Unit 14.6        Essay Completion

Look again at the examination question about leadership (from exercise 14.1). This time you've been given the first letters of the missing words - most of which you've also studied in the other exercises in unit 14. To check the answers, click in the circle after each word and to check the meaning and see other examples of the word, click on the gap.

Briefly describe the Hersey-Blanchard theory of leadership contrasting it to one other approach to organizational leadership

Hersey and Blanchard theory of leadership is a response to the div                    personalities and contexts found in organizations.  Rather than trying to justify one particular style of  management, Hersey and Blanchard focused on helping managers make their style com                    with the needs and ability of their staff in different situations. For this reason, their approach is generally known as situational leadership.

There are two main com                         to their model: leadership styles and development levels. In their theory, what matters is not the leadership style in itself but the way it int                        with the developmental level of the follower: a manager who imp                     the approach correctly should be able to provide workers who are able and motivated with more autonomy and those who need more direction with the information and supervision req                ,  ther                       ens                            the best out                     in both situations.

The four leadership styles range from the directing leaders (S1) to delegating leaders (S4). Directing leaders might appear more traditional, maintaining a high sta                    in relation to employees and communicating in a one-way direction. The other levels move increasingly towards a more equal sta                 , in which control is passed over to the employee and the leader fac                    , rather than directs the performance of tasks. Some management gurus, such as Ricardo Semler, would see this style – S4 - as the general ideal. In a democratic company, Semler argues, the employees will lia                  with colleagues in their work and only con             managers when they decide they need or wish to.

However, situational leadership theory imp                   that any fixed organizational structure  - even Semler’s democratic structure - is limited because there will be situations in which different leadership styles are  req              . Hersey and Blanchard would argue that the ‘old-fashioned’ directive style is equally val               and will be the best style in certain situations. The ideal manager will be able to move smoothly between the leadership styles depending on their ana              of the needs of the ‘follower’ – or, in a business context, the employees.

The employees are also divided into four levels depending on their level of commitment and competence. Only those employees who are operating at level D4 (High Competence; High motivation) in any particular situation can do without the con                         of the leader in directing their work. It’s important for leaders to fam                  themselves with the abilities and personalities of their team members in order to ado                    the most appropriate leadership style. And it’s important for them to ada                  this style according to each situation. So, for example, even with a team member who normally works independently, there will probably be situations when the leader needs to  part                         more directly in the task, since the worker may lack confidence or skills in that particular aspect of their work.

The Hersey-Blanchard model is seen as clear, practical and suf                    adaptable to respond to management needs in a wide range of organisations and contexts. This is why, unlike more radical models such as those of Ricardo Semler, it has become the standard in multinational companies, according to Hersey’s research accounting for more than 700 of the top 1000 American companies.

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