Situational Leadership
Situational Leadership is a flexible and adaptive approach to leadership in which leaders modify their style based on the readiness and development level of their team members. Developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard, it emphasises the balance of directive and supportive behaviours to optimise performance, motivation, and growth.
Technique Overview
Situational Leadership Definition
Situational Leadership is defined as a model in which leaders diagnose the competence and commitment of individuals or teams for specific tasks and apply the appropriate leadership style, ranging from Directing and Coaching to Supporting and Delegating (Hersey, Blanchard & Johnson, 2012). Gary Yukl (2013) emphasises that effective leadership requires behavioural flexibility and situational awareness, enabling leaders to shift between styles based on evolving demands.
Situational Leadership Description *
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Business Evidence
Strengths, weaknesses and examples of Situational Leadership *
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Business Application
Implementation, success factors and measures of Situational Leadership *
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Professional Tools
Situational Leadership videos and downloads *
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Further Reading
Situational Leadership web and print resources *
Situational Leadership references (4 of up to 20) *
- Blanchard, K.H., Zigarmi, D. & Nelson, R.B., 2013. Situational Leadership II: The Article. Escondido: The Ken Blanchard Companies.
- Fowler, K., 2017. Leading with Style: Applying Situational Leadership in Complex Environments. Leadership Quarterly, 28(6), pp.872–885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2017.03.003
- Hersey, P. & Blanchard, K.H., 1969. Life Cycle Theory of Leadership. Training and Development Journal, 23(5), pp.26–34.
- Hersey, P., Blanchard, K. H., & Johnson, D. E. (2007). Management of Organizational Behavior: Leading Human Resources, Pearson Prentice Hall.
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