Adapting Your Leadership Style for Maximum Team Performance
Effective leadership isn’t about applying a single approach to every situation and team member. The most successful leaders understand that flexibility is key and adjust their leadership style based on the specific needs, competence, and commitment levels of each individual they’re working with. This adaptable approach, known as Situational Leadership, has become one of the most influential leadership frameworks for developing high-performing teams.
Understanding the Situational Leadership Model
The Situational Leadership model was originally developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard in the late 1960s. In Situational Leadership, the emphasis is on changing your leadership style and approach based on the development level of the individual team member you are working with, or follower, and the specific situation at hand.
Unlike fixed leadership approaches, Situational Leadership emphasizes the dynamic relationship between leaders and followers. It recognizes that people develop at different rates and that development isn’t always linear. Team members may move forward and backward in their development levels depending on new tasks, changes in responsibilities, or shifts in the work environment.
The Four Follower Development Levels
The Situational Leadership model identifies four distinct follower development levels, each representing a combination of competence (skill and knowledge) and commitment (confidence and motivation). Understanding these levels is essential for determining which leadership approach will be most effective.

By considering high/low competency and high/low commitment, a follower can be:
D1: Enthusiastic Beginner
Characteristics: Low Competence / High Commitment
- New to the task or role
- Lacks necessary skills or knowledge
- Shows enthusiasm and eagerness to learn
- May overestimate their abilities
- Requires clear direction and instruction
- Ready to take on new tasks
Example: A new team member who has just joined your organization. They’re excited about their new role and eager to contribute, but lack understanding of your specific processes and expectations.
D2: Disillusioned Learner
Characteristics: Low to moderate Competence / Low Commitment
- Has gained some skills and knowledge. but is still learning
- Experiencing challenges or setbacks
- Decreased motivation or confidence
- May feel overwhelmed or frustrated
- Questions their ability to succeed
- Commitment and confidence fluctuate
Example: A team member who has been working on a complex project for several weeks. Initial enthusiasm has waned as they’ve encountered obstacles, and they’re starting to doubt whether they can successfully complete the assignment.
D3: Capable but Cautious Performer
Characteristics: Moderate to High Competence / Variable Commitment
- Has gained most necessary skills
- Demonstrates competence inconsistently
- Commitment fluctuates based on confidence
- May not fully trust their own abilities (self doubt)
- Needs encouragement and validation more than direction
Example: An experienced team member who has been asked to lead a new initiative. They have the skills to succeed but are hesitant about taking full ownership and making independent decisions without validation.
D4: Self-reliant Achiever
Characteristics: High Competence / High Commitment
- Fully skilled in required competencies
- Confidently commits, performs tasks independently, and delivers results
- Takes initiative and solves problems
- Demonstrates consistent reliability
- Requires minimal supervision or support
Example: A seasoned professional who consistently delivers high-quality work, proactively addresses issues before they become problems, and supports other team members.
The Four Leadership Styles
Based on the development level of the follower, the Situational Leadership model prescribes four corresponding leadership styles. Each style represents a different combination of directive behavior (task focus) and supportive behavior (relationship focus).

S1: Directing Style
Approach: High Directive / Low Supportive
- Define roles and tasks clearly
- Provide specific instructions and clear expectations
- Closely supervise performance and task accomplishment
- Communicate what, how, when, and where
When to use: This style is most effective with D1 (Enthusiastic Beginners) who need clear direction to channel their enthusiasm productively. It’s also appropriate in crisis situations or when mistakes would have serious consequences.
S2: Coaching Style
Approach: High Directive / High Supportive
- Still direct the task but include two-way communication
- Support development progress while maintaining control and monitoring task accomplishment
- Explain decisions and solicit suggestions
- Provide guidance while building confidence
- Offer praise for progress and improvement
When to use: This style works best with D2 (Disillusioned Learners) who need both direction and encouragement to rebuild their commitment as they develop competence.
