Brian J. King - C&TE 675 - 24 April 2008

Situational Leadership (LBA Model)

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IntroductionSituational Leadership

Developed by Hersey & Blanchard (1969) based on Reddin’s 3D management style theory.

As the name implies the basic premise is that different situations will require altered leadership styles.

SL stresses that leadership has both a directive & a supportive direction.

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Key ElementsDifferent situations require altering your leadership style as a leader based on the development level of your subordinates.

Effective leaders are those that can recognize what their employees need and then adapt their leadership style to meet their subordinates needs.

Both supportive (relationship) and directive (task) are assessed as well as the development level of your subordinates to makeup the overall situational leadership.

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Strengths of Situational Leadership

Has stood the test of time

Practicality

Prescriptive value

Most leadership methods are descriptive, tells you what you should do in certain contexts (loosely).

Leader flexibility

Reminds leaders to treat subordinates differently based on the task at hand.

Will allow you as a leader to help a subordinate move through the development level scale.

Will also make the leader more respected and the subordinate more committed

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Criticisms of Situational Leadership

Only a few research studies have been completed to justify the assumptions and propositions that the SL method utilizes.

No clear way described to correlate commitment level with competence to form the 4 levels of development.

Fails to account for demographic characteristics and how they influence the leader and subordinate interactions.

Does not fully address the issue of one-to-one versus group leadership across the whole organization.

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LBA ModelAnalyze the development level of your subordinates (d1-4)

Modify your leadership style through s1-s4 to fit the needs of your subordinates http://www.cultureofpeace.ca/SLII_Poster.jpg

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so what, who cares, what’s in it for me?

Important to understand the needs of your subordinates and to alter your leadership style to fit them.

Utilizing situational leadership will make your life easier and your subordinates will be more dedicated and developed.

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SourcesCulture of Peace. Retrieved April 22, 2008, from Culture of Peace Web site: http://www.cultureofpeace.ca/SLII_Poster.jpg

Northouse, Peter (2007). Leadership: Theory & Practice. London, England, UK: Sage Publishing Company.

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