Leadership styles and their applications

Leadership Styles

Functional Leadership

In the functional leadership model, leadership is thought of in regards to a set of behaviors that assist a group to carry out their task or reach their objective and not as an individual person. The model says that the leadership role meets requirements in three different areas: task, team and individual. The functional leadership model places more stress on how a company is being led rather than who has been officially given a leadership position. This permits less time being spent on looking at the person who has been officially assigned power and instead centers on how the leadership function is really playing out (Functional Leadership Theory, 2010).

Situational Leadership

The Situational Leadership model says that managers must use diverse leadership styles depending on the situation. The model permits ones to look at the needs of the situation that they are in, and then use the most suitable leadership style. Depending on workers' competences in their task areas and dedication to their tasks, ones leadership style should vary from person to person. One may even lead the same person one way on occasion and another way on another occasion, again depending on the situation at hand (Situational Leadership by Kenneth Blanchard and Paul Hersey, 2009).

Transformational Leadership

A person with this leadership style is a true leader who motivates their team with a joint image of the future. Transformational leaders are extremely visible, and spend a lot of time communicating with people. They don't automatically lead from the front, as they have a propensity to assign responsibility among members of their team. While their eagerness is frequently infectious, they are often supported by people who are very detailed in nature (Leadership Types, 2008). The main focus of the transformational leadership style is to make change take place in one's self, in other people, in groups and in companies overall (Johannsen, 2011).

Using Situational Leadership

Situational leadership could be used in many different situations but particularly can be useful in the workplace. So many times leaders are faced with situations in which one particular leadership theory does not always fit. Every employee within a company is different from the next and thus should be dealt with on an individual basis. This type of leadership allows for the manager to assess the current situation and set goals for the outcome. It then allows them to observe and monitor the progress of the situation along the way and make changes as necessary. It also allows for feedback to given in regards to the process as a whole.

A manager who utilizes this leadership style will provide themselves with the opportunity to remind themselves in each situation that all people are different and should be approached as an individual. It allows for changes to be made along the way during a process. If things are working out then it offers a framework for rethinking the situation. This leadership style also allows for a leader to work on the areas in which they may be deficient in order to improve themselves as a leader.