Why not test your knowledge before reading this article? Do it here with this exercise that tests your understanding of Situational Leadership

You have a natural/default style of leadership that you automatically use in most situations and the warning is: that can be your downfall.

You will be more effective, successfully bring out the best in others and get the best results when you have the ability to flex your leadership style to suit the particular situation. Applying the tools this model offers helps you to wisely chose the appropriate approach, rather than acting as an automaton.

The situational leadership model was developed by Ken Blanchard and Paul Hersey in the late 1960s and has been used by millions of leaders around the globe.

Key Points

There is no 'one style fits all' box. You need to respond to different situations (individuals, teams organizations) in different ways

The leadership style that you use in any given situation will be dependent upon the need and level of expertise and commitment of the individual and the urgency of the situation

You may need to use all four different styles of leadership with a person any given day. People's competency and attitude can vary from task to task and day to day

Ensure the person always knows which style has been chosen and the reasons why you have done so

There is much more to leadership than this model, however, it is a useful tool to help guide you through your one-on-one leadership situations

What You Need To Know

Decide The Development Level Of The Team Member

Before deciding which style of leadership to use you need to assess where the person is at and what they need. The SL model identifies two factors that define the developmental process:

Commitment (confidence & motivation)
Competence (knowledge of the task at hand)

As you have probably experienced, these two factors can vary from situation to situation with each employee - for example you might have someone who is an absolute gem at making sales calls highly competent and highly committed to it, but getting them to submit their paperwork - well that's a different story.

In Situational Leadership, the four development levels used to describe individuals are:

D1: The "Enthusiastic Beginner" (Low Competence/High Commitment)

This person may be new to the team/organization and is excited about their new role. At the same time, s/he doesn't yet know the ropes, so doesn't have the skills required for the job in hand.

Words That Describe: Enthusiastic, Curious, Inexperienced, Hopeful, Untested Performer

D2: The "Disillusioned Learner" (Low Competence/Low Commitment)

This person may have been around for a while and may have some relevant skills. Motivation and enthusiasm have dropped. The person may be thinking of leaving. Inconsistent in their performance and unsure of the difference they make.

Words That Describe: Frustrated, Disillusioned, Demotivated, Overwhelmed, Adequate Performer

D3: The "Reluctant Contributor" (High Competence/Variable Commitment)

This person has probably been around for a while and is quite experienced and capable. At times though, lacks the confidence to do things alone and/or the motivation to do it well. Might be bored and looking for new challenges.

Words That Describe: Capable, Apathetic, Insecure, Dissatisfied, Middling/Tolerable Performer

D4: The "Peak Performer" (High Competence/High Commitment)

This person enjoys what they are doing, is highly competent and probably even teaching others the ropes.

Words That Describe: Competent, Self-directed, Confident, Role Model, Independent, High Performer

Use the Grid in the "Tools To Use Section" to diagnose the individual's competence and commitment level. Once you have done this, you then you use the next part of the model which is to contract with him or her the appropriate style of leadership for the task at hand and the goals to be achieved.

Decide The Leadership Style That Is Appropriate

Now we turn to deciding the amount of direction the leader gives to the team member. According to the SL model there are two key factors in your leadership style -

how directive you are or
how supportive you are.

The model combines these two key factors into four styles of leadership you can use.

S1: Directing: (High Direction/Low Support)

This quadrant is useful for people who are keen but lack competence (D1). There is a high focus on getting the person achieving by getting the task done and less on building the relationship.

The leader is very task focused. Showing and Telling the person what to do, how to do it and when they need to be finished by. The leader provides as many explanations as are needed, but there is no discussion/debate on what must be done. Problem-solving and decision-making are initiated by the leader. The team member needs this type of direction to get them started.

In the S1 quadrant you can either Direct or Sell. For example:

Directing = "I am faced with this situation. I want you to do x, y and z by 4 pm"

S2: Coaching (High Direction/High Support)

This quadrant is used who for team members who have some competence but lack commitment/motivation (D2).

In this quadrant the leader still gives a high degree of direction and is still the center of the universe for the team, and the individual. They lead with their own ideas, however they are also explaining why things need to be done the way requested and seeking much more input from the team members. In order to build commitment and self-esteem the leader considers more fully the feelings, ideas, and suggestions of team members.

Two-way communication and support is increased, but control over decision-making remains with the leader. The leader must be up front - we'll discuss, but ultimately I'll decide. Do not pretend that you are going to utilize their input if you have already decided what/how the task is going to be done. That will only land you in hot water.

In the S2 quadrant you can either Sell, Test or Consult. For example:

Selling = "I am faced with this challenging situation, what I'd like you to do is x, y and z, the reasons I want you to do it are ..."

Testing = "We are challenged with this situation .... I have given it some thought and think we can overcome it by taking any of these three paths .... Before I make the final decision I'd like you to provide me with your thoughts and any other information I may have missed."

Consulting = "We are challenged with this situation ... Please come up with some ideas on how we could resolve it and I'll make the decision which of the ideas we should implement."

As a Breakthrough Leader you make it very clear to your team members that you will try to reach agreements in all the Quadrants.

The message you send to the team is:

"While I make the decision in Q1 and Q2, I'll do all I can to help you understand the reasons for my choice. I'll spend time explaining to you why I believe my decision is the best course of action, but ultimately I decide what we do. Hopefully in most cases you will agree with the direction we are taking as strongly as if you had made the decision yourself."

S3: Joining (Low Direction/High Support)

Used with team members who are competent but may at times lack motivation or confidence (D3). They don't need much direction on how to do the task, but need support and encouragement to bolster confidence and motivation.

The focus of day-to-day decision-making and problem solving shifts from the leader to the team member. The leader is operating more as a resource and facilitator.

At this time the leader and the team member discuss and jointly decide.

Joining = "We face this challenging situation ... let's come up with a solution together about what we need to do."

S4: Delegating (Low Direction/Low Support)

Used with the team member who is highly competent and highly committed (D4).

Virtually all of the tasks are handled with little input from the leader. The team member directs their own behavior and decides how tasks should be accomplished and how often to involve the leader. The team member is willing - even wants - to work by him or herself with little support or supervision. The leader is focused on strategic issues and works with the team to rapidly implement changes that enable the team to remain competitive in the marketplace.

Delegating = "We have this problem ... Here's the framework within which we have authority to act. Decide the best course of action, and I'll keep out of your way."

Match up the development level of the individual with the appropriate leadership style

D4 → S4 D3 →S3 D2 → S2 D1 → S1

Once you have chosen the appropriate style to use with this person, in this situation, you then monitor performance. Making decisions to shift your style as the person either grows beyond the style you had chosen, or lacks suitable progress and requires you to maybe step back a level.

How To Apply This Information

Be deliberate in choosing the appropriate style of leadership by asking yourself "What does this person need from me in terms of direction?"

Review the person's Competence and Commitment (motivation/confidence) for each task (D1→D4) using the grid and the Readiness Chart below for each of the various tasks that s/he does

Decide on the leadership style for each task (S1→S4)

Discuss with the team member

Monitor progress and modify your style as appropriate

Tools To Use

Assess/Predict Team Member's Readiness/Willingness

Download this worksheet here

Name: Jo Smith
Task	Competence	Desire/Confidence	Style to Use
Integrating Code into Website	High	Low	Join

Breakthrough Reflection

What is your default leadership style? List the pros and cons of that style.

Why would you want to decrease the amount of direction that you are giving someone?

What will you need to do to be able to apply this knowledge?

Who do you know that is particularly good at flexing their leadership style to suit the competence and motivation levels of others? What specifically would you like to role model about the way s/he performs?