Situational Leadership PART 1

7/29/2019 Situational Leadership PART 1

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Situational Leadership'

The importance of a leader's diagnostic ability cannot be over-emphasized. dgar H. Schein expresses t well when he contends hatthe successful manager nust be a good diagnostician nd must ualue aspirit of inquiry. If the abilities and motives of the people under themanager are so variable, he or she must have the sensitivity anddiagnostic ability to be able to sense and appreciate he differences.rIn other words, managers must be able to identify clues n an environ-ment. Yet even with good diagnostic skills, leaders may still not beeffective unless they can ad,apt heir leadership style to meet the

demands of their environment. This is the second of the three impor-tant leadership competencies iscussed n Chapter 1. "He must havethe personal lexibility and range of skills necessary o vary his ownbehavior. If the needs and motives of his lfollowers] are different, theymust be treated differently."2

It is easier said than done o tell practicing managers hat theyshould use behavioral science heory and research to develop thenecessary diagnostic skills to maximize effectiveness. First, much ofthe research currently published in the freld of applied behavioralsciences s not even understood by practitioners, and often appears nfinal form to be more an atte-pt to impress other researchers han tohelp managers o be more effective. Second, ven f practitioners could

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understand the research, _many would argue that it is impractical toconsider every situational variable in evEry decision.- As a result, one of the major focuses of our work has been thedevelopment of a practical model that can be used by managers,s-alespeople, eachers, or parents to make the momeoi-by-r,,oi"rridecisions ecessary -to effectively nfluence other people. The result:Situational Leadership.

.This approach ses as ts basic data

the perceptions nd observa-tions made by managers-parents n the home or supervisors on thejob-on a day-to-day asis n their own environmentl.situational Leadership was developed y paul Hersey and Ken-

neth H. Blanchard at the center for Leadership studies in the late1960s.3 ntil 1982, Hersey and Blanchard worked ogether o contin-ually refine situational Leadership. After that timelBlanchard andhis colleagues t Blan-chard laining and Development BTD)beganto modify the original situational Leadership model and develoieddiagnostic nstruments and training materials to support their ap-proach called SLII@)n tra-ining seminars and presentations. he bestdescription of this approach o Situational Leaherrnip

"""t" found n

Leadership and the One Minute Manager.4The situational Leadership model used n this book will reflectthe present hinking.of-Paul Hlrsey and the center for Leadership

studies and will not include any changes o the model made by KenBlanchard n SLII@-

SITUATIONAL EADERSHIP

The Center For Leadershrp StudresSituational Leadership s based on an interplay among 1) he amount"@ (task beha"ior) feuaei fir; (2) the: - E r y 3 u q r r e c L l o n ( E a s K D e h a v r o r ) a l e a d e r g i v e s : ( 2 ) t h ea a leadF

effective n their daily interactions ,ith otherr. itp;;;hes leaderswith some understanding of the relationship uet*iei an effective

; and (3) he readinessing a specific asklhelp people att6

owers exhtbrt rnconcept was

;eardless of their role, to be more

style of leadership-and he level of readiness of irr"i" iorro*""".l'hus, while all the situational variables 0eader, follower(s), se-nior. management, associates, rganization, ol d;;;;;;"nd time)are important, the emphasis n situational Leadership iir u" on thebehavior of a leader n relation to followers. As Fillmore H. sanfordhas indicated, here is some ustificatio" ro" G"idt"g-;; followers

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Situational Lcadenhif I lg5

'as the most crucial actor n any leadership vent."s Folrowers n anysituation are vital, not only because ndividually they accept r rejeclthe leader, but because s a group they actually determine whateverpersonal power the leader may have.

