Leadership - what is the best leadership style? It depends on the “situation”!

A somewhat different and more formal feel to this video, but it makes an effective classroom resource nonetheless. It introduces an important concept relating to leadership - that of “situational leadership”.

This is an important concept for students to grasp. When it comes to effective leadership, what works in one business situation may not necessarily work in another.

An autocratic leadership style might be appropriate for a business where quick and unpopular decision-making is required to turn the business around. That style might not be best for a high-performing, innovative firm reliant on maintaining good relations with creative employees.

In the video, Alexander Pepper (from PwC) explains why situational leadership is important:

“I think a great leader is somebody who has situational awareness, contextual awareness, either is able to flex their style to the context or knows their style so well that they recognise when the time comes that its for them to move on somewhere else and find somewhere where the context is a better fit for them, for the kind of skills that they’ve got.”

This is a classic “depends on” point which can be used by students to build their analysis and evaluation points in exam answers.

What leadership style is best or most appropriate for a business situation…it depends on the situation.

Hence the term “situational leadership”!