Situational leadership, or situational leadership practices

The fundamental recognition of Hersey and Blanchard is that there is no one right leadership style. The basis of situational leadership is to take into account the nature of the task to be accomplished and the professional and individual maturity of the people involved in accomplishing it. The practical model of situational leadership frames leadership along these dimensions, highlighting that the extent to which a leader is able to adapt his or her style to different situations is a fundamental determinant of his or her effectiveness.

The nature of business challenges has changed in recent times. In a VUCA world, the uncertainty around us is increasing, the tasks at hand have become more complex and the direction of change less predictable. In a BANI world, where situations will become even more fragile in the 2020s, tried and tested approaches that have worked well in the past will no longer work overnight. In the work of the manager, it will become more important to provide staff with a broader context, to develop, beyond their specific professional knowledge, the competences that strengthen flexibility, adaptability, initiative and active participation in decision-making. It is also essential to pay particular attention to listening to and integrating the different perspectives of peers in a meaningful way in order to move forward and succeed.

During the programme we will clarify,

• How do we, as leaders, relate to our colleagues? What leadership styles do we know?
• What impact can each leadership style have on the teamwork, motivation, attitude to conflict and responsibility that are essential for success?
• Is there, or can there be, an exclusive way?
• Where, in what and how can flexibility of style help us to manage different situations appropriately?
• How and on the basis of what should we, as leaders, consider when choosing our approach?
• How can this help us to get the best out of our colleagues with different backgrounds and skills?

For leaders and future leaders who lead a team. Where challenges change frequently. Where there are many new people who move at different speeds during integration. Where it's important to retain, develop and motivate older staff, giving them more autonomy. Where the manager does not want to do everything alone. Where staff are conscious and forward thinking about development. In short: for (almost) everyone.

The participant will be introduced to the methodological framework of situational leadership. During the course, particular attention will be paid to illustrate the different styles adapted to different business situations with practical examples. Participants will have the opportunity to interactively discuss their own situations and examples and to find solutions together. Participants will solve case studies, where we will also develop communication and motivational tools for each style. During the course, a self-awareness test will be completed and assessed - in line with the participants' current tasks and future challenges. The delegating company will benefit from their leaders' understanding and recognition of how to more effectively address the challenges of the VUCA and BANI world using situational leadership tools, thereby strengthening their personal competencies as well as the team they lead.

Theoretical model of situation-dependent driving

• The benefits of leadership models
• Characteristics and challenges of the VUCA and BANI world
• Theoretical overview of the situational leadership model
• The role of situational leadership in the management of personal resources
• The role of situational leadership in subordinate maturity and motivation
• Final diagnosis - Situational leadership based on a questionnaire

Differences in situational leadership styles

• Situational differences and related subordinate needs
• Effects of different styles on daily life: e.g. motivation, teamwork, conflict, taking responsibility, leading by example
  • Leadership styles: collecting and interpreting experiences - framing
  • The advantages and disadvantages of each style
  • Criteria to consider when choosing the right style
  • Assessing flexibility of style, fit - with company culture, tasks and employees, expectations

Situational leadership techniques

• Leadership tools and their applicability to subordinate maturity
• Assigning tasks to colleagues at different levels of maturity
• Stresses and inhibiting factors for different types of staff
• Typical mistakes, pitfalls - or where, when and what to look out for as a leader
• Monitoring, evaluation, feedback
• Situation exercises, with optional video analysis and feedback
• Analysis of national and international good practices

After the training, there is an opportunity for small group/individual consultation to analyse together the experiences gained in the practical application of the approaches and techniques discussed and to find solutions to the open points. This can take the form of individual/group coaching, guided workshops or counselling. If the participation in the course is part of an organisational development project, there may also be an opportunity for an assessment of the group led by the participants and, on this basis, for organisational development advice.