Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory
The 1960s and 1970s saw an explosion of new principles and theories related to leadership studies, in particular those of Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard. Hersey and Blanchard proposed a contingency-based theory where the leader adapts and adjusts his style to the level of readiness of their followers, such as expertise or ability. This type of leadership theory is called situational leadership. Established in 1969, Hersey and Blanchards theory displaced the age-old notion of the effective leader as a static role. Their theory provided the idea that effective leaders could adjust their style as needed for any situation.
According to Hersey and Blanchard, there is no single style of leadership which is suitable for every situation. An important part of their theory is that the leader must take into the consideration the development level of each subordinate and the situation they are facing. It is based on the fact that certain amounts of guidance, direction and support are needed at specific development levels of an individual. For example, when facing a novice worker, a leader may need to provide clear direction and close supervision. As the worker increases in skill and experience, the leader might move to a more supportive and delegating style.
Hersey and Blanchards Situational Leadership Theory has four core components: a leaders ability to select and use the proper behavior to match the development level of the follower, the four distinct leadership behaviors, the ability of the leader to diagnose the followers ability or lack of motivation, and the ability to adjust their style depending on the changeable situations.
The four leadership behaviors are as follows:
• Telling/Directing: Leaders provide followers with specific directions and require compliance for achieving the task.
• Selling/Coaching: Leaders look to clarify the objectives and assist the followers in understanding the task and how to achieve it.
• Participating/Supporting: Leaders provide emotional support and aid in problem solving.
• Delegating: Leaders assign responsibility and authority to the followers and give them freedom to achieve the task.
The Situational Leadership Theory offers leaders the flexibility to use different styles with different people and in different situations, which makes this theory applicable in many settings and among many different types of workers. According to Hersey and Blanchard, the most effective leadership style always incorporates a mixture of the four leadership behaviors. The leader should always strive to accurately assess the current situation and the individuals development level in order to select the most effective combination of leadership styles.
Hersey and Blanchards Situational Leadership Theory provides a powerful way for managers and leaders to assess team members and situations in order to determine how best to lead and motivate. The idea that the leader needs to adapt to individual situations is a very powerful tool for any organization and one that should be embraced and utilized whenever possible. There is no one-size-fits-all leadership style, and Hersey and Blanchards Situational Leadership Theory provides a set of tools and guidelines to help leaders create an environment where their team members can thrive and grow their skills.
