📌 Discover how tailoring your leadership style to employee readiness can improve performance, trust, and team alignment.
Leadership is not a one-size-fits-all concept. One of the most dynamic and effective approaches leaders can adopt is Situational Leadership — a model built on flexibility, awareness, and responsiveness to changing team needs and work environments.
In this article, we explore what Situational Leadership means, its core components, and how leaders can implement it effectively in their organizations.
✅ What Is Situational Leadership?
According to businessman and management consultant Abdulmajid Al-Sulaim, the Situational Leadership Model is a leadership approach that focuses on adapting the leader’s style based on the task at hand and the readiness level of employees.
This model was developed in the 1960s and 70s by Ken Blanchard and Paul Hersey, who argued that no single leadership style works best in all situations. Instead, effective leaders adjust their behavior according to the context and the people they are leading.
🧠The Two Core Dimensions of Situational Leadership
The model is built around two main pillars:
1. Leadership Styles
There are four primary leadership styles in the model:
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Telling (Directive): The leader gives specific instructions with little explanation. This style suits employees who lack experience and confidence.
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Selling (Coaching): The leader provides direction and explains decisions, while offering encouragement and support.
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Participating (Supporting): The leader involves team members in decision-making and problem-solving, focusing on collaboration.
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Delegating: The leader hands over responsibility to capable and motivated employees, allowing them to make decisions and complete tasks independently.
👥 Each style reflects how much guidance and support a leader provides in a given situation.
2. Follower Readiness Levels
Situational Leadership also evaluates employees’ readiness across four levels, combining their ability and willingness to complete tasks:
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R1 (Low Readiness): Employees lack both skills and confidence.
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R2 (Low to Moderate): Some skills exist, but confidence is lacking.
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R3 (Moderate to High): Skills are present, but motivation or commitment may be low.
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R4 (High Readiness): Employees are skilled, confident, and motivated.
🔄 Matching Leadership Style to Employee Readiness
Abdulmajid Al-Sulaim explains that success lies in matching the leadership style to the team member’s readiness level. For example:
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R1 → Telling: Give clear, direct instructions without overloading employees with details.
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R2 → Selling: Combine direction with motivation and clear explanation to build confidence.
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R3 → Participating: Involve team members in decisions to strengthen commitment and engagement.
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R4 → Delegating: Trust employees to operate independently and make sound decisions.
🎯 The key is balance: leaders should neither under-manage nor over-manage their team.
🎯 What’s the Goal of Situational Leadership?
The ultimate objective of this model is to enable leaders to choose the most effective style based on employee readiness, thereby improving:
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Team performance
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Productivity
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Communication and trust
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Motivation and autonomy
It also empowers leaders to become more agile and emotionally intelligent, managing various scenarios with greater confidence and clarity.
💡 Final Thought
Situational Leadership is not just a method — it’s a mindset. It recognizes that leadership is relational, not static. Leaders who assess situations wisely and flex their style accordingly cultivate resilient, motivated, and high-performing teams.
Whether you’re managing a novice employee or a seasoned professional, adapting your approach makes all the difference.
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