Situational Leadership
Framework
A flexible approach where leaders change their style based on what their team or individual needs and the task at hand at the time. It helps leaders give the right amount of direction, support, or independence to help everyone perform their best.
Meet Emma, a manager at a fast-growing tech company. When she first took on her leadership role, Emma quickly realized that her team wasn’t as productive as it could be. Some team members were enthusiastic but lacked experience, while others were seasoned pros but seemed unmotivated. Emma struggled to find a leadership style that worked for everyone.
That’s when she discovered Situational Leadership—a flexible model that helped her understand that leadership isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Instead, it taught her to adapt her style based on the development level of each team member and the task at hand.
For her inexperienced hire, John, she used a directive approach, offering clear guidance. With Sophia, who needed encouragement, Emma adopted a coaching style. For skilled but uncertain Michael, she offered supportive leadership, providing independence. For her seasoned employee, Lisa, Emma embraced delegation.
By applying these tailored approaches, Emma saw her team's performance improve, fostering growth, trust, and stronger results for the company.