Situational leadership theory, developed by Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard and first presented in the late 1960s, holds that effective leadership style should not be fixed but should adapt to the readiness or maturity level of the followers being led in a given task. The model describes a range of leadership styles, from a highly directive style appropriate for followers with low readiness to a more delegating style appropriate for followers who are highly competent and committed, with the leader expected to diagnose follower readiness and adjust their style accordingly. The theory has been widely used in leadership training and management development programs as a practical framework for adapting leadership behavior to individual employees and situations.
Facts
Core ClaimThe Situational Leadership Model holds that effective leaders adapt their style to the situation and to the performance readiness of the individual or group being led, rather than relying on one best style. 1 Classification
Topic (Functional Area) Connections
Addresses Topic
Entity-backed identity for the topic enum value this management theory already carries, resolved to a business practice discipline by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The topic fact itself stays on the theory unchanged.
Associated With
Situational Leadership Theory applies the broader contingency approach to leader behavior and follower readiness.
Source Wikipedia, Situational Leadership Theory
Leadership-theory scholarship traces a lineage from the innate-trait premise of Great Man theory through to situational and contingency theories, which hold that leadership effectiveness depends on context rather than innate traits alone.
Source Wikipedia, Great Man Theory
Source Wikipedia, Management
Situational leadership theory and path-goal theory are both taught as contingency approaches to leadership, alongside Fiedler.
Developed By
Source Wikipedia, Situational Leadership Theory
Sources
1. Wikipedia, Situational Leadership Theory
WikipediaWikipedia, Situational leadership theory lead section
The Situational Leadership Model is the idea that effective leaders adapt their style to each situation.
Wikipedia, Situational leadership theory Theory section
It was first introduced in 1969 as "Life Cycle Theory of Leadership".
Introduction, functional area topic classification
The Situational Leadership Model is the idea that effective leaders adapt their style to each situation.
- Associated With: Contingency Theory
- Developed By: Ken Blanchard
View the Source Wikipedia, Great Man Theory
Wikipedia, Management
Associated With: Management, Classified by subject-matter domain within management theory (w-bbfill-business-other-0926); cites the discipline definition.View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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