Situational leadership theory

Situational leadership theory is one of the contingency theories of leadership, holding that the most effective style of leadership depends on the specifics of the given situation. Under this framework, a successful leader must analyze many factors, including the motivation and ability of followers.

Background

Dr. Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard developed the Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory during the 1970s. They maintained that successful leaders must tailor their approach to the maturity of the followers and the situation, or details and environment, of the assignment. To achieve the organization's goals, leaders must evaluate the specifics of the work involved and the emotional or relational support the followers seem to require.

Overview

Leadership style involves directive behavior (an order) and supportive behavior (guidance or support). The amount of direction a leader provides such as planning, responsibilities, and skills is referred to as the task behavior. Relationship behavior refers to the amount of support (collaborative, emotional, social, etc.) the leader provides.

According to Hersey and Blanchard, the four main leadership styles are as follows:

• Telling or Directing (S1): The leader specifies what to do and how to do it, placing very little emphasis on relationship behavior. This style may be described as micromanaging, though in the proper context it is not undesirable.
• Selling or Coaching (S2): The leader motivates the workers by selling them on the idea or setting the goal; the focus is on both task and relationship behaviors. The leader offers praise for accomplishments to build workers' confidence.
• Participating or Supporting (S3): The leader works with followers on an equal footing and shares responsibility for making decisions; this style places a greater focus on relationship behavior than on task behavior. The leader provides feedback and praise as tasks are completed.
• Delegating (S4): The leader monitors progress but places the responsibility of accomplishing the task and making tactical decisions on the followers; little task or relationship behavior is necessary. Highly confident leaders may have no ongoing contact with the team, while others may expect progress reports.

The first two styles—S1 and S2—are focused on completion, while S3 and S4 are focused on increasing followers' capacity for independence. Follower readiness refers to followers' ability to comply with requests they have been given, and follower development describes the followers' ability to self-manage within the situation.

An effective leader must learn to assess the maturity of the team and tailor the leadership approach. Hersey and Blanchard established the job maturity (ability to perform the task) and psychological maturity (motivational state and confidence) of followers at four levels:

• M1: These followers have the lowest level of maturity; they lack commitment and confidence, as well as knowledge and skill, all of which are needed to work independently. They often must be encouraged to get started.
• M2: These followers may be motivated but lack skills to succeed in the task.
• M3: These followers lack confidence or motivation but have many of the skills needed.
• M4: These followers are confident, motivated, and strongly skilled; they may best be described as ready, willing, and able.

The Hersey-Blanchard model aligns leadership styles and followers' maturity levels: S1 is most appropriate for M1; S2 is best suited for M2; and so on. M1 and M2 workers require a leader to provide task behavior—detailed instructions and information; relationship behavior is best suited for leading M3 and M4 followers.

The four core leadership competencies are diagnose, adapt, communicate, and advance. By appropriately matching one's leadership style to the maturity of followers, a leader should be able to foster growth in followers, strengthen working relationships, and successfully manage their team. Failing to identify and use the correct leadership style, however, could result in frustration and failure. For example, workers who understand how to complete tasks are likely to be offended if a leader insists on spelling out each step and deciding the schedule for completing tasks. At the other extreme is a leader whose followers are inexperienced and need a detailed breakdown of duties and procedures but are left to figure out such things for themselves. The leader in such a situation not only risks looking bad if their foundering team does not complete the project but also is in danger of losing employees who feel unsupported and demoralized.

Leaders must regularly reassess their situational leadership styles. Over the course of a single project, a leader might cycle through several or even all four leadership relationships. For example, a leader might assemble an inexperienced team to work on a new project. Because team members are unfamiliar with this project, they initially may need a great deal of instruction on what must be done to complete the task. The leader must get the group off the ground, so at first the emphasis is on directing: explaining the tasks and establishing a work schedule. As the team becomes familiar with the requirements of the project, the leader takes on a coaching role, offering praise and continuing to motivate the group. The leader gradually transitions to a supporting role, in which the increasingly skilled workers help to make decisions about how the team should progress. In time, the leader is able to delegate most responsibility for the project to the team, which has achieved a high skill level and is able to make many decisions about how to complete the task.

Goleman Theory of Situational Leadership

Daniel Goleman, who developed the concept of emotional intelligence, took situational leadership theory a step further and defined six types of leaders that tend to arise from the application of situational leadership theory. His six situational leaders are as follows:

• Coaching leader: a leader who looks not only to guide, but to help employees develop their skills.
• Pacesetting leader: a leader who sets high expectations and goals for their employees.
• Democratic leader: a leader that puts decisions to employees as a group and looks to their group for ideas and feedback.
• Authoritative leader: a leader who is an analytical problem-solver.
• Affiliative leader: a leader who puts their employees above all else.
• Coercive leader: a leader who is very commanding and gives explicit and sometimes strict instruction.

Limitations and Critiques

Although generally popular and influential, the situational leadership theory has attracted some controversy and criticism. Observers have suggested numerous ways in which the concept could prove limited in practice. For example, a leader might be prevented from adopting a certain leadership style due to requirements or expectations within their organization's structure, including deference to higher authorities. The model itself also might not fit certain organizational cultures or sectors. Some critics have pointed out that the theory can place too much emphasis on individual leaders or on the details of relationships and specific tasks, which may in turn compromise the organization's overarching goals.

Bibliography

Anthony, Leigh. "Define Situational Leadership." Houston Chronicle, 12 Feb. 2019, smallbusiness.chron.com/define-situational-leadership-2976.html. Accessed 17 July 2024.

Cherry, Kendra. "Situational Leadership Theory." Verywell Mind, 10 Mar. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-situational-theory-of-leadership-2795321. Accessed 17 July 2024.

"Situational Leadership." The Center for Leadership Studies, situational.com/the-cls-difference/situational-leadership-what-we-do/. Accessed 17 July 2024.

"Situational Leadership (Hersey-Blanchard) Model: How It Works." Investopedia, 27 Feb. 2024, www.investopedia.com/terms/h/hersey-and-blanchard-model.asp. Accessed 17 July 2024.

"What Is Situational Leadership?" Western Governors University, 21 Oct. 2020, www.wgu.edu/blog/what-situational-leadership2010.html. Accessed 17 July 2024.