Styles of effective leadership for different situations

Three kinds of situation help to identify different styles of leadership appropriate for each situation. Each is given a descriptive title relating to the behaviour required from those being led.

• Command and compliance, for ex: a car breaks down and a technician uses expert knowledge to repair the fault or tells the driver how to carry out the repair
• Involvement and commitment, for ex: a young adult wants to use the car; this requires commitment to learning how to drive properly and understanding how to find the way to and from selected destinations
• Participation in problem definition and problem solving, for ex:the car is in good repair and the driver is competent and knows how to read a map but there can still be problems caused by severe traffic congestion. The car mechanic, the driving instructor and map reading skills do not solve the problem.

The style of leadership in each of these situations is different. In the first pair of situations a directive style can work well. In the second pair of situations the 'leader' needs to gain some commitment and contribution from the person with the problem. In the third pair of situations the 'leader' needs to involve the people with the problem in the diagnosis as well as the solution. Today's complex world reveals an increasing number of situations like the third case. Participative leadership gains respect and is increasingly in demand. These leaders align the contribution of those being led and stand the best chance of achieving effective results