When managing the performance of others – where “managing” includes any of managing, leading, instructing, coaching or mentoring – It’s crucial to match our leadership approach to the context.
Many factors play-in to what will prove to be the most effective intervention, including:
- The relationship between us;
- the detail and context of the work itself (Important? Urgent? Technical? Political? etc.);
- The desired outcomes – not just short-term, bottom-line results, but longer term intentions and future learning/development implications.
No style of leadership is neutral: the way we come at a situation is always going to have a fundamental impact on the success (by any measure) of the outcome. So: how to know what leadership tactics to employ, in any given situation?
One simple formula to help us lean towards more helpful leadership behaviours is the Skill/Will matrix where:
- SKILL relates to someone’s capability, knowledge and experience around the task or goal.
- WILL relates to someone’s motivation (or “motive-for-action”) for a given task or goal.
from original work by Hershey & Blanchard
Consider where your team member is on the Skill/Will Matrix; and then use the following ideas to help guide your leadership approach …
High Skill. High Will.
Where {High Skill / High Will} … Delegate & Coach
- Focus on empowering your team member, delegating the task in its entirety.
- Make the overarching theme of working with this person: freedom.
- Encourage them to take on the responsibility and do things their way.
- As a coaching leader: let them know what they do well. Give that focus and attention.
High Skill. Low Will.
Where {High Skill / Low Will} … Motivate & Excite
- Focus on rekindling motivation, starting with what ordinarily motivates them.
- Support your charge to learn what can be applied here from their other motivators.
- Reflect on your impact as a leader on their motivation. What’s your role in this situation?
- Monitor their progress, with a focus for praising success – however incremental.
Low Skill. High Will.
Where {Low Skill / High Will} … Train & Guide
- Focus on providing training initially. With a coaching style to follow.
- Continually create opportunities for Q&A sessions with you and the wider team.
- Work to create an environment where it’s safe to make mistakes.
- As your charge makes progress, ease off the monitoring and supervision.
Low Skill. Low Will.
Where {Low Skill / Low Will} … Direct (or Redeploy)
- Start with the goal. Ensure there’s absolute clarity around the outcomes.
- Work with them to identify their core talents and natural motivators.
- Support them to apply the learning (Goal + Talents + Motivators) to this task.
- Provide training and direction. Monitor progress. Celebrate small wins.
- BUT: be ready to acknowledge, this person may be in the wrong place for them and their talents.
Good performance as a leader and manager is always going to be a series of judgement calls in the moment. Asking yourself where we are on the Skill/Will Matrix is one simple question to support high-quality decision making.
If you’re thinking about coaching as an option, why don’t we schedule a call, have a brief chat and see where you’re at?
No canned pitch or hard sell. Just honest conversation and a new connection made. And at a time that suits you best.
Dan Beverly is a leadership and performance coach helping women in leadership achieve their highest potential.
To work with Dan, Schedule a Discovery Call – and start capitalising on your pivotal career moment, today.