Situational Leadership Adaptive

Situational leadership is a framework for adapting your leadership approach based on a person's readiness level. Readiness combines competence (technical skill, knowledge) and commitment (motivation, confidence). The model defines four leadership styles: Telling (directive, structured, clear instructions), Selling (coaching, explaining why, building support), Participating (collaborative, supporting, listening), and Delegating (hands-off autonomy, trust). A junior developer with low technical skill and high enthusiasm needs Telling/Selling (structure, coaching). A senior developer with high skill needs Delegating (autonomy, trust). Matching style to readiness maximizes motivation and performance.