Your Leadership Style Is Obsolete. (And So Is Yours.)
By Shawn Hamilton, M.S., DBA(c) Shawn Hamilton is a leading sales leadership advisor and doctoral researcher at the University of Houston, specializing in Sales Leadership.
Your Leadership Style Is Obsolete. (And So Is Yours.)
What is your leadership style?
Are you a "servant leader," always putting your team first? A "visionary leader," painting a picture of the future? Or a "pacesetter," pulling the team forward with your own high performance?
Here’s the hard truth: any leader who defaults to a single style is failing their team.
The "Squeaky Wheel" manager we discussed last week is a perfect example. Their default style is "firefighter," so they spend all their time with C-Players. The "Super-Rep" is a "pacesetter," so they jump in and close deals, robbing their reps of growth.
These are not leadership styles; they are rigid, reactive habits. And they are obsolete.
The most effective leaders don't have a style; they have all of them. They understand that leadership is not a personality trait. It is a flexible, deliberate set of actions adapted to a specific person in a specific situation.
The Model for Flexible Leadership
This isn't a new idea, but it's one that 90% of managers fail to practice. In the late 1960s, Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard (1969) developed the "Situational Leadership" model, one of the most durable and practical leadership frameworks ever created.
Their research argued that a leader's style must adapt to an employee's "development level"—a combination of their competence (skill) and commitment (will).
This model provides four distinct leadership styles to be used in different situations:
Directing (High Directive, Low Supportive): For the new, enthusiastic, but unskilled rep (Low Competence, High Commitment). You give clear, step-by-step instructions. You tell them what to do and how to do it.
Coaching (High Directive, High Supportive): For the rep who has some skill but is frustrated or losing confidence (Low/Some Competence, Low Commitment). You still direct, but you also explain why, solicit ideas, and provide heavy support.
Supporting (Low Directive, High Supportive): For the capable rep who is cautious or lacks confidence (High Competence, Variable Commitment). You stop directing and start empowering. You listen, collaborate, and act as a sounding board.
Delegating (Low Directive, Low Supportive): For your A-Player (High Competence, High Commitment). You get out of their way. You trust them, give them autonomy, and let them run.
Why You're Getting This Wrong
Most managers use only one or two of these styles, applying them to everyone.
You use a "Delegating" style (your preference) with a new hire who desperately needs "Directing." You call this "empowerment"; they experience it as "neglect."
You use a "Directing" style (your preference) with a senior A-Player. You call this "staying on top of things"; they experience it as "micromanagement" and leave.
Your "Squeaky Wheel" C-Player isn't just a C-Player; they are likely in the "Coaching" quadrant. Your B-Player might be in the "Supporting" quadrant. Your A-Player is in the "Delegating" quadrant. You cannot lead them all the same way.
Actionable Takeaways: How to Be a Situational Leader
Diagnose Before You Act. Before your next 1-on-1, diagnose that rep's development level for a specific task. (A rep might be "Delegating" level for prospecting but "Directing" level for navigating a new legal process).
Match Your Style. Consciously adapt your communication. Are you telling, explaining, collaborating, or empowering? Write your chosen style at the top of your meeting notes as a reminder.
State Your Intent. Make this transparent. Say to your rep: "You're new to this kind of enterprise deal, so I'm going to be more hands-on in the first few stages." Or, "You've mastered this, so I'm stepping back. Run with it and just let me know if you need me to clear a roadblock."
Stop trying to find "your" leadership style. A great leader is a chameleon, adapting their approach to unlock the potential of each person on their team.
References
Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (1969). Management of organizational behavior: Utilizing human resources. Prentice-Hall.
