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A Guide to Situational Leadership in Workplace Coaching and Feedback

Writer's picture: Emma HughesEmma Hughes

Updated: Jan 29



Providing nuanced and bespoke feedback in professional settings requires a synthesis of conceptual rigour, adaptive strategy, and a complex understanding of individual developmental trajectories. The Situational Leadership model, pioneered by Hersey and Blanchard, serves as a theoretical cornerstone, offering leaders a flexible approach to

address the evolving competence and commitment of their colleagues. This guide delineates the application of this model in diverse workplace contexts, with a particular focus on neurodivergent-affirming practices, ensuring feedback is both empowering and strategically impactful.

Situational Leadership: Conceptual Foundations

Situational Leadership is predicated on tailoring leadership styles to align with the readiness and developmental stage of the individual being guided. Four distinct leadership styles underpin the model:

  1. Directing (S1): Characterised by high task orientation with minimal relational emphasis, optimal for individuals with limited skills but high enthusiasm (D1: low competence, high commitment).

  2. Coaching (S2): A dual focus on task direction and relational support, suitable for those gaining skills but grappling with diminished confidence (D2: low to moderate competence, low commitment).

  3. Supporting (S3): Relational engagement supersedes task orientation, catering to individuals with significant skills who require motivational reinforcement (D3: moderate to high competence, variable commitment).

  4. Delegating (S4): Low task and relational focus, appropriate for highly autonomous individuals (D4: high competence, high commitment).

The model’s adaptability allows leaders to calibrate their approach dynamically, fostering both performance and psychological safety within an inclusive organisational culture.

Implementing Situational Leadership in Professional Contexts

Diagnosing Developmental Levels

Accurate diagnosis of an individual’s developmental level is foundational to effective leadership application. Consider the following:

  • D1 (Beginner): High enthusiasm, limited experience or skill.

  • D2 (Novice): Emerging competence, coupled with self-doubt or task complexity.

  • D3 (Intermediate): Established proficiency, but inconsistent motivation or output.

  • D4 (Advanced): Mastery of tasks with self-directed autonomy.

Such diagnostic precision informs the tone, content, and structure of feedback, ensuring alignment with the individual’s cognitive and emotional needs.


Advanced Feedback Methodologies for Differentiated Developmental Stages

D1 (Beginner): Structured Support through Directing

Novices benefit from explicit, structured guidance to establish foundational competencies.

  • Articulate Granular Processes: Break down tasks into manageable, sequential steps.Example: “To draft this report, begin by identifying three key objectives. We will refine each in turn.”

  • Clarify Benchmarks: Provide exemplars to contextualise expectations.Example: “This document serves as a template for structuring your analysis.”

  • Mitigate Cognitive Overload: Focus on one component at a time to prevent overwhelm.Example: “For now, prioritise organising data; we’ll address synthesis in the next stage.”

  • Regular Checkpoints: Schedule iterative reviews to ensure alignment and momentum.

This approach, marked by predictability and clarity, is particularly conducive to fostering confidence in neurodivergent individuals.


D2 (Novice): Skill Consolidation via Coaching

Individuals in this stage require balanced reinforcement and targeted guidance to sustain progress.

  • Highlight Incremental Successes: Reinforce small gains to build confidence.Example: “Your revised outline demonstrates clarity and organisation. Excellent work!”

  • Introduce Constructive Precision: Offer actionable, specific feedback.Positive: “Your data summary is comprehensive.”Constructive: “Consider grouping findings by themes to enhance coherence.”

  • Facilitate Collaborative Problem-Solving: Involve them in identifying solutions.Example: “What strategies might streamline your process? Let’s brainstorm together.”

  • Normalise Challenges: Position struggles as integral to growth.Example: “Refinements are a natural part of complex projects and indicative of growth.”

This dual approach fosters resilience while affirming neurodivergent perspectives and experiences.


D3 (Intermediate): Advanced Refinement through Supporting

Intermediate contributors thrive on guidance that refines their advanced capabilities and autonomy.

  • Cultivate Self-Evaluation: Prompt reflective analysis of their work.Example: “Does this approach fully address stakeholder needs? What refinements might elevate it further?”

  • Enhance Sophistication: Elevate the quality of their output with nuanced suggestions.Example: “Your analysis is compelling; incorporating visuals could strengthen its impact.”

  • Recognise Expertise: Validate their contributions to reinforce intrinsic motivation.Example: “Your strategic insight has significantly improved the project’s trajectory.”

  • Facilitate Constructive Feedback Processing: Equip them to handle external critiques productively.Example: “Reviewer comments provide valuable perspectives. Which recommendations align with our objectives?”

This stage prioritises autonomy and strategic thinking, fostering confidence in neurodivergent professionals.


D4 (Advanced): Strategic Empowerment via Delegating

For highly skilled individuals, leadership focuses on collaborative engagement and strategic foresight.

  • Stimulate Strategic Innovation: Engage them in high-level problem-solving and optimisation.Example: “How might this methodology scale across departments?”

  • Encourage Leadership Roles: Promote mentorship and knowledge dissemination.Example: “Would you consider leading a workshop to share your expertise with the team?”

  • Celebrate Contributions: Emphasise the significance of their achievements.Example: “This initiative exemplifies thought leadership and sets a benchmark for excellence.”

By fostering agency and recognising their impact, leaders reinforce inclusion and thought leadership.


Feedback Frameworks: Best Practices

Feedback Sandwich

Combine affirmations, constructive insights, and forward-looking encouragement.Example: “Your proposal is well-structured. To enhance it, consider streamlining the introduction. Overall, this represents a significant achievement.”

Precision and Actionability

Ensure feedback is concrete and implementable.Example: “In paragraph three, clarify the terminology to improve conceptual precision.”

Promote Reflective Inquiry

Pose open-ended questions that stimulate self-assessment.Example: “Which aspects of this approach align with the project’s strategic objectives? Where might improvements be made?”

Align with Organisational Objectives

Anchor feedback in the organisation’s overarching goals.Example: “To enhance engagement, could the report include a concise executive summary?”

These practices ensure that feedback is inclusive, affirming, and aligned with broader strategic imperatives.


Practical Applications: Leadership in Team Projects

  1. D1 (Beginner): “Identify key deliverables and outline three actionable steps to achieve them.”

  2. D2 (Novice): “Your foundational research is solid. Let’s organise the data into thematic categories for greater clarity.”

  3. D3 (Intermediate): “Your project plan is comprehensive. Streamlining timelines might improve efficiency.”

  4. D4 (Advanced): “This strategic framework is exemplary. Have you considered its cross-functional applications?”

Conclusion

The Situational Leadership model, when rigorously applied, provides a dynamic and inclusive framework for workplace coaching and feedback. By tailoring strategies to the developmental stages of team members, leaders can cultivate advanced competencies, autonomy, and impactful contributions. Embracing this model within a neurodivergent-affirming paradigm ensures that professional environments not only value diversity but also empower individuals to excel.


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