Situational leadership: A review of the research

Abstract

Situational leadership theory (SLT)—it sounds great, but will it work? SLT, a popular theory based on task behavior, relationship behavior, follower (subordinate) maturity, and effective leader behavior, may not be what the training‐management professional expects. Johansen reviews the three major areas of research on SLT: conceptual validity, validity of the instrument associated with SLT— the Leadership Effectiveness and Adaptability (LEAD) survey—and the effect on subordinates' performance when the theory is accurately practiced by a leader or manager. According to Johansen, research has failed to support the conceptual basis of the theory and the validity of the instruments. Research regarding the effect on subordinates' performance when situational leadership is properly practiced by the leader has provided mixed results and only limited support for the theory. Johansen found that it is not possible to make a definitive statement based on experimental findings. Yet SLT does have redeeming qualities: it has opened much discussion about the many factors that affect leadership behavior and about the nature of leader‐subordinate relationships, and it has generated critical research. But until the validity and performance questions are answered, Johansen strongly suggests that SLT will be appropriately used only as a starting point for discussion about the dynamics of leadership behavior, subordinate expectations, leadership effectiveness, and decision making.

Leadership styles of nurse managers and registered sickness absence among their nursing staff

“…However, these data were not available. Furthermore, it is known that most LEAD-Self instrument respondents consistently score in the high task-high relationship leadership style category (Johansen, 1990;Lueder, 1985). This clustering may indicate that respondents ''knew'' how they should score and apparently reflects some form of self-deception of the respondents.…”

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“…Blanchard et al (1993), to understand the trends in Situation Leadership research, one must know that changes in the model and the tools used to study the model have been made over time and that these variations in the model have the potential to cause confusion and inconclusive results in studies. Blank et al (1990) and Johanson (1990) make references to studies that made use of the LEAD Self instrument to come to conclusions about Situational Leadership Theory, but Blanchard et al (1993) points out weaknesses of the LEAD instrument and says these faults "have been known for some time. "…”

Leadership effectiveness and recorded sickness absence among nursing staff: a cross-sectional pilot study

“…Another limitation is that leadership flexibility and effectiveness were based on the information provided by managers on the LEAD‐Self questionnaire. It is known that the majority of LEAD‐Self instrument respondents consistently score in the selling leadership category (Lueder 1985, Johansen 1990). This clustering of scores may indicate a form of self‐deception of the respondents.…”