Situational Leadership: Why One Leadership Style Doesn't Fit All
Do you treat your experienced senior developer the same way as the junior who started last week?
Then you're making at least one of them unhappy.
Situational Leadership means: Adapting your leadership style to the person and situation – not expecting everyone to adapt to your style.
The Hersey and Blanchard Model
Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard developed the Situational Leadership Model. The core idea:
There is no "best" leadership style. The best style depends on the employee's development level.
The Two Dimensions
1. TASK-ORIENTED BEHAVIOR (Directing)
- Give clear instructions
- Provide structure
- Define What, How, When, Where
- Control and give feedback
2. RELATIONSHIP-ORIENTED BEHAVIOR (Supporting)
- Listen and encourage
- Include in decisions
- Offer support
- Give recognition
The Four Leadership Styles
SUPPORTING (Relationship)
High
│
S3 │ S2
PARTICIPATING │ COACHING
│
"Let's decide │ "I'll explain this
together" │ and we'll do it
│ together"
│
──────────────────────┼──────────────────────
│
S4 │ S1
DELEGATING │ DIRECTING
│
"You handle this, │ "Do it exactly
reach out if │ like this"
there are issues" │
│
Low
Low ────────────────── High
DIRECTING (Task)
The Four Development Levels
The leadership style is based on the employee's development level – a combination of competence and commitment.
D1: Enthusiastic Beginner
COMPETENCE: Low
COMMITMENT: High
TYPICAL:
- New employee
- New task/role
- High motivation, little experience
- "I don't know how, but I want to!"
EXAMPLE:
Junior developer on day one.
Motivated, but needs clear guidance.
D2: Disillusioned Learner
COMPETENCE: Low to Medium
COMMITMENT: Low
TYPICAL:
- Reality has caught up with euphoria
- Experienced first failures
- Overwhelmed by complexity
- "This is harder than I thought..."
EXAMPLE:
Junior after 3 months.
Sees how much they still don't know.
Frustration and self-doubt.
D3: Capable but Cautious
COMPETENCE: Medium to High
COMMITMENT: Variable
TYPICAL:
- Can do the task
- But: Unsure if they should
- Needs confirmation
- "I could, but is that right?"
EXAMPLE:
Mid-level developer should lead feature.
Has the skills, doubts themselves.
D4: Self-Reliant Achiever
COMPETENCE: High
COMMITMENT: High
TYPICAL:
- Can do it and wants to
- Needs little guidance
- Independent and motivated
- "I've got this, I'll reach out if I have questions"
EXAMPLE:
Senior developer with clear ownership.
Wants autonomy, delivers reliably.
The Matching Matrix
DEVELOPMENT LEVEL → LEADERSHIP STYLE
D1: Enthusiastic Beginner → S1: DIRECTING
(Low Competence, - Clear instructions
High Commitment) - Provide structure
- Step by step
- Little discussion
D2: Disillusioned Learner → S2: COACHING
(Some Competence, - Explain and show
Low Commitment) - Motivate
- Emphasize progress
- Room for questions
D3: Capable but Cautious → S3: PARTICIPATING
(High Competence, - Decide together
Variable Commitment) - Listen and confirm
- Build confidence
- As partners
D4: Self-Reliant Achiever → S4: DELEGATING
(High Competence, - Give autonomy
High Commitment) - Define outcomes
- Get out of the way
- Be there when needed
The Styles in Detail
S1: Directing (Telling)
When: D1 – Enthusiastic Beginner
YOU GIVE:
- Clear instructions
- Defined steps
- Close monitoring
- Frequent feedback
YOU ASK LITTLE:
- No "What do you think?"
- Little discussion about the How
- You make decisions
EXAMPLE:
"For this feature you will:
1. First write the tests
2. Then the implementation
3. Sync with me daily briefly
4. On Friday we'll review together
Questions about the task?"
NOT:
"How would you approach this?"
(Overwhelming for D1)
S2: Coaching (Selling)
When: D2 – Disillusioned Learner
YOU GIVE:
- Guidance AND explanation
- The Why behind the What
- Encouragement
- Room for questions
YOU BALANCE:
- Give structure, but explain
- Make decisions, but involve
- Lead, but encourage
EXAMPLE:
"This feature is complex. Let me explain
why we're choosing this approach: [Explanation].
I know testing is frustrating right now.
That's normal at this stage. What helps:
[concrete tip]. What questions do you have?"
NOT:
"Just do it" (ignores frustration)
"You got this" (without substance)
S3: Participating (Supporting)
When: D3 – Capable but Cautious
YOU GIVE:
- Confirmation
- Room for input
- Joint decisions
- Less instruction, more exchange
YOU ASK MORE:
- "What do you think?"
- "How would you solve this?"
- "What do you need from me?"
EXAMPLE:
"You know the system best.
How would you approach this?
[Listen]
That sounds good. What's your gut feeling
on Option A vs B?
I trust your judgment."
