“The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority,” says Ken Blanchard, an author and management expert.
That feels more relevant now than ever.
Simply giving orders does not guarantee results. You need to meet people where they are, understand their pace and skills, and guide them accordingly. And when managers miss that, the entire team suffers.
So, what is situational leadership, and how can it help?
It is a leadership approach where managers adjust their style based on the skills and confidence of their team. Every team member gets the kind of support or direction they need, leading to a better-engaged team.
In this article, we will walk through the situational leadership model, how it works, and how you can apply it as a leader.
What is situational leadership?
Situational leadership is a cognitive skill where leaders change their leadership style based on what the team needs. Some members require clear instructions, some support, and others need you to trust them and step back completely.
It’s about noticing where each person stands and adjusting your leadership style to help them do their best.
But why is situational leadership important?
It is important because no two team members work the same way. And more than flexibility, it is about empathy. If leaders or managers don’t adapt and treat everyone the same way, people eventually feel undervalued and lose motivation.
And the numbers prove it. Trust in immediate managers dropped from 46% in 2022 to just 29% in 2024, and a skill gap was a major reason.
Situational leadership helps close that gap. It ensures each person gets exactly the kind of direction they need to grow and perform better.
The situational leadership theory
Situational leadership theory says that there is no single ‘best’ way to lead. What works in one situation might fail in another.
This theory was introduced by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard back in the late 1960s. They argued that effective leaders are flexible and match their leadership style to the ‘readiness’ or ‘development level’ of their followers (team members).
This readiness considers both a person’s ability and their willingness to perform a task. It has stuck around because it makes sense in real-world work environments.
However, to apply situational leadership, you need to first understand the situational leadership matrix. Here’s how it classifies readiness:
- D1: Low competence, high commitment: You direct closely.
- D2: Some competence, low commitment: You coach with more involvement.
- D3: High competence, variable commitment: You support and encourage.
- D4: High competence, high commitment: You delegate and step back.
By checking where each person fits on this matrix, you can ensure that no one feels under- or over-managed.
Also read – What is Transactional leadership & is it effective?
Situational leadership model and approaches
There are various approaches to situational leadership, but one stands out as particularly influential and practical. Let’s understand it in detail.
Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership model
The model offers a straightforward guide for managers to adjust their leadership effectively by outlining four leadership styles. Each one is designed to fit a specific matrix readiness level.
Here is how they connect:
S1: Directing (Telling)
This style is best for team members at D1 (Low Competence, High Commitment) because they are eager but lack experience. Hence, you provide them with direct instructions and supervise closely.
S2: Coaching (Selling)
This is best for D2 (Some Competence, Low Commitment), where team members have gained some skills but may feel unsure or less motivated. You continue to provide direction, but also explain decisions and involve them to build confidence.
S3: Supporting (Participating)
The person is aware of the work but may not always feel motivated. Meaning, they are at D3 (High Competence, Variable Commitment). Here, you step back from giving instructions and focus more on encouraging participation and shared decision-making.
S4: Delegating
Lastly, at D4 (High Competence, High Commitment), you hand over full responsibility to the team member. They are experienced, confident, and motivated, so you give them space to handle things on their own with minimal check-ins.
So, the situational leadership model is not a one-size-fits-all system. As your team members’ skills and confidence grow, the way you lead them should change, too.
How to apply situational leadership in the workplace
Applying situational leadership in your team is not about switching styles randomly. It is a structured process that involves observing, adjusting, and continuously improving how you lead. Here is how you can approach it:
Assess your team
Start by evaluating each team member. Look at their skills, experience, and motivation for specific tasks. Some may be highly capable but unsure. Others may be new but eager. Understanding their competence and confidence is key to choosing the right leadership style.
This is where a Jira-integrated Agile performance management software, like UpRaise for Employee Success, can simplify this process. It helps you gather regular feedback, track OKRs, and document development conversations right from Jira.
Courtesy- UpRaise for Employee Success app for Jira
This makes it easier to assess each team member’s readiness with actual data, and not just a gut feeling.
Match your leadership style
Once you know their readiness level, adjust your approach accordingly. Whether directing, coaching, supporting, or delegating, ensure your style fits the situation. This helps team members perform better with optimal guidance.
