Chapter 5 – Situational Approach & Change Management Matching style to situation
The situational leadership approach (Hersey & Blanchard) argues that there is no single best leadership style. Instead, leaders should adjust their mix of directive and supportive behavior according to followers’ competence and commitment.
- S1 – Telling/Directing (high directive, low supportive).
- S2 – Selling/Coaching (high directive, high supportive).
- S3 – Participating/Supporting (low directive, high supportive).
- S4 – Delegating (low directive, low supportive).
Followers move through D1–D4 development levels based on how capable and motivated they are. Effective leaders flexibly match style (S1–S4) with development level.
Change is any significant shift in structures, processes, technologies or behaviors. Change management refers to the structured approach used to transition individuals, teams and organizations from a current state to a desired future state.
A simple typology of change distinguishes:
- Incremental vs. radical (small continuous improvements vs. transformational change).
- Planned vs. emergent (designed in advance vs. evolving from practice).
- Developmental, transitional, transformational changes.
Common change models include Lewin’s Unfreeze–Change–Refreeze, Kotter’s 8-step process and various ADKAR-style models. They typically describe phases such as: creating urgency, building a coalition, communicating a vision, enabling action, and anchoring new behaviors in culture.
Strengths of these models: they offer clear steps and reduce complexity. Critiques: they can be too linear, underestimate politics and emotions, and may not fit fast-changing or complex contexts.
1. What is the core principle of the situational leadership approach developed by Hersey and Blanchard?
The core principle is that effective leadership depends on the fit between the leader’s style and followers’ development level. Leaders should adjust their degree of directive and supportive behavior according to followers’ competence and commitment rather than using one fixed style in all situations.
2. Describe the four leadership styles (S1–S4) and explain when each is most appropriate.
S1 – Directing: high task, low relationship; clear instructions and close supervision, best for D1 followers (low competence, high commitment). S2 – Coaching: high task and high relationship; still directing but adds encouragement and explanation, suited to D2 (some competence, low/variable commitment). S3 – Supporting: low task, high relationship; leader facilitates and supports shared decisions, suitable for D3 (moderate to high competence, variable confidence). S4 – Delegating: low task, low relationship; responsibility is given to followers, ideal for D4 (high competence, high commitment).
3. How are follower competence and commitment used to determine development levels (D1–D4)?
Development levels combine competence (knowledge, skills, experience) and commitment (motivation, confidence). D1: low competence, high commitment. D2: some competence, low or fluctuating commitment. D3: moderate–high competence, variable confidence. D4: high competence and high commitment. Leaders diagnose where followers are and then choose a matching style.
4. Why is flexibility an important characteristic for leaders within the situational approach?
Flexibility is essential because follower readiness and task demands change over time. A rigid leader who always uses the same style will eventually misfit followers’ needs—over-directing experienced staff or under-supporting beginners. Effective situational leaders are able to shift quickly between S1, S2, S3 and S4 as conditions evolve.
5. What are the major strengths of the situational leadership model?
Strengths include: (1) intuitive logic that leadership should adapt to follower needs; (2) clear and practical guidance for managers; (3) focus on followers’ development and growth; and (4) wide use in training and coaching, which suggests high face validity for practitioners.
6. Discuss the criticisms and limitations of the situational approach in both theory and practice.
Criticisms: (1) limited empirical support for the exact matching pattern (e.g., S1 with D1, etc.); (2) vague definitions of competence and commitment, making diagnosis subjective; (3) it may underestimate organizational constraints; and (4) it implies leaders can easily change style, which may be unrealistic. In practice, managers often oversimplify the model or use it without sufficient diagnosis.
1. Change - definitions, change management definitions, change management typology.
Change is any significant alteration in structures, processes, technologies, or behaviors. Change management is the structured process of preparing, equipping and supporting people to successfully adopt change to achieve organizational outcomes. A basic typology distinguishes incremental vs. radical change, planned vs. emergent change, and developmental, transitional and transformational change. This typology helps leaders select appropriate strategies and tools for different types of change.
2. Change management models: essence, characteristics and components.
Change models provide a roadmap for moving from a current to a desired state. For example, Lewin’s model (Unfreeze–Change–Refreeze) highlights the need to create readiness, implement new behaviors, and stabilize them. Kotter’s 8-step model adds components such as creating a sense of urgency, building a guiding coalition, communicating a vision, removing obstacles and anchoring change in culture. Common characteristics across models include staged progression, emphasis on communication, leadership sponsorship and reinforcement mechanisms.
3. Change management models: advantages and critique.
Advantages: models simplify complex change, offer clear steps, support planning and communication, and provide a shared language. Critiques: many models are too linear and prescriptive, underestimating politics, emotions and unintended consequences. In turbulent environments, change is often messy and iterative, so rigidly following a model can be misleading. Good leaders use models as guides, not as strict formulas.