Saturday, April 23, 2011
"Different Strokes for Different Folks" A quick guide to utilize a situational leadership style.
In his book, “Leadership and the One Minute Manager” Blanchard and the Zigarmi’s illustrate quite well the formula for successful management practices by utilizing situational leadership style. They base their model off of the principle that there are essentially four basic leadership styles:
1. Directing- this is where the leader provides specific direction and or instruction and closely supervises the directive until the accomplishment of the task at hand is completed, this style is utilized when there is questionable competence
2. Coaching- this is where the leader continues to direct, but more in a coaching manner where input is solicited and ownership of the task takes place, which creates growth through competency
3. Supporting- this is where the leader shares responsibility and supports combined efforts to reach a common goal, in a sense the being led feels a shared responsibly and team effort as opposed to being led
4. Delegating- this is where authority and responsibility is turned over to someone and they in turn are responsible for problem solving to subordinates
The key to a successful leader, according to this book, is to utilize all four of these basic leadership styles in order to apply them as needed. The result is a situational leadership style that matches one or more of these styles and applies them to the individual that is being led, thus “Different strokes for different folks.” If you look at the way Jesus led, one could easily identify with the situational leadership model. The main idea here is to identify and meet the needs of those you are leading.
Blanchard, Kenneth Ph.D., Leadership and the One Minute Manager (New York, NY: William Morrow and Company, INC. 1985)
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ReplyDeleteChris, excellent summarization of the Situational Leadership Model. The common concern with Situational Leadership Theory is the seemingly clear-cut divisions the four aspects pose. For example, each phase indicates that the role of the followers places a significant, if not the most significant, part in determining which model of leadership should be employed. I challenge you to think however of a time when the status of the follower was clearly universal or discernable. It is much more common to find situations and circumstances where the followers all bring to the culture a different amount of experience, competency, willingness to learn and grow, etc. It is therefore difficult to determine what one style of leadership is needed when the needs of the followers are so intricately diverse, unless of course we take Situational Leadership Theory to the extreme and diversify our leadership for each and every follower. This is of course not only seriously difficult to accomplish, but it does undermine the integrity and consistency of the leader during times of conflict and internal strife. In my opinion therefore it becomes a more serious task to determine what leadership model will best accomplish the goals and mission of the organization as a whole, rather than the specific needs of individual followers.
ReplyDeleteDan, I can understand and appreciate your position here. However, the point of the book is for a leader to utilize situational leadership with the leaders underneath him or her. It is not a model that is to be used with every follower of the leader. As a pastor we are called to lead the sheep, but depending on the size of the church, there will be only a few leaders that we actually manage. This is where the application is best utilized.
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