Situational Leadership

AISE 3803

Objectives

z Describe situational leadership theory.

z Examine several situation leadership theories
in practice.
z Practice the application of situational
leadership.

Question

z When does the situation determine the

leadership style?

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Carpe Diem

Situational Leadership Theory

z The overall situational leadership approach

suggests that the leader must act in a flexible
manner to be able to diagnose the leadership
style appropriate to the situation, and to be
able to apply the appropriate style.
z Leaders are not a special breed or born,
rather that individuals must develop their
capabilities for leadership by serving in groups
that are functional.

Situational Leadership Theory

z Situational Leadership attempts to explain

effective leadership within the context of the
larger situation in which it occurs.
– Fiedler’s Contingency Theory.
– House’ Path-Goal Theory.
– Vroom and Yetton’s Normative Theory.
– Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership
Theory.

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Fiedler’s Contingency Theory

z The situational contingency theory proposes

that the effectiveness of a leader or the
organization is contingent on two elements:
– The leaders’ motivational structures or leadership
style.
– The degree to which the leadership situation
provides the leader with control and influence over
the outcomes.

Fiedler’s Contingency Theory

z Two leadership styles were proposed:

– Task-oriented.
– Person-oriented.
z Whether the person-oriented or task-oriented
is expected to be more effective depends on
the favorableness of certain factors:
– The favorableness of the leader-match relations.
– The degree to which the tasks performed by the
group were structured.
– The leader’s position.

Fiedler’s Contingency Theory

z Leadership styles and situational control can

be matched either by changing the leader’s
personality or by changing the individual’s
situational control in order to affect
organization or group performance.

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House’s Path-Goal Theory

z House suggests that the leader should make

desired rewards available (goal) and clarify for
the subordinate the kinds of behavior that will
lead to the reward (path).
z The theory proposes four types of leader
behavior and two situational variables.

House’s Path-Goal Theory

z Four types of leader behavior:

– Directive leadership- characterized by a leader
who informs subordinates what is expected of
them and provides specific guidance.
– Supportive Leadership- characterized by a leader
who is friendly and approachable and shows
concerns for the status, well-being, and personal
needs of the subordinates.

House’s Path-Goal Theory

z Four types of leader behavior:

– Achievement-oriented leadership- characterized by
a leader who sets challenging goals, expected
subordinates to perform at best, and shows
confidence that subordinates will perform well.
– Participative leadership- characterized by a leader
who consults with subordinates and asks for their
suggestions before making a decision.

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House’s Path-Goal Theory

z The two situational variables are:

– Subordinate characteristics- which includes ability
(for esteem and self-actualization) and personality
traits (authoritarianism, close-mindedness).
– Task characteristics- which includes, simple versus
difficult, stressful versus non-stressful, dull versus
interesting, and safe versus dangerous tasks.

Vroom and Yetton’s Normative Theory

z The normative theory offers guidelines on how

decisions ought to be made in specific situations.
z Five decision-making methods ranging from highly
autocratic to highly participative are identified.
z The appropriate method depends on the answer to
seven questions relating to the problem being solved
and subordinates involved.
z The first three protects the quality of the decision and
final four enhance the subordinate acceptance.

Hersey & Blanchard’s Situational Theory

z Hersey & Blanchard developed a “two

dimensional” model where it is possible to be
high or low in both task and relation behavior.

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Situational Leadership

z The framework of H&B is a function of three

variables.
z Task Behavior:
– Amount of direction demonstrated by the leader.
– Guidance a leader gives-task behavior.
z Relationship Behavior:
– Amount of emotional support demonstrated by the
leader.
– Relations behavior.
z Maturity Level:
– Ability of followers on a particular task.
– Readiness of followers to perform the task-maturity.

Situational Leadership

Situational Leadership

z Telling:
– Leader decides on course of action and announces it.
– High task, low relationship.
z Selling:
– Leader decides on course of action and sells it.
– High task, high relationship.
z Participating:
– Leader involves followers in the decision making process.
– High relationship, low task.
z Delegating:
– Leader allows followers to decide/implement.
– Low relationship, low task.

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Situational Leadership

z Horizontal Axis: the leader’s concern for task

behavior.
z Vertical Axis: the leader’s concern for
relationship behavior.
z “Mature” followers respond to delegating and
participating styles.
z “Immature” followers respond to telling and
selling styles.

Situational Leadership

Situational Leadership Significance

z Hersey & Blanchard’s theory provides a useful

and understandable framework for situational
leadership.
z The model suggests that there is no one best
leadership style for all situations.
z Manager’s leadership style must be adaptable
and flexible to meet the changing needs of
employees and situation.
– Know your style.
– Match your style to follower maturity and task
situation.

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Applied Situational Leadership

z Please identify four situations, either "real" or

hypothetical, that you could be faced with in your
current (or future) job, in which each of the four
behavior styles would be most appropriate:
z S1 - High task, low relationship, or "Telling."
z S2 - High task, high relationship, or "Selling."
z S3 - High Relationship, low task, or "Participating."
z S4 - Low task, low relationship, or "Delegating."

Lost on the Moon

Your Your Expert Group Group

Items Difference Ranking Ranking Ranking Difference
Box of matches
Food concentrate
50-feet of nylon rope
Parachute silk
Portable heating unit
Two .45 caliber pistols
One case dehydrated pet milk
Two 100-lb. tanks of oxygen
Stellar map (of the moon’s constellation)
Life raft
Magnetic compass
Five gallons of water
Signal flares
First aid kit containing injection needles
Solar-powered FM receiver-transmitter
Totals

Lost on the Moon

Your Your Expert Group Group

Items Difference Ranking Ranking Ranking Difference
Box of matches 15
Food concentrate 4
50-feet of nylon rope 6
Parachute silk 8
Portable heating unit 13
Two .45 caliber pistols 11
One case dehydrated pet milk 12
Two 100-lb. tanks of oxygen 1
Stellar map (of the moon’s constellation) 3
Life raft 9
Magnetic compass 14
Five gallons of water 2
Signal flares 10
First aid kit containing injection needles 7
Solar-powered FM receiver-transmitter 5
Totals

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Summary

z Fielder’s Contingency Theory.

z House’s Path-Goal Theory.
z Vroom and Yetton Normative Theory.
z Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational
Leadership Theory.

Evaluation

z Quizzes
z Group projects
z Exams
z LIFE!