Theories in Action #2

In my previous “Theories in Action” blog post, I talked about the presence of transformational leadership and its effectiveness as per my experience at Barclays so far. I discussed behaviors and examples of the theory in use and concluded that it created a more productive and welcoming work environment.

I now write to discuss the presence and use of contingency/situational leadership throughout the past few weeks. The theory at hand is naturally the “Contingency/Situational Leadership Theory” and focuses on situational contexts. The concept is that a leader’s effectiveness is directly determined by the situational context at hand. With the circumstances relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, new situations have been created for nearly every task and project. As a little more background, the theory is based on the idea that good leaders can adjust their leadership style situationally and that it may be best to find the right kind of leader for a specific situation.

Barclays surely follows this idea as there is great delegation in terms of who is in charge of what. In some cases, even the most junior of people are leading the group regardless of the presence of higher ranked individuals. This is effective because it makes it so that power is irrelevant, and where knowledge and capabilities see a greater emphasis. For example, my boss Ryan will often lead the daily recaps and client meetings even though MD’s are on the call. This creates an opportunity for junior people to lead, and creates an environment where everyone is welcome to utilize their knowledge.

Naturally, there are internal and external factors that impact a leader and their situation. The company has done a great job at ensuring that regardless of these situations, all work gets done efficiently and effectively. While these are certainly external factors that we’ve never seen, by delegating and allowing various people to be leaders depending on the task at hand, the company has been able to optimize the methods and manners at which the work gets done.

I’ve been able to lead pitches and presentations as an intern which has been a great experience and has forced me out of my comfort zone. I am lucky and glad to have bosses that have pushed me to do so, but in a way that is encouraging rather than intimidating. I conclude by saying that this style of leadership is very effective.