It’s the performance season as leaders reflect back on last year’s wins/loses and plan to win in 2025. Performance management should be simple: 1) goals + 2) capabilities + 3) great partnership with your manager. Which is most challenging for you or your organization?
This formula aligns so well with Situational Leadership. I learned about the SLII model about a decade ago and instantly loved the simplicity and application of it. To me, the model is “paint by numbers” to achieve excellence in #1 goal setting, #2 assessment of capabilities and #3 guiding managers how to match their leadership style to help team members learn and perform.
The model suggests that effective leaders can shift between four primary styles:
- Telling: High directive, low supportive
- Selling: High directive, high supportive
- Participating: Low directive, high supportive
- Delegating: Low directive, low supportive
We all know: leadership is not easy. The key to effective leadership here is to skillfully assess the readiness of your team members and adjust your approach accordingly by thoroughly understanding their abilities and motivation. This requires self-awareness, adaptability, and killer communication. You might be shifting your approach in the same 1:1 conversation tackling different topics or goals.
Bottom-line: Situational Leadership can help you win 2025 and beyond. Here is how:
- Improved team performance: By tailoring your leadership style to individual needs, you can optimize team performance.
- Increased employee engagement: When employees feel supported and empowered, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated.
- Enhanced leadership skillset: By practicing different leadership styles, you can develop your leadership agility and effective coaching skills.
I’m certified in the model and have been delivering Situational Leadership workshops to a number of clients in the last decade. Eager to take your performance to another level in 2025? Let’s talk.