Determining How to Lead

Every potential leadership situation is different. Those you need to influence have different styles and the tasks you need accomplished require different capabilities and resources. How do you determine how to lead effectively?

We believe that Situational Leadership is a great foundation.

First you need to diagnose the situation.

• Do the people you want to influence have the skills required to complete the task?
  
  
• Will they perform better with top-down direction or with your request for support?
  
  
• Are they more likely to depend on your regular follow-up or do they prefer to work independently?
  
  
• What will be their most powerful motivation?
  

In each case you must decide the most appropriate and effective leadership style. You may need to be directive and give specific instructions. You may need to sell people on accepting the challenge and teach them new skills. You may need to encourage and motivate workers who are able but not willing. Or you may need simply to delegate the task with a more “hands-off” approach.

Each situation requires flexibility in determining how to lead successfully. That is what situational leader is about.