36 Theories of Leadership – III

Structure

1.    Objectives

2.    Introduction

3.    Situational Leadership Theory

4.    Path Goal Theory of Leadership

1.   Objectives

At the end of the session learners will be able to

•  Explain Situational Leadership Theory
• Apply Situational Leadership in Education
• Explain Path Goal Theory of Leadership
• Apply Path Goal Theory of Leadership in Education

2.    Introduction

Hersey and Blanchard first introduced the concept of situational leadership in ‘Life Cycle Theory of Leadership’. Hersey and Blanchard argued that effective leadership rests in appropriate balance of task and relationship behavior. Tasks are characterized as one way communication from leader to follower. He or she provides instructions regarding how the goals are to be achieved and then provides close supervision. As subordinates or followers begins to mature in their understanding of their duties or responsibilities, the leader should increasingly emphasize relationship behavior. These behaviours are defined as extent to which the leader engages in two way communication and include listening, facilitating and supportive behaviors.

3.   Situational Leadership Theory

This theory was developed by Hersey and Blanchard in 1969. The model demonstrates that effective leadership is based on the appropriate balance of leader’s task and relationship behaviors. It is based on the notion that appropriate leader behavior depends on the maturity of the followers. The leader’s emphasis on either the task or the relationship behavior depends on the maturity or readiness of the follower. This maturity includes subordinates level of motivation, competence, experience and interest in accepting responsibility. This model suggests that if maturity of the followers improves, the leaders’ style should also change. The theory states that instead of using just one style, successful leaders should change their leadership styles based on the maturity of the people they are leading and details of the task.

This theory includes-

• Task behaviour:

How much the leader explains the roles to the followers suordinates, tells what and how aspect of tasks and control the tasks.

• Relationship behaviour:

How much relationship is maintained between the leader and followers.

If the manager / leader is task oriented people do not love that manager. If the manager / leader is relationship oriented people will depend on manager for the task. Will not accept task unless some responsibility is given. Therefore to maintain the balance between the two is neessary.

Let us try to understand this with the help of following cases.

Case I

You are a project director in your department and have been assigned responsibility to design and implement online course using moodle. You have recruited a new project team that is eager to begin work with you in developing and implementing a new online course. You have scheduled a series of planning meetings with your team members. At these first meeting of the team what action you think must be most appropriate for the leader to take in this situation? Rank your answer from 1-4.   1 being the most appropriate response and 4 the least appropriate leadership response.

a)    Make sure that you define responsibilities of the team members, present an overview of how you are going to implement this online course, direct the work of the team members in developing system for offering online course and closely monitor progress in implementing the 0nline course.

b)    Direct the work of the team in designing and developing project and encourage team members to work together by recommending ideas, making decisions on the final design and implementing the project.

c)    Facilitate the work of the team by encouraging cooperation and involvement of all team members as they design and implement the new project.

d)    Allow the team to design and implement the project on their own with your support and with the resources that you have given them.

Case II

The team that you coordinate as project director has been working well together over the past year to design and implement online courses with your input and facilitation. As the new year begins number of new online courses are being introduced and several new members are being added to the team who do not have previous experience with your online courses. What action you think must be most appropriate for the leader to take in this situation? Rank your answer from 1-4. 1 being the most appropriate response and 4 the least appropriate leadership response.

a)    Use several team meetings to direct the work of the team in creating new online courses while teaching the new members about organization’s work and their new role. Then work to closely monitor the performance of the entire team as they introduced the new projects.

b)    Guide the entire team in creating new online courses, incorporate the ideas and suggestions of all team members, encourage effective team work and take time to introduce the new team members.

c)    Welcome the new members to the team, put them with other members of the team who can help them learn how to design and implement online courses while facilitating team development and team work.

d)    Ask if there is anything you can do to help the new members and support their excitement about being new team members.

Case III

As project director you have worked closely with one of your teams for several years. Their work is excellent and they have acquired the skills of developing online courses and the team gets along well together. Recognizing their abilities you feel they can now work more on their own. You have begun this year to redirect your energies to train teachers in delivering online courses. You must now to ask them accept additional tasks and responsibilities. What action you think must be most appropriate for the leader to take in this situation? Rank your answer from 1-4. 1 being the most appropriate response and 4 the least appropriate leadership response.

a.    Assign them new responsibility. Make sure they know what to do and supervise them closely.

b.  Give them new responsibility. Tell them that you are pleased with their past performance and that you are sure they will do well with this new responsibility.

c.    Make sure they know what you want them to do but incorporate any helpful suggestions they have.

d.   Let them determine how to complete the new responsibility and be available to support them and provide them information and resources that will be needed.

Case IV

You have been just appointed as a project director. One of the team that you are about to lead has worked together for several months. You have found that team is beginning to perform effectively on the tasks assigned to them but somewhat overwhelmed by the project and demands of working together as a team. You are unsure about how to fit into the group and what your role should be. What action you think must be most appropriate for you to take in this situation? Rank your answer from 1-4. 1 being the most appropriate response and 4 the least appropriate leadership response.

a.    Assume the leadership of the team, direct the design and implementation of its projects and tasks and closely monitor their performance.

b.    Facilitate the planning and implementation of team’s work and develop the ability of team members to work together.

c.    Do what you can to make the team feel important and involved, and support their continued work.

d.    Attend the team meetings, but let the team continue to work as it has in the past year.

Identify the leadership style used in above cases.

The model has identified four basic leadership styles based on the maturity of the followers.

Ø  Telling:

Leaders tell people exactly what to do and how to do. ( Low relationship and high task) When the maturity of the followers is low leader should use telling style by providing direction and defining role.

In case I Leader has used ‘Telling’ style of leadership as the team members were new so did not know what is expected in the development of online courses. Leader has to tell team members what to do and how to do. So the leader has to instruct them so there is high relationship and low task.

Ø  Selling:

Leaders provide information and direction. Leaders ‘sell’ message. (High relationship and high task ) When the maturity of the followers is low to moderate leader should use selling style by offering direction and role definition along with explanation and information.

In case II Leader has used ‘Selling’ style of leadership. The team that the leader coordinated as project director has been working well together over the past year to design and implement online courses with leader’s input and facilitation. Leader has provided information and direction. There is high relationship and high task.

Ø  Participating:

Leaders focus more on relationship and less on direction. Leaders work with the team and share decision making responsibility. (High relationship and low task) With moderate to high follower maturity, the leader should use participating style and allow them to share in decision making.

In case III Leader has used ‘Participating’ style of leadership. Team member’s work is excellent and the team gets along well together. They can now work more on their own. They have continued to work effectively. Here relationship is high but task is low.

Ø  Delegating:

Leaders pass most of the responsibility onto the follower or group. (Low relationship and low task). If the follower’s maturity is high, the leader needs to allow followers to work independently, with little or no overseeing.

In case IV Leader has used ‘Delegating’ style of leadership. Team has worked together for several months. Now team begins to perform effectively on the tasks assigned to them. Team members maturity is high. Team members can now do the task independently without the support of leader. There is low relationship and low task.

The ever changing styles of interaction between leader and team members (subordinates) can be understood by referring the figure below. It shows the changes in leadership behavior and follower behavior and interaction between leader and their maturing follower. (Directive and Supportive Behaviour).

Hersey and Blanchard Situational Leadership Model

(Source-  https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Situational-leadership-model-

Follower Behaviour

It can be described in terms of maturity or readiness of the followers. Readiness is not a characteristic but a measure of degree to which a follower demonstrates ability and willingness to accomplish the task in a given situation. Ability is the knowledge, experience and skill that a person brings to a particular task. In addition the ability to perform a task, follower must demonstrate the willingness, which is measured as the extent to which the individual has confidence, commitment, and motivation to accomplish a specific task.

A continuum of follower readiness is divided into four readiness levels and each level represents a different combination of follower ability and willingness. In readiness level 1 (R1) followers are unable and unwilling as measured by lack of knowledge, commitment, confidence. In readiness level 2 (R2) followers are lacking in ability but are motivated and willing to make an effort. They prefer leader’s guidance in this situation. In readiness level 3 (R3) followers have the ability to perform task but they are insecure about doing so when leader provides less structure or guidance.In readiness level 4 (R4) followers have ability to perform job related tasks and are committed and confident about their ability to complete them.

In this way followers matures and move towards readiness levels.In R1 and R2 decisions are leader directed. The leader provides the structure and guidance. As the followers matures and move towards R3 their high level of readiness makes them self directed and responsible for task decisions. The transition from leader directed to self directed decision making often leads to some insecurity on the parts of follower because of lack of task emphasis by leader. The strategy is intentional because effective leaders will reduce their guidance regarding ways to accomplish tasks to encourage the followers to become more self directed and responsible.

Leader Behaviour

The above figure also is divided into four boxes, each box describes the appropriate balance between task and relationship behavior for each quadrant. Style S1 Telling is located in lower right quadrant. It depicts high emphasis on directive behavior and low emphasis on supportive behavior. When using this style leader focuses on goal achievement. Leader describes the duties and responsibilities by specifying what to do, how to do, when to do, where to do it and who is to do it.

The second style S2 is Selling. The leader provides guidance but also an opportunity for dialogue and clarification in order to help the person. The leader explains, persuades,and provides encouragement. The style is appropriate when followers are unable but willing or unable but confident.

