This weeks blog is about the my experiences between supportive and directive behaviors. What are the differences in the two? When is it appropriate to use each of these behaviors? When are these behaviors misused?
My experience in situational leadership and behavior is mostly a military one. Military leaders are unique and cannot be easliy compared to leaders in the civilian world (Yeakey, 2000). We have luxuries of demand response when required, we have attitudes that can control a battlefield or shape the future of next generation of American leadership; for example the current Secretary of Defense. This burden or gift ensures that democracy is secure, that our Constitution is defended and our way of life is maintained. But this burden or gift starts with leaders at every level applying situational leadership correctly, when and where it is appropriate and not to misuse this empowerment. We have to understand how poor leadership application can quickly erode mission and morale.
Directive behavior is "highly directive and low supportive," the leader that correctly or incorrectly assumes not to trust or empower the follower (Blanchard, 2008). This type of leader becomes a necessity during some crisis action (not all) and when the follower is new to the task. This form of leadership can have a negative affect on an old solider or a experienced Airmen, as in my case. I am very aware of this type of leadership and its recourse to the outcome of the task. I currently have a supervisors who misuses this style of leadership every single day, because he assumes that he is the only expert and that there is no other. If you will allow me for a quick digression to explain his background. He is a retired O-5 in the Air Force and is currently a GS-13 in the Civilian Service. I have informally worked for him for the past 15 years and now directly work for him. My experience with him is he forgets that I am extremely experienced in the task of which I am asked to perform and instead of motivating me he will treat me as I have no experience. He will attempt to treat me as if my opinion does not matter. This indeed is the oppposite of the reality, I have never let him down and have always produced for him, there is simply no room for this behavior in our organization. He uses directive leadership with me everyday in every case, calling me out in front of peers and colleagues as if I was not even present. This type of misuse deteriorates our relationship to the point where it is toxic. His behavior is so toxic that it breaks our sacred bound of trust, defined by Blanchard (Lynch, 2015). His mantra was mission first, then people.
Supportive behavior is the opposite. It is the description that the leader supports the follower. They encourage, listen, facilitate growth, and work on the follower. This requires trust in both the follower and the leader. This form of leadership works best with folks that have extensive experience in the field. The leader and follower both are expected to retain the mutual trust and the relationship. This form of relationship is forms a bound that last can last a lifetime. It can lead to quality and sometimes appropriate country-club style management (Northouse, 2016), because both parties understand the relationship and the expectations and entrust each other to take care of each other. I have experienced this first hand in my military service while working in the field during my last deployment, my senior officer understood my capabilities and let me run the missions with very little guidance. He trusted that I would make the right decision when and where that was needed. In returned we built a bound of trust and a relationship that last to this day. Instead of directing me on what to do and when to do it, he asked me about my family, brought me and my troops water, even through BBQ's when we just needed a break. He would take the time to get to know me and my style under pressure instead of applying unwarranted pressure of his own. He understood the magnitude of his job and I entrusted him to take care of me (not the mission). His mantra people first then mission.
References
Blanchard, K. (2008, May). Situational Leadership. Leadership Excellence, 19.
- Lynch, B. (2015). Partnering for performance in situational leadership: A person-centred leadership approach. International Practice Development Journal, 5
- Yeakey, G. W. (2000). Hersey and blanchard's situational leadership theory: Applications in the military
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