Situational Leadership

Situational Leadership ALL-STAFF RETREAT 2010

What is a Bright Spot? A Bright Spot is a positive deviation; a successful effort worth emulating. “These flashes of success—these bright spots—can illuminate the roadmap for action and spark the hope that change is possible.” Dan and Chip Heath Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard

Overview of Situational Leadership Tool Situational leadership Job Aid Impact Some leadership team members using this process in their work Challenge Need to be more responsive leaders

Session Purpose To provide all Rare staff with a common framework to improve the developmental opportunities in work assignments

High Low

High Supporting Coaching D4 D3 D2 D1 Level of Supportive Behavior D4 High Competence High Commitment High Readiness Low Readiness D3 Moderate to High Competence Variable Commitment D2 Low to Some Competence Low Motivation Delegating Directing D1 Low Competence High Commitment Low High Level of Directive Behavior Low Developed Developing Development Level of the Individual *Also sometimes called skill and readiness

What is Situational Leadership? • A framework to determine the appropriate Leadership style for a specific task

Principles No best Leadership behavior Different approaches for different styles Successful leaders adapt their behavior Successful employees identify which approach they needs

Characteristics Productive dialogue Mutual evaluation Pragmatic, not conceptual

Agenda: • Leadership behaviors • Leadership styles • Competency and commitment • Putting them together

Directive Behavior • Tell • Show • Demonstrate • Follow-up • Direct • Control • Provide Structure High Low

Supportive Behavior High • Discuss • Facilitating • Seek and provide feedback • Giving Support • Praise • Ask • Encourage discussion Low

Supportive Behavior Directive Behavior Leadership behaviors are directive and/or supportive

•Think of a task you must do in the next 3 – 6 months •Step over to the Floor Graph Activity

Supportive Behavior Directive Behavior Leadership styles are defined by the amount of directive and supportive behaviors

Supporting Directing Coaching High Bounce your ideas off me, it will help you decide. Give me your ideas then I’ll decide. Delegating Supportive Behavior Why don’t you decide? We’ll do it this way. High Low Directive Behavior

Supporting Coaching High Bounce your ideas off me, it will help you decide. Give me your ideas then I’ll decide. Delegating Supportive Behavior Why don’t you decide? We’ll do it this way. Directing High Low Directive Behavior

Supporting High Bounce your ideas off me, it will help you decide. Give me your ideas then I’ll decide. Coaching Delegating Supportive Behavior Why don’t you decide? We’ll do it this way. Directing High Low Directive Behavior

High Bounce your ideas off me, it will help you decide. Give me your ideas then I’ll decide. Coaching Supporting Delegating Supportive Behavior Why don’t you decide? We’ll do it this way. Directing High Low Directive Behavior

High S3 S2 Coaching Supporting Supportive Behavior S4 S1 Directing Delegating High Low Directive Behavior

Leadership styles are defined by the amount of directive and supportive behaviors High S3 S2 Coaching Supporting Supportive Behavior S4 S1 Directing Delegating High Low Directive Behavior

What if I’m not the leader in the situation but the direct report? Competency and Commitment D4 High Competence HighCommitment D3 Moderate–High Competence Variable Commitment D2 Low–Some Competence LowCommitment D1 Low Competence High Commitment D4 HighAchiever D3 Capable butCautious D2 DisillusionedLearner D1 EnthusiasticBeginner

Competence + Commitment = Development Level* Competence . . . Commitment . . . . . .is a function of knowledge, skills, education, experience. . . .is a function of confidence and motivation Also referred to as Readiness level

Self Competency Level (Skill) Commitment (Motivation) • Training/Education? • Understand task? • Experience • . • Desire to Achieve • Incentive • Security • Confidence

Situational Leadership: From Level of Comfort to Behavior A Typical Assignment Readiness Competence Commitment • + • = • Relatively new campaign manager running a campaign for the first time D1 Lowest • Person stepping up into a larger role • Campaign manager has to perform a particular task for the “umpteenth” time • Person working in their core area of strength on a task he / she is passionate about Highest Source: Adapted from Center for Leadership Studies, Inc.

Situational Leadership: From Level of Comfort to Behavior A Typical Assignment Readiness Competence Commitment • + • = • Relatively new campaign manager running a campaign for the first time D1 • Low • Low Lowest • Person stepping up into a larger role • Low • High • Campaign manager has to perform a particular task for the “umpteenth” time • High • Low • Person working in their core area of strength on a task he / she is passionate about • High • High Highest Source: Adapted from Center for Leadership Studies, Inc.

How Do They Fit Together? • Assess competence and commitment.* • Mark on the “D” scale • Draw a line upward into the boxes • Where the line intersects the curve is the indication of the leadership style most effective High Supporting Coaching D4 D3 D2 D1 Level of Supportive Behavior D4 High Competence High Commitment High Readiness Low Readiness D3 Moderate to High Competence Variable Commitment D2 Low to Some Competence Low Motivation Delegating Directing D1 Low Competence High Commitment Low High Level of Directive Behavior Low Developed Developing Development Level of the Individual *Also sometimes called skill and readiness

What are some potential challenges to situational leadership? Activity

•Write question that could help you assess your competence for a task •Write questions that could help you assess your commitment to a task Activity

High Low

How Do They Fit Together? • Assess competence and commitment.* • Mark on the “D” scale • Draw a line upward into the boxes • Where the line intersects the curve is the indication of the leadership style most effective High Supporting Coaching D4 D3 D2 D1 Level of Supportive Behavior D4 High Competence High Commitment High Readiness Low Readiness D3 Moderate to High Competence Variable Commitment D2 Low to Some Competence Low Motivation Delegating Directing D1 Low Competence High Commitment Low High Level of Directive Behavior Low Developed Developing Development Level of the Individual *Also sometimes called skill and readiness

References: Blanchard, Ken; Fowler, Susan, and Hawkins, Laurence. Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Through Situational Self Leadership. New York: Harper Collins, 2005 Argyris, Chris, and Donald Schön. Theory in Practice. San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 1974. (The original presentation of the theory of action approach, this remains the best introduction. The focus is on individuals and their theories-in-use.) Thanks for attending!

Situational Leadership