Situational Leadership, also known as the Hersey-Blanchard Model of Leadership, was developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The model was first introduced in the book “Management of Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources” by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard in 1969.
The model suggests that the most effective leadership style is one that adapts to the needs and level of development of the people being led. The model identifies four different leadership styles, which are:
- Telling: High task, low relationship focus
- Selling: High task, high relationship focus
- Participating: Low task, high relationship focus
- Delegating: Low task, low relationship focus
The model also introduced the concept of “maturity” or “development level” of the people being led, which is defined as their ability and willingness to take on responsibility for a task. The model suggests that the leader should adapt their leadership style to match the maturity level of the people they are leading.
Situational Leadership is widely used in management and leadership training and is considered as one of the most influential leadership theories of the 20th century. It’s used in a variety of settings such as education, business and healthcare.
