SITUATIONAL VARIABLES AFFECTING LEADERSHIP CHOICE

Situational Variables Affecting Leadership Choice

Situational Variables Affecting Leadership Choice

A key factor that distinguishes an effective leader from a novice one is the capability to conduct a thorough analysis of a given situation and change the leadership style accordingly in order to derive the desired results (Passmore, 2010). A leader who is able to adapt to situational changes is in a better position to understand problems and calculate the best possible solutions to them. Therefore, such a leader is way ahead of one who is unable to switch between different leadership styles when the situation demands it (Passmore, 2010).

The leading factors that may inevitably demand a change in leadership style include variations in the motivation level of employees and changes in their competency level as followers of the organization's vision (McKenna, 2000). There are mainly four different situational variables that determine the choice of leadership style. They are explained below:

Type of organization

The choice of leadership style also varies according to the type of organization. For example, in an organization that has a matrix structure, the manifold benefits of divisional and functional structure are integrated into one (McKenna, 2000). As a result, power struggles are inevitable since most domains of the business will have a dual management. In such an organization, it is imperative that an authoritative leadership style is implemented as it encourages the creation of a clear path for followers and this reduces the risk of power struggles (Sahni & Vayunandan, 2010). On the other hand, a functional structure in an organization will give rise to isolation of various business domains and this would require an affiliative leadership style that promotes the establishment of positive relations between different domains (McKenna, 2000).

Effectiveness of group

The choice of leadership style has a great deal to do with the effectiveness of ...