S3: Supporting Style
Approach: Low Directive / High Supportive
- Focus on listening and facilitating
- Involve the follower in decision-making
- Provide recognition and emotional support
- Ask questions rather than giving directives
- Share responsibility for problem-solving
When to use: This style is ideal for D3 (Capable but Cautious Performers) who have the skills but need support to build confidence and commitment.
S4: Delegating Style
Approach: Low Directive / Low Supportive
- Transfer responsibility for decision-making and problem-solving
- Empower the follower to execute independently
- Provide resources but minimal intervention
- Remain available but avoid unnecessary check-ins
- Allow space for autonomy and growth
When to use: This style is most effective with D4 (Self-reliant Achievers) who have both the competence and commitment to perform excellently with minimal guidance.
Matching Leadership Styles to Development Levels
The key to effective Situational Leadership lies in accurately diagnosing the development level of each team member for specific tasks and then applying the appropriate leadership style. This requires regular assessment and adjustment as team members develop.
The optimal matches are:
- D1 (Enthusiastic Beginner) → S1 (Directing)
- D2 (Disillusioned Learner) → S2 (Coaching)
- D3 (Capable but Cautious Performer) → S3 (Supporting)
- D4 (Self-reliant Achiever) → S4 (Delegating)
Mismatches can lead to significant problems:
- Using a Directing style with a Self-reliant Achiever can lead to frustration and disengagement
- Using a Delegating style with an Enthusiastic Beginner often results in anxiety and poor performance
The model is dynamic, recognizing that a team member could be at different development levels for different tasks. For example, someone might be a D4 in their core technical skills but a D1 when it comes to leadership responsibilities.
Common Mistakes in Applying Situational Leadership
Leaders often make predictable mistakes when implementing Situational Leadership:
- Misdiagnosing development levels: Confusing enthusiasm with competence or quietness with lack of commitment
- Using a preferred style regardless of follower needs: Many leaders default to their comfortable style rather than adapting
- Failing to adjust as followers develop: Not recognizing when team members are ready for less direction or more autonomy
- Moving too quickly through the styles: Not providing enough time at each stage for true development
- Inconsistency in application: Changing approaches based on mood or time constraints rather than follower needs
Avoiding these pitfalls requires self-awareness, regular feedback, and a commitment to prioritizing team member development over personal comfort.
Developing Your Situational Leadership Skills
Becoming an effective situational leader requires ongoing development of several key competencies:
- Diagnostic ability: Accurately assessing follower development levels
- Flexibility: Comfortably using all four leadership styles
- Self-awareness: Understanding your default style and biases
- Communication skills: Clearly conveying expectations across all styles
- Emotional intelligence: Recognizing and responding to others’ emotional needs
Mastering these skills doesn’t happen overnight. It requires practice, feedback, and deliberate effort. In our Building High Performing Teams Workshop, we provide leaders with practical assessment tools and hands-on exercises to develop these situational leadership competencies in a supportive environment.
By investing in your ability to adapt your leadership approach to the specific needs of each team member, you’ll accelerate individual development and, in turn, build a more resilient, high-performing team capable of navigating whatever challenges come your way.
So now that we’ve looked at different models and ways for individual development, let’s switch and take a look at team development.
Further Reading:
Also check out the complete Fostering Self-organizing Teams series:
- What is a Self-Organizing Team?
- Scrum Magic! Do Scrum – Become Hype-productive!
- 3 Models for Skills Acquisition
- The 3 Stages of Shu Ha Ri for Gaining Knowledge
- The Dreyfus Model of Skills Acquisition
- Situational Leadership
- The 5 Stages of Tuckman’s Group Model
- Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model
- The ScrumMaster’s Role in Fostering a High Performing Self-Organizing Team
- 7 Attributes of a Self-Organizing Team
- Delegation Board for Fostering a Self-Organizing Team
- The ScrumMaster’s Progressive Delegation Responsibility
- Fostering Self-Organizing Teams Presentation