Through this week’s lesson we were exposed to the concept’s that create the style and situational approach. The style approach focuses on the idea that the leader’s behavior will have a more direct relationship with the leader’s effectiveness. The two core factors of this approach are task and relationship behaviors. A task behavior is something that focuses on an accomplishment of a goal, while a relationship behavior focuses on making followers feel comfortable with themselves, each other, and with the situation (Lesson Commentary 5). The situational approach explains how leaders adjust their behavior depending on their followers and the situations they are positioned in (Lesson Commentary 5)

When thinking about these two approaches of the style and situational approach it led me to think about how teachers in a classroom must apply both these concepts in order to be a successful teacher. Firstly, the style approach is something that corresponds to how a teacher is presented in the class. In the Ohio State study, the researchers found that initiating structure and consideration were two of the biggest factors that were found in effective leaders. These two clusters correspond directly to the task and relationship behaviors discussed above. When applying this to how teachers lead in their class it is significant that teachers both use initiating structure which is organizing their work, giving structure, and scheduling activities (Lesson Commentary 5). In order to be a successful teacher, you must use this factor to demonstrate your effectiveness to the class and management in the school. However, consideration is also very apparent in a teaching role as well. Building relationships gaining trust, respect and linking between your students and a teacher is something that all of them seek. In order to have an effective classroom dynamic the teacher must demonstrate that they are worth leading the class. Several times teachers do not set the factor of consideration in a classroom leading to a tense relationship in the classroom. Northouse (2019) describes the important of human skills incorporated in the skills approach. As mentioned above this is similar to the consideration aspect founded in the Ohio State study. Katz (1995) describes these skills as being aware of one’s own perspective issues, while at the same time being aware of other perspectives. As a teacher these are extremely important skills to have while teaching and leading a classroom environment.

While skills approach is extremely beneficial for teachers’ situational approach can be just as helpful. A study conducted Franklin (2000) analyzed the readiness of public-school teachers for elementary, middle school, and high school and how ready they would be to conduct eight management skills while teaching. The situational approach can be addressed towards teachers because the developmental levels can be linked to this career. The best applied factor is coaching which demonstrates high directive and high supportive behaviors (Lesson Commentary, 5). This means that these leaders must focus on goal achievement as well as their followers needs, which is their students. However, these leaders will still make the final decision in how goals are accomplished which corresponds to teachers effectively because teachers will guide their students to the end goal.

As discussed above, the situational approach discusses the importance of directive behaviors and supportive behaviors. These two concepts intersect with the skills approach because they are extremely similar to task and relationship behaviors. Directive behaviors incorporates the important of a leader describing the responsibilities of a group, and tell people what to do, how to do it, and when to do it (Lesson Commentary, 5). This is important for teachers because they must delegate to students their responsibilities and teach how to do it. In addition, supportive behaviors consist of listening, encouraging, facilitating, clarifying, and giving emotional support (Lesson Commentary 5). This applies to teachers for they must ensure they are using their supportive behaviors towards their students for it creates a bond among the leader and follower, which in this case is the teacher and students.

 

References

Franklin, Terry, “Situational leadership: An analysis of public school teachers readiness levels and preferred principal leadership styles” (2000). ETD Collection for Fayetteville State University. AAI3345644.https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/dissertations/AAI3345644

Hamel, R. (2021). Lesson 5: Style and Situational Approaches.

Northouse, P .G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications