Theoretical Theoretical Perspectives on Perspectives on

Leadership:Leadership:

Situational Leadership Situational Leadership TheoryTheory

Leader-Member Exchange Leader-Member Exchange TheoryTheory

OutlineOutline

• Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory (SLT)Leadership Theory (SLT)

• Leader Member Exchange Theory Leader Member Exchange Theory (LMX)(LMX)

• Perspective-Taking ExercisePerspective-Taking Exercise

Hersey and Blanchard’s Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Situational Leadership

TheoryTheory

Follower r

eadiness: abilit

y and willi

ngness

Follower r

eadiness: abilit

y and willi

ngness

Leader: decreasing need for support and supervisionLeader: decreasing need for support and supervision

• Emphasizes the situational Emphasizes the situational

contingency of maturity, or contingency of maturity, or

“readiness,” of followers.“readiness,” of followers.

• Readiness is the extent to which Readiness is the extent to which

people have the ability and willingness people have the ability and willingness

to accomplish a specific task.to accomplish a specific task.

Situational Leadership Situational Leadership TheoryTheory

• Appropriate leadership style is Appropriate leadership style is contingent on the followers’ readinesscontingent on the followers’ readiness– ReadinessReadiness - extent to which people have - extent to which people have

the the abilityability and and willingnesswillingness to accomplish a to accomplish a specific taskspecific task

• Based on two leadership dimensionsBased on two leadership dimensions– Task (or directive) behaviorsTask (or directive) behaviors– Relationship (or supportive) behaviorsRelationship (or supportive) behaviors

Situational Leadership Situational Leadership TheoryTheory

•Posits four stages follower readiness:Posits four stages follower readiness:

– R1: Low readinessR1: Low readiness

• followers arefollowers are unable unable and and unwillingunwilling

– R2: Low to moderate readinessR2: Low to moderate readiness

• followers are followers are unableunable but but willingwilling

– R3: Moderate to high readinessR3: Moderate to high readiness

• followers are followers are ableable but but unwillingunwilling

– R4: High readinessR4: High readiness

• followers are followers are ableable and and willingwilling

Situational Leadership Situational Leadership TheoryTheory

The Four Leadership The Four Leadership StylesStyles

SellingT

elling

Parti

cipa

ting

Del

egat

ing

•Four specific leadership styles Four specific leadership styles (incorporating directive & supportive (incorporating directive & supportive leadership dimensions):leadership dimensions):

– Telling:Telling: high task-low relationship leadership high task-low relationship leadership

– Selling:Selling: high task-high relationship leadership high task-high relationship leadership

– Participating:Participating: low task-high relationship low task-high relationship leadershipleadership

– Delegating:Delegating: low task-low relationship low task-low relationship leadershipleadership

Situational Leadership Situational Leadership TheoryTheory

Matching Leadership Matching Leadership style with Development style with Development

LevelLevel• Leader style and follower readiness.Leader style and follower readiness.

– A telling style is best for low readiness.A telling style is best for low readiness.– A selling style is best for low to A selling style is best for low to

moderate readiness.moderate readiness.– A participating style is best for A participating style is best for

moderate to high readiness.moderate to high readiness.– A delegating style is best for high A delegating style is best for high

readiness.readiness.

Hersey and Blanchard’s Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership ModelSituational Leadership Model

SellingS2

Explain decisions and provide opportunity for

clarification

Hersey and Blanchard’s Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Situational Leadership

TheoryTheoryParticipating

S3Share ideas and

facilitate in decision making

Follower-Directed Leader-Directed

Low

Low

High

High

Leader Behavior

Task Behavior

Follower ReadinessHigh Moderate Low R4 R3 R2 R1

Rel

atio

nshi

p B

ehav

ior

(sup

port

ive

beha

vior

)

DelegatingS4

Turn overresponsibility for

decisions andimplementation

TellingS1

Provide specificinstructions and closelysupervise performance

The Leader-Member The Leader-Member Exchange ApproachExchange Approach

• Stresses the Stresses the importance of importance of variable variable relationships relationships between leaders between leaders and each of their and each of their followers.followers.

The Leader-Member The Leader-Member Exchange Exchange

(LMX Model)(LMX Model)• This model is based on the idea that one of This model is based on the idea that one of

two distinct types of leader-member two distinct types of leader-member exchange relationships evolve, and these exchange relationships evolve, and these exchanges are related to important work exchanges are related to important work outcomes.outcomes.

• - - in-group exchange:in-group exchange: a partnership a partnership characterized bycharacterized by mutual trust, respect and liking mutual trust, respect and liking

• - - out-group exchange:out-group exchange: a partnership a partnership characterized bycharacterized by a lack of mutual trust, respect and liking a lack of mutual trust, respect and liking

The Leader-Member The Leader-Member Exchange Exchange LMX ModelLMX Model

LeaderLeader

F1

Out-group•viewed as incompetent, untrustworthy, and poorly

motivated

In-group•viewed as competent, trustworthy, and highly

motivated

F2

F3

F4

F5

LMX ModelLMX Model

• Stages of Relationship DevelopmentStages of Relationship Development

– Phase 1: Testing and assessmentPhase 1: Testing and assessment

– Phase 2: Development of trustPhase 2: Development of trust

– Phase 3: Creation of emotional bondPhase 3: Creation of emotional bond

Factors Influencing the Factors Influencing the RelationshipRelationship

• Member attributes influence relationshipMember attributes influence relationship• extroversionextroversion• abilitiesabilities• ingratiation behaviorsingratiation behaviors

• Affective responses influence the Affective responses influence the relationshiprelationship– perceived similarityperceived similarity

• attractionattraction– leads to increased interactionleads to increased interaction

• trusttrust

Outcomes of LMXOutcomes of LMX

• High‑LMX relationship groups High‑LMX relationship groups tends to outperform low‑LMX tends to outperform low‑LMX relationship groupsrelationship groups

• Outcomes:Outcomes:– ProductivityProductivity– Job satisfactionJob satisfaction– Organizational commitmentOrganizational commitment– Employee resignationEmployee resignation– Salary and promotionSalary and promotion

Gender and LMXGender and LMX

• Gender differences influence interactionsGender differences influence interactions

• Mixed gender relationshipsMixed gender relationships– supervisors rate performance lowersupervisors rate performance lower– supervisors report liking subordinate lesssupervisors report liking subordinate less– subordinates experience greater role subordinates experience greater role

ambiguityambiguity

Perspective-TakingPerspective-Taking

• Ability to “read” leader or member Ability to “read” leader or member important in LMXimportant in LMX

• Use role-taking skills to entertain the Use role-taking skills to entertain the point of view of anotherpoint of view of another

• Associated with Associated with – +patience+patience– +reasonableness+reasonableness– +sensitivity+sensitivity– -aggressiveness-aggressiveness– -sarcasm-sarcasm

Perspective-Taking Perspective-Taking ExerciseExercise

• InstructionsInstructions. This task will be similar to a . This task will be similar to a game of Pictionary. You have each been game of Pictionary. You have each been given a card with a word on it. First, one given a card with a word on it. First, one of you will draw in order to get your of you will draw in order to get your partner to say the word on your card. partner to say the word on your card. Then, your partner will draw for you. It Then, your partner will draw for you. It makes no difference who goes first and makes no difference who goes first and who goes second. You are to draw who goes second. You are to draw anything you wish to draw in order to get anything you wish to draw in order to get your partner to say the word on your card. your partner to say the word on your card.

Exercise RulesExercise Rules

1) While drawing, you may not speak to your 1) While drawing, you may not speak to your partner or use hand gestures to communicate partner or use hand gestures to communicate with your partner.with your partner.

2) You may not use numbers, letters, or the 2) You may not use numbers, letters, or the number sign (#) in your drawings.number sign (#) in your drawings.

3) You may not write any part of the word, even 3) You may not write any part of the word, even if your partner has said a part of the word.if your partner has said a part of the word.

4) Your partner must say the word EXACTLY as 4) Your partner must say the word EXACTLY as it appears on the card.it appears on the card.

5) You will have 3 minutes in which to draw 5) You will have 3 minutes in which to draw and for your partner to guess.and for your partner to guess.

Good Luck!!Good Luck!!

Perspective-Taking Perspective-Taking QuestionsQuestions

• When you were drawing, did you draw When you were drawing, did you draw toward yourself or toward your partner? toward yourself or toward your partner?

• How do you think your score on the How do you think your score on the perspective-taking questionnaire might perspective-taking questionnaire might relate to your performance on this task?relate to your performance on this task?

• How do you think one’s tendency or ability How do you think one’s tendency or ability to take the perspective (i.e., point of view) to take the perspective (i.e., point of view) of another might influence the ways in of another might influence the ways in which leaders and subordinates interact?which leaders and subordinates interact?