Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard
Sergio Caredda
Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (1969). Life Cycle Theory of Leadership. Training and Development Journal, 23(5).
Description:
Probably one of the more widely taught models on Leadership is Situational Leadership. Originally developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard at the end of the sixties s as they worked to their book Management of Organizational Behaviour (Hersey, Blanchard and Johnson, 2012) as a “life cycle theory of leadership” (Hersey and Blanchard, 1969). In the late 1970s/early 1980s, Hersey and Blanchard both developed their own slightly divergent versions of the Situational Leadership Theory: the Situational Leadership Model (Hersey) and the Situational Leadership II Model (Blanchard).
The theory describes four different leadership styles and four levels of individual or team maturity or readiness. It then combines these to suggest which style of leadership best suits which level of maturity.
The leaders styles or behaviours, should match the “follower readiness” in terms of their skills and development readiness. Four levels are traced back to these models. Therefore, there is not one ideal style, but the style needs to be adapted to the situation.
Both authors have continued to evolve the model, and are still expanding it. In the below figure, for example, you can track the current namings used by the SLII model. However the broad philosophy stays valid, and as it is easily understandable, it is widely used in training and learning context.
The SLII Model by Ken Blanchard
Notes:
Other Sources:
