Friday, May 20, 2011

Situational Leadership

The subject of this article, as indicated by the title, is the situational leadership theory. As the author notes, the key to this model of leadership is flexibility. What he means by this is the ability of the leader to alternate between different leadership styles as the situation changes. The leader must also be aware of the leadership style that he or she operates in most naturally, as this will be the style that he or she returns to when stressful situations arise. Two models of situational leadership are presented: Daniel Goleman’s and that of Ken Blanchard and Paul Hersey. Goleman derives six styles from five elements of emotional intelligence. The leader must, therefore, navigate between these six styles, as the situation requires. Blanchard and Hersey outline four styles, which focus on the development level of those being led as the situation within which the leader must navigate.

Situational leadership does not seem to be a theory so much as it is a meta-theory, which can incorporate under its “umbrella” insights from various theories and styles. Put another way, it seems less a theory than a dispositional outlook wherein the leader is committed to leading appropriately within a given context. This, in turn, lends much credibility to situational leadership, particularly within a ministry setting. As we have discussed in cohort throughout the year, ministry can be quite chaotic at times, with situations changing constantly. Thus, to be an effective leader in a church seems to require that one be flexible in how one leads, as this model requires.

2 comments:

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  2. Situational leadership seems to be a very effective approach to leadership. Given the ever-changing environments and situations leaders find themselves in, flexibility is increasingly necessary. Gone are the days when leaders selected a leadership style and maintained it in all situations throughout their careers (if this was ever the case, or worked). We have to be willing to adapt to the circumstances and employ the leadership style that will be most effective in light of them and also those with whom we are working. This helps us utilize our resources to the maximum potential and navigate day-to-day activities and even problem situations more effectively.

    The question I have is: “How do we as leaders determine the most appropriate leadership style in any given situation?” In most cases, we will not have an extended amount of time to consider our options prior to taking action. So, is there a process that leaders can walk through to select a style and evaluate its effectiveness afterward? While there is not a perfect method for either one of these, a systematic approach would prevent an arbitrary or haphazard selection and help produce better results. Leaders need not excel at every style, but he/she should at least be proficient in them to lead well.

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