Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Leadership

Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Northouse, 4th edition

Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Overview

 Situational Approach Perspective

 Leadership Styles
 Developmental Levels
 How Does the Situational Approach Work?
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Situational Approach Description

(Hersey & Blanchard, 1969)
“Leaders match their style to the competence and
commitment of subordinates”
Perspective
Focuses on leadership in situations
Emphasizes adapting style - different
situations demand different kinds of
leadership
Used extensively in organizational
leadership training and development
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Situational Approach Description,

cont’d (Hersey & Blanchard, 1969)

Definition
Comprised of both a Directive
dimension & Supportive
dimension:
– Each dimension must be applied
appropriately in a given situation
– Leaders evaluate employees to assess
their competence and commitment to
perform a given task
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Leadership Styles
Definition

Leadership style - the behavior pattern

of an individual who attempts to
influence others
It includes both:
– Directive (task) behaviors
– Supportive (relationship) behaviors
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Leadership Styles, cont’d.

Dimension Definitions

Directive behaviors - Help group

members in goal achievement via
one-way communication through:
– Giving directions
– Establishing goals & how to achieve them
– Methods of evaluation & time lines
– Defining roles
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Leadership Styles, cont’d.

Dimension Definitions

Supportive behaviors - Assist group

members via two-way
communication in feeling
comfortable with themselves, co-
workers, and situation
– Asking for input
– Problem solving
– Praising; listening
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

S1 - Directing Style

Leader focuses
S1 communication on goal
achievement
Spends LESS time using
High Directive
Low Supportive
supportive behaviors
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

S2 - Coaching Style
 Leader focuses
communication on BOTH
S2 goal achievement and
supporting subordinates’
High Directive socioemotional needs
High Supportive  Requires leader involvement
through encouragement and
soliciting subordinate input
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

S3 - Supporting Style
 Leader does NOT focus
solely on goals; rather the
S3 leader uses supportive
behaviors to bring out
employee skills in
High Supportive
Low Directive accomplishing the task
 Leader delegates day-to-day
decision-making control, but
is available to facilitate
problem solving
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

S4 - Delegating Style
 Leader offers LESS task
input and social support;
S4 facilitates subordinates’
confidence and motivation
in relation to the task
Low Supportive  Leader lessens
Low Directive involvement in planning,
control of details, and goal
clarification
 Gives subordinates control
and refrains from
intervention and unneeded
social support
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Development Levels
Definition Dimension Definitions
 The degree to which Low Competence
D1
subordinates have High Commitment
the competence and Some Competence
commitment D2
Low Commitment
necessary to Mod-High Competence
accomplish a given D3
Low Commitment
task or activity
High Competence
D4
High Commitment
High Moderate Low
D4 D3 D2 D1
Developed Developing
Developmental Level Of Followers
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

How Does the

Situational Approach
Work?

 Focus of Situational Approach

 Strengths
 Criticisms
 Application
 Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Situational Approach
Focus
 Centered on the idea
subordinates vacillate along “The Situational
the developmental continuum approach
of competence and
commitment requires leaders
 Leader effectiveness to demonstrate
depends on - a strong degree
– assessing subordinate’s of flexibility.”
developmental position, and
– adapting his/her leadership
style to match subordinate
developmental level
 Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

How Does The Situational Approach Work?

Using the SLII model –
• In any given situation the Leader has 2 tasks:

1st Task 2nd Task

Diagnose the Situation Adapt their Style
 Identify the developmental  To prescribed Leadership
level of employee style in the SLII model
• Ask questions like: • Leadership style must
-What is the task correspond to the
subordinates are being employees
asked to perform? development level

- How complicated is it?

-What is their skill set?
- Do they have the desire
to complete the job?
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

How Does The Situational Approach Work?

Employees Leaders
Developmental level Leadership style

D1 Low Competence
High Commitment

D2 Some Competence
Low Commitment

D3 Mod-High Competence
Low Commitment

D4 High Competence
High Commitment
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Strengths
Marketplace approval. Situational leadership is
perceived as providing a credible model for
training employees to become effective leaders.
Practicality. Situational leadership is a
straightforward approach that is easily understood
and applied in a variety of settings.
Prescriptive value. Situational leadership clearly
outlines what you should and should not do in
various settings.
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Strengths, cont’d.
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.
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Criticisms
Lack of an empirical foundation raises
theoretical considerations regarding the
validity of the approach
Further research is required to determine how
commitment and competence are
conceptualized for each developmental level
Conceptualization of commitment itself is very
unclear

Replication studies fail to support basic

prescriptions of situational leadership model
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Criticisms, cont’d.
Does not account for how particular
demographics influence the leader-
subordinate prescriptions of the model
Fails to adequately address the issue of one-
to-one versus group leadership in an
organizational setting
Questionnaires are biased in favor of
situational leadership
Chapter 5 - Situational Approach

Application
Often used in consulting
because it’s easy to
conceptualize and apply
Straightforward nature
makes it practical for
managers to apply
Breadth of situational
approach facilitates its
applicability in virtually all
types of organizations and
levels of management in
organizations