Using style S3 or participating the leader places less emphasize on guidance and more emphasis on two way and supportive communication. Leader is collaborating, facilitating and committing to provide opportunities to the follower to become more responsible in making decisions regarding the manner in which task is completed. Through style S4 i.e Delegating the leader shifts the emphasis from support to directive behavior because are able to undertakes the task without great deal of supervision. Leader observes and monitors with the intent of encouraging the follower to take responsibility for completing the task. The leader is less involved in directing the follower or providing support that is intent to build confidence.

4.   Path Goal Leadership Theory

It was developed by Martin Evans and Robert House. The term path goal is derived from the belief that effective leaders clarify the path so subordinates know which way to go, remove roadblocks that are stopping them going there, increasing the rewards along the route.

This theory motivates employees by defining goals, clarifying paths, removing obstacles and providing support. This type of leadership theory works well in building employee morale.

This leadership theory focuses on how a leader can increase employees’ motivation to attain organizational goals.

The essence of the theory is that it is leader’s job to assist his / her followers in attaining their goals and provide necessary direction. In that theory it is explained that subordinate and environment characteristics are those contingency variables that mediate the relationship between leadership style and subordinate outcome such as performance, motivation and job satisfaction. Subordinate behavior is motivated by leader behavior to the extent that the leader influences expectancies of subordinate in a positive way and is helpful in assisting subordinate in accomplishing goals. Effective leaders clarify the paths that will lead to desired goal.

According to House, there are four different types of leadership styles depending on the situation:

a.    Directive Leadership

b.    Supportive Leadership

c.    Participative Leadership

d.    Achievement-oriented Leadership

a.    Directive Leadership

The leader provides structure to the work situation by establishing specific expectations for the subordinates, such as the nature, amount and time of performing task. The leader insists that specific performance standard should be maintained.

Supportive Leadership – The leader has friendly relationships and shows concern for the well-being and needs of the subordinates. The leader is approachable and exhibits trust.

b.    Participative Leadership

The leader consults his subordinate and considers their views seriously before taking decision.

c.    Achievement-oriented Leadership

The leader expects high level of productivity from the subordinates and exhibits the confidence that subordinates can achieve these high lvels. The leader sets challenging goals and emphasizes excellence.

Case V

Mr. Deshpande has a team of teachers that has very monotonous task of writing and submitting lesson plans and get approval for the same by the principal every day before teaching of that topic. Teachers always complain about how boring their job is. Teachers’ feels that Mr. Deshpande does not understand their plight. He only tells them to accomplish the task though they doesn’t like it. He reminds the teachers of correct procedures and always have some directions in spite of the fact that teachers tasks are very monotonous and are require little to no guidance.

Identify leadership style of Mr. Deshpande under Path Goal Theory?

Mr. Deshpande’s leadership style under path goal theory can be defined as Directive Because of Mr Deshpand’s Directive leadership style his team is not motivated.

Mr. Rane is very people oriented. His team considers to him genuinely caring. He is always posting about his team member’s birthdays and accomplishments. His team is responsible for very complex computer system. In spite of Mr. Rane’s Support there is lots of absenteeism and his team has complained to top management about complex nature of their work. Although Mr. Rane has demonstrated support his team, this is not his employees need and as a result his team is failing to meet organizational goals. His team is not motivated which results in high absenteeism and turn over.

Identify leadership style of Mr. Rane under Path Goal Theory?

Mr. Rane’s Leadership style under path goal theory is Supportive leadership style.

Mrs. Patil leads a very motivated team. She ensures that each member of her team is able to speak openly to her about issues. When there is any problem she wants to be informed so that she can help in resolving it. She regularly coaches her employees that lack the ability to complete task, that lack the self confidence, she reassures them. She is not only interested in each employee’s personal goals, she also ensures they are aware of organizational goals and rewards her team for accomplishing goals.

Identify leadership style of Mrs. Patil under path goal theory?

Mrs. Patil’s Leadership style is Achievement Oriented. Through her actions, she not only focuses on organizational goals but also encourages holistic employees’ view that results in the employee’s commitment in organizational goals.

Path Goal Theory Suggests that individual’s motivation depends on expectation that efforts to achieve improved level of performance will be successful.

Following table shows the Leadeship style preference as per the situation and its impact on follower and outcome.

References

• Pandya, S.R (2004) Administration and management of Education,HimalayaPublishingb House, Mumbai.
• Singh Nirmal (2000). Principles of Management – Theory, Practices, Techniques. Deep & Deep Publication Pvt Ltd., New Delhi.
• Stoner, J, Freeman, R,Gilbert, D (2013) Management, Sixth Edition,Pearson Education, Inc. South Asia.