The pros of task-orientated leadership are that it's renowned for its efficiency in completing tasks. It can be time and cost-effective since decisions are made quickly and resourcefully. This kind of leadership works well when deadlines are looming.
The media and big newspapers are a prime example of task-orientated approaches. In these industries, there's little room for error. With publications being printed daily, there are immense quality expectations and there is certainly no time for delay. Ultimately task-orientated leadership encourages productivity within the organisation. The cons are this kind of situational leadership risks overlooking the welfare of the workforce.
Task-orientated leaders are commonly judged as pressuring or pushy because they stereotypically ignore the personal needs of the team, leaving them feeling undervalued and demoralised.
Relationship-orientated leadership evolves depending on the socio-emotional climate of the company. This situational leadership approach focuses on the well-being, motivation and general fulfilment and satisfaction of the workforce.
Relationship-orientated leadership often leads to the team feeling more supported and therefore motivated in their endeavours. Staff feel better able to be creative and innovative in their business approach, as they have more freedom to take risks, challenge themselves in new ways and think outside the box.
This type of leadership usually means there is a stronger relationship between employees. However, since there is often more liberty in relation to time and creativity, this can mean that deadlines are not met on time.
Employees may feel they can exploit the people-focused or responsive nature of their leader. If a relationship-orientated leader tries to accommodate all demands from employees, they risk losing their status as the one controlling task management and procedures. Allowing staff to take too many risks, no matter how creative or potentially ground-breaking, can be too risky. If the business is unprepared, some errors could be irreversible. At the other end of the spectrum, leaders who spend too much time focusing on employees can be accused of micro-management.
Micro-management is when managers pay extreme attention to the small details and meticulously supervise their staff. These leaders can be terribly high maintenance and have a really detrimental impact on the morale of the workforce. So, task-orientated leadership is generally more formal, limiting staff development opportunities. However, it's an efficient model, especially as jobs do need to get done!
Relationship-orientated leadership is much more personal and, arguably, likeable. It is similar to a parent supervising the actions of a newborn. Coaching — If the situation requires it, the leader will also coach their team. This is an extension of the supervising approach; the leader still provides detailed instructions but they also focus on motivating the subordinates, seeking inputs, and explaining why they have made certain decisions.
Taking Part — The situational leader may try to advice a team to become more independent performing the tasks by letting them take routine choices.
High-level problem-solving is still under their domain, but they allow team members to actively participate in the decision-making process. Delegating — When dealing with a highly matured and competent team, the situational leader will slowly reduce their supervision and involvement in the daily activities of team members. The leader is involved while discussing the tasks and deciding on the goals to be achieved, but after that team members have total freedom on how they want to accomplish these goals.
Honesty — The situational leader does not change their approach just to take advantage of the situation. They simply adapt in a way that is most suitable considering factors such as the maturity level of followers, the organizational structure and culture, and the goals to be accomplished. They do so with honesty, and are not instigated by a desire to unfairly capitalize on the weaknesses of the team or organization. Determination — It takes a lot of courage for a leader to try out various leadership approaches and figure out which one is ideal.
Most leaders hold on to a particular way of doing things — whatever has worked best for them in the past. But situational leader is courageous enough to take chances and to adopt a completely different leadership style if the situation demands it.
Clear visio n — The situational leader has a clear vision of how the team is progressing. This is what allows a leader to identify and acquire the most effective behaviors and strategies to achieve the goal.
Modesty — The situational leader does not claim to know everything. Employee turnover has a high cost for organizations with recruitment, hiring and training to replace workers who leave the company. The high morale and support the situational leader provides to an organization can help reduce employee turnover.
Luanne Kelchner works out of Daytona Beach, Florida and has been freelance writing full time since Her ghostwriting work has covered a variety of topics but mainly focuses on health and home improvement articles.
By Luanne Kelchner. Employee Development Level Situational leaders adjust their leadership style according to the behavior and skill level of the employees.
Motivation Providing support for employees based on their needs can provide a motivating environment. Productivity A motivating and supportive work environment can help increase productivity. Employee Retention Morale and motivation play a role in employee retention as well.
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