Leadership Theory of Situational Approach - Research Paper Example

How Situational Approach can be used in organization. Situational Leadership approach was created by Professor and Dr. Paul Hersey and Author Ken Blanchard in 1969. It is defined as business leadership theory that promotes the benefit of combining a range of managerial styles to cater for different people within the same organization. Unlike, the traditional view of executive manager who employs the same leadership tactics across the entire organization, more than likely passing directives down through subordinates and other intermediaries ( Hersey and Blanchard,1969).

Situational leadership Approach employs strategies that gives the manager the capabilities to deal with a wide range of people hence creating a more employee centric and innovative organization through the level of direct contact that the manager has with the employees at all levels. Situational Leaders adjusts their leadership style according to the behavior and level of their employees. The different leadership styles used by different leaders include: Directive, Coaching, Participating and Delegating (Fielder, 1967)Directive or Telling leadership approach is a leadership style where the leader instructs subordinates on what to do and how to do it.

It focuses on goal achievement and less support. It is used mainly within the law enforcement, manufacturing assembly lines and Military. It provides a means of managing diverse group of people that span a wide range of experience and maturity levels. Coaching or selling is another leadership style where the manager provides information and direction. This form of leadership focuses on goal achievement and is supportive that is it gives instructions on how goals are achieved and supervises it.

It is mostly used in an internship situation.Participating leadership on the other hand is a leadership style where leaders focus more on relationships than direction. In this style of leadership, the manager works closely with the team and shares decision making responsibilities. It is characterized by listening, praising, asking for input and giving back hence highly supportive and low directive (Hersey and Blanchard, 1977). It is used mainly by corporate leaders in an attempt to influence the board of directors towards developing a new policy.

Delegating is also another leadership style where the manager is usually less involved with decisions, he or she tells the subordinates what need to be achieved and therefore he or she is able to focus on the work and achievements of subordinates. This style is applied mostly to university professors who are given freedom to lecture in the way they see is more effective to them. Situational leadership approach is widely used in Training and development of leaders because it is flexible and easy to apply (Hersey and Blanchard, 1977).

The nature of its straight forwardness makes it practical for managers to use. In summary Situational Leadership approach is effective because it is practical, prescriptive, flexible to use and easy to apply. However, it is also perceived to be coercive and manipulative to those employees who view the model as bogus means of communication hence the leader losses trustworthiness and credibility with the employees (Blake, 1964).References listHersey, P and Blanchard, K.H. (1977). Management of Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources, 3rd Ed.

New Jersey: Prentice.Fielder, F.E. (1967). A theory of Leadership Effectiveness. McGraw- HillHersey, P. and Blanchard, K.H (1969). Life cycle Theory of Leadership. Training and Development Journal, 23(5), 26-34.Blake, R. and Mounton,J. (1964). The Managerial grid: the key to Leadership Excellence. Houston: Gulf Publishing Co.