Leaders are unique and individual, yet have some very common skills and traits. One of those traits is adaptability. Great leaders adapt to different situations, and conscious leaders know how to "be" in a given situation.
Situational Leadership Theory, or the Situational Leadership Model, is a model created by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard, developed while working on Management of Organizational Behaviour. The fundamental principle of the situational leadership model is that there is no single "best" style of leadership. Effective leadership is task-relevant (what do I need to get done) and performance ready (how do my people need me to lead?). Are the people you are leading motivated, able or skilled enough to do the task? Do they need you to instruct them or coach them?
Effective leadership varies, not only with the task at hand, but also with the person or group that is being led. Situational leadership focuses on leadership adaptability. It looks at how different approaches are necessary depending on the situation.
I first came across this theory in my early twenties and it really helped me to be a better leader. That is why I am sharing it with you. It helped me to understand that if my team weren't performing, then perhaps it was something to do with my leadership approach AND their abilities and motivations. I realised that we were all in relationship with each other and that relationship was always in flow.
Leaders have a flexible management style and adapt their approach depending on the needs of the organisation or their team. Is this something you do?
A Situational Leader employs one of four leadership styles that provides them with the highest probability of success in every situation they encounter. The style is based on the task at hand and the required behaviour to get the task complete.
- Task/Directive Behavior – the extent to which the leader tells the follower what to do, how to do it, where it needs to be done and when it needs to be completed
- Relationship/Supportive Behavior – the extent to which the leader engages in open dialog with the follower, actively listens and provides recognition/reinforcement for task-related progress
Situation 1, leader must be directive, tells and instructs. The team member is unconsciously incompetent and needs teach or directing.
Situation 2. The leader is still directing, but in a more supportive way as the team member becomes consciously incompetent. They understand that they don't have the knowledge or the skills but are willing. They require coaching, mentoring and help.
Situation 3. The team member is consciously competent. They know they can do it, but don't want to be on their own just yet. They need support, championing and an ear to chew.
Situation 4. The team member is unconsciously competent. They just do the work with ease. They can be delegated to with little interference from the leader.
So if you try to apply S1 to someone who is in S4, you are mirco managing. Try S4 in an S2 situation and you are expecting the impossible, straining and stressing your people.
Understanding the skill/will model in context
Think of when you learnt to drive a car:
Unconscious incompetence - This is when you are younger and you don't know what is required to drive a car or that one day you will likely learn how to. You are unaware of the skill you don't currently have.
Conscious incompetence - On your first driving lesson when you become aware of the fact you do not know how to drive, you are now consciously aware you do not have the skill.
Conscious competence - When you have recently passed your test you are then consciously able to demonstrate the skill. You are able to successfully drive however it still requires you to think about what you are doing.
Unconscious competence - Now you have been driving for a longer period of time, you no longer have to think about pressing peddles, checking your mirrors and changing gears. This shows you are now unconsciously able to demonstrate the skill.
SKILL/WILL MODEL
Over time, the situational leadership model evolved into the Skill/Will model. It's much easier to understand and plot your people on so you know how to lead. Rather than focusing on the leaders behaviour, the skill will model focuses on the individual. If you can identify the skill level (competency) and the motivation (will), you can choose how to lead in that situation.
Factors like the individual, the task and ability to perform tasks will influence a leaders approach - hence situational.
Low skill/will. These people don't know how to do the task and don't know why they need to do it. They have no motivation. Perhaps they are new in post and don't know what they don't know. So you need to direct, teach, tell and direct. You are their teacher.
Low skill/High Will. These are the excited team members who volunteer for everything but haven't got the skills to do it - yet. You don't want to curb their enthusiasm, but can't let them take the task on without support. So you guide them, support them, coach them. As they become more skilled, then you step back a little more.
High skill/Low will. These people are often key team members who have lost their motivation. Perhaps they were empowered and now feel unappreciated, or have become bored in their role. Your job is to find out why they have lost their motivation and create an environment where they thrive again. Perhaps like like learning, more responsibility, change or competition. Find out and work with that.
High Skill/Will. These are your stars, the talent, the people you can give tasks to and they just take it on. The problem is that if you keep dumping on them, then they feel under appreciated. If you ignore them, then they feel rejected. If you stop challenging them, they get bored. So talk to them. Find out what they want and then empower them to get it. Praise and recognise their contribution. Keep stretching them and when they are ready, give a little more responsibility. Eventually they will outgrow the role, so remember to do succession planning.
Head to the SKILL/WILL course in MyTeam to understand how to apply this to your team.
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