According to Sharlow (2004), various settings demand leadership styles that successfully enable managers to achieve organizational goals and objectives. Work place leadership presents a variety of challenges that can best be addressed through the integration of various leadership styles. That was the case at university with leader-subordinate relationship discussed below.
The responsibility of the subordinates was to ensure university flower beds were watered on a daily basis. The supervisor was to ensure that assigned tasks were effectively done. By establishing strong subordinate leader relationships, the supervisor’s leadership abilities were effective. Challenging as situational leadership is, the supervisor, in the course of duty realized that different strategies could help him be an effective leader to address the ever changing leadership needs and challenges presented at the work place.
One specific challenge in executing daily duties was assigning duties. The supervisor had to assess the situation on the ground, create strong and good relationships with the employees to counter the specific challenge and likelihood of flower gardeners feeling inferior or incompetent.
Effective situational leadership, according to the case study was a success since it was goal specific, relevant to the task at hand, and spanned around the supervisor’s experience and education. The supervisor demonstrated personal responsibility and learning and accumulation of knowledge.
Many theories and models explain situational leadership approaches. One of these is the Goleman model. The model integrates “self awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills” (Sharlow, 2004). These aspects of leadership determine the manner in which the supervisor communicates with subordinates, how subordinates buy into the leadership process, determines individual and group participation, and how the supervisor delegates duty and supervises the manner in which duties are executed.
Learning outcomes
In the execution of duty, the supervisor could understand the effort required to establish a strong relationship with subordinates while role playing by directing employees on what they are required to do, when and how, and the need to design a work framework for efficient utilization of the workforce.
Situational Leadership (2002-2010) affirms that leaders learn group dynamics and best strategy of group cohesiveness and group development. In addition to that, the leaders could appreciate the most effective approach of seeking for resources and effectively utilizing them and the support needed to efficiently run and manage the group. Another learning outcome is to understand group behavior in different societal settings, conflict resolution methodologies, and group motivational factors.
Tapping on the strength of a group and defining roles for each member forms an indispensable learning outcome. The leader could comprehend the need to integrate other leadership models in effective group management. In addition, the leader could understand the effects of groupthink, the decision making process, and the morality principles upon which groups are founded.
Learning objectives
Learning points include effective leadership style, the influence of a leader’s knowledge referred as coaching groups, approaches to employee motivation and the role of a leader in exemplifying required subordinate behavior, the ability to motivate subordinates, variables in leadership approaches to meeting new challenges such as authoritative approaches to solving crisis situations, and the best approach in implementing situational leadership style (Situational Leadership, 2002-2010).
Group dynamics, motivation, integration of individual education and experience, leader and led relations are among the learning outcomes for the supervisor.
References
Sharlow, B., 2004. Situational Leadership. Web.
Situational Leadership. 2002-2010. Web.