Communicate regularly
Situational leadership is not a one-time decision. Keep an open line of communication and encourage continuous feedback. Regular check-ins help you spot changes in motivation or skill level early and adjust your leadership style immediately.
Track and adapt
Situational leadership works best when you stay informed about each person’s progress. Relying on memory or instinct is not always helpful. You need structured feedback, performance data, and clear insights.
UpRaise for Employee Success helps here, too. It lets you monitor OKR progress, maintain feedback records, and review structured performance insights through easy-to-read dashboards.
Combining regular communication with structured tracking and tools like UpRaise makes adapting your leadership style a lot clearer as your team grows.
Benefits of situational leadership for managers
Situational leadership does more than help your team. It also helps you grow as a manager. Here is how adopting this approach creates value on both sides:
Enhances development and growth
As your team members build skills and grow in confidence, you also develop as a leader. In Agile environments where team maturity evolves sprint by sprint, situational leadership helps you as a manager shift your approach based on development velocity and retro feedback.
This sharpens your ability to assess situations, communicate clearly, and adapt your management style, which are essential skills for long-term leadership success.
Increases employee engagement
When you lead based on each person’s needs, employees feel recognised and supported. This naturally increases their involvement and motivation, leading to a stronger team culture with you as the leader.
Boosts team performance
It makes performance management easier for managers because this balanced guidance helps your team deliver consistent, high-quality results. Everyone gets the right kind of guidance at the right time to improve their performance.
Improves communication
Situational leadership depends on regular feedback and honest conversations. This helps both you and your team avoid misunderstandings while building trust and a culture of openness.
With workplaces changing so quickly, situational leadership helps you empathize with your team and also sustain yourself as a competent manager in the industry.
Challenges in implementing situational leadership
While situational leadership offers clear benefits, practicing it is not without its challenges. Here are some common hurdles you may come across:
Might feel unfair to employees
When you adjust your leadership style for different people, some may find it unequal treatment. Without clear communication, this can lead to confusion or resentment. Explain to your team why you lead differently for each person to avoid misunderstandings.
Requires strong judgment
Situational leadership depends on a manager’s ability to accurately judge each team member’s skill level and motivation. If a manager lacks this judgment or misreads a situation, they may choose the wrong leadership style.
For example, giving too much freedom to someone who actually needs guidance. Over time, repeated misjudgments like this can harm both team morale and performance.
Might burden the manager
Leading this way means constantly observing, deciding, and adjusting for multiple team members. If a manager is not equipped for this level of responsibility, it can result in decision fatigue, burnout, or even complete disengagement from the team’s development needs.
Focuses on short-term goals
Situational leadership focuses on the short-term growth of employees, which can make long-term priorities unclear. It’s important to balance short-term adjustments with steady progress toward bigger team or company goals.
Being mindful of these challenges helps you lead smarter and avoid mistakes that could hold your team back.
Conclusion
Leadership is not about holding all the answers but about knowing when to guide, when to support, and when to step aside. Understanding what situational leadership is and how to implement it can help managers lead teams where every employee grows differently.
The situational leadership model has proven to be a structured and thoughtful way to lead in several workplaces. It can help your team perform better while improving your own skills as a manager. If you can stay observant and flexible, situational leadership can boost your team’s performance and quietly become one of your strongest management habits.
FAQs
1. What is the situational leadership model?
The situational leadership model is a leadership framework developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard. In it, managers adapt their leadership style based on their employees. The four situational leadership styles (directing, coaching, supporting, and delegating) match different levels of employee experience and motivation.
2. How does situational leadership benefit managers?
Situational leadership lets managers guide their team more effectively with the right level of guidance. Over time, it builds stronger teams and helps managers grow their own leadership skills.
3. What are the key elements of the situational leadership theory?
The main elements are flexibility in leadership style, assessing team members’ readiness levels, and aligning your approach with their skills and motivation. It’s about adjusting how you lead so people can grow and perform better.
4. How can you apply situational leadership in different scenarios?
First, assess each team member’s skills and motivation. Then choose whether to direct, coach, support, or delegate based on what fits them best at that moment. Lastly, encourage communication, transparent feedback, and adapt accordingly.
