Situational approach, as it is implied in the name, focuses on leadership in situations. But what fully does this mean and how is it incorporated in work environment? In general, “situational leaderships stresses that leadership is composed of both a directive and a supportive dimension, and that each has to be applied appropriately in a given situation” (Northouse 2013, pg. 99). Simply stated that leaders match their work style to their employees to receive best output/results.
The concept of situational leadership is constructed around the ideas that employees move forward and backwards in the job field. Being one of the more complex approaches in leadership, it also is one of the most sought after in training programs for companies as it diagnosis employees in task situations and allows leaders to adapt to a current problem.
With this approach, “leadership is measured with questionnaire stat ask respondents to ass a series of work-related situations……They are useful in helping leaders to learn about how they can change their leadership style to become more effective across different situations” (Northouse 2013, pg. 119).
As a I/O psychology major this leadership approach would be best suited for me when I get into the work environment. Being able to assess my own style and make it fit for subordinates would be very useful not only for subordinates commitment on the job but having the effectiveness to create optimal output for the company. Ultimately a win-win situation all around. However research on this topic is very limited and hard to explain, I believe through the years to come there will be more concrete evidence on this leadership approach.
Reference:
Northouse, P. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Michael Thomas Holsberger says
I agree with your post that “Situational Leadership” is a trait sought after by organizations when choosing to hire. Day to day situations change, the moods and morale of employees change, so having a leader who is able to adapt to workplace situations and employee temperament is very important in order to sustain a productive environment. Where I currently work I have many egos to deal with. If I were to lead each individual the same exact way, then I’d eventually run into productivity issues and also morale problems. I feel that my coursework in the Organizational Leadership major, along with my years of on the job training have allowed me to become adaptable when dealing with different personalities. It definitely takes time to master, and I’m learning the ins and outs everyday. Unfortunately you’ll find though, that you’ll never make everyone happy. You just have to do the best you can to ensure productivity and a copasetic atmosphere.
jbh5133 says
I believe situational leadership can be an effective approach. Not everyone situation can be handled the same and the leader has to be able to adapt to that. In your case, you will hopefully plan to become a psychologist where you are going to need to take this approach most of the time.
An effective leader needs to be able to change their style to accomodate other individuals. If a leader is always directive, that won’t help in a situation where the other individual is upset. The leader should then switch over to a supportive role.