Situational Leadership Theory

Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard developed the Situational Leadership Theory, which emphasizes the necessity of leaders' adaptation in terms of the maturity and readiness of their followers. It classifies four types of leadership styles: directing, coaching, supporting, and delegating. According to this theory, effective leaders vary their styles based on the followers' level of development. Such a flexible model makes teams work better and develop because it aligns leadership with situational demands.