Leadership is not “one size fits all” exercise. Much depends on your personal approach, company culture and your or your team’s maturity.
Situational leadership theory created by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard in late 60’s provide good approach to leadership dependent on your team’s maturity. Unfortunately, your team is not mature on the same level facing all possible challenges. This means for you, to be more effective leader, you have to adjust your leadership style to particular decision.
Leadership styles in decision making
Please find below possible leadership styles and team role in such scenarios:
| Style | Description | Team Role |
|---|---|---|
| Autocratic (A1) | You use the information that you already have to make the decision, without requiring any further input from your team. | None |
| Autocratic (A2) | You consult your team to obtain specific information that you need, and then you make the final decision. | Bring information to the leader. Have to accept final decision. |
| Consultative (C1) | You inform your team of the situation and ask for members’ opinions individually, but you don’t bring the group together for a discussion. You make the final decision. | Share with leader information, ides and opinions during individual interviews. |
| Consultative (C2) | You get your team together for a group discussion about the issue and to seek their suggestions, but you still make the final decision by yourself. | Share with leader information, ides and opinions during team meeting. |
| Collaborative (G2) | You work with your team to reach a group consensus. Your role is mostly facilitative, and you help team members to reach a decision that they all agree on. | Whole team work on solution on equal rights. |
Adjust leadership style to decision needs
Vroom-Yetton Decision Model may help with choosing the right Leadership style dependant on decision you have to make:
If you have tough decision to make – go through diagram above, it will help you to find right approach.