Situational Leadership

Often, managers follow the same line of communication with different employees - experienced and newcomers. They are fair and equal to everyone, keeping their leadership style the same depending on who they are dealing with. That sounds good, but is this the most effective approach?

According to the theory of situational leadership, for best results, leaders need to change their style of interaction depending on the level of development of employees.

The theory of situational leadership was developed by American entrepreneurs and leadership experts Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard in the 1960s. The model gives us four leadership styles based on the level of support and directiveness. Leadership styles, in turn, depend on the employee's motivation and competence level.

Let's start with a breakdown of the level of employee development.

To achieve results, a specialist must have: knowledge, skills, abilities, and motivation to do the job. According to the totality of these factors, there are four categories:

• Can't, but wants to (Newbie enthusiast) - a person with high motivation but insufficient knowledge, skills, and abilities. This is usually the case for recent hires.
• Can't and won't (Frustrated student) - Employees who have worked for a few months but have not yet learned how to work find themselves in this situation. In this case, their motivation has dropped, and the lack of results makes them even more demotivated.
• Can do but won't do (Cautious Performer) - the specialist has all the knowledge and competencies but lacks the proper motivation. Employees who have worked for a long period usually lose interest in their work if the context stays the same.
• Can do and Willing to do (Independent Professional) - the employee has all the skills and motivation for the job. He is confident in completing the task and willingly takes responsibility for it.

Depending on the level of development of the employee, one of the following leadership styles can be applied:

• Directive (instructions) - management is done by setting clear objectives and with a high level of control by the manager. Suitable for a newcomer.
• Mentor - the manager explains decisions, sells the idea, and listens to the subordinate's opinion. In this case, controlling and setting tasks are performed constantly. Suitable for the frustrated student.
• Supportive - the supervisor is more focused on people than on the task and tries to help the subordinate in every way, with almost no intermediate control. Suitable for the cautious performer.
• Delegating - the authority, rights, and responsibility for the task are delegated to the subordinate. The supervisor does not interfere in the work process, relying entirely on the subordinate. Suitable for the independent professional.

• By determining the level of team members, you can select the right leadership style. If you choose the wrong style, it can cause problems. Imagine that you apply a delegating management style to a newcomer. Or to an experienced - directive style. These mistakes lead to the demotivation of employees and are best avoided.
• It is also essential to understand that team members' development level will change over time, and the leadership style should change with those changes.
• Specific objectives define levels of development. Your team member may be proficient in some tasks but be new to other previously unfamiliar areas.