Maturity Levels
| High | Moderate | Low | |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4 | M3 | M2 | M1 |
| Very capable and confident | Capable but unwilling | Unable and willing | Unable but insecure |
The right leadership style will depend on the person or group being led. The Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory identified four levels of Maturity M1 through M4:
- M1 - They still lack the specific skills required for the job in hand and are unable and unwilling to do or to take responsibility for this job or task. (According to Ken Blanchard "The honeymoon is over")
- M2 - They are unable to take on responsibility for the task being done; however, they are willing to work at the task. They are novice but enthusiastic.
- M3 - They are experienced and able to do the task but lack the confidence or the willingness to take on responsibility.
- M4 - They are experienced at the task, and comfortable with their own ability to do it well. They are able and willing to not only do the task, but to take responsibility for the task.
Maturity Levels are also task-specific. A person might be generally skilled, confident and motivated in their job, but would still have a maturity level M1 when asked to perform a task requiring skills they don't possess.
Read more about this topic: Situational Leadership Theory
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