It may be appropriate at this point to note the difference betweena model and a theory..A theory attempts to explain rllzythings happenas they do. As such, t is not designed o recriate everits. a inoaer, onthe other hand, is a pattern of already

existing events that can belearned and therefore repeated. For example, n trying to imaginewhy Henry Ford was motivated to mass-produce auto-mobiler, yo.,would be dealing with a theory. However, if you recorded he iro-cedures-an_d equences ecessary or mass production, you would havea model of the process.

situational Leadership s a model not a theory. Its conceprs,procedures, actions, and outcomes are based upon tested meth-odologies hat are practical and easy o apply.

It was emphasized n chapter 4 that- when discussing eader-follower relationships, we are not necessarily alking about a hier-archical relationship: hat is, manager-employee. hE same cautionwill hold during our discussion f situational Leadership. Thus, anyreference o leader(s) r follouter(s) n this model should iiply potintiilleader and potential follower. As a result, although o.r,

"*"-ples maysuggest a hierarchical relationship, he conceptl presented n situa-tional Leadership hould have-application o matter whether you areattempting o influence he behavior of an employee, our sup6rvisor,an associate, friend, a relative, or a group.

Basic Concept of Situational LeadershipAc_cording o situational. Leadership, trere is no one best way toi4."91.. -people. which readership tvre a person .li;J; use withindividuals or groups depends n the readineis evel ofthe people heleader s attempting

to influence, as ilrustrated in rigurl s-r.Before we look at the application of the situatioial Leadershipmodel, t is important that wi understand leadership styles as theyare used n the model and the idea of follower readinesJ.

our earlier discussion of different-leadership theories in chap-ters 4 and 5 introduced us to our definition of leadership style-behavior by the leader_as erceived y the follower{s). " .iro saw heways hat classifying eader behaviois developed, ncluding the iden_tification of task and relationship behavior.G' '

/ spelling out the duties and responsibilities f;,, i;diridual or group.


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LEADER EHAVIOR

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Situatbnal Lcdenhif I tg7

-_\ Relationship behauior is defined as the extcnt to which the reader ) e.nc-acg.sn two'way or multi-way communication. The berri"i"i,l":/ clude listening, facilitating, andiupportive behaviors?

An example of high amounts of relationship_behavior might be

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":*.witha1 "rigr,*-"ii.'v";il;;"il.d;;qlrJ AUUWl.:::l*:1"_rc***ent, bur need some encouragement o get youover the trump. The listenin-g, encouraging, _and aiifitali"g " fedoes n $i.s gxampte s an it-tustrati,on?;til;;i;,p1"i""i"".oes n this example s an iTask behavior and relationshitinct mens!ons.

FIGURE8-2Leadership stytes

tating a leader

areaxes of a two-

t o iruusrrates hese styles. yoEWIIInote that task behavior is pl,otted rom low to frigtoitire horizon-

l.:t:::::lfl" fJ?_r':"lhip ehlvio:.is rotteaio-l?"?irgh on hevertical axis. This makei it possibre o describe eader behavior infour ways or styles.As we discussed n chapter b, the four quadrants shown

inFigure 8'2 can be used as the basis for "r.".r1"g-"H.iive readerbehavior. No one style is effective in all"it,raiio"rrs.--g;n style isappropriate and effective depending on the situation.

JFFECTIVE LEADER EHAVIOR

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194 / Sifuational Ledenhif

In either case, he appropriate behavior would be hiSh amountsof two-way communicatioiiand supportive behavior, but low amounts

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-g"ia.*e.Since they have aheldy shown that they are able to

;;;;ate task, it isn't necessary o provide high amountsof what to

i;;-;t;r; to do'it,;;how to ao it. Discussion and supportive and

i".1it"ti"g behaviors would tend to be more appropriate for solving

the problem or soothing the apprehension'-* 'i;-;;iirtpaiiiit

"te"d6r's major- role becomes encouraging

and communicatinf. Other descriptori for this style of leadership

irrclu4e colloborotiig, facititating,-or committing. Each of these im-

plies high relationship, ow task behaviors'

Match of Readiness euel4 with LeadershipStyle 4-Delegating

Readiness Level 4 is where the individual or group is both ready and

;illft, or ready and confident. They've had enoug-h opportunity to

;;i;;, "ndthey feel comfortable without the leader providing

direction.It is unnecessary o provide direction about where, what, whgn,

o, rro*-u""aose the'followers already have the ability. Similarly,above-average amounts of encouraging,and supportive behaviors

"i"rr't ,r".".-r.ry because hey are confrdent,committe_d, nd moti-

vated. The appropriate style involves giving them the ball and lettingthem run with it.

