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Situational approach to leadership
Strengths and weaknesses of situational approach
Situational approach to leadership
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According to Northouse (2013), “Situational leadership stresses that leadership is composed of both a directive and supportive dimension, and that each has to be applied appropriately in a given situation” (p. 99). There are four different leadership styles: directing (S1), coaching approach (S2), supporting approach (S3), delegating approach (S4). The other major part of the situational leadership is the development levels of subordinates (Northouse, 2013). The levels range from D1 through D4, the lowest development to the high development. An effective leader discovers how to adapts ones leadership style to match the subordinate’s development level.
Leadership Skills
The leadership skills involve directive behaviors and supportive behaviors. Directive behaviors are specific; the leader provides the staff with
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The point of the instrument is to help all leaders identify the development level their employees are on then conform themselves to adapt accordingly. Skills and motivation from employees change all the time, therefore it is important for the leader to be able to tweak their leadership styles based on the situation.
Strengths and Weaknesses
One of the strengths of the situational approach is that is has been used to train leaders in fortune 500 companies. Another strength is the approach is practical and easy to understand. It can also be used It many different settings, such as school, home and work. The situational approach is very specific and allows a leader to identify what leadership style they should be applying to their staff.
The weaknesses identified that the situational approach lacks strong research results. There are not a lot of facts that can be found about it. The situational approach also does no identify how to utilize the style on a group of people; it only talks about dealing with an individual.
Leadership
In the context of the Situational model leadership theory, there are three identifiable weaknesses in my leadership practice. These weaknesses represent shortcomings in my role as a leader and might prevent my team from fully executing the organization’s mission. The three weaknesses are:
According to Fiedler (cited in Bolden, Gosling, Marturano & Dennison, 2003)., there is no single characteristic or trait that will create a successful leadership style. Rather, he argues that situations actually shape a general leadership style of a manager. Bolden, Gosling, Marturano and Dennison (2003) have observed that within an environment with repetitive tasks, the most effective leadership style might be a directive one, while a participative leadership style might be required in a dynamic environment. Being an effective leader means to control important specific situations. Taking into account these situations, Fiedler presented three situational components that are considered essential for an effective leadership: leader-member relations, task-structure and position power.
Assessment tools can be a good start for individuals to assess their leadership characteristics and skills, such as Grossman and Valiga’s Leadership Characteristcs and Skills Assessment (Grossman and Valiga, 2013). These tools may be helpful but its accuracy is questionable. The assessment can overestimate or underestimate an individual’s skills since it is a self-subjective administered assessment that is biased towards the taker. An overconfident person may perceive their skills highly and an under confident person may have low results.
Situational leadership is a theory which was designed in 1969 by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard. The “contingency theories of leadership” states that a leader’s effectiveness is dependent on their behaviours in relation to different situational factors. Thus, situational leadership theory, relates to how a leader 's effectiveness is depend on their ability to adjust their leadership behaviour to the required level of the “followers” capability or if the situation is modified.
The situational leadership theory states that leaders use different styles and strategies depending on the situation. There are two models that support this theory. The Fiedler’s Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness states that an “effective leadership occurs only when there is an ideal match between the leader’s style and the group’s work situation” (pg
Hersey, P. & Blanchard, K. (n.d.) Situational Leadership. In Wren, J.T. (Ed.). (1995). The Leader’s Companion (pp. 207-211). New York: Simon & Schuster.
Leaders are actively on targeting goals and objectives for the people who work for them. In management, many goals are established by staffs and carried out by the managers themselves. Leaders will act to develop in more creative ways solve the problems; keep on going and with new missions. Managers will continue to do whatever is necessary work to accomplish the tasks and usually to get the job done without taking on too much risk or moving forward. The leader's instinct is to take risks instead and to challenge that task holding back by people and think of new ideas within an organization. Leaders more concerned on relationship between staffs, they promote the good staff, help them to develop, and move forward. Managers assign people, focus on personnel issues; and focus on how the job task get done, how they solve it, and how are they finished. (Rashid A., A., 2007).
The four quadrants of Situational Leadership correspond to the four phases of Mentorship (Hersey, 1985; Carder, et al, 1996; Hitchcock, et al, 1995; Carey and Weissman, 2010). Quadrant 1, in which the follower has no skill and the leader provides high instruction and support (Carder, et al, 1996), corresponds to Phase 1, in which the mentoring relationship is initiated (Carey and Weissman, 2010). Quadrant 2, in which the follower has limited skill and the leader acts as a teacher (Carder, et al, 1996), corresponds to Phase 2, in which the mentee becomes the mentor’s protégé (Carey and Weissman, 2010). Quadrant 3, in which the follower has advanced skills and the leader acts as a consultant (Carder, et al, 1996), corresponds to Phase 3, in which the mentor releases the mentee (Carey and Weissman, 2010). Quadrant 4, in which the follower can be trusted to act independently (Carder, et al, 1996), corresponds to Phase 4, in which the mentee and mentor enjoy a lasting friendship (Carey and Weissman,
A situational leader is the one who will use a different leadership style according to the need and specific situation at the moments.
Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory (SLT) asserts that a leader’s effectiveness is dependent upon the readiness, or ability and willingness, of the leader’s followers to complete a task. This leadership style is an amalgamation of task-oriented and relationship-oriented characteristics that are employed depending upon the situation and the followers involved. According to the SLT, as followers increase in readiness the leader’s style is to adapt accordingly (Kinicki & Kreitner, 2009).
Leadership is about organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal (Prieto, 2012). Written below examples of effective communication, team working, delegation, management, planning and organisational skills I have utilized in my placement area:
Those who take this approach assess the current situation by identifying its major factors, then focus and act on those aspects of the situation (McNamara). In his book, “Leadership Management: Achieving Breakthroughs,” K. Barman writes that by adopting the Contingency theory, the manager believes that there is no correct or best way of leading; what works in one situation may not necessarily work in another. Due to this assumption, one can say that contingency theory is similar to situational theory; there is no single, simple, or exact way to handle all situations, and effective management depends on the situation (50). Contingency theory is different from situational theory, however. He writes,
The contemporary era is the time with constant changes and new demands. In view of this point, we can't put unitary leadership into real work. Accordingly, the term of "contingency leadership theory" (also namely "situational leadership") is given rise to by those situational factors. This theory notes that managers can vary their styles to suit different circumstances.
Leadership skills: Is capable of thinking strategically. Can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately. Puts the team before the individual’s welfare. Coaches and develops employees. Is confident with his/her decision making and vision. Leads by
The Situational Theories of leadership explain how leadership style must be tailored to the demands of the task and the qualities of subordinates.