Situational LeadershipKen Blanchard and Paul HerseyDaphne Waller

Walden UniversityEDUC - 8140 – 12 Leadership for Today’s Schools

WHAT IS SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP? The Situational Leadership Model (SLM)

simply states that before a leader can select the style he or she is using, he or she must understand the situation. The leader must also understand the importance of outcomes.

THE FOCUS OF SLM Leaders and followers Potential leaders and potential followers

Situational Leadership

Direction Socio-emotional

support Readiness

Direction

The direction is also known as the task behavior. The task behavior describes how the

leader engages in one way communications with the followers.

During this time, the leader give directions for the leaders. The followers are instructed on the what,

who, when, where, how, or why.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC SUPPORT

Relationship Behavior Two way communication

Readiness

0 Under Readiness, the leader takes on the ability and willingness of a person to make responsibility for directing his or her own behavior.

SLM4 Styles of Leadership

4 Levels of Maturity

0 S1: Telling

0 S2: Selling

0 S3: Participating

0 S4: Delegating

0 M1: Low or Immature

0 M2: Low to Moderate

0 M3: Moderate to High

0 M4: High to Mature

Situational Leadership Model Matrix

The SLM uses this matrix.

MORE ON THE 4 STYLES

Participating Style Emphasizing

shared ideas and participative decisions on task directions.

Delegating Style Allows the group to

take responsibility for task decision

Selling Style Explaining task in a

supportive and persuasive way.

Telling Style Giving specific task

directions.

Disadvantages to SLM

There is no line between leadership and management.

The SLM does not make decisions, it only calls for change in direction.

The SLM puts much emphasize on what the leader does.