Open AccessAn Examination of the Situational Leadership Approach: Strengths and Weaknesses
Author(s) -
Doctor Caxton Shonhiwa
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
cross-currents
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2394-451X
DOI - 10.36344/ccijhss.2016.v02i02.002
Subject(s) - leadership style , situational ethics , public relations , shared leadership , situational leadership theory , order (exchange) , work (physics) , business , transactional leadership , strengths and weaknesses , leadership , servant leadership , knowledge management , political science , psychology , computer science , social psychology , engineering , mechanical engineering , finance
This present paper examines the situational leadership approach as one of the styles that leaders and managers of organisations can use. Leaders are a key human resource in any organisation. We generally think of companies competing by means of their products, but they probably compete more by means of their leaders than their products. Better leaders develop better employees and the two together develop better products. To get things done in by people, management must supply leadership the team for work accomplishment through leadership. Secondly, leadership aids authority. There are limits to the use of authority in obtaining high performance amongst subordinates. Authority alone cannot generate a favourable attitude for improved performance. Because of its main reliance on influence, leadership is essential for obtaining successful work accomplishment. Thirdly, if management fails to provide able leadership, informal leadership will develop which will eventually regulate the behaviour of the employees and may come into conflict with managerial leadership. Good leadership uses various approaches in order to steer the organisation to greater heights. The situational is one of those approaches which every leader or manager should be aware of.