Introduction
Context-based leadership is a stance that clearly justifies the existence of the situational model of leadership. Under the model, leaders should use appropriate leadership approaches that meet the requirements of a given situation. Different contexts in an organization require a leader to exhibit different characters that can match with every situation. For instance, leadership as an element of social influence in an organization should accommodate the social requirements in every setting. Managers should also ensure that their leadership results in the achievement of a common goal (Spillane 2004). It is in this light that this paper discusses whether managers should adapt their leadership style according to the situation.
Managers should be able to adapt their leadership styles according to the context in order to achieve organizational success. Situational leadership places a manager in a better position to respond to the challenges and opportunities that face an organization. The manager also ensures that the company’s resources are properly allocated according to the demands of the situation (Vroom & Sternberg 2002). For instance, a good human resource manager would send the employees on leave when the demand for the products declines in the market. In this case, the manager would assign a few employees that can produce the required quantities. This example is a good manifestation of how situational leadership can play an important role in the effective management of organizational resources. Apart from the effective management of resources, situational leadership should also be assessed in the dimensions of cohesion, coherence, and organization (Mintzberg 2011).
Cohesion
Cohesion in organizational context refers to the unity among the members. It can be achieved through a good leadership style that values group unity. Situational leadership promotes cohesion among organizational members by identifying the aspects that relate to team performance. In this regard, the manager should be ready to accommodate the social elements that build a good rapport. The team relies on a good relationship for the achievement of a common goal (Vroom & Sternberg 2002).
In the context where a manager has the responsibility of promoting cohesion, a participative model of leadership may be very effective in achieving organizational objectives. In the participative model, the leader gives attention to issues such as relationship building, motivation, and caring for others (Hersey & Ken 2008). The leadership approach is very important in team building and group decision making. It also helps a manager to improve job satisfaction, reduce labor turnover, and absenteeism. The employees feel empowered when they are encouraged to participate in the affairs of the company.
Coherence and Organization
Coherence is an important requirement in situational leadership. It is a tool that allows managers to ensure that there is conformity between the systems, process, organizational goals, and the needs of the employees. The manager has to ensure that various aspects of a company are merged together for the success of the business. In this situation, the leader should also identify areas of complexity and areas that should be changed according to the situations at hand. Coherence also requires the leader to assess the existing organizational structure, processes, activities, employee requirements, and expectations of the stakeholders to ensure uniformity (Feldman 2000)
In order to achieve coherence, a manager should adopt a transformational model of leadership. The leadership approach may be applied where an organization requires new techniques or to accommodate change within the system. For instance, a change in organizational culture may affect how the employees perform their duties. In such a case transformational leadership will be very effective in managing the change. Organizational members should be encouraged to adopt proper change management strategies and innovative thinking to manage the complexities of the business. The transformational leadership approach enables a manager to promote creative problem-solving skills to manage various issues in the organization. It, therefore, establishes the ground for coherency in an organization. The leader in this context outlines the necessary actions, establishes a clear vision, and helps the employees to identify various problems affecting their performance (Spillane 2004).
While coherence ensures uniformity between the various parts of a company, the organization focuses on how various functions can be organized to achieve the goals and objectives of a business. In some situations, the leader may be forced to ensure proper organization of various activities. The context, therefore, calls for a transactional model of leadership where a leader mainly focuses on the achievement of routine goals. Organization requires the leader to identify operational tasks, assign the tasks to the employees, and monitor how the employees pursue the tasks. The leadership approach does not embrace the element of change since it is oriented towards the routine process. A manager may be compelled to adopt this leadership approach in situations where change may be expensive as compared to maintaining the status quo (Hersey & Ken 2008).
In situations where the organization has inadequate resources, the manager may be forced to embrace the transactional model of leadership. The leader is required to establish and clarify routine goals to the employees and use routine methods of resource allocation. Despite the fact that transactional leadership ensures effective utilization of organizational resources, it inhibits creativity and innovation among the employees (Schultz 2010).
Reference List
Feldman, M.S 2000, ‘Organizational routines a source of continuous change’, Organizational Science, vol 11. no. 66, pp. 611-629.
Hersey, P & Ken, D 2008, Management of organizational behavior: Leading human resources, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River.
Mintzberg, H 2011, Managing, Pearson Education, Harlow.
Schultz, S.E 2010, Psychology and work today: an introduction to industrial and organizational psychology, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River.
Spillane, J 2004, ‘Towards a theory of leadership practice’, Journal of Curriculum Studies, vol. 36. no.1, pp. 33–34.
Vroom, V & Sternberg, R.J 2002, ‘Theoretical letters: the person versus the situation in leadership’, The Leadership Quarterly, vol. 13. no. 3, pp. 301–323.