The Hersey Blanchard model of Situational Leadership is one of those frameworks that in my experience has stood the test of time, over and over.
However, most people miss the magic subtlety – indeed, the secret sauce that makes it the one of the most powerful ways to lead people.
If you are not familiar with Situational Leadership, pause and check out the resources on Google.
Most people with a modicum of intelligence get the fundamental concepts immediately. Apply the right style of leadership to suit the subordinate’s level of competence and confidence.
A major oversight for many is that the assessment should be related to the task in hand. An individual who is proficient in their job can still get stuck when something new is thrown at them. In which case, it is appropriate to generally lead them with delegation, but in the new task, direction is likely to be the most appropriate style of leadership.
However, what most people do (after reading the book), is either leave them to it (maintain delegation style) or, tell them what they need to do in with this new task.
Neither of these options is wise.
If you are in this situation and choose delegation, time will be wasted while they figure out how to complete the task. It will also create a strain in the relationship – mismatched expectations and needs.
If you tell them what to do, they will resent it, feel insulted and worry the question, “Who on earth do you think you are, telling them what to do?”
Which leads me to the most important subtlety of the whole framework – contracting. For Situational Leadership to work at its best, you have to agree the style of leadership with the individual concerned, for the task in hand. Well actually, they have to want it!
Virtually everyone I have introduced this to and guided them to read the book, have quickly grasped the idea about diagnosing the style that is “needed” and have failed to understand that to make this work, the style has to be “wanted” too.
Now, go get the book (Situational Leadership and the One Minute Manager), read it, and figure out why I believe that if you miss the contracting point you are totally wasting your time with Situational Leadership.
Colin Gautrey
Provocative Coach/Mentor | Specialism: Impact and Influence
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