.

1 comment:

cathyblog08 said...

I agree with your comment. When a team member brings more value to the team compared to other, that team member gets more attention from the manger. I think it is natural for the manager to give more attention to a person who shows higher commitment and dedication to the team. Also this person might "get away" with making more mistakes. I have observed this exact situation in my group. Also, this team member who definitely brings more value is not liked by the rest of the team. They do not trust him and always believe that he is plotting against them, a feeling that the manager does not share for sure.