Leadership: Beware the Panacea of Coaching. Hershey and Blanchard: Situational Leadership

I have instilled a coaching culture in various schools that I have led in and as a leadership coach the title of this blog may seem like madness. As a leader the value of coaching is evident across all setting and sectors, however, one of the pitfalls is that it doesn’t work for everyone all of the time.

 

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Photo credited to https://www.situational.com/the-cls-difference/situational-leadership-what-we-do/

Hershey and Blanchard propose that followers go through the 4 sections above S1-4. Personally, S2 and 3 are renamed as S2 Mentoring and S3 Coaching, as I define mentoring as mentor-driven and coaching coachee-driven.

S1. Directing: In the main direction by the leader and little support;

Follower: Low competence and low motivation.

Things to say,

Do this, just like this. Don’t ask questions.

S2. Mentoring: a lot of direction by the leader and a lot of support;

Follower: Low competence and high motivation.

Things to say,

We are working on this, this is how we are going to do it

S3. Coaching: little direction by the leader and a lot of support;

Follower: High competence and low motivation.

Things to say,

What are we working on? How do we make sure you get there?

S4. Delegating: little direction by the leader and little support;

Follower: High competence and high motivation.

Things to say,

What are you working on? What do you need from me?

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