it serves to illustrate some fundamental principles of management techniques that are applicable not only to baseball teams, but to organizations as a whole. Specifically, the movie illustrates the art of team building, what makes a leader, how to give the proper training to team members, and how to work for a common goal. Finally, the movie shows that when each of these elements is brought together and forged into a team, there are tangible bottom-line results.
The issue of leadership is one that the movie demonstrates well. Transactional leadership suggests that leaders respond to lower level subordinate basic and security needs (Deluga & Souza, 1991, p. 50). Leaders and subordinates are viewed as bargaining agents where relative power regulates an exchange process as benefits are issued and received. There are two types of behavioral patterns used in transactional leadership: passive and active. The passive style is described as management by exception where employees do not receive notice for their positive contributions to the organization, but instead are paid attention by their manager only when an error or problem arises. Punishment or disciplinary action is often the medium used in this approach. Active transactional leadership uses contingent rewards. With this approach, employees are praised for their performance and may be eligible for pay increases or other incentives (Matey, 1991, p. 600).
Transformational leadership incorporates transactional leadership approaches, but moves beyond them. Here, the leader-subordinate influencing relationship is one where relative power is used to pursue organizational and personal goals. Three types of transformational leadership approaches have been identified: charisma/inspirational, individual stimulation and consideration for the individual (Matey, 1991, p. 601).
Under charisma/inspirational approaches, the leader demonstrates a high degree of popularity or celebr...