List I embodies situational leadership style and List II indicates the power resource which supports them. List I Situational leadership style List II Power resource a)  Directive style (HT / LR) i) Expert power b) Supportive style (HT / HR) ii)  Information power c) Participative style (LT / HR) iii)  Reward power d)  Delegating style (LT / LR) iv)  Coercive power   *HT = High Task LT = Low Task HR = High Relationship LR = Low Relationship Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

List I embodies situational leadership style and List II indicates the power resource which supports them. List I Situational leadership style List II Power resource a)  Directive style (HT / LR) i) Expert power b) Supportive style (HT / HR) ii)  Information power c) Participative style (LT / HR) iii)  Reward power d)  Delegating style (LT / LR) iv)  Coercive power   *HT = High Task LT = Low Task HR = High Relationship LR = Low Relationship Choose the correct answer from the options given below: Correct Answer a-iv, b-iii, c-ii, d-i

Leadership:

• Leadership style is the pattern of behaviour that a leader exhibits, in influencing his/her subordinates towards the goals of an organization.
• Leadership style change from group to group and also from situation to situation.
• When a group lacks the sense of direction or purpose, directive style can be adopted by a leader, and when groups are clear of the organizational goals and objectives and perform well, non-directive styles can be adopted by a leader. 

Important Points

Situational Approach to Leadership:

• The Situational Leadership theory of Hersey and Blanchard identifies four styles of leadership, which is based on the relative amount of task and relationship behaviour that a leader engages in.
• Task/Directive Behavior is the extent to which a leader spells out the duties and responsibilities of employees by giving direction and setting goals. Relationship/Supportive Behavior is the extent to which a leader engages in multi-way communication with the employees by adopting measures such as listening, providing encouragement and coaching.
• Thus the four styles of leadership identified by Hersey and Blanchard include the following:
  1. Telling Style (Directive style) :
     • The telling style is seen as highly directive as the leader pays more attention to the task and less importance to the relationship.
     • This style can be used by leaders where the followers are unable and unwilling to take responsibility and they need the direction of leaders in clarifying the goals expected of them;
  2. Selling Style:
     • Selling style is adopted by a leader, when the followers are unable to take the lead, but are willing and confident.
     • In such situations, the leaders exhibit high orientation towards both task and relationship.
     • The selling style is also very directive but in a more persuasive and guiding manner.
  3. Participating Style:
     • In participating style, the leaders give less direction and there is more collaboration among leaders and employees.
     • In this style, the leader just shares the ideas, as the employees are able to do, but unwilling due to lack confidence and thus, there is high relationship and low task orientation in this style.
  4. Delegating Style:
     • In this style, the leader just delegates the tasks to the followers and is kept informed of progress, as the followers are able to do, willing and confident to take responsibility. Thus, in this style, low relationship and task orientation is shown by the leader

Five bases of power were identified by French and Raven in 1960, which laid the groundwork for most discussions of power and authority in the latter half of the twentieth century. These five types of power are coercive, legitimate, reward, referent, and expert. Power can be manifested through one or more of these bases.

Coercive power:

• This type of power relies on threats and punishment in order to influence because this type of power is easy to use and achieves quick results. It is used frequently.
• It has two critical drawbacks, however.
  1. The low-power person dislikes the high power person and is motivated to end the relationship as soon as that becomes possible.
  2. The use of coercive power requires that low power person be watched so that helshe does not try to deceive or avoid the grip of the high power person.

Reward power:

• This relies upon positive reinforcement as a means of influence.
• In this case, the low-power person is motivated to stay in the relationship. Keeping a watch is not necessary.
• Reward power is costly to high-power individuals because low-power persons are influenced as long as the high-power person continues to possess rewards.

Legitimate power:

• This exists when a person has a specific role, for example, as the headteacher, head boy or head girl in a school.
• One cannot 'use up' legitimate power, but this power is limited to specific domains.

Expert power:

• Expert power is taken by an expert in a certain area.
• The use of expert power does not require that low-power persons be watched.

Referent power:

• This comes to those who are liked and admired. When we want to be similar to those we admire, we change our behaviour to be like theirs.
• Referent power does not weaken, when it is used nor does it require surveillance.

Information power:

• Information power is held by those who possess information that someone needs or wants.
• For example, a teacher can influence students because of the fund of information he/she has. 

Hence,