Situational Leadership

GOHAR ALAM SIDDIQUI 28th Jun 2020

Situational Leadership

 Developed by Dr. Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard in 1969

 Predicted on the belief that there is no one “best” style of Leadership

 The “best” style will depend on the situation: the task to be performed and the
team performing it

 The best leaders weigh these different variables affecting their situation then
selected their leadership style.
 What is Leadership
• I think people want to be magnificent.
 It is the job of the leader to bring out that magnificence in people and to

 create an environment where they feel safe and supported and ready to do the
best job possible in accomplishing key goals.

 The opportunity to guide others to their fullest potential is an honor and one that
should not be taken lightly.

 As leaders, we hold the lives of others in our hands.

 These hands need to be gentle and caring and always available for support.
Ken Blanchard
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The New Role of the Leader

Leadership is a Partner ship

• In the past, the emphasis was more on the leader as boss.

• Today leaders must be partners with their people;

• They can no longer lead with position power alone.

• No more “command-and-control” ,
• shift to a role of ensuring accountability
• through supporting, coaching and cheerleading.

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Effective Leadership

• Quality and
• Frequency
of conversations about
• Performance and
• Development.

• so that they can reach their highest level of performance.

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Effective Leadership

• Effective Leadership is a process for developing people so that

they can reach their highest level of performance.

• It is based upon a relationship between an individual’s

development level (various combinations of competence and
commitment) on a specific goal or task and the leadership style
(various combinations of directive and supportive behavior) that
the leader provides.

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 Situational Leadership II

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Situational Leadership II
 4 leadership styles and four development levels.

• Style 1 (Directing)

• Style 2 (Coaching)

• Style 3 (Supporting) and

• Style 4 (Delegating).

These leadership styles correspond with the four development levels—D1, D2, D3,
and D4
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Leadership styles

Directing Coaching Supporting Delegating

M-1 M-2 M-3 M-4

• Experienced
Individuals lack the Individuals at the
Individuals are
specific skills Individuals are more task, and
experienced and able
required for the job in able to do the task; • comfortable with
to do the task but
hand and they are however, they are their own ability to
willing to work at the • demotivated for do it well.
• lack the
task. this job or task. • Able & willing to
confidence or the
Unwilling to do the not only do the
• willingness to take
They are beginner task. task, but to take
on responsibility.
but enthusiastic. responsibility for
the task.
Development level is goal or task specific

 The goal of Leadership is to match the leadership style that is

appropriate to an individual’s development level at each stage of
development on a specific goal or task.

 The leader provides the direction and support that an individual

needs through the development cycle—from D1 (developing) to D4
(developed).

 As development level changes, the leader’s style should change

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 There is no best leadership style. It depends
on the situation.
• Because development level varies from

o person to person,
o from goal to goal, and from
o task to task.

• Leadership is a partnership.

• Development level is addressed first.

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 Competence is goal- or task-specific knowledge and skills and
transferable skills.
• Competence is the knowledge and skills an individual brings to a goal or task.

• Competence is best determined by demonstrated performance.

• It can, however, be developed, over time, with appropriate direction and support.
• Competence is gained through formal education, on-the-job training, coaching, and
experience.
• Experience includes certain skills that are transferable from a previous job; for
example, the ability to plan, organize, problem solve, and communicate well. These
skills are generic by nature and are transferable from one goal or task to another.

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 D1—low competence/ high commitment— the Enthusiastic
Beginner

• As the development level of an individual increases from D1 to D4, his or her

competence and commitment fluctuates.
• On new tasks where they have little prior experience, most individuals are
enthusiastic and ready to learn

• Descriptors for a D1 are ...

• Hopeful • Optimistic
• Inexperienced • Eager
• Curious • Excited
• New/unskilled • Enthusiastic

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 D2—low to some competence/low commitment—the
Disillusioned Learner

• Soon after beginning a new task, an individual commonly experiences a

period of disillusionment/disappointment.
• A letdown occurs when a job is more difficult or is, perhaps, different than
expected.

• This disillusionment causes a decrease in commitment (D2).

• Descriptors for a D2 are ...
• Overwhelmed • Frustrated
• Confused • Disillusioned
• Demotivated • Discouraged
• Demoralized • Flashes of competence

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 D3—moderate to high competence/variable commitment—the Capable, but
Cautious, Performer

• If individuals overcome the disillusionment stage and acquire the skills they need, most will
then go through a self-doubt stage where they question whether they can perform the task
well on their own.

