Reflect On The Project Team You Considered This Week
Reflect On The Project Team You Considered In This Weeks Discussion
Reflect on the project team you considered in this week's Discussion. Imagine you have brought the team together to discuss the project's phases. As the project team manager, you have assessed your team members' varying skillsets. Some of your team members are very motivated but could use some coaching and light training to be able to accomplish their individual project responsibilities. Other team members have a high level of skills but might need a little motivation to get started because of their workload. Still others have a great deal of experience and skills and are highly motivated. You would not likely need to manage your entire team in the same way. To prepare for this Assignment, go to the "Situational Leadership Exercise" in your course text, Leadership: Theory and Practice. Complete the exercise and be as honest and objective as you can. Keep your scores on the exercise for analysis in the Final Research Paper. Write a 1- to 2-page paper describing your experience with the "Situational Leadership Exercise." Analyze how your questionnaire responses indicate your personal leadership philosophy. Describe any questionnaire results that may have surprised you. Analyze the impact that the characteristics of the Situational Approach to Leadership might have on your personal leadership style. Explain how the Situational Approach might help you become a more effective leader.
Paper For Above instruction
The exercise on the "Situational Leadership" framework provided meaningful insights into my personal leadership philosophy and how I approach managing diverse teams. Engaging with this exercise highlighted the importance of flexibility and adaptability in leadership styles, especially when working with team members with varying skills, motivations, and experience levels. My responses to the questionnaire suggested that I lean towards a developmental leadership style, emphasizing coaching and support tailored to individual team members' needs. This aligns with the foundational principles of the Situational Leadership model, which advocates adjusting leadership behaviors based on the readiness and competence of team members.
Initially, I was surprised to discover that I rated myself higher on directing and coaching behaviors, indicating that I tend to actively guide team members who are motivated but require skill development. This response reflects my belief in the importance of mentorship and skill-building to foster team growth and performance. Conversely, I scored lower on delegating behaviors for highly skilled and motivated team members, which suggests that I might need to trust more in their capabilities and grant greater autonomy. Recognizing this tendency points to an area for improvement—learning to delegate more confidently to experienced team members, allowing me to focus on higher-level strategic leadership.
The characteristics of the Situational Approach significantly influence my personal leadership style by underscoring the necessity of diagnosing team members' development levels accurately. This diagnostic process enables a leader to adapt their approach, providing the appropriate amount of direction and support. Embracing this flexibility can help me become a more effective leader by ensuring that each team member receives the leadership style best suited to their current needs, thus enhancing motivation and performance. Furthermore, understanding that leadership effectiveness depends upon assessing and responding to the situational variables encourages me to remain attentive and adaptable, especially in dynamic project environments.
Adopting the Situational Leadership model enhances my leadership effectiveness by emphasizing personalized management strategies. It encourages ongoing assessment and flexibility—traits essential for leading diverse teams successfully. By being more conscious of individual development levels and adjusting my leadership approach accordingly, I can foster a motivated, competent team capable of achieving project goals efficiently. Ultimately, this approach promotes a collaborative environment where team members feel supported and empowered to perform at their best, which is fundamental to effective leadership.
References
Blanchard, K., Hersey, P., & Johnson, D. (2012). Management of Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources. Pearson Education.
Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (1969). Life cycle theory of leadership. Training and Development Journal, 23(5), 26–34.
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Sage Publications.
Graeff, C. L. (1983). The Situational Leadership Theory: A critical view. Academy of Management Review, 8(2), 285-291.
Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in Organizations. Pearson Education.