Situational Model of leadership was developed by:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:
The **Situational Model of Leadership**, commonly referred to as the **Situational Leadership Theory (SLT)** or the **Hersey-Blanchard Model**, was developed by **Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard** in the late 1960s. This model is a foundational contingency theory that rejects the idea of a single "best" leadership style. Its core principle is that effective leadership requires adjusting the leader's style—which comprises task behavior (guidance) and relationship behavior (support)—to match the **readiness or maturity level of the follower**. The model categorizes leadership into four distinct styles: Directing (S1), Coaching (S2), Supporting (S3), and Delegating (S4), each prescribed for a corresponding level of follower development (M1-M4). This dynamic, adaptive approach is what defines their contribution to leadership theory.

The incorrect option is 1:
Robert House is the figure behind the **Path-Goal Theory of Leadership**, which is another major situational theory, but distinct from the Hersey-Blanchard Model. House's theory focuses on how a leader motivates subordinates by clarifying the 'path' to organizational goals and removing obstacles, based on Victor Vroom's expectancy theory of motivation. He identified four leader behaviors: directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented. While both models are situational, they are conceptually separate theories with different foundational principles.

The incorrect option is 2:
Dr. Gary Yukl is an internationally respected academic and a leading authority on leadership theory and research, but he is not the originator of the specific Situational Leadership Model of Hersey and Blanchard. Yukl is widely known for his comprehensive, integrated approach to leadership, developing taxonomies of leadership behavior and providing critical analysis of existing leadership theories in his influential work.

The incorrect option is 3:
Robert R. Blake (along with Jane Mouton) developed the famous **Managerial Grid** (or Leadership Grid). This model classifies leadership styles based on a manager's two enduring concerns: Concern for Production and Concern for People. It identifies five classic styles, such as 9,1 (Authority-Compliance) and 9,9 (Team Management). This is considered a behavioral theory that focuses on a manager's dominant style, rather than a situational model that dictates adapting one's style based on follower maturity, as the Hersey-Blanchard model does.