1. ILEAD and Executive MBA
Leading Organizations
Organizational Change Model
Leading Others
Practical Leadership Skills
MBTI: Team Building
Leading Self
Personal Change Model
MBTI: Self Development
Executive Coaching

2. Practical Leadership Skills
A model for Flexible Leadership
Eric T. Hicks, PhD
October 6, 2016

3. Learning Objectives
Select the best leadership style for a team member’s readiness.
Assess the skill and will level of your team members.
Develop a matrix of team members, tasks, readiness level and leadership behaviors and actions. 3

4. The Evolution of Organization Thinking
19th Century
Machine Metaphor
40s / 50s
Equilibrium Metaphor
60s / 70s
Systems Metaphor
90s to Present
Organic Metaphor

5. Beliefs and Values About People
Building Blocks
Beliefs and Values About People
People want to do a good job
People can and want to develop
Leadership is a partnership
People value involvement and communication

7. Should a manager treat
everyone in the same way?

9. Flexible Leadership
Flexible leadership is a style in which the leader or the manager must adjust her style to match the development level of the followers she is leading. Flexible Leaders view leaders vary their emphasis on task and relationship behaviors to best deal with different levels of follower maturity.

10. Diagnosing Needs Skill Will
Skill is a person’s demonstrated knowledge, skills and experience on a given goal or task. Skill is not intelligence; it can be acquired through education, experience and practice.
Will is a measure of an individual’s motivation, commitment, and confidence in relation to a specific task or goal. Will is influenced by one’s level of engagement.

11. A Flexible Leadership Model
Skill
Low
High L3 L2
Support
Low Motivation
High Competence
Coach/Sell
Low Motivation
Low Competence
Will
Direct
High Motivation
Low Competence
Delegate
High Motivation
High Competence L4 L1
High

12. Diagnosing Needs
High Skill
Low Will
Low Skill
High Will

13. Leadership Styles for Development
For your assigned team-member readiness, discuss and record your responses to the following question on chart paper:
What behaviors should a
leader demonstrate to develop your
assigned team-member?

14. Development Level 1 – Low Skill, High Commitment
People lack knowledge, skill and confidence to work and often
need to be pushed and supervised.
Telling/Directing Style
This style is autocratic style focused on high task/low relationship. Leader defines the roles of followers and tells them what, when, where, and how to do different tasks. One way communication flows from the leader to the followers.

15. Development Level 2 – Low to some skill, Low commitment
People are willing to work but cannot independently take responsibility
for the work.
Selling/Coaching Style
The leader behavior is high task/high relationship. Leaders provide information and direction, but there's more communication with followers. Leaders try to "sell" their message to the followers to make them understand what is important for the organization.

16. Development Level 3 – Moderate to high skill, Variable commitment
People are very experienced and are able to take up tasks
independently but do not have the confidence to take sole responsibility.
Supporting Style
This style is high relationship/low task focus. Leader focuses more on the relationship and people and less on direction. The follower is empowered to make many of the decisions since he has the knowledge to do so. There is high level of trust and communication between the leader and the follower.

17. Development Level 4 – High skill, High commitment
People have high abilities and confidence and are willing to take
individual responsibility of the tasks.
Delegating Style
It is considered as low relationship/low-task leader behavior. Leader passes most of the responsibility onto the followers. The leaders still monitor progress, but they're less involved in decisions. The style involves letting followers “run their own show”.

18. The Four Styles Simplified
A directing style is high in directive behavior but low in supportive behavior; the employee needs clear, concise directions on how to complete a task and little nurturing support in order to be successful. This style is useful for a new employee, or for an employee charged with completing a task that is new to them.
A coaching style combines both high supportive and high directive behavior. This style is ideal to use for employee development. It provides the employee with clear direction but also allows the manager to provide support in order for the employee to become a master at their job.
A supporting style is actively participating with the employee; there is a low level of directive behavior, but a high level of support. The manager works along side the employee. This style is useful for a seasoned employee who may need a moral boost. Providing support to an employee without telling them how to do their job can build autonomy into any job.
A delegating style is low in both supportive behavior and directive behavior. This style is the ultimate preference for managers who want to give there trusted employees autonomy and build their skill set.

19. Flexible Leadership Case Scenarios: What Would You Do?
Divide into groups of 3 or 4
Read the case scenario and
first determine the development
level for the person profiled
in the scenario.
3. Then, select the best answer for
how that person and situation
should be managed given their
development level.

20. Diagnosing and Flexing
In the table, write the names of four team members, an individual task or goal, his or her development level and the leadership actions and behaviors you will take with this person.
Team Member
Specific Task or Goal
Development Level
Leadership Actions/Behaviors