Leadership and Business Skills · tool 8 of 11
Situational Leadership
Situational Leadership: adapts your style to the person and the task.
Best for: Leading mixed teams · Time: Reference
Domain: Across all domains · Focus area: Executing
How it works
Hersey and Blanchard’s model matches your style to the person’s readiness. In common wording, the four styles are directing, coaching, supporting and delegating. The same person may need different styles for different tasks.
- Direct newcomers.
- Coach those keen but unsure.
- Delegate to the proven.
How to apply it
- Assess skill and confidence for the task.
- Match your style.
- Tell them why.
- Reduce support as skill grows.
In practice
A senior engineer needs no direction on code, but does for her first client presentation.
Pro tip
Micromanaging an expert is as harmful as abandoning a beginner.
Quick check
Skilled, confident people need…
Sources
- P. Hersey and K. Blanchard, Management of Organizational Behavior
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 against the PMBOK® Guide, 8th edition · Practitioner review pending · How this guide is made