understanding situational leadership · leadership you have a natural/default style of leadership...

©2008 Shelley Holmes www.align-lead-inspire.com

Understanding Situational Leadership

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Table of Contents Why This Matters __________________________________ 2

Benefits Of Knowing This ____________________________ 3

Key Points _______________________________________ 3

What You Need To Know _____________________________ 3

Decide The Development Level Of The Team Member ___________3

Decide The Leadership Style That Is Appropriate_______________5

How To Apply This Information ________________________ 7

Tools To Use______________________________________ 9

Assess/Predict Team Member’s Readiness/Wil lingness___________9

Breakthrough Reflection _____________________________ 9

Self-Assessment __________________________________ 10

Which Style Would You Use? _____________________________10

Assessing Your Usage Of This Information _______________ 12

Related Information _______________________________ 12




Benefits Of Knowing About 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 “Disil lusioned 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 Direct ion/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. Directing = “I am faced with this situation. I want you to do x, y and z by 4 pm” S2: Coaching (High Direct ion/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 centre 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: Sel ling = “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 …” Test ing = “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 want to send to the team is: “While I make the decisions 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 Direct ion/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

1. Be deliberate in choosing the appropriate style of leadership by asking yourself “What does this person need from me in terms of direction?” As we said in the key points – one style does not fit all, so you need to …

2. Review the person’s Competence and Commitment (motivation/confidence) for each task (D1D4)



3. Decide on the leadership style for each task (S1S4) – remember you might need use all four leadership styles with a person in one day

4. Discuss with the team member why you have chosen the particular leadership style and if/how they might move to the next level

5. Monitor Progress




Tools To Use Assess/Predict Team Member’s Readiness/Wil lingness

Name Task Competence Desire/ Confidence

Style To Use

Breakthrough Reflection

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

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

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

4. 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?

5. What other information would you like to gather to round out your knowledge?




Self-Assessment Which Style Would You Use?

For each situation check the appropriate box. If you find it hard to make a choice you can use two adjacent styles if you wish. For example, in a scenario you might decide that the appropriate answer could be sells and tests

1. You are an off-duty Paramedic who has just arrived at the scene of a car accident. A number of people are injured and the bystanders don't seem to know what to do.

2. You have a fresh out of university computer programmer who wants to re-design your customer management database to make it more effective and in his words 'to bring it out of the dark ages'

3. You are a teacher at a local school. A member of your local community has just won $15 million in the lottery and has generously donated $10,000 to each class in your school, to do with as the class likes. At what level would you involve the children in the decision about what to do with the money?

4. You are a human resource adviser who consults to small businesses. You are meeting with a new client who wants you to develop their policies and procedures manual that ensures they become a high performance workplace.

5. Your organization has decided that it needs a new product range and marketing campaign to sharpen up the company's image. You have been assigned the team leader of this cross-functional project team.

6. You are a Senior Editor of a woman's magazine. You lead a small team of young cadet writers. They have been asked to put together a series of articles that will be placed as 20-page lift-out in the edition of the magazine due out in two months time. They can choose to theme the lift-out either "Beauty and Age" or "Dressing for Business". They seem to be having trouble deciding which theme they want to go with.

7. Mary Jones is a financial analyst who has been working with you for a short period of time. She seems to be a very capable, quick learner, who readily deals with any issues that pop up. Mary has suggested a revamping of the way that the end of month financial data is collated, so that it will be easier to use. You think this is a terrific idea, however you are somewhat concerned that Mary may not have come across some of the particular quirks within your organization's systems.

8. Your 16-year-old nephew wants to experiment with hard drugs.




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Sell

Tes

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Con

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Join

Del

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Direct = “I am faced with this situation. I want you to do x, y and z by 4 pm tomorrow” Sell = “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 …” Test = “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.” Consult = “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.” Join = “We face this challenging situation … let’s come up with a solution together about what we need to do.” Delegate = “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.”

