Situational Leadership Model: An Overview on Leadership Flexibility

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Situational leadership theory refers to managers who apply different leadership styles depending on the situation and stage of development. An effective form of leadership is to adapt to the needs of your team and to create a beneficial balance for the entire organization. ^{Sources: 1}

The best-known situational leadership model is that established by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard. Situational leadership is a leadership model that has been largely influenced and shaped by their work. In this article, we will explore the history of situational leadership and its role in the management of organizations by examining how this leadership model has evolved from its early beginnings. ^{Sources: 1, 7}

In general, situational leadership is a model that allows leaders to adapt on the basis of their followers and direct reports. Throughout human history, leaders who are able to adapt to different situations have changed their leadership styles and ways of doing so. ^{Sources: 4, 7}

This differs from change management in that it focuses on accompanying individual employees in their daily work, instead of tackling major changes as a group. ^{Sources: 4}

Hersey Blanchard’s situational leadership model basically says that there is no single, consistent, right way to lead people. Whatever the circumstances, situational leadership depends on the leader adapting his style and asking his followers to adapt. The Situsational Leadership Model states that managers can adjust their leadership style according to the performance and maturity of their team. ^{Sources: 4, 8}

Situative leadership tries to address this problem by teaching leaders to adapt their leadership style to the objectives and tasks set. It gives managers the ability to determine which leadership style works best for a particular employee in a particular situation. Managers can vary their managers “approach to leadership based not only on their own needs, but also on the needs of their employees. ^{Sources: 5, 8}

It is an adaptable model that helps ensure that employees receive enough support and encouragement not to suffocate, overpower or forget enough of it. ^{Sources: 5}

To create an effective cycle, leaders need to properly motivate their supporters, and situational leadership helps to simplify the process. The goal of leaders should be to boost the morale of their followers, not only their leaders, but also their collaborators. ^{Sources: 0, 5}

Position-based leadership models (II) tend to view development as evolutionary progress, which means that when an individual approaches a new task for the first time, he or she starts from scratch. ^{Sources: 0}

First developed in 1969 by Kenneth Blanchard and Paul Hersey, the Situational Leadership Model was pioneering – requiring managers to adapt their style to the demands of the environment. Blancard saw development as a process in which the individual progresses from development to development and then develops again. From this point of view, it is still the task of managers to diagnose the level of development and then apply the appropriate management style. Contrary to other leadership trends that emphasize the location of leaders in effective management, managers and organizations and teams are tasked with adapting their style to the needs of their organization and the employees involved. ^{Sources: 0, 6}

Leadership, by definition, would have to change constantly to meet the needs of each of these situations, and vice versa. ^{Sources: 6}

It is no wonder that this approach is gaining significant traction in today’s dynamic, competitive, and globalized world. Situation-oriented leadership is a hot topic, because it is well suited to the unpredictable modern business world, and an approach that has gained significant momentum. Modern companies require agile, responsive leaders who can lead a line of constant change, improve performance, and cultivate a strong culture of engagement within teams. ^{Sources: 2, 6}

To keep a company afloat today, the ability of leaders to adapt and adapt is critical, as is his or her ability to lead. ^{Sources: 2}

Research into management and organizational behavior led me in the mid-1970s to develop a life-cycle theory of leadership that was later renamed situational leadership. The life-cycle theory of leadership, as it was later called, was called “situative leadership theory” until a few years later. The situational management model refers to a contingency approach, since the effectiveness of a manager’s leadership depends on how he or she adapts his or her style and leadership to the situation. ^{Sources: 2, 3}

I posited that there is no unique leadership style that is appropriate for each situation, and formulated four styles as the overarching theory. I have also found that the individual attributes and actions of each leader help determine which style of leadership is best suited to a particular situation. ^{Sources: 3}

Hersey and Blanchard later developed an individual theory based on the original concept of situational leadership, which they further described in their book. ^{Sources: 3}

Managers who use the Hersey-Blanchard model must be able to choose a leadership style that reflects the maturity of their followers. For example, if the maturity of the followers is high, the model suggests a delegated style in which the leader gives minimal instructions. One of the four situational management styles that managers can use effectively is the “Hersey / Blancard” model, developed in the 1970s. ^{Sources: 4}