Introduction
Leadership is described as a multi-dimensional process of influencing others to accomplish common goals. Leadership has been the subject of many frameworks, approaches, and theories over time. Contingency — A category of leadership theories that are based on the idea that there is no one way to provide effective leadership; it all depends on the situation. These are actually considered situational leadership theories.
Situational leadership theories propose that leaders adapt their style to fit their followers’ development level and the situation’s specifics. The core assumptions underlying most situational leadership approaches are:
Leadership Style Should Match Followers’ Readiness
According to situational leadership theories, leaders have first to diagnose the readiness or developmental level of their followers and then adopt a prescribed method. Readiness refers to the degree to which followers have the capacity and motivation to perform a particular task. Followers can be characterised as on a continuum of readiness.
- Low readiness: Followers are unable and/or unwilling to perform the task. They require directive leadership.
- Moderate readiness: Followers have some ability but still lack full confidence. They need coaching and encouragement.
- High readiness: Followers are able and willing, and the responsibility should be delegated.
Influential leaders adapt their style to match the needs of followers at different readiness levels.
One Leadership Style Is Not Optimal For All Situations
It really helps challenge the idea of the best way to lead and influence people. The most effective leaders have a range of leadership styles they can draw upon depending on the circumstance. Sticking rigidly to a single style is probably going to be pretty ineffective in all differing situations. Flexibility is the key.
Leadership Is Task-Relevant
Situational approaches assume that leadership is oriented towards the attainment of specific tasks or objectives. For any given situation, leadership effectiveness depends on diagnosing what style of leadership motivates followers toward the completion of a task. The leader focuses on organizing activities to attain goals.
Environmental Factors Influence Appropriate Leadership Style
Situational theories take into account that due to situational factors, such as organizational structure and culture, one style of leadership may apply better than others. As leaders maintain, first, they must diagnose how elements of a situation affect the relationships that occur when deciding how to lead.
Leadership Effectiveness Depends On Properly Diagnosing Situations
Underpinning this approach is the notion that diagnostic skills constitute one of the distinguishing features between effective leaders and ineffective ones: that is, successful leaders are those who can diagnose the readiness of their subordinates, estimate the complexity of the task at hand, and understand how aspects of the environment influence upon relationships. They are then able to choose the leadership style most likely to be effective.
Prominent Situational Leadership Theories
Many leadership theories take a situational approach. Here are some of the most influential situational models:
Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Model
It is probably one of the most well-recognized situational leadership models. It describes four styles of leading and insists that effective leaders choose their style according to two factors: the subordinates’ level of maturity and the task specifics. The styles are:
- Telling/Directing – High direction, low support. For subordinates with low readiness.
- Selling/Coaching – High direction and high support. This is for subordinates with some competence but low commitment.
- Participating / Supporting – Low direction, high support. For subordinates with skills but lack the confidence to complete tasks independently.
- I am delegating – Low direction and support for subordinates with high competence and commitment.
Fiedler’s Contingency Model
Fred Fiedler’s hugely influential approach identifies three key situational variables that impact leadership effectiveness:
- Leader-member relations – The degree to which the leader is accepted and supported by the workgroup
- Task structure – The degree to which job assignments are structured and unambiguous
- Position power – Degree of authority and control the leader wields over subordinates and resources
The theory argues low situational control favors relationship-oriented leaders, while high control favors task-oriented leaders. Leaders must adapt or find contexts that suit their natural style.
House’s Path-Goal Theory
Focuses on the leader’s effect on subordinate motivation and empowerment. Identifies four leadership behaviours:
- Directive – Clear expectations, schedules, and guidance
- Supportive – Friendly and approachable
- Participative – Consultative, collaborative, inclusive
- Achievement-oriented – Encourage excellence, continuous improvement
Leaders adapt their style based on subordinate and environmental characteristics to provide a path to goal attainment.
Vroom and Yetton’s Normative Decision Model
A prescriptive situational leadership approach suggests that leaders diagnose situations based on several key variables and then use prescribed leadership styles. The variables include:
- Quality requirement
- Commitment requirement
- Goal congruence
- Leader expertise
- Likelihood of decision acceptance
Depending on the situation, the model has a decision tree to guide leaders to autocratic, consultative, or group-based decision-making.
Adapting Leadership Style to Followers and Situations Leads to Success
A central tenet of all situational leadership theories is that to be effective, leaders must first be able to diagnose the demands of various situations and then adopt an approach that is best suited to the followers’ needs and the particular situation they face. In other words, what defines successful leadership is the ability to be flexible due to the unique specificities of the context. While situational approaches have obvious limitations, their emphasis on contextual factors offers some very real benefits for anyone interested in becoming a versatile, dynamic leader.
Conclusion
Situational leadership affords a useful orientation to understanding effective leadership by stressing the need to change and adapt styles of leadership with capability levels within followers. The underlying premise of situational approaches is that there is no one best way by which leaders should lead in all situations. There are four leadership styles based on the competence and commitment of followers that leaders can choose from directing, coaching, supporting, or delegating.
Using the situational approaches requires that leaders accurately diagnose their followers’ readiness levels, be flexible and adapt to various situations as they arise, effectively communicate guidance/feedback, and focus on follower development. There are many advantages to situational leadership, including being more adaptable and agile, improved output from the team you manage, and better teamwork in general. However, it also has disadvantages such as complexity — which adds extra steps that impede execution seamlessly alongside possible mistakes made by misjudgments on your part.