Situational leadership is the idea that a person changes their leadership style in a given situation. According to Hershey and Blanchard, the type of leadership appropriate for a given situation depends on the preparation or development of the followers. Readiness is based on two factors: capacity, meaning that the follower has the necessary knowledge, skills, experience and willingness, or confidence, commitment and motivation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The theoretical model proposed by Hershey and Blanchard associates the readiness level of each follower with an appropriate leadership style. R1 means followers have little ability and little confidence. This requires an S1 leadership style, comparable to that of a dictator, and involves the coach giving specific instructions and closely supervising performance. S1 falls on the spectrum that is high in task-related behavior but low in relational behavior. R2 is the next level of follower where followers still have low abilities but high willpower. S2 is the leadership style that goes hand in hand with R2 and is task and relationship oriented. In this case, the leader explains the decisions and gives the opportunity to clarify things. R3 (high ability, low will) corresponds to S3 (low task, high relationships) which is a supportive leadership style. The leader shares ideas and facilitates decision-making. The final level is R4 (high ability, high will) and the final leadership style is S4, a kind of laissez-faire coaching style. In S4, the leader relinquishes responsibility for decisions and implementation. Remember the Titans is a film based on the true story of integration in the 1970s and how it plays out on the high school football field. It is also a good illustration of situational leadership and follower preparation since the film follows the black head coach, Coach Boone, and the white assistant coach, Coach Yoast, and their new racially integrated football team. The film begins with the teams from the segregated schools hanging out with each other, showing that they are comfortable around members of their race and comfortable with their roles and positions on their respective teams. However, when the two must merge, the level of discomfort and unease is evident from the first team meeting. This is an example of a team in the formation phase using Bruce Tuckman's group development model. Training is the stage characterized by uncertainty and timidity. The team doesn't know what to expect from each other or their coaches. In this scene from the first team meeting, Coach Boone addresses the black players and tells them that this is a dictatorship, not a democracy. He clearly imposes himself and sets the tone of what he expects from his team members (Remember the Titans, 11:15). Coach Yoast then arrives with the white athletes and the whole team reunites for the very first time (Remember the Titans, 1:25). While this is technically still forming, there is still an underlying sense of conflict and tension, which is perhaps a result of the community's and nation's general unease with race relations. at this point in history. The next scene shows Coach Boone hustling as his team enters the assault phase as they prepare to leave for preseason training camp. He asks the white and black players to sit together and lets them know that they will also be rooming together at thecamp (Remember the Titans, 5 p.m.). This is a great example of a coach knowingly pushing his team into conflict so that they can move on to attack, normalize and execute. At the training stage, the readiness level of followers is R1. They separate themselves as much as possible, showing a reluctance to come together and play as a team. This is seen during the team's first meeting and when they board the buses to go to training camp. Additionally, the newness of the team as well as the racial hostility in the community at large means that they cannot come together. Coach Boone's leadership style is currently S1. He explicitly states that it is a dictatorship and not a democracy, and his authority is reinforced when he is approached by two of the white players, Gary and Ray, who attempt to tell him how to run the team (Remember the Titans, 15:30). He publicly declares that he is in charge and clearly puts them in their place in front of the team, the coaching staff and all their families. On the other hand, Coach Yoast seems to be in the S2 leadership style. His approach relies on the relationships he has with his players and the community and he tries to explain what's going on without being completely authoritarian. I think the difference in their coaching styles at this stage of the team's development comes from Yoast having relationships with many of the boys and their families while Boone is trying to come in and prove himself in an openly hostile. If Boone wasn't as tough as he was, it would be difficult for him to earn the respect he needs to lead the team. As the team leaves for training camp, it's clear they're in the storming phase. There are multiple instances of hostility and tension between black and white players. Arguments over who gets which bed and which posters to hang on the