• These feelings cause the variable commitment associated with D3—commitment that
fluctuates from excitement to insecurity.

• Descriptors for a D3 are ...

• Self-critical • Contributing
• Cautious • Insecure
• Doubtful • Tentative/unsure
• Capable • Bored/apathetic

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 D4—high competence/ high commitment—the Self-Reliant
Achiever

• With proper support, an individual can eventually become a Self- Reliant Achiever—a
D4,
• appropriate amounts of direction and support moves an individual from one level of
development to another, from being an

1. Enthusiastic Beginner to a

2. Disillusioned Learner to a

3. Capable, but Cautious, Performer to a

4. Self-Reliant Achiever.

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Descriptors for a D4 are

• Justifiably confident • Autonomous

• Consistently competent • Self-assured

• Inspired/inspires others • Accomplished

• Expert • Self-reliant/self-directed

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 Development level varies from goal to goal
or task to task.
• Development level does not apply to the

• person but rather to the person’s

• competence and
• commitment to a specific goal or task.

• An individual is not at any one development level overall.

• Development level varies from goal to goal and task to task.

• In other words, an individual can be at one level of development on one

goal or task and a different level of development on another goal or task.
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Diagnosis,

• the first skill of a Leader, is

 assessing an individual’s competence and

commitment, &
 his or her need for direction and support.

• By diagnosing development level:

 a leader can determine which leadership style to
use.

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Leadership Styles

• Studies have shown that pattern of behavior falls into two basic
categories

• Directive Behavior and

• Supportive Behavior.

• Leaders use some combination of these two behaviors.

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Directive Behavior

• Structuring,
• Organizing,
• Teaching,
• Evaluating,
• Supervising
• concentrates on what and how.
• It involves
• Telling and showing people
• What to do,
• How to do it,
• When to do it;
• monitoring performance; and providing frequent feedback on results.
• Directive Behavior develops competence in others

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Supportive Behavior

• Supportive behavior focuses on developing an individual’s commitment and initiative.

• It also focuses on developing positive attitudes and feelings toward the goal or task.
• Good examples of Supportive Behavior are

 listening,
 facilitating problem solving,
 asking,
 explaining,
 Encouraging and involving others in decision making
•
.
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 • When Directive and Supportive Behaviors are placed on the horizontal and vertical axes
of the Leadership Model, there are four combinations of these two behaviors.
• These four combinations of Directive and Supportive Behaviors are the four leadership
styles in the Situational Leadership® II

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 Style 1—high Directive Behavior/low Supportive Behavior— Directing

• Style 1, Directing, consists of high Directive Behavior and low Supportive Behavior.

• The leader provides specific instructions about what and how goals or tasks will be
accomplished.

• close supervision of the individual’s performance. Most decisions in

• Style 1 are made by the leader. Descriptors for S1 are ...

• Defining • Teaching/showing and telling how

• Planning/prioritizing • Checking/monitoring
• Orienting • Giving feedback

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 Style 2—high Directive Behavior/high Supportive Behavior— Coaching
• Style 2, Coaching, is characterized by high Directive Behavior and high Supportive
Behavior.

 The leader explains decisions,

 solicits suggestions from the individual,
 praises progress, and continues to direct task accomplishment.
• Input from the individual is considered, although final decisions are made by the leader.
• Descriptors for S2 are ...
• Exploring/asking • Sharing feedback
• Explaining/clarifying • Encouraging
• Redirecting • Praising

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 Style 3—low Directive Behavior/high Supportive Behavior— Supporting

 Style 3, Supporting, provides low Directive Behavior and high Supportive Behavior.
 A leader using Style 3
listens,
encourages, and
facilitates self-reliant decision making and problem solving.

• Descriptors for S3 are ...

• Asking/listening • Facilitating self-reliant problem solving
• Reassuring • Encouraging feedback
• Collaborating • Appreciating

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 Style 4—low Directive Behavior/low Supportive Behavior— Delegating

• Style 4, Delegating, is a combination of low Directive Behavior and low Supportive Behavior.

• Complete Empowerment
• Most decisions are made by the individual.
• Descriptors for S4 are ...

