Leadership and Stratagic Management: Situational Leadership Approach

What is Situational Leadership?

Situational leadership is an approach to leadership which suggests that different leadership approaches are needed in different contexts and at different times. Developed by Hersey and Blanchard in 1969, this theory argues that multiple leadership styles working in concert are more effective than any one leadership style alone. This is a flexible model of leadership that makes room for changing approaches to match employee development level. It allows a leader to switch between directive and supportive behavior, as well as merge the two to empower individuals and teams to perform and grow personally and in business.(Anne Kinsey.,November 05,2018)

Important Situational Factors

Leaders need to consider the relationship between the leaders and the members of the group. Social and interpersonal factors can play a role in determining which approach is best. For example, a group that lacks efficiency and productivity might benefit from a style that emphasizes order, rules, and clearly defined roles. A productive group of highly skilled workers, on the other hand, might benefit from a more democratic style that allows group members to work independently and have input in organizational decisions.

The leader needs to consider the task itself. Tasks can range from simple to complex, but the leader needs to have a clear idea of exactly what the task entails in order to determine if it has been successfully and competently accomplished.

The level of authority the leader has over group members should also be considered. Some leaders have power conferred by the position itself, such as the capacity to fire, hire, reward, or reprimand subordinates. Other leaders gain power through their relationships with employees, often by gaining respect from them, offering support to them, and helping them feel included in decision making process.

As the Hersey-Blanchard model suggests, leaders need to consider the level of maturity of each individual group member. The maturity level is a measure of an individual's ability to complete a task, as well as his or her willingness to complete the task. Assigning a job to a member who is willing but lacks the ability is a recipe for failure.(Kendra Cherry.,September 29,2019)

CONCLUSION

The situational approach to leadership also avoids the pitfalls of the single-style approach by recognizing that there are many different ways of dealing with a problem and that leaders need to be able to assess a situation and the maturity levels of subordinates in order to determine what approach will be the most effective at any given moment.