About Blanchard Leadership Styles

Leadership organizations can expand broadly. This makes the meaning of leadership also increasingly growing. Theories about leadership are also very diverse and continue to develop. When viewed in general, the meaning of leadership comes from the term organum. This organum is a human body with various functions used in leadership terms.

Then, in terms of language, leadership comes from the word ‘lead’. In the word contains two main points, namely:
1. leader as a subject, and.
2. which is led as an object.

The word lead contains the notion of directing, nurturing or organizing, guiding and showing or influencing. Leaders have a physical and spiritual responsibility for the successful work activities of those who are led. This is what makes the 'leader' is not easy and not everyone who has similarities in running the leadership.

Leadership theories do have many varieties. But one of the most popular theories about leadership is the leadership model created by Hersey and Blanchard. The theory they developed is commonly referred to as Hersey and Blanchard leadership theory or Hersey and Blanchard Situational Theory.

Hersey and Blanchard Leadership Styles' leadership theory focuses more on followers. This theory emphasizes the leader's behavior in carrying out his leadership duties and the relationships of follower leaders. This theory then developed itself by Blanchard with the development of a more specialized model.

Blanchard Leadership Styles

Blancard developed Situational Leadership Model II or better known as Blanchard Leadership Styles. The definition of situational leadership is "a leadership contingency theory that focuses on followers readiness or maturity".

Thus, the essence of situational leadership theory is that a leader's leadership style will vary, depending on the degree of readiness of his followers.

Fundamental understanding of the situational leadership theory by Blanchard is about the absence of the best leadership style. Effective leadership is dependent on the relevance of the task. In addition, almost all successful leaders always adapt the right leadership style.

Leadership effectiveness is not just about influence on individuals and groups alone. Leadership effectiveness depends also on the task, work or function needed as a whole. Thus the situational leadership approach focuses on the phenomenon of leadership in a unique situation.

From this perspective, a leader to be effective, he must be able to adjust his style to the demands of changing circumstances. From here, it can be drawn on the theory of situational leadership based on two fundamental concepts: the level of readiness or maturity of individuals or groups as followers and leadership styles.

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S1 S4 Leadership Styles

The degree of preparedness or maturity of different individuals or groups requires different styles of leadership. Hersey and Blanchard sort out leadership styles in work behaviors and relationship behaviors that must be applied to followers with a certain degree of preparedness or maturity.

Work Behavior includes the use of one-way communication, task dictation, and notifications to followers about what they should do, when, and how to do it. Effective leaders use high levels of work behavior in a number of situations and only in other situations.

Relationship behavior involves the use of two-way communication, listening, motivating, involving followers in the decision-making process, and providing emotional support to them. Relationship behavior is also applied differently in different situations.

Referring to Blanchard Leadership Styles, the categories of overall leadership styles above identified them in 4 notations of S1 to S4 which are a combination of the two behaviors above:

S1: Telling (Notifier)

This style is most appropriate for low followers' readiness (R1). It emphasizes high-task behavior and limited relationship behavior. Leadershiping style (sometimes called directing) is a characteristic style of leadership with one-way communication. Leaders tell individuals or groups about what, how, why, when and where a job is done. Leaders always provide clear instructions, detailed directions, and supervise work directly.

S2: Selling (Seller)

This style is most appropriate for the readiness of moderate followers (R2). It emphasizes the high number of tasks and relationship behaviors. At this stage of leadership style a leader still gives direction but he uses two-way communication and gives emotional support to the individual or group in order to motivate and confident followers. This style arises when individual or group competencies increase, so leaders need to continue to provide guiding attitudes as individuals or groups are not ready to take full responsibility for the process at work.

S3: Participating (Participatory)

This style is most appropriate for high followers' readiness with moderate motivation (R3). It emphasizes on high number of relationship behaviors but low number of task behaviors. The leadership style at this stage encourages individuals or groups to share ideas and simultaneously facilitate work with the spirit they show. This style arises when the followers feel confident in doing their work so that leaders are no longer too acting as a director. Leaders still maintain open communication, but now do so by tending to be a good listener and ready to help followers. A leader's job is to maintain the quality of relationships between individuals or groups.

S4: Delegating

This style is most appropriate for high followers' readiness (R4). It emphasizes on both sides the high behavioral behavior and relationship behavior in which the leadership style at this stage tends to shift responsibility for the decision-making process and its implementation. This style arises when individuals or groups are at a high level of competence with respect to their work. This style is effective because followers are considered to be competent and fully motivated to take responsibility for their work. A leader's job is to monitor a job.

Of the four notations above, there is nothing that can be called optimized at any time for a leader. Effective leaders need flexibility, and must adapt in every situation. The principle of "One Size Fits All" does not apply in the style of leadership, especially in the face of different levels of readiness of subordinates.

So, that's the description of Blanchard Leadership Styles. Hopefully this article useful and we can better understand how to become an ideal leader.