Situational Leadership 101: A Beginner’s Guide

Early in my career, I experienced countless moments that shaped my leadership style—some challenging, others inspiring, but all valuable. During a recent mentor session, I shared the approach that’s made the biggest impact on me: situational leadership. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a practical and empowering framework that simplifies leadership and helps you foster stronger, more resilient teams.

Being in a leadership role is not for the faint of heart—it’s a mix of strategy, empathy, and just enough humility to know when you don’t have all the answers. True leadership to me isn’t about barking orders or always being in control—it’s about adapting to the ever-changing dynamics of your team, the situation, and the individuals you’re leading. It’s basically a juggling act, but with less applause. 😂

One approach I’ve found incredibly helpful over the years is the Situational Leadership model by Ken Blanchard. It may seem a bit technical at first, but having a solid framework to lean on makes all the difference. It’s like a trusty compass, helping you navigate how to guide, support, and collaborate with others to get the best outcomes—without feeling like you’re winging it.

Let’s get into it!

A Quick Background on Situational Leadership

In 1969, author, speaker and business consultant Ken Blanchard and Paul Hersey produced the book Management of Organizational Behavior. This became one of the most influential leadership frameworks at the time.

In the 1980s, Ken Blanchard expanded on and refined this model in collaboration with others, creating variations such as the Situational Leadership® II (SLII®) framework. This model addressed a need for leaders to be flexible and responsive to the ever-changing needs of employees. It offered a practical framework for leaders to assess and respond to the needs of their employees. And it emphasizes the idea that one size does not fit all when it comes to leadership. How refreshing that was!

The core premise of SLII is that effective leadership is about matching your management techniques to the development level of your team members. It encourages leaders to evaluate the skills and confidence of each team member to adjust their direction-giving approach accordingly. 

Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just starting your leadership journey, understanding Situational Leadership can significantly affect how you lead your team and help people with career advancement. 

How it Works:

SLII provides four main leadership styles:

• Directing (S1): High directive, low supportive
• Coaching (S2): High directive, high supportive
• Supporting (S3): Low directive, high supportive
• Delegating (S4): Low directive, low supportive

Each of these styles aligns with different stages of employee development, which are broken down into four distinct levels:

• D1: Low competence, high commitment
• D2: Some competence, low commitment 
• D3: High competence, variable commitment 
• D4: High competence, high commitment

The key to SLII is recognizing that as your team members grow in their roles, their developmental needs change. The goal is to provide the right amount of guidance, support and autonomy based on where they are.

SLII is based on two key dimensions:

Directive behavior: This is when a leader gives clear instructions, defines roles and supervises tasks closely. Directive behavior is used when team members may not have the experience yet needed to perform tasks independently.

Supportive behavior: This is when a leader offers encouragement, listens to concerns, provides feedback. Supportive behavior is best when employees need motivation, reassurance or emotional support, especially if their commitment is low or confidence needs a boost.

By combining these two dimensions, SLII provides a roadmap for leaders to adapt their leadership style based on the development level of each team member.

Benefits of Situational Leadership 

Situational Leadership II (SLII) empowers leaders and teams to work more effectively together. Here’s a quick look at its key benefits:

Tailored leadership: SLII helps leaders adapt their style to each team member’s needs, whether they’re new to a role or seasoned professionals.

Professional growth: By meeting individuals where they are, SLII supports development, helping employees build skills and confidence at the right pace.

Team empowerment: This approach fosters a culture where employees feel supported and motivated to grow, ultimately creating a more self-sufficient team.

Boosted motivation: SLII allows leaders to address specific challenges, like providing emotional support to rebuild confidence or clear guidance for new employees, leading to higher engagement and satisfaction.

Improved communication: By aligning leadership styles with team needs, SLII promotes open, two-way feedback that builds trust and clarity.

Smarter decisions: Leaders can better assess when to direct, coach, or delegate, ensuring tasks are handled efficiently while supporting team autonomy.

How to Apply Situational Leadership II

Knowing the core concepts and benefits of SLII, let’s walk through how to apply it effectively for better team management.

Step 1: Assess the development of each team member

The two key components to evaluate are:

• Competence: How skilled is the individual in performing the task at hand?
• Commitment: How motivated and confident is the individual to complete the task?

Step 2: Choose the appropriate leadership style

Once you’ve assessed the development level of each individual, you can choose the appropriate leadership style:

For D1, use S1: Provide clear instructions and closely supervise tasks.

For D2, use S2: Offer direction and emotional support to help build confidence and skills.

For D3, use S3: Allow the employee to take on more responsibility but provide support and encouragement to keep them engaged.

For D4, use S4: Give the employee autonomy to make decisions and execute tasks independently.

Step 3: Don’t forget the feedback

Feedback is crucial for both development and motivation at any level of experience. SLII encourages leaders to give regular, constructive feedback to employees based on their current developmental level. This can look like:

D1: Frequent feedback and reassurance

D2: Feedback on task performance and emotional state

D3: Feedback that helps maintain focus and consistency

D4: Praise for accomplishments with occasional feedback

Step 4: Be open to adjustments

As employees progress in their skills and confidence, be prepared to adjust your leadership style. This is an ongoing process, so you may need to shift from a more directive approach to a more supportive or delegating one, providing the right level of autonomy and guidance for each team member. Pay attention to how they are developing and receiving feedback to know when to update your action.

Step 5: Promote continuous learning

Encourage team members to take on new challenges, seek learning opportunities and provide them with the resources they need to develop. The goal is to help individuals progress from D1 to D4, so you can have a more self-reliant team capable of taking on leadership abilities of their own.

Leadership Skill Development Resources

Several resources are available to help you master the model of Situational Leadership II, including:

Leading at a Higher Level by Ken Blanchard

Blanchard online for workshops, training materials, certifications and more.

Here’s a short 5 min YouTube video that provides a great overview.

Situational Leadership = Adaptable Leadership 

The best way to think about Situational Leadership is that it offers a flexible, practical framework for leaders to adapt their style to the needs of their team members, fostering both individual and team development. “Different strokes for different folks.”

 

Thanks for reading! xx