• Allowing/trusting • Affirming
• Confirming • Acknowledging
• Empowering • Challenging

• In all four styles, the leader (1) clarifies expectations and goals, (2) observes and monitors
performance, and (3) gives feedback.

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 Matching Leadership Style to Development Level

• To determine the appropriate leadership style to use with each of

the four development levels, draw a vertical line up from a
diagnosed development level to the leadership style curve running
through the four-quadrant model.

• The appropriate leadership style—the match— is the quadrant

where the vertical line intersects the curved line.

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 Directing (S1) is for Development Level 1 (D1).

• Directing is for Development Level 1.

• Style 1 is effective with an individual at D1 because the high direction builds

the task knowledge and skills that the individual needs.

• There is less need for support at this level, since the individual is eager to get
started and learn.

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 Coaching (S2) is for Development Level 2 (D2).

• Coaching is for Development Level 2.

• The individual at D2 needs Style 2, with continued high direction

to develop competence and increased support to counter the drop
in commitment.

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 Supporting (S3) is for Development Level 3 (D3).

• Supporting is for Development Level 3.

• An individual at D3 has variable commitment and,

• Benefits from the high Supportive Behavior
• Reinforce shaky confidence and overcome motivational problems.

• Since competence is moderate to high at this level, little direction is needed.

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 Delegating (S4) is for Development Level 4 (D4).

• Delegating is for Development Level 4.

• At D4, an individual is highly competent and highly committed.

• The low direction and low support of Style 4 are appropriate

• This individual is able to provide his or her own direction and support.

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Over or Under Supervision

 Over supervision = S1 or S2 with a D3 or D4

or
 Under supervision= S3 or S4 with a D1 or D2

• Leadership style needs to be matched to the individual’s development level to ensure

that competence and commitment will increase.
• When people are over supervised or under supervised, that is,

 given too much or

 too little direction,
there is a negative impact on their development.

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Flexibility

• Flexibility, the second skill of a Situational Leader, is the ability to use a

variety of leadership styles comfortably.

• Research shows that most leaders have a preferred leadership style.

• Research indicates that

• 54% of leaders tend to use only one style;

• 35% tend to use two styles;
• 10% percent tend to use three styles;
• 01% use four styles.

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Partnering for Performance…….heart of
success

• The third skill of a Situational Leader, is

• reaching agreements with individuals about their development level and

the leadership style

• to achieve individual and organization goals.

• It is gaining the individual’s permission to use the leadership style that is a

match for the individual’s development level.

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The Development Cycle

• The progress of an individual through the four levels of development is called

the development cycle.

• In developing Self-Reliant Achievers, the factor that triggers a change in

leadership style is performance.

• Improvements in performance prompt forward shifts in leadership style along

the bell-shaped curve from S1 to S2 to S3 to S4, one style at a time.

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The Regressive Cycle

• The regressive cycle is used to describe a decline in performance (regression).

• Whenever an individual performs at a lower level than previously demonstrated, the

leader should adjust his or her behavior to respond to the individual’s current
development level.

• Just as improvements in performance call for forward shifts in leadership style along
the bell-shaped curve, decreases in performance require backward shifts in
leadership style.

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• Imagine the curve going through the four leadership styles as a railroad track.
• Each of the four styles is a station along the way. If you want to go to S4
(Delegating) from S1 (Directing), you have to stop at S2 (Coaching) and S3
(Supporting).
• The same is true for the regressive cycle.
• If a leader is at S4 (Delegating) with someone and his or her performance begins to
slip, the leader must move back one stop to S3 (Supporting) to determine the
performance problem.
• Once the problem is identified, if the leader feels the individual can get his or her
performance back on track, a return to S4 is appropriate. If, however, it is obvious
that the individual needs some help, the leader can move back one more stop to S2
(Coaching).

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• Furthermore, when leaders bypass a station along the railroad track, performance
and development get “off-track” and people get hurt.

• A common example is the “leave-alone-zap” leadership style, which occurs when a

leader tells an inexperienced person what to do (S1) and then jumps to an
inappropriate Delegating style (S4), only to return to S1, yelling and screaming,
when performance doesn’t meet expectations.

• In both the development cycle and regressive cycles, changes in leadership style
should be made, either forward or backward, one style at a time.

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Thank You