Most managers make the same mistake.
They choose one leadership style and apply it to everyone and everything.
Some default to micromanaging with lots of direction and minimal support, others pride themselves on being “hands-off” and delegating everything to direct reports.
The problem? Neither approach works across the board.
Leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. People need different kinds of leadership depending on the skill or goal they’re working on. Even your A Players (the ones you trust to run the show) can feel like beginners when they tackle something brand new.
Today, I’m going to teach you about Situational Leadership, which is the central idea in Ken Blanchard’s book Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Through Situational Leadership II.
This powerful framework shows how your Leadership Style must flex to meet someone’s Development Level on each task.
A picture is worth a thousand words…
The Two Axes of Growth
There are two factors that determine an individual’s Development Level on a specific task or project:
- Competence (their actual skill and experience)
- Commitment (their motivation and confidence)
Combine these, and you get 4 Development Levels (D1-4). Each requires a different Leadership Style (S1-4) from you.
Leadership Styles are also two-dimensional:
- Directive Behaviors = telling people what, how, when, and where to do things.
- Supportive Behaviors = listening, encouraging, involving them in decisions, and boosting confidence.
The magic comes in matching the right balance of direction and support to an individual’s Development Level.
D1. Enthusiastic Beginner → S1. Directing
- Profile: Low competence, high commitment. They’re excited to start, but inexperienced.
- Your Move: High direction, low support. Be clear and specific. Spell things out. Don’t assume they know what you mean.
- Example: A new hire eager to impress on day one. They need you to say, “Here’s the process. Follow these steps.”
- RISK: Overestimating what they can handle. If you throw them in the deep end, their confidence will crash fast.
D2. Disillusioned Learner → S2. Coaching
- Profile: Some competence, but low commitment. They’ve hit the messy middle and realize it’s harder than they thought. They start to feel discouraged.
- Your Move: High direction and high support. Continue to guide, and now add empathy, encouragement, and feedback.
- Example: An A player is learning a new software system. They understand the basics but get frustrated when things break.
- RISK: This is the danger zone where many people quit on projects, in roles, or even entire companies. Coaching through it is what separates good managers from great ones.
D3. Capable But Cautious Contributor → S3. Supporting
- Profile: Solid competence, but variable confidence or motivation. They can do the work, but don’t fully believe it yet, or aren’t sure they want to own it.
- Your Move: Low direction, high support. Step back from telling them what to do. Instead, ask questions, involve them in decisions, and validate their progress.
- Example: A mid-level manager who has the skills to run a project, but hesitates to make big calls without your approval.
- RISK: You stop coaching and go to full-on delegation too soon, OR you keep giving them too much direction and they feel micromanaged. Your goal is to transfer ownership. Instead of saying, “Here’s what to do,” ask, “What do you think is the best next step?”
D4. Self-Reliant Achiever → S4. Delegating
- Profile: High competence, high commitment. They know what to do and are motivated to do it.
- Your Move: Low direction, low support. Hand over responsibility. Get out of the way.
- Example: Your A player runs a client engagement or internal project without much oversight from you.
- RISK: They might be waiting for you to provide direction or coaching, as in other areas, unless you clearly explain that it’s their responsibility to come to you with questions or concerns, given your trust in them.
Why It Matters
No team member is at the same Development Level in all the skills required for their job.
They can be a Self-Reliant Achiever in one area and an Enthusiastic Beginner in another.
Your star performer in operations might run circles around everyone… until she takes on sales meetings, where she’s back at square one or two. If you keep delegating without directing, she’ll flounder.
That’s why situational leadership is so powerful.
It forces you to diagnose before you lead. Instead of assuming (and making an “ass out of u and me…”), you ask:
- How competent are you on this task?
- How committed are you right now?
- Do you need more or less direction?
- Do you need more or less support?
The Bottom Line
Leadership is about flexibility. If you use one style for everything, you’ll frustrate half your team.
When you match your leadership style to someone’s development level, you accelerate growth, build trust, and prevent burnout.
Because at the end of the day, people don’t quit companies. People quit managers.
And the best managers know how to adapt their leadership styles.
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here’s how we can help:
- Feeling stuck as a leader? Our Executive Coaching helps CEOs break through growth plateaus with bi-weekly strategic sessions that sharpen decision-making and leadership effectiveness.
- Ready to lead with more confidence? Book a free 30-minute Scalability Audit to explore how personalized coaching can help you navigate complex challenges and accelerate your company’s growth, and see if you qualify for a complimentary 1-hour coaching session
- Want to become the leader your team needs? Download your Free HR Wake-Up Call Checklist to identify strengths and blind spots, plus get actionable steps to elevate your leadership impact.