See end of document for answer guide - but do attempt it yourself before peeking :)




Assessing Your Integration

Highlight the appropriate box on each line

1 2 3 4

Partic ipated in further discussion or exploration

Not at all

Have engaged in casual conversations only

Have sought further discussion and exploration with colleagues

Have initiated and lead discussion and exploration

Shared learning with colleagues

Not at all Informal sharing only

Have presented information to colleagues

Have shared my learning through modeling, teaching demonstration or practical activity

Engaged in further professional development to build on this learning

Not at all Have looked for relevant resources

Have read articles and visited web sites for further information

Have developed a personal action learning project/ enrolled in a course/formed a study group or similar

Implemented some aspect of this learning in dai ly activit ies

Not at all Have planned something but not tried it yet

Have tried implementing some of these ideas

Has become an integral part of my leadership style

Ident if ied the next step for my own learning

Haven't given it any thought

No clear direction. I know I want to do something but not sure what

Have sought guidance from my leader and others about next steps

Have clear goals and know exactly where I am headed

Additional Resources Read The One Minute Manager and Situational Leadership

Related Information The Stages of Team Development Delegation




Answers to Self-Assessment Which Style Would You Use Answer Guide A final decision can be difficult in some cases because of the lack of detail. 1. You are an off-duty Paramedic who has just arrived at the scene of a car

accident. A number of people are injured and the bystanders don't seem to know what to do.

Rationale: Some cases are absolutely clear. This is a useful reminder that there are times when a completely authoritarian style is appropriate - this is a clear case for directing. When people are generalising about leadership they often tend to dismiss this authoritarian approach as old-fashioned and inappropriate. Every part of the spectrum has its value.

2. You have a fresh out of university computer programmer who wants to re-design your customer management database to make it more effective and in his words 'to bring it out of the dark ages'

Rationale: At first blush, you may be tempted to let him get on with it. However, you really do need to make sure that his knowledge and understanding of the intricacies of your business and his skills are adequate. You would probably get the best results by using either a Consulting or Joining approach.

3. You are a teacher at a local school. A member of your local community has just won $15 mill ion in the lottery and has generously donated $10,000 to each class in your school, to do with as the c lass likes. At what level would you involve the children in the decision about what to do with the money?

Rationale: The appropriate response will depend upon the assumption you have made. If you assumed the children are very young then you may have chosen a tell or sell style. If you assumed the group were older then maybe consult or even join could work.

4. You are a human resource adviser who consults to small businesses. You are meeting with a new client who wants you to develop their policies and procedures manual that ensures they become a high performance workplace.

Rationale: Here you need to consider the issue of power. As an HR Specialist you have the qualifications and industry knowledge which gives you authority in terms of what is possible and what is legally required. However, the client has the final say on how they want their workplace to be run and indeed on whether or not to use you.

5. Your organization has decided that it needs a new product range and marketing campaign to sharpen up the company's image. You have been assigned the team leader of this cross-functional project team.

Rationale: For such an important initiative you would assume that all the project team members come with a lot of information and knowledge that will be needed by the team. So a directive approach won't cut it. Therefore you wouldn't use the Direct




or Sell approach. You will probably use a mixture of the rest of the styles as appropriate.

6. You are a Senior Editor of a woman's magazine. You lead a smal l team of young cadet writers. They have been asked to put together a series of articles that wi ll be placed as 20-page lift-out in the edit ion of the magazine due out in two months time. They can choose to theme the li ft-out either "Beauty and Age" or "Dressing for Business". They seem to be hav ing trouble deciding which theme they want to go with.

Rationale: It is important that the cadets continue to feel involved and their contribution valued. However, if they really can't make a decision then Delegating is probably not going to be effective, even Joining may not work. So it will be probably be appropriate to use a Consultative approach

7. Mary Jones is a financial analyst who has been working with you for a short period of time. She seems to be a very capable, quick learner, who readi ly deals with any issues that pop up. Mary has suggested a revamping of the way that the end of month financial data is collated, so that it will be easier to use. You think this is a terrific idea, however you are somewhat concerned that Mary may not have come across some of the particular quirks within your organization's systems.

Rationale: Here you would consider that Mary is a competent and willing team member, so you want to make sure you enable her to spread her wings, but with sufficient support so that she doesn't become discouraged as she hits challenges or makes any critical mistakes because of her lack of experience. Your best approach is probably to lean towards delegating with Mary, however at the moment the situation probably calls for a Joining approach.

8. Your 16-year-old nephew wants to experiment with hard drugs.

Rationale: Again the issue is power. You may instinctively want to choose a completely authoritarian approach: " I would tell him that he must not do it."

However, in this situation you do not have the power to make the final decision. Whatever you say, he makes the choice – so you don’t really have access to the first four styles. All you can do is to communicate to him your preferences for him and the consequences of his choices.

All you can do is be very clear about your feelings and to degree which you can support the decision and its consequences. Joining or Delegating are the only options




Well, we have just added another tool to your Breakthrough Leadership toolbox. Being able to flex your style to the needs of the individual and the situation, will help you bring out the best in yourself and others.


understanding situational leadership · leadership you have a natural/default style of leadership...

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