Situational Approach Presentation

The Contingency Perspective or Situational Approach to Leadership

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Module Objectives At the end of this module, you should be able to: 1. Define the situational approach to organizational leadership 2. Examine your previous leadership experiences and discuss whether they included components of the approach

THE CONTINGENCY PERSPECTIVE

The Contingency Perspective of Leadership

Leadership success will depend on situational variables

• Characteristics of followers
• External and internal environments
• Organizational structure
• Nature of the work performed

Bratton, Grint, & Nelson (2005) Organizational Leadership

The Contingency Perspective (cont’d)

• Effectiveness of a leader depends on the situation

• Leaders are either task or relationship oriented
• Different trait (or behavior) patterns are effective in different situations

Bratton, Grint, & Nelson (2005) Organizational Leadership

THE SITUATIONAL APPROACH

The Situational Approach

• Different situations demand different kinds of leadership

• To be an effective leader requires that a person adapt his or her style to the demands of different situations

Northouse, P.G. (2019), Leadership Theory and Practice, Eighth Ed.

The Situational Approach (cont’d)

• Leadership is composed of directive and supportive dimensions

• Followers’ skills and motivation vary over time
• Leaders should change the degree to which they are directive or supportive to meet the changing needs of followers

Northouse, P.G. (2019), Leadership Theory and Practice, Eighth Ed.

Situational Leadership II (SLII)

Northouse, P.G. (2019), Leadership Theory and Practice, Eighth Ed.

Leadership Style

• The behavior pattern of a person who attempts to influence others.

• Includes supportive and directive behaviors

Northouse, P.G. (2019), Leadership Theory and Practice, Eighth Ed.

SLII Leadership Styles

• Categories of directive and supportive behaviors

• Directing (high directive‐low supportive)
• Coaching (high directive‐high supportive)
• Supporting (high supportive‐low directive)
• Delegating (low supportive‐low directive)

Northouse, P.G. (2019), Leadership Theory and Practice, Eighth Ed.

SLII Development Level

The degree to which followers have the competence and commitment necessary to accomplish a given goal or activity

Northouse, P.G. (2019), Leadership Theory and Practice, Eighth Ed.

Summary

• Both Contingency and Situational approaches suggest adapting leadership methods to the situation and their followers’ needs

• Contingency Perspective
• “Leaders should change the degree to which they are directive or supportive to meet the changing needs of followers” Bratton, Grint & Nelson (2005)

• Situational Approach
• “followers have unique needs and deserve our help in trying to become better at doing their work.” Northouse (2019)

References

• Bratton, J., Grint, K., & Nelson, D.L. (2005) Organizational Leadership, Thomson Southwestern: Mason, Ohio

• Northouse, P.G., (2019) Leadership Theory and Practice, 8 Ed. Sage Publications, Inc.: Thousand Oaks, CA