This style is called d.elegating. ther words for this leadership,tyf" i".f"a6 iUt"iii7 o, *ohiturlng- Remember-some relationshipLJhruio, is still needei, but it tends o be ess han average' t is still

appropriate o monitor the pulse of what's going on, but it is impor-ii"i $ give these followers an opportunity to take responsibility andimplement on their own.

one point to remember is that when an individual or group isa"""fopi"i,- ih" i*o" is usually one of insecurity; wfren they arei"gr;i"j, the issue s usually one of unwillingness. We will go intothEse deas in greater detail in subsequent chapters'

.It should be clear that the appropriate leadership style r"r4tfour of the readiness designationi-low (R1), low to moderate (R2)'

moderate to high (R3), and high Ga)-correspond -to the followingi;;e;hip styte" designations: euing (Sl), selling (52), porticipoting

isgj, ."a'd.etigoting (5a). t1"t is, low readiness needs a telling style,iow'to moderate r-eadiness needs a selling style, and so on. Thesecombinations are shown n Table 8-1'

situational Leadership not only suggests he high probabilityleadership style for variouireadiness levels, but it also ndicates he

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TABLE &1 Leadershlp Styles Approprlate or Various Readiness evels

READINESS EVEL APPROPRIATE TYLE

R1

Low ReadrnassUnable and unwilling r insecure

stTelling

High askLow relationship ehavior

s2&tling

T

T

T

R2Low to Moderate Readiness

Unable, but willingor confident High askHigh relationsh ip ehavior

R3Moderate to High Readiness

Able, but unwilling r insecure

s3Participating

High relationshipLow ask behavior

B4High Readiness

Able/competent nd willing/confident

s4Delegating

Low relationshipLow ask behavior

probability of success f the other style configurations f a leader isunable o use he desired style. The probability ofsuccess feach stylefor the four readiness evels, depending on how far the style is fromthe high probability style along the prescriptive curve in the style ofleader portion of the model, ends to be as follows:

I Rl Sl high, 52 2nd, 53 3rd, 54 low probability! R2 52 high, 51 2nd, S3 3rd, 34 low probabilityr RB SBhigh, 52 2nd, 54 3rd, 51 ow probabilityt R4 54 high, SB2nd, 52 3rd, 51 low probability

In Situational Leadership, who has the problem? The follawer.The follower can get any behavior desired depending upon the fofIower's behavior. The follower's behavior determines he leader's be-havior. What a marvelous thing we now have available to use athome, at the oflice, in any kind of interpersonal situation. For exam-ple, how much easier parenting would be if children were to realizethat it is not Mom and Dad who determine and control the children'sbehavior; it is they who control their own behavior.

Another important consideration: Why is it that a leadership

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s tv le tha tmaynotbeorr r. .na tura l ' ' s tYle is f requent lyourmosteffectiuestyle? hit it;;se we have *oift"a "t

these earned styles'

we have practiced ;i;;il;"a tu"""-u"ii""iors,and we have worked

at them with some;ilffi;];-Y;