walls eventually lead to a fight between Gary (the white captain) and Julius (the black team leader) who have been assigned to share a room (Remember the Titans, 19:10). As practice begins, there are constant conflicts between teammates and coaches. Yoast makes it clear that he doesn't always agree with what Boone is doing through his facial expressions and tone of voice. At one point Yoast talks to Boone about introducing new plays and letting the boys have fun and Boone is not forthcoming. or willing to hear new ideas (Remember the Titans, 23:20). Boone pushes his players to the brink, yelling in their faces and punishing them if they miss a tackle or miss a football (Remember the Titans, 8:45-10 p.m.). During this intense assault stage, the team begins to enter R2 of follower preparation. They are still unable to work together and play at the highest level, but they are starting to feel more secure in their roles on the team and show some willingness to get to know their teammates, both black and white. Boone tells everyone that they need to get to know each of their teammates and report back to him what they've learned (Remember the Titans, 26:00). Some players begin to bond and form new relationships, which lays the foundation for the team to move toward the normalization stage. At this point, Coach Boone is still in the S1 leadership style. He tells his players and coaches what to do, leaving no room for suggestions or comments. He makes sure it is clear that he is the final authority on and off the field. Coach Yoast falls somewhere between S2 and S3. His concern for relationships with his players is evident when he questions Boone for having them toopushed (Remember the Titans, 27:50) or when he wants to introduce new pieces to allow the boys to have fun. He supports and encourages his players during training and motivates them without being too harsh. I think this difference in coaching is good in that it provides a good balance between two extremes. However, this hurts the team as the coaches are clearly not on the same page, making it difficult for the players to work together while it is obvious the coaching staff is struggling to work together. The team slowly creeps into the normative stage and this is evident during the race scene at Gettysburg (Remember the Titans, 31:00). Boone wakes them up at 3:00 a.m. and takes them on a grueling ride to the Gettysburg battlefield. During the race, you see teammates supporting each other and by the time they finish the race, they are too exhausted to hate each other or fight. Further evidence of normalization is clear when Gary calls out a white teammate for failing to block a black quarterback. (Remember the Titans, 34:45). Julius and Gary, the two leaders who are constantly at odds, come together at the end of a grueling training session to demonstrate team spirit and camaraderie. At this point, the roles are clear and the team is determining what they stand for. The players are starting to come together and there is a level of comfort that has never been there. The team is seen cheering, encouraging and motivating each other (Remember the Titans, 36:00), they joke and sing together in the locker room (Remember the Titans, 38:05), and they sit in mixed rooms. tables in the dining room. When they leave the camp after two weeks, they feel good and have clearly come a long way since leaving. Once they return to school, there is obvious tension within the community, but the team fights to stay united and play together. Julius and Gary work together to break up fights at school and the team goes out to celebrate after victories together. But racial unease is always at hand when crew members get kicked out of a restaurant because some of them are black. They win the first two games, but Boone points out that they are not playing with heart. The turning point in the performance phase occurs when the team calls a meeting without the coaches and develops its own warm-up routine to distinguish itself from the rest and ensure that it plays with heart and soul (Remember the Titans, 1 :04:00).During the normalization phase, the team progresses to R3. They are certainly able to get along and play together, but once they leave the camp, their confidence is shaken by the racial tension they encounter. Coach Boone is also progressing in his leadership style through S2. Relationships with his players and coaches begin to develop (Remember the Titans, 58:30) and he becomes more of a coach than a dictator. Coach Yoast is currently at S3. His interpersonal behavior is high, as evidenced when he convinces Petey to play defense for him after Boone chews him out (Remember the Titans, 51:00). Coach Boone and Yoast seem to be more on the same page at this point in the film and that is reflected in their team. The team is in a performance phase as they continue to win games and eventually go 13-0 to win the state championship. Their unique warm-up style gives their team an identity and sets them apart from the competition (Remember the Titans, 1:07:05). Players step up and get the job done when called upon (Remember the Titans, 1:09:30), and bad seeds are eliminated by players, such as when Gary decides..