Question

4. Do situations determine the most appropriate leadership behavior? Cite examples and defend your answer using a theory discussed in the chapter.

Answer 1

Situations do have a lot of influence over the leadership behavior. Humans do need to adapt themselves to the situations they are put in, in order to sail through it and if you are a leader, the responsibility of leading by an example is all the more upon you. It is therefore recommendable that Situational leadership theory is followed.

If a leader does not believe in having rigidity in his leadership style that makes him incompetent to adapt to changes in a given scenario, then such a leader may feel that having a fixed style of leadership would only bring an implied degree of inflexibility in the system which is often not desired of. Therefore, for such a leader, the leadership style is flexible and adaptable. Accordingly, that leader would prefer undertaking the Situational Leadership Theory that shall help the leader to adapt to the situation in a way that regards the development of the subordinates in a significant way.

Situational theory is now becoming more accepted form of leadership theory across the culture. It is true because this kind of leadership approach can be open to accept the incorporation of latest technology or developments in the field of efficient performance although the initial cost in deploying had been quite high. But in every culture, such a change is always welcome that calls for efficiency and success. Moreover, along with it, when the need of Training and Development in the Company is significant to motivate the workers to perform efficiently, this theory of leadership attempts to create an atmosphere which is tension-free rather than taking stringent actions for the errors the workers commit. Hence this move is also accepted by various cultures thereby making the concept more applicable. Further, this nature of leadership supports innovation especially in terms of technological advancement and builds an overall condition that can befit for both, the management as well as for its stakeholders. Situational leadership being more dynamic in nature, the reason for undertaking this leadership in full-fledge form, is to ensure more flexibility in the system by adapting the leaders to the situation that a Company is going through in the best possible manner. In fact, this nature of leadership theory would help seek the advantage of most of the leadership styles that could best suit the situation dealing mainly with the technological advancement which is the key to success in any given Organization and hence best suited for me. Directing, coaching and guiding, participating and supporting, delegating, etc. would hence only make this theory more acceptable in the Organization than any other theory.

For example, in case of Change Organization, it is preferable for a leader to change his leadership theory from Democratic to Autocratic for a while so that the change is implemented in a shorter space of time and once the change is incorporated, gradually move into the Democratic phase.