** also paid attention to the

details of applving ii1t""r"-ii"J ttyt"t'We do not put the same

amount of skill d#il irrto o* _"natural"style(s) as we do our

learned styles. At ;;;;;"qo""t"' t\ev^re not as effective'

one last tto'?ii:'SitGti""h L6ailershipis not a prescription

with hard-"rra-rt'i"rui";: il the behavioralsciences' there are no

rules. situationalLeadership as a ,nujor contribution to.the

behav'

iorai sciences s "'l"ltpii"c^toimprovl the odds' In so doing' man-

agers will be aUte o actri"uJth" p'oa""ii"ityof human resources hey

have been seeKrng'

APPLICATION OF SITUATIONALLEADERSHIP

InusingSituationalLeadership,iti.susefultokeepinmindthatthereis no,,one u"rt *"1;i;i;ii;";; others"

Rather, any leader behavior

may be more or l;"" ;f;i;" a"p""ai"e-""the'readiness evel of the

person you are"d;ild-toi"ri:91t"'-Sho*o

in Figure 8-4 s a more

tomprehen.in" nJ"i|";i th" sit:t"iio""rLeadeiship Model that

brings together ;*;;;rio" of trte past several pag-es.t will pro'

vide vou with a quick reference.r" +'il;til ai"g"o.ing the level of

readiness; 2) adapting by selecti"e ttigitpi;"UitiW leadership styles;

and (3) .o**o"iJ"ii'ig it'"te "Wr"t "ff"Jtivelyto ittfltt"ttt" behavior'

lmplicit i" sito"tiooi t'""a""t'ip;;';h; idea that a leader should

help follow"" gio* i" '""di""" "tfJt "ttft"v are able and willing to

go. This a"u"fopJrlrrt of'f"fi"*"t" ri;"ld;d"ne by adjusting leader-

shipbehavi"';ht;;;hthefourstylesalongtheleadershipcurvernFigure 8-4. i r :_ ^^-+^*Ao +tiqr strons direction (task be-

Situational Leadership ontends hatstrong dire

havior) *itft foiioit's *ig'-p*.1""di""ttis appropriate f thev are o

become ,oaoJii"' dilii;'lv'jt J;;;;'it'f 3; iy'ease

n readi-

ness on the part of people. t'o'"i"-somewhat-unreadyshould be

rewarded Uv 'ireased po'iti*'".'"#*""*"ntand socioemotional up-

port (reiati""';ip l;;;ior)' Fin ali]' ""rotto*"tt :'"i:h

hi gh level s-of

ieadiness, th"'iT;;;oora ry.pJndby nor onlv.continuing to de-

crease ort or oJJJiieir activitig.s,"t .rto bv cgnlinging to decrea-se

relationship##'#:.,-*"ri'wih'n'""nt1Yl"L1-1"'i."*if"*::need for ro"io"-motiottal sgpnort is

no longer as rmlT

forgteaterft;;; 'ettrtig- '!?g"'o"eofth"waysleaderscanprovetheir confidence and trust in the,;L;;"o;i"

r! tg-t1-"i them more and

m o r e o n t h e ir o w n . I t i s n o t t t , " t . t t , " , "i s l e s s m u t u al t r u s t a n d

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TASKBEHAVIOR-Th e erlent lo whrch heeaoer engages Indefinrng oles .r. lel ,rngwhal. how. s'hen, where.and rl mo.e lhan oneperson. who rs lo downal In. Goal-Seltrng. Organrzrng. Eslablrshrng tm e

Ltnes. Dtreclrng. Conlfoll 'ng

R E L AT I O N S H I PBEHAVIOR-Th e r lenl lo whrch aleaoe. engages Intwo-way (mul l r-way)communtcal ron. l rs lenrng.lacr l r la l rng behavrorS.socroemolronal su9por l :. Gtvrng Supporl. Communrcal rng. F a c r l r l a l r n g

