The situational leadership model

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Billy R. Sainz        Situational Leadership      Management 4314

Situational leadership is interplay between the amounts of direction that a leader allows in: 1) the amount of directive (task) behavior and 2) the amount of relationship behavior (supportive behavior).  What this means is that when an individual first begins a new task they require a lot of direction and managerial guidance.  As they learn more about the task, the amount of direction decreases until they can make many of the decisions with the manager providing little input.  The situational leadership model developed and refined by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard divides the model into four quadrants.  An explanation of the four segments is below.

         Envision starting a new job with many assigned tasks.  Fear of the unknown takes hold and feelings of self-doubt rise.  How am I going to learn all of this?  The situational leadership model, if followed by your new manager, can provide him/her direction to ensure positive reinforced learning.  

The model is described as a four-block diagram with text inside with an X-axis (bottom) and Y-axis (left) and more text.  Below the X-axis is a rectangular object with arrows pointing to the left with more text.  Does not mean much yet, but wait for a clearer explanation.

The situational leadership model consists of four leadership styles: 1) S1, directing; 2) S2, coaching; 3) S3, supporting; and 4) S4, delegating.  An X-axis and Y-axis provide direction on the type of behavior used.  The X-axis and Y-axis represent directive or supportive behavior, respectively.  The D1, D2, D3, and D4 in the lower rectangular object indicate the development level from low to moderate to high.  The model is below.


We begin in the lower right quadrant, S1 directing leadership style.  This phase is where the new employee or older employee learning a new task begins.  The directing will require that the leader define the roles of the follower.  The leader initiates problem solving and decision-making and directs communication towards the follower.  The leader will tell the follower what to do, how to do it, where to do it, and when to do it.  Close supervision is also involved at this point.  The X-axis beginning point is to the extreme right (high directive) indicating that leader will be providing directions.  The rectangular object showing development levels is also to the extreme right but here it signifies that the amount of learned knowledge (amount of development to perform task) is low.  The beginner may become enthusiastic about wanting to learn.  They will probably be highly committed but competence will be low.  The Y-axis is on the bottom end showing us that supportive behavior is at a low point.

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The second quadrant is located in the upper right, S2 coaching leadership style.  This phase is where the leader listens to the follower, provides support and encourages the follower’s efforts, and facilitates involvement with problem solving and decision-making.  Communication flows between leader and follower.  The X-axis beginning point is to the extreme right (high directive) indicating that leader will be providing directions.  The rectangular object showing development levels is also to the extreme right but here it signifies that the amount of learned knowledge (amount of development to perform task) is low.  The Y-axis is on the top showing us ...

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