How To Be An Effective Situational Leader Leadership is defined as the ability to influence people to get things done.

An effective leader set vision and cascade his vision into goals, objectives, strategies and activities that are organized into action plans to be implemented by their followers. Manager has dual roles. The role of a manager in efficiently integrating resources into organized activities that are coordinated to produce some form of goods and services, and the role of a leader in mobilizing and influencing his subordinates to carry out the planned activities that are organized into functions, duties, tasks and projects to produce the goods and services. Thus a manager by virtue of his position must be a leader to be effective. A manager, on the other hand, may or may not have the leadership qualities to get things done. Types of managers: Human-oriented manager Bureaucratic manager Authoritative manager Entrepreneur manager Politician

Generally, there are 4 types of leadership styles

1)

Autocratic style Do the job my way

Manager using autocratic style makes decisions for their subordinates. They decide: What target to achieve What resources are required What procedures and rules to follow What is to be done Who to do what Where should it be done When should it be done How to do it

Autocratic manager leaves no leeway for his subordinate to make decisions in getting the job done. Subordinates are expected to follow strictly to his instructions.

Advantages of using the autocratic style The manager is in full control of his subordinates work

Errors will be minimized on condition that the manager is an expert in that specific job Manager has the opportunity to coach his subordinate on site in areas where the subordinate lacks the know how Disadvantages of using the autocratic style It will encourage the subordinate to be more dependent on the manager to make decision thus depriving the time for manager to carry out his duties and responsibility The subordinate esteem will be adversely affected and his confidence in doing a the job well by himself will be shaken It will affect the initiative of the subordinate to carry out his duties

The subordinate may feel that his manager lacks the confidence and rust in him and thus adversely affect his motivation and morale job
2)

The subordinate will not be satisfied as he does not own the processes of the

Participative Style Lets do the job together

Participative style is used when manager and his subordinates make decision together to get the job done. There are discussion and interactions on What target to achieve What resources are required What procedures and rules to follow What is to be done Who to do what Where should it be done When should it be done How to do it

Advantages of using the participative style Opportunity to build relationship with his subordinate Opportunity to share ideas and experiences in getting the job done

Opportunity to identify subordinates personal and work-related problem and help the subordinate to actualize by initiating counseling and guidance program Opportunity to ensure that work is done according to schedule Enhance commitment among the subordinates in implementing shared ideas

Disadvantages of using the participative style Take time to work with his subordinate depriving manager the time to do his own work Laissez Faire style/Free Rein Do the job your way

3)

Laissez Faire style is used when managers do not make decision and give a free hand to his subordinate to get the job done. Manager using this style communicates his expectation and empowers his subordinates to decide: What is to be done Who to do what Where should it be done When should it be done What resources are required What procedures and rules to follow How to do it

Advantages of using the laissez faire style: Manager will have more time of his own to do his own work Subordinate morale will be boosted and he will become more motivated in doing a better job Subordinates job satisfaction will be greatly enhanced as he owns the job and can see the results of his effort Subordinate will become more creative and innovative, given the freedom and leeway to decide what to do for a job assigned to him Subordinate learn to do his work independently

Disadvantages of using the laissez faire style: Subordinates who lack the know-how may feel loss and become tense and stressful done
4)

Subordinates with the wrong attitude may take too much time to get the job Manager may not get anything results from problematic employees

Authoritative Style Do the job the hard way

Authoritative style is used when other styles fail to get the subordinate to do his job. Thus managers are forced to use his position power to coerce and pressurize his subordinate to get him to do his fair share of work. Advantages of using the authoritative style: May get some results from problematic employees

Disadvantages of using the authoritative style: Create frustrated subordinates who may become uncooperative and hostile Good employees may decide to adopt a careless attitude Good employees may leave the organization

Increased in absenteeism and medical leave on the part of the subordinates suffering from psychological pains Certain employees may resort to fight and sabotage the manager Low motivation and morale among the subordinates

An emergence of an informal leader who may lead the group against the management

An effective leader makes things happen through others. It does not matter what style or combination of styles he adopted to get things done. He understands that there is no best leadership style. The best leadership style/s is the style/s that works. To choose a style/s, a manager must be equipped with the Performance Quadrant Analysis (PQA) tool to Identify and classify his subordinates into types of performers. PERFORMANCE QUADRANT ANALYSIS (PQA) I know Q1 Star I care Q2 Learner Q4 Laggard Q3 Maintainer

I don't care

I don't know WHAT STYLE MUST YOU CHOOSE TO MANAGE a. b. c. d. star performer learner maintainer laggard

Managing a star performer The most appropriate style to manage a star performer is the laissez faire style do the job your way. The rationale for choosing this style is: a. A star performer has the know-how and skills of doing the job. It is unnecessary to instruct him what to do. b. A star performer is responsible, trustworthy and reliable and will deliver your expectation of his performance target on time. You do not need to monitor a star performer as he has the right attitude towards work.

Managing a learner Rationale: Opportunity for the manager to coach (transfer of know-how and skills) the learner Improved productivity as the learner improves his skills and know-how , he will take less time to get the job done Improved quality of work Save cost in terms of errors, rejects and material wastage

When making a choice to manage learner, the manager must classify the learner into two types:
a.

Fresh learner - Learners who do not have any know-how and skills of the job I do not know anything at all how to do the job. For example a new recruit or an incumbent who is assign a new job

b. Incumbent learner - Learners who are not sure in doing certain parts of the job process I am not sure of certain aspects of the job. Incumbent learner is identified as a subordinate who has been working for sometime and yet make errors in certain aspects of the job Managing a fresh learner The most appropriate style to manage a fresh learner is the autocratic style. Since the subordinate does not know anything about the job, the manager has to start from scratch in coaching him. Managing an incumbent learner The most appropriate style is the autocratic-participative style Autocratic style on the aspects of the job the learner does not have any know how, followed by coaching Participative style on the aspects of the job the learner has some knowledge and skills. This will reinforce his know-how thus building up his confidence to work independently

Managing a maintainer The most appropriate style is the participative style. Rationale: Opportunity for the manager to share his work experience and tap the vast experiences of the maintainer to find better, simpler, easier and cheaper way to get the job done. Opportunity to build relationship with the maintainer Opportunity to motivate and help the maintainer to actualize Opportunity to counsel and guide the maintainer to effect a change of attitude

Managing a laggard Begin with participative-autocratic style, failing to help him use authoritative style Rationale for beginning with participative style: When the manager wants to help a laggard he begins with the participative-autocratic style. Participation in doing the job together provides the opportunity for the manager to build relationship, motivate, counsel and guide the laggard with the hope that it will effect a change of attitude. Should the laggard persist not to change his attitude after all the help given, the manager should switch to authoritative style. Adopting the authoritative style is to get the message across to the laggard that either he shapes up or ship out. Should authoritative style failed, the manager has to collect evidences and take the necessary disciplinarily measures to manage out the laggard. Should participative style successfully effect a change of attitude, the manager should switch to autocratic style, designing a coaching program to equip him with the competencies to get the job done.