Learning Theory and Leadership Style

Of behaviorism, cognitivism, social learning theory, and constructivism, which theory or two best fits your leadership style?

When reading Allen's Adult Learning Theory and Leadership Development article the adult learning theory that most corresponded to my leadership style, I was surprised to find that both behaviorism and social learning theory fell most in line with the type of leader I tend to be. I have a tendency to believe in reinforcement as a key learning tool for influencing the transfer of knowledge with the learners that my organization supports, as well as in communication with my teams, which is something that Allen emphasizes as an aspect of behaviorism. Regarding social learning theory, Allen (2007) writes that "leadership is contextual; what works in one situation may not work in another" (p. 32).

Our leadership training and style in our organization are heavily influenced by Blanchard's Situational Leadership model. In the case of Situational Leadership, Blanchard promotes changing the leadership style to meet the needs of the employee. In their white paper Why a Situational Approach to Leadership Matters (n.d.), the Ken Blanchard company writes, "this leadership framework advocates that leaders change their leadership style depending on the situation and the person whom they are leading, and, as a result, this model puts leadership style flexibility at the top of the list for leadership effectiveness" (p. 3). We like using this as a framework for our leadership courses because it promotes flexibility, and adaptability and gives a framework for the growth of each team member regardless of experience or motivation, and thus for the growth of the team.  

There is also a degree of transformative learning within social learning theory according to Allen (2007) writes when referencing Hull, that "learners should be placed in situations that elicit anxiety so they have an incentive to learn and master a given topic or skill" (p. 29) and then later Allen (2007) again states that "when applied to leadership development, designers may incorporate activities that stretch the learners and remove them from their comfort zones (p. 29). Both of these are reminiscent of the disorienting dilemma that is the first step listed by Apte (2009) as a part of Mezirow's transformative learning framework (p. 171).

Much of the way my organization trains new leaders follows this framework, beginning with the disorienting dilemma, providing moments for self-reflection and self-examination, acting out and trying out new skills and roles. These are all aspects that we build into and developed as a part of our leadership training for the community we serve. I have found also that these are features of my leadership style as well. This same growth that we help instill in our learners, we naturally apply to our leadership style within the organization; pushing our managers and supervisors to adopt new roles, get out of their comfort zones, and reflect on who they are and how they're working leads to new growth for them and for the departments they serve. 

References

Allen, S. J. (2007). Adult learning theory and leadership development. Leadership Review, 7, 26-37. 

Apte, J. (2009). Facilitating Transformative Learning: A Framework for Practice. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 49(1). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ864437.pdf

Why a situational approach to leadership matters. (n.d.). Kenblanchard.Com. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://resources.kenblanchard.com/leadership-skills/why-a-situational-approach-to-leadership-matters