The ability to adapt oneself in the workplace is a critically important factor in business success. Most business managers treat situational leadership as one of the most effective models to manage a team of employees, regardless of the size of the organisation.
Situational leadership empowers managers to adjust their approach to suit specific circumstances, depending on both the issue at hand and the employees’ perspective. The theory not only stands out in its practical applicability but also it emphasises the flexibility and the maturity of the leader.
Developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard in 1969, this theory of leadership style stresses that no single leadership style is effective in all situations. It highlights the importance of adaptability and empathy at the workplace. With this style, leaders have a better opportunity of adjusting to the different levels of intelligence and skills in their approaches to engage employees in complex environments. This methodology features the relationship between leaders and followers to enhance individual or team performances.
Situational leadership
Situational leadership recognises that varied situations demand distinctive solutions. Hence, the methodology requires leaders to assess their follower’s competence, experience and commitment and adjust their styles accordingly. Consequently, an effective leader under this model is someone who can skillfully guide subordinates, adapting to the evolving needs of their team members.
Adaptability is a key principle and the foundation in situational leadership. Leaders who deploy this style are proficient in changing their management approach in response to the evolving landscape of their business and the individual needs of their employees. The flexibility generated through this adaptability of the leaders makes them become task-oriented and that can be adjusted to the specific goals of the organisation.
Flexibility of the leader towards both the task and the workforce is an important factor in situational leadership. It ensures that the leader can adjust the style to align with the performance levels of employees. Flexibility also is more fitting to each circumstance. It rejects the idea that a single leadership approach can be equally effective across all situations, instead advocating for a spectrum of strategies that can be deployed as necessary.
Effective application of situational leadership enables managers to determine the most suitable mix of direction that can help them excel in performance. On the one hand this empowers employees and maximises the individual and team productivity and efficiency within the organisation. Moreover, the shifting of directive and supportive roles aligns employees with the objectives, fostering success.
Healthy communication between leaders and the team members is an absolute necessity to establish trust. When employees believe that their voices are heard, they are more likely to share ideas. This keeps employees engaged and motivated, transforming the workplace to foster a culture of mutual respect and collaboration.
In this context, active listening is an integral tool of situational leadership. By listening to employees empathetically, leaders create engaging, concentrating, and responding team members. Leaders can create an inclusive and supportive working environment through active listening.
Open dialogue
The atmosphere that cultivates open dialogue means that employees feel comfortable sharing their views, contributing to more collaborative decision-making processes. By constantly and consistently engaging in active listening, leaders can measure when to offer guidance, when to provide support and when to step back and delegate.
Maturity in a workplace is freely defined as types of behaviour and attitudes that demonstrate respect, responsibility, and reliability.In situational leadership, understanding the maturity levels of the team, individually and collectively, is necessary to determine the most effective approach in each situation.
The concept of maturity refers to the follower’s distinctive competencies, including their skills, experience, and mindsets. By studying the individual maturity levels, the leader can classify the workforce within different maturity levels for different tasks.
There are four key principles in this model. ‘Telling’ (directing), ‘selling’ (supportive behaviour), ‘participating’, and delegation are the four primary styles of this model. Telling is described as a high level of task direction where the leader chiefly directs employees providing specific instructions and supervising the activities assigned.
Typically, this style is most suited for a team with low maturity. This type of employee has a mediocre knowledge of the task assigned and needs guidance and directives.
‘Selling style’ is where the leader maintains task direction but pairs it with interactive communication to persuade followers. Individuals with moderate maturity respond to this style the best where they are enthusiastic and willing but need guidance.
In the Selling style, leaders focus on ‘selling’ their decisions and actions to team members to foster understanding and motivation. Unlike the telling style, this approach relies on a two-way communication that promotes an enhanced level of collaboration, allowing leaders to guide teams through interactive efforts rather than outright direction. ‘Participating’ style means a reduced level of direction by the leader that augments better leader-follower relationships.
This is ideal for employees with a high level of knowledge and skills regarding the task. Leaders, who apply the participating style, promote inclusion, shared decision-making and create a democratic work environment. The leader acts as a facilitator rather than an instructor, fostering a supportive and inclusive atmosphere where team members’ contributions are encouraged and valued.
Delegation style
Finally, the delegation style which is best suited for high-maturity level employees who can be given responsibilities with minimal direction and guidance. These individuals, who can work independently, demonstrate ability and confidence. In this style, the leader’s involvement is moderate and is more about monitoring from a distance rather than guiding the entire process.
While the situational leadership theory offers an effective and flexible approach, like any other theory, it also is not without hindrances influenced predominantly by situational variables.
As a high level of agility and alertness exists in functionality, the burden for managers can be highly stressful. This agility also directly influences the decision-making process, and poor judgements can have adverse effects affecting the overall team performance.
Danger to unity of team
Diverse work environments and individual behavioural patterns of employees can be a challenge to a leader in some situations. The application of some of the styles may not be agreeable to a part of the team and posing a danger to the unity of the team.
The model’s strong focus on instant, task-related problems can overshadow an organisation’s long-term objectives. This emphasis on the short-term could lead to frustration among some of the team members more interested in long-lasting outcomes.
Also, the situational leadership approach primarily focuses on short-term solutions and may impulsively neglect the essentials of long-term planning. Consequently, leaders tend to fail to consider the broader vision, aiming instead for quick fixes rather than longlisting solutions.
The future of business demands leaders who can sail through unprecedented challenges, utilise technological advancements, and nurture a motivated workforce. This theory provides a practical and adaptable framework to meet these demands.
By tailoring leadership styles, leaders can address technological disruptions, manage diverse workforces, and enhance employee engagement. The application offers many benefits such as flexibility, strong relationships, stability and sustainability, and overweighs the challenges, Making it an important tool in business success.