Interactrons. A c l r v e L r S l e n r n 9. Provrdrng Feedback

slTell ingGuidingDirectingEstablishing

LEADER EHAVIORs3

Share leasan d lac| lr laleIn decls0nmakrng

Hr Rel.Lo. Task

szErplarnoec sronsandptOvtdeopoorlunrtylo .clartlrcaltor

s4Turn overresponsrbrlrlylo r decrsronsan ormOlemenla l ron

s1PrOvrdespect l rcIns l rucl tonsand c loselysupervrsetrEilOfmance

(LOW)_TASK BEHAVIoR-_______________fl cH)(Guidance) i

OECISION STYLES

II

Leader-Made Oecrsron,'tt

Leader-Made Decrsionwrlh Otalogue and/orErplanal 'on

?IJ

LeadertFo!ower-MadeDecrson or Follower-Made Decrsron ilhEncouragemenl ro mLeaoel

A.tFollowe.-Made Decrsion

ABILITY has heneCeSSary nOwledge.extEilence an d Skrll

WILLINGNESS.as henecesSary ontrdence.cOmmrtmenl. oltvalion

H I G HLLOWER READINEFS

MODERATE I LOW

R4 R3 R2 R1Able and

Will ingor

Conlident

Able bu tUnwill ing

orInsecure

Unable bu lWill ing

orConfident

Unable an cUnwill ing

orInsecure

LEADERDIRECTED

When a Leader Behavior s used approprialely ith ts corresponctingevelof readiness, t islermed a High Probability atch. The ollowing re descriplors ha t can be uselul when usrnoSiluational eadership or specificapplications:

s4DelegatingObservingMonitoringFulflling

FIGURE -4 Expanded Sltuational Leadershlp ModetPauI Heneg, situationel selling (f,rondi&, caliL: center for l*adenhip studjes, I9Eil, p. J2.

friendship between eader and follower-in fact, there is more-but ittakes less supportive behavior on the leader's part to prove this tothem.

Regardless of the levelof readiness of an individual or Soup,change may occur. whenever a follower's performance begins o stip-

for whatever reason-and ability or motivation decreasei, he leadershould reassess he readiness level of this follower and move back-

FOLLOWERDIRECTED

s2Sell ingExplainingClarifyingPersuading

s3ParlicipatingEncouragingCollaboralingCommitting

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198 / Situafional Lcdenhif

ward through the leadership curve, providing appropriate socioemotional support and direction.

These developmental and regressive processes will be discussedin depth n chapters 10 and 11. At this point, though, it is important toemphasize hat Situational Leadership ocuses on the appropriatenessor effectiveness of leadership styles according to the task-relevantreadiness of the followers.

Determining Appropriate Style

To determine what leadership tyle you should use with a person n agiven situation, you must make several decisions.

What objectiv{s) do we want to accomplish? First, you mustdecide what areas of an individual's or a group's activities you wouldlike to influence. Specifrcally, what objective(s) do you want to accom-plish? In the world of work, those areas would vary according to agroup's esponsibilities. For example, sales managers may have re-sponsibilities n sales, administration (paperwork), service, and groupdevelopment. Therefore, before managers can begin to determine theappropriate leadership style to use with a Soup, they must decidewhat aspect of that group's ob they want to influence.

If the organization's goal was "to ship 100 percent of customerorders within 24 hours of order eceipt," we would say t is too generala goal and needs to be broken up into specific tasks that can beassigned o a group. The vice-president or customer services of aninternational supplier of multipurpose pumps, identifies the specifictasks needed o accomplish he goal. Developed n association with acustomer service unit, it works like this:

1. The goal is summarized using trigger words, e.g. prompt seruice.2. Tasks to accomplish the goal are identified by the people involved.

a. Answering the phone.b. Completing the order form.c. Completing the packing order.d. Shipping the order.

. e. Adjusting service problems.

What is the readiness of the s ituation? The sales managermust then diagnose he readiness of the group to accomplish thesetasks. The key issue is: "How ready or receptive is the group toaccomplish hese tasks?" f the group is at a high level of readiness,only a low amount of leadership ntervention will be required. If, on

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Situational Leadership PART 1

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