What is it?

This is a practical, hands-on workshop that equips you to flex your leadership style to match the needs of each team member and situation.

Why is it useful?

This workshop helps leaders and managers lead each person in the way they need so they grow faster, perform better and stay engaged.

Objectives

• Understand the Situational Leadership model and its four leadership styles
• Identify the development level of each team member and what leadership style they need
• Practise adapting your leadership approach through real-life scenarios and roleplays
• Reflect on your own leadership habits and where you may need to flex
• Commit to one practical leadership action to apply with your team immediately

Resources Required

• Time: 2 hours
• Team of leaders or managers (ideally 6–14 people)
• Flipcharts or whiteboard
• Sticky notes and markers
• Printed Situational Leadership model handouts
• Scenario cards (prepared in advance)
• Reflection worksheets

Process

Welcome and Warm-Up (10 minutes)

1. Quick intro and purpose of the session
2. Icebreaker question in pairs: “Think of your first boss. What leadership style did they use on you and how did it feel?”

The Core Idea: Situational Leadership Explained (15 minutes)

1. Simple explanation of:
   • Development Levels (D1–D4)
   • Leadership Styles (Directing, Coaching, Supporting, Delegating)
2. Handout: Situational Leadership model
3. Group activity: Match each leadership style with a famous leader or manager (fun debate)

Self-Assessment: Your Default Style (10 minutes)

1. Silent reflection: “Which leadership style do you tend to use most and with who?”
2. Share in pairs.
3. Prompt: “When has that worked? When has it backfired?”

Practising Leadership Conversations (30 minutes)

1. Scenario activity: each small group gets a leadership situation card.
   • Example: “A highly skilled team member suddenly seems disengaged.”
2. One person plays the manager, one plays the employee, one observes.
3. Run a 5-minute roleplay using an adaptive leadership style.
4. Observer gives feedback using two questions:
   • “Did the leadership style match the person’s needs?”
   • “What worked well in the conversation?”
5. Rotate roles and repeat with new scenarios.

One-Minute Reflection: What Stuck With You? (5 minutes)

1. Silent reflection: “What’s one leadership behaviour you want to try differently this week?”
2. Write it on a sticky note and place it on the wall.

Group Debrief and Next Steps (20 minutes)

1. Open discussion:
   • “Where will applying this model feel easy?”
   • “Where might it feel hard?”
   • “What would help us support each other as leaders?”
2. Agree on one practical way to keep these conversations going after the workshop (e.g. peer coaching pairs, regular check-ins).