Leadership Is a Concept of Leadership Based

¶ … leadership is a concept of leadership based on the proposition that the right leadership style for optimal productivity and efficiency in working groups may be different in different situations and circumstances (Russell-Whalling, 2008). The best choice of leadership style often depends on various specific criteria pertaining to the skills and comfort zones of leaders, the maturity level of their subordinates, and the relative degree of commitment and competence of the individuals in the work group. In that regard, situational leadership can be thought of in terms of a conceptual matrix (Russell-Whalling, 2008) according to which all of the factors and circumstances must be considered to derive the most productive possible working relationships between a given leader and his or her subordinates.

Elements of Situational Leadership and Considerations of Appropriate Application

With respect to the individual skills, abilities, and comfort zones of leaders, individual leaders typically differ substantially in their reliance on one-way directing, two-way negotiation, active participation, and delegation of responsibilities and authorities (Daft, 2005). In principle, situational leadership requires a consideration of the leadership skills and personal style of the leader so that it can be incorporated into the leadership style implemented. The characteristics of the subordinates should also be incorporated into any situational leadership relationship. That is because the type of leadership that is appropriate to different work groups depends largely and directly on their relative level of maturity (Daft, 2005). Furthermore, there are generally considered to be four levels of maturity in this context: (1) groups composed of individuals who possess neither the skills nor the ability (or desire) to master the necessary skills required of their jobs; (2) groups composed of individuals who lack some degree of necessary skills and abilities but who are motivated to make a meaningful effort in that direction; (3) groups composed of individuals who possess the necessary skills to perform but who lack the ability to assume autonomous responsibility; and (4) groups composed of individuals who possess both the skills and the necessary motivational attitude and confidence to take full responsibility for their jobs. Alternatively, the same variables are sometimes expressed in terms of relative levels of technical competence and motivational commitment (Daft, 2005).

Advantages and Disadvantages

The primary advantage offered by situational leadership models is that it allows leaders to develop a leadership approach that emphasizes their strengths while simultaneously taking realistic stock of the actual capabilities and motivational level of subordinates (Russell-Whalling, 2008). Both of those are crucially important because a leader who (for example) is personally uncomfortable with participatory or delegating leadership styles would not be optimally effective in that role, irrespective of the relative abilities and motivation of his staff. Conversely, a leader who favors those types of leadership styles would be best advised not to employ them with respect to work groups that are either not highly skilled, not sufficiently mature, or not highly enough motivated to perform at a high level within the framework of the leader's preferred leadership approach (Russell-Whalling, 2008).