Simour Oussama Electromechanical Engineering

Chapter 5: Situational Approach

Situational Approach(Hersey & Blanchard, 1969)

Leaders should match their style to the competence and commitment of
the subordinates

Directive dimension Supportive dimension

Leadership styles
The behavior pattern of a person who attempts to influence others

Directive (task) behaviors Supportive (relationship) behaviors

Help group members accomplish goals
with one-way communication by:
 Giving directions
 Establishing goals & showing how
to achieve them
 Methods of evaluation & time lines
 Defining roles
Help group members via two-way communication
in feeling comfortable about themselves, their
coworkers & situation.
 Asking for input
 Solving problems
 Praising, Listening.

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High Supportive and Low High Directive and High

Directive Behavior Supportive Behavior
SUPPORTING COACHING
S3 S2
Leadership styles
S4 S1
DELEGATING DIRECTING
Low Supportive and Low High Directive and Low
Directive Behavior Supportive Behavior

-Leader doesn't focus exclusively on -Leader focuses communication on

goals but uses supportive behaviors both: achieving goals & meeting
to bring out employees' skills in task subordinates'socioemotional needs.
accomplishing.
-Leader involvement by giving
-Leader gives subordinates control encouragement & soliciting
of day-to-day decisions but remains subordinate input.
available to facilitate problem
solving.
S3 S2
Description
S4
-Leader offers less task input and social S1
support, facilitating
employees'confidence and motivation in - Leader focuses communication on
reference to the task. goal achievement.
-Leader lessens involvement in -Leader spends a smaller amount of
planning, control of details & goal time using supportive behaviors.
clarification.
-Gives control to subordinates &
refrains from intervening with
unnecessary social support.

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How does the situational approach work?

Strengths Criticisms Application

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Practicality
Situational leadership is a
straightforward approach that
is easily understood and
applied in a variety of settings

Marketplace approval Prescriptive value

Situational leadership is
Situational leadership
perceived as providing a
clearly outlines what you
credible model for training
should and should not do in
employees to become
various settings
effective leaders

Strengths

Leader flexibility
Situational leadership
stresses that effective leaders
are those who can change
their style based on task
requirements and subordinate
needs.
Differential treatment
Situational leadership is based
on the premise that leaders
need to treat each subordinate
according to his/her unique
needs.

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Further research is required to

determine how commitment
and competence are
conceptualized for each
developmental level

Questionnaires are Conceptualization of

biased in favor of commitment itself and why
situational leadership it varies is very unclear.

Lack of an empirical
foundation raises
Criticisms
theoretical Replication studies fail
considerations regarding to support basic
the validity of the prescriptions of
approach situational leadership
model

Does not account for how

Fails to adequately address
the issue of one-to-one
versus group leadership in an
organizational setting
particular demographics
influence the leader-subordinate
prescriptions of the model.

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Often used in consulting

because it’s easy to
conceptualize and apply

Application
Breadth of situational
Straightforward nature approach facilitates its
makes it practical for applicability in virtually all
managers to apply types of organizations and
levels of management in
organizations