NOT:
Give detailed instructions
(undermines competence)
S4: Delegating
When: D4 – Self-Reliant Achiever
YOU GIVE:
- Clear goals/outcomes
- Autonomy
- Trust
- Resources when needed
YOU HOLD BACK:
- Don't control
- Don't interfere
- Result matters, not the path
EXAMPLE:
"This project is yours.
Goal is [clearly defined] by [date].
I'm here if you need me,
but I trust you.
How do you want to keep me updated?"
NOT:
Constantly asking
Micromanaging
Prescribing the path
Situational Leadership in Daily Tech Work
Same Person, Different Situations
IMPORTANT:
The development level is not fixed.
It varies by TASK.
EXAMPLE – SENIOR DEVELOPER MARIA:
Backend development: D4
→ S4 (Delegating)
→ She's done this for years, full autonomy
New frontend framework: D1
→ S1 (Directing)
→ Never done it, needs guidance
Presentation to stakeholders: D3
→ S3 (Participating)
→ Can do it, but nervous
→ THREE DIFFERENT STYLES FOR ONE PERSON
Assessing Development Level
QUESTIONS FOR ASSESSMENT:
COMPETENCE:
- Has the person done this before?
- What relevant skills do they have?
- What's their track record on similar tasks?
COMMITMENT:
- How motivated do they seem?
- Do they show initiative?
- How do they handle setbacks?
OBSERVE:
- How do they react to new tasks?
- Do they ask many or few questions?
- Do they need much or little confirmation?
Common Mistakes
MISTAKE 1: ONE STYLE FOR ALL
"I'm just a delegating type"
→ Junior devs drown
→ Seniors feel underutilized
MISTAKE 2: NOT ADAPTING STYLE
Someone develops from D1 to D4
→ You still give detailed instructions
→ Frustration, turnover
MISTAKE 3: DELEGATING TOO QUICKLY
"They've been here 3 months already"
→ But for THIS task they're still D1
→ Overwhelm, mistakes
MISTAKE 4: NOT DELEGATING ENOUGH
Treating senior developer like junior
→ "Doesn't trust me"
→ Demotivation, departure
Fostering Development
The Goal: Develop Everyone to D4
D1 → D2 → D3 → D4
YOUR TASK:
Develop people through the stages.
Not: Keep them at one stage forever.
HOW:
- Build competence (training, experience)
- Foster commitment (motivation, purpose)
- Gradually transfer responsibility
- Enable successes
The Development Conversations
FOR D1 → D2:
"You're learning fast. Next week
you'll take on [slightly larger task].
I'll show you how."
FOR D2 → D3:
"I see your progress.
The frustration is normal.
Let's look at what you already can do:
[list successes]"
FOR D3 → D4:
"You're ready for more ownership.
From now on you decide on [area].
I'm here if you need me."
FOR D4:
"You're doing great.
What do you need to grow further?
What challenge are you looking for?"
Situational Leadership and Other Concepts
Combined with Servant Leadership
SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP:
What does this person need now?
[SERVANT LEADERSHIP](/en/blog/servant-leadership-guide):
How can I serve this person?
TOGETHER:
"How can I best serve this person,
based on their current development level?"
→ D1: I serve through clear structure
→ D2: I serve through coaching and encouragement
→ D3: I serve through trust and participation
→ D4: I serve through autonomy
Combined with Feedback
ADAPT FEEDBACK:
D1: Frequent, specific, directive
"That was right. Next time pay attention to X."
D2: Encouraging, learning-oriented
"That was a good try. What did you learn?"
D3: Confirming, questioning
"How do you find the result? I think it's good."
D4: Outcome-focused, peer-level
"Result is strong. Ideas for even better?"
Self-Reflection
Your Default Style
ASK YOURSELF:
- What's my natural leadership style?
- Where am I strong?
- What's difficult for me?
TYPICAL PATTERNS:
The Controller:
Default S1/S2, even with D4 employees
→ Learn: Let go, trust
The Buddy:
Default S3, even with D1 employees
→ Learn: Give structure, decide
The Delegator:
Default S4, even with D1 employees
→ Learn: Invest in guidance
The Coach:
Default S2, even with D4 employees
→ Learn: Allow autonomy
Training Flexibility
EXERCISE:
1. Identify 3 team members
2. Assess their development level (for a specific task)
3. Ask yourself: Am I using the right style?
4. Adjust if needed
GET FEEDBACK:
"Do you have enough/too little guidance from me?"
"Do you feel supported?"
"What do you need more/less from me?"
Conclusion: Flexibility as a Leadership Skill
A good leader doesn't have one style – but the ability to switch between styles.
The Core Principles:
- Assess development level: Competence + Commitment
- Adapt style: S1-S4 as needed
- Task-specific: Same person, different styles
- Develop: Goal is D4 for everyone
- Stay flexible: Reassess regularly
Your Challenge:
Think of one person on your team. What's their development level for their current main task? Does your leadership style match?
If not: What do you change starting tomorrow?
Want to dive deeper into modern leadership? Our guide on Servant Leadership shows how servant leadership and situational leadership work together.
