Beyond situational leadership -- Congruent and transforming models for leadership training

The success of In Search of Excellence (1) underlines the growing awareness among managers of the importance of creating a sense of mission through transforming leadership. Unfortunately, the models still widely used for leadership training do not reflect this development. A notable example is Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership model. This article analyses some of the inherent deficiencies of situational leadership and, as a consequence of correcting them, develops a new model -- congruent leadership. The new model breaks away from the conventional two-by-two, window matrix and uses a presentation that includes leadership roles as well as leadership styles. The introduction of leadership roles adds a new dimension to the model and permits its extension to include the concept of transformational leadership. Together, congruent and transforming leadership from a powerful model for leadership training which fully reflects the changing perspectives that are evolving.