Definition
Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard in the late 1960s were the first to describe the supporting leadership style. The supporting leader passes the day-to-day task-related decisions along to the followers. The followers and the supporting leader jointly participate in making decisions, sometimes carrying them out together.
Explanation
Along with Daniel Goleman, Hersey and Blanchard were advocates of conditional leadership. They believed no single style applied to all situations, and a successful leader would flex their leadership style to their operating environment.
The supporting leadership style is used in groups that are not yet comfortable in making decisions, but the followers have the ability to do the job correctly. The leader should support the followers when they are disappointed in progress.
Leadership styles were characterized by Hersey and Blanchard along four behavioral dimensions:
Telling: one way communication, providing explicit instructions to followers
Selling: two way communication, providing support to followers so they feel a part of the decision making process
Participating: sharing in the process of decision making
Delegating: responsibility for decision making is passed onto followers
Related Terms
A leadership model that links the effectiveness of a leader's style to the current work environment is referred to as situational leadership. Described by both Goleman and Blanchard, a deep understanding of conditional leadership allows the manager to change their leadership style as conditions warrant.
Moneyzine EditorNovember 22nd, 2023- The transactional leadership style was first described by Max Weber in 1947, and again by Bernard M. Bass in 1981. Transactional leaders are on the opposite theory spectrum relative to transformational leaders. The former depends on a system of rewards and punishments, while the latter takes advantage of internal motivations.Moneyzine EditorSeptember 26th, 2023
- First described by Weber in 1947, then later by Burns in 1978 and Bass in 1985, transformational leaders were one of the two main categories of leaders documented; the other being transactional leaders. Transformational leaders are characterized by their willingness to seek innovative solutions in an attempt to bring about changes in all of society.Moneyzine EditorSeptember 26th, 2023
