Leadership styles -Part-5- Selecting the Proper Style

Selecting the proper Leadership style
Once you have decided upon the level of readiness, the question of selection of the appropriate leadership style would arise. The following four examples would illustrate the point:
(i) Readiness level-1, corresponding style A
If you come to the conclusion that an officer whom you have asked to investigate a criminal case is at readiness level-1, i.e., he is unable, maybe because of inadequate knowledge and is unwilling or lacks confidence because of that or some other reason, but you have no alternative but to ask him to investigate the case owing to certain situational compulsion, the appropriate leadership style to be applied is style-A.
This is because the officer would require detailed guidance in specific terms as to how to carry out the investigation. He will require close supervision in addition, so that he could be corrected whenever he goes wrong or given additional instructions whenever he gets stuck. In short, the whole gamut of his activities relating to that investigation would be carried out under your direction and close supervision.
(ii) Readiness level- 2, corresponding style B
Suppose the same officer is rated poor by you as regards ability because, although he has knowledge of law and the procedure and knows how to go about investigating a case, he has no worthwhile experience of handling complicated cases. He, however, feels greatly elated that you have chosen him for the task and is keen to do his best. In this situation, because of the inability of the officer, he will require clear instructions. You would explain to him the rationale so that he understands the logic. Because of the officer's willingness to try, you would be ready to establish a two-way communication inasmuch as
you would permit him to seek clari¬fications or make a suggestion or two. There would still be fairly close supervision because of the inability factor.
(iii) Readiness level- 3, corresponding style C
Here the officer, though able to investigate, is unwilling. His unwillingness may stem from the following causes: (a) his expe¬rience is not adequate to give him confidence to handle the case or (b) he does have the requisite experience but is deficient in motivation either because he feels that he was being overburdened or he is not happy for some reason with you or your orders. In either case, talking it over, exploring the reason for diffidence, reluctance, etc., assuming a reassuring stance and allowing free¬dom of expression as well as letting him have a sense of par¬ticipation in decision making instead of handing down decisions to him in all their details, in other words, communicating, sup¬porting and collaborating with him would be the right tactics. '
(iv) Readiness level-4, corresponding style D
Let us assume that the officer is both able and willing. He has the necessary capability and confidence to investigate the case without much guidance. In this situation it would not at all be necessary to give directives nor to give him any substantive support or encouragement. After having allocated the investigation, it would be appropriate to delegate the responsibility of making decisions and carrying them out in furtherance of the investigation to the concerned officer. What you then as the leader would do is to monitor the progress by asking him to report to you from time to time.
It would be easily seen that in the first two combinations the decisions are made by you as leader, while in the third combi¬nation, the subordinate is either associated with the decisions or he is allowed to make decisions with guidance and encouragement from you as the leader. In the last case, however, the decision ¬making authority is delegated to him. It may be borne in mind that though style A, which essentially entails issuing snappy commands keeping the situation totally under the control of the leader, has been recommended only when the subordinates are unable and unwilling, a bank officer may have to take recourse to it in a situation where there is serious and imminent agenda to be taken up in the interest of the bank. However, it would be disastrous if it becomes your style of leadership even in normal times.
Don't be rigid
It may be borne in mind that behavioural sciences lack the exactitude of other sciences such as physics or chemistry, and hence have no hard-and-fast rules which would permit precise measurements. Therefore, the principles and prescriptions given earlier while describing situational leadership, should be treated as guidelines to be used along with your common sense and gut feeling. In fact, a little reflection would convince you that there is nothing extraordinary or novel about the concept or principles of situational leadership. We use them, albeit unconsciously, in everyday life in situations where we are called upon to play a leadership role. Take for example, the family situation.
Suppose you have two sons, one in his teens and the other a toddler who has just started going to a kindergarten school. For the younger son the mother would be very careful, see that he carries his tiffin box with him, would instruct him when to eat, how to bring back the empty box, wash his hands, etc. On the other hand, for the elder son, it is a routine and no instructions are passed out to him. If the elder boy is good at studies you may be satisfied only with going through his progress report cards, not interfering with his study schedule, etc., but should his progress in studies be unsatisfactory, you would ensure that he is regular in his studies, does his home work promptly; you may even help him with his lessons and so on. All these roles which you and your wife play are a part and parcel of situational leadership. That is why situational leadership principles can be effectively applied to management of your family as to any other social group.
The sequence of styles in this form of leadership tacitly provides for the development of subordinates by first holding their hands, and then, step-by-step, giving them more freedom and decision making authority,so much so that in the final stages,when they are both able and confident,the leader transfers all authority to them retaining with him only the monitoring functions. Thus situational leadership finally aims at delegation of power to subordinates after raising them to the level where they feel confident of competently shouldering the responsibility.

(courtesy:- N.K Saraf)