Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership Theory (SLT)

Hersey and Blanchard has developed the Situational Leadership Theory (SLT) that examines the interaction between the two leadership behaviors, follower’s readiness and leadership styles. According to this theory, successful leaders should change their leadership styles based on the maturity (the capacity to set high but attainable goals, willingness and ability to take responsibility for the task, and relevant education and/or experience of an individual or a group for the task) of the people they're leading and it also depends on the task, job or function that needs to be accomplished. Using this theory, leaders should be able to place more or less emphasis on the task, and more or less emphasis on the relationships with the people they're leading, depending on what's needed to get the job done successfully.

There are two leadership behaviors in SLT:

1. Leadership behavior
Based on the concern for the task and the concern for the employee. To maximize employee performance, leadership behavior must use a style appropriate to employee’s development or readiness.

2. Readiness
The extent to which a subordinate possesses the ability, knowledge, and skills, job experience, and willingness to complete a specific task.

According to Hersey and Blanchard, there are four main leadership styles:

1. Telling style. The leaders provide specific instructions and closely supervise performance. They are primarily focused on giving explicit guidelines, setting goals, and providing structure. They tell their people exactly what to do, and how to do it.

2. Selling style. The leaders explain decisions and provide opportunities for clarification. They still provide information and direction, but there's more communication with followers. They "sell" their message to get the team on board.

3. Participating style. The leader shares ideas and maintains two-way communication to encourage and support the skills subordinates have developed. Leaders focus more on the relationship and less on direction. The leader works with the team, and shares decision-making responsibilities.

4. Delegating style. The leader provides subordinates with few task or relations behaviors. Leaders pass most of the responsibility onto the follower or group. The leaders still monitor progress, but they're less involved in decisions.

In conclusion, no one style is considered optimal for all leaders to use all the time. Effective leaders need to be flexible, and must adapt themselves according to the situation.