Leadership skills

Leadership & MSD
Kumasi 2008

Leaders and MSD
But what kind of leadership is good?
Stern or gentle, demanding or asking, modelling or telling, visionary
or conservative, etc, etc?
And more importantly – where do you expect ‘leadership’ to
exist?
At the top?
In the middle?
Everywhere?
No matter where you are in the system, a common question
is “How can I facilitate a change process?"

What image of leadership guides you?
he/she who
instructs …

he who is the
proud owner
of a family (to
cherish and
boss
around…)

the only one
who really
knows where
the rest are
heading (as
the rest are
just silly sheep
who follow the
pack…)

someone who
must first fight
for power

The lonely track maker, alone in the
endless sands of management tasks…

The strong and
silent type
(who’s will and
focus the
others will have
to guess….)

An intricate game that requires both sides to display
behaviour that neither truly respects …

Or the
traditional
authorities?

Buzz group: What do you consider a leader?
In small groups discuss:
Leadership, what does it mean?
what kind of leadership is required for the issues you
identified in facilitating MSD?

Situational leadership
There is no ‘one best way’ of leadership

Situational leadership : Overview
The situational leadership approach suggests
that the leader must act in a flexible manner to
be able to diagnose the leadership style
appropriate to the situation, and to be able to
apply the appropriate style.
Hershey and Blanchard

(High)
S
U
P
P
O
R
T
I
V
E
THE FOUR LEADERSHIP STYLES
High Supportive and
Low Directive
Behavi
or
S3
S4
B
E
H
A
V Low Supportive and
I Low Directive
O Behavior
R
(Low)
High Directive and
High Supportive
Behavior
S2
S1
High Directive and
Low Supportive
Behavior
DIRECTIVE BEHAVIOR
(High)
HIGH MODERATE LOW
D4 D3 D2 D1
DEVELOPED DEVELOPING
DEVELOPMENT LEVEL OF FOLLOWER(S)
8

(High)
S
U
P
P
O
R
T
I
V
E
B
E
H
A
V
I
O
R
(Low)
THE FOUR LEADERSHIP STYLES
High Supportive and
Low Directive
Behavior
S3
S4
Low Supportive and
Low Directive
Behavior
High Directive and
High Supportive
Behavior
S2
S1
DIRECTIVE BEHAVIOR
High Directive and
Low Supportive
Behavior
(High)
HIGH MODERATE
LOW
D4 D3 D2 D1
DEVELOPED DEVELOPING
DEVELOPMENT LEVEL OF FOLLOWER(S)
High Directive,
Low Supportive
Leader Defines
Roles of Followers
Problem Solving
and Decision
Making Initiated by
the Leader
Oneway
Communication
18

Collaborative
High Directive, High
Supportive
Leader Now Attempts
to Hear Followers
Suggestions, Ideas,
and Opinions
Twoway
Communication
Control Over Decision
Making Remains With
the Leader
(High)
S
U
P
P
O
R
T
I
V
E
B
E
H
A
V
I
O
R
(Low)
THE FOUR LEADERSHIP STYLES
High Supportive and
Low Directive
Behavior
Low Supportive and
Low Directive
Behavior
S3
S4
High Directive and
High Supportive
Behavior
S2
S1
DIRECTIVE BEHAVIOR
High Directive and
Low Supportive
Behavior
DEVELOPMENT LEVEL OF FOLLOWER(S)
20
(High)
HIGH MODERATE
LOW
D4 D3 D2 D1
DEVELOPED DEVELOPING

High Supportive,
Low Directive
Focus of Control
Shifts to Follower
Leader Actively
Listens
Follower has
Ability and
Knowledge to Do
the Task
(High)
S
U
P
P
O
R
T
I
V
E
B
E
H
A
V
I
O
R
(Low)
THE FOUR LEADERSHIP STYLES
High Supportive and
Low Directive
Behavior
Low Supportive and
Low Directive
Behavior
S3
S4
High Directive and
High Supportive
Behavior
S2
S1
DIRECTIVE BEHAVIOR
High Directive and
Low Supportive
Behavior
DEVELOPMENT LEVEL OF FOLLOWER(S) 22
(High)
HIGH MODERATE
LOW
D4 D3 D2 D1
DEVELOPED DEVELOPING

(High)
S
U
P
P
O
R
T
I
V
E
B
E
H
A
V
I
O
R
(Low)
THE FOUR LEADERSHIP STYLES
High Supportive and
Low Directive
Behavior
Low Supportive and
Low Directive
Behavior
S3
S4
High Directive and
High Supportive
Behavior
S2
S1
DIRECTIVE BEHAVIOR
High Directive and
Low Supportive
Behavior
HIGH MODERATE
LOW
D4 D3 D2 D1
DEVELOPED DEVELOPING
DEVELOPMENT LEVEL OF FOLLOWER(S)
(High)
Low Supportive, Low
Directive
Leader Discusses
Problems With
Followers
Seeks Joint
Agreement on Problem
Definitions
Decision Making by
the Subordinate
They can “Run Their
Own Show”
24

Situational leadership
The goal of any leader is to develop the team to a
level of “high competence” and “high commitment”
Knowing something about motivation and behavior
can improve your success as a manager and a
leader

The situational leader
Should have a variety of styles
Should match the developmental level of the team
performing a specific task

Behavior is motivated by a
desire to attain some goal.