How Blanchard and Hersey Models Define Modern Management

Most managers make the same mistake: they try to be themselves in every situation. While it sounds authentic, in practice, it’s like managing in the dark. Imagine treating a junior who just joined and feels overwhelmed exactly the same as a ten-year veteran who only needs autonomy. In the first case, you’ll trigger panic; in the second, frustration and a desire to quit.

Understanding that leadership style is not a personality trait but a tool selected based on an employee’s readiness is the moment where "bossing" ends and true leadership begins. Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard’s models, though created decades ago, are becoming more vital than ever in 2026 due to distributed teams and rising pressure for efficiency.

Origins and Evolution: From One Model to Two Management Visions

Situational leadership is based on a simple premise: there is no single, optimal management style. A leader's effectiveness depends on matching their behavior to the maturity (or readiness) level of the person they are leading.

In the 1960s, Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard laid the foundations for this approach. However, their paths eventually diverged, leading to the two most popular modern schools of thought:

1. Hersey’s Situational Leadership (SL) Model – focuses more on employee readiness.

1. Blanchard’s SLII® Model – focuses on development levels and psychological needs.

Why does this matter in 2026?According to 2024 Gallup research, a mismatch between a manager's communication style and an employee's needs accounts for 65% of "quiet quitting" cases. Employees don't leave companies—they leave leaders who fail to diagnose what their team needs at any given moment.

Diagnosing the Employee: Four Readiness Levels (D1-D4)

Before choosing a style, you must know who you are dealing with. Blanchard defines employee development through two variables: competence (technical skills) and commitment (motivation and confidence).

Table 1: Classification of Development Levels according to Blanchard (SLII)

A real-life example:I remember a situation with an IT client. A senior developer (D4 in coding) was promoted to Tech Lead. Suddenly, in his new people-management role, he became a D1. However, his manager treated him like an expert, giving him total freedom. The result? Total decision-making paralysis and team conflict. This person needed instructions but was given a blank slate.

Leadership Styles: How to Respond to Team Needs?

Once you know your employee's stage, you must match it with one of four management styles. Each is a different blend of directive behavior (telling what and how to do) and supportive behavior (listening, motivating, joint problem-solving).

S1: Directing – For D1High direction, low support. There is no room for democratic debate here. You decide, you set deadlines, you control quality.

• When to use: When time is tight and the employee doesn't know where to start.

• Manager error: Staying in S1 too long leads to micromanagement and kills creativity.

S2: Coaching – For D2High direction, high support. This is the hardest stage. The employee now realizes the work is tough, and their enthusiasm has dipped. You must still provide instructions but also explain "why" and build morale.

• Tip: Use open-ended questions, but make the final decision yourself. This builds an understanding of processes.

S3: Supporting – For D3Low direction, high support. The employee has the skills but lacks confidence or motivation. Your role is to be a mentor, not a supervisor.

• Tools: Regular 1:1 meetings focused on psychological barriers rather than task status.

S4: Delegating – For D4Low direction, low support. This is the "Holy Grail" of management. You hand over responsibility for both the process and the outcome.

• Controversial opinion: Most managers are afraid to delegate because they feel redundant. If you can't move to S4, you will never scale your business.

Evolutionary Leadership: Moving Beyond Blanchard’s Framework

While Blanchard focuses on individual dynamics, Evolutionary Leadership (often linked to Frederic Laloux's "Teal Organizations") views the team as a living organism.

In 2026, an evolutionary leader doesn't just react to competence levels (as in Hersey’s model) but primarily creates conditions for self-organization. Instead of being a shepherd, they become a gardener. They don't make the plants grow—they ensure the soil (organizational culture) is fertile.

Key pillars of evolutionary leadership:

• Deep listening: Sensing where the organization naturally wants to go.

• No rigid hierarchies: Roles are fluid and depend on the project, not a LinkedIn title.

• Radical transparency: Everyone has access to financial and strategic data.

Common Pitfalls in Applying Situational Leadership

Even the best models fail when applied without reflection. Here is where managers often struggle:

1. Stalling in Style S2: Managers love "coaching" everyone, even those who need a clear direct order. Coaching someone without foundational knowledge is a waste of time.

1. Misdiagnosing D3 as D4: We often mistake skill for emotional readiness. Just because someone is a great programmer doesn't mean they are ready to lead system architecture independently without emotional support from their boss.

1. Lack of Regressive Flexibility: This is rarely discussed. An employee can drop from D4 to D2 (e.g., due to personal issues or burnout). A manager who fails to notice this regression and doesn't return to S3 (Supporting) will lose that employee.

Implementation: How to Start Using the Hersey-Blanchard Model Tomorrow

You don't need to send the whole department to a week-long training session. Start with simple steps to change your meeting dynamics.

Leader’s Checklist (1:1 Audit):

• [ ] Have I defined a specific task? (The model works at the task level, not the general role).

• [ ] How do I rate the employee's competence for THIS specific task (1-10)?

• [ ] How do I rate their motivation for THIS task (1-10)?

• [ ] What communication style did I adopt last week? Does it match the ratings above?

Supporting Tools: To manage situationally, you need transparency. Tools like Asana or Jira help monitor progress (directive aspect), but for the supportive aspect, I recommend platforms like Lattice or 15Five, which encourage regular feedback and team pulse checks.

FAQ – Common Questions about Situational Leadership

• Is situational style manipulative? Absolutely not. It is the ultimate sign of respect—giving an employee exactly what they need to succeed. Withholding instructions from someone who needs them is sabotage, not freedom.

• Can this be used in remote teams? Yes, but it requires more frequent asynchronous communication. In S1/S2, you should record brief video instructions (e.g., Loom) to avoid misunderstandings.

• How long should an employee stay at D1? It depends on task complexity, but in a healthy environment, the "enthusiastic beginner" phase lasts from 2 weeks to 3 months. If it lasts longer, the issue lies in onboarding or recruitment.

• What if the manager is at D1 themselves? Then we have the "blind leading the lame." The manager must have the humility to seek mentoring from their superiors or seniors within the team, openly admitting: "I’m still learning in this area."

Summary

• Fit is key: Leader effectiveness = Development Level Diagnosis x Leadership Style.

• Task Dynamics: The same employee can be a D4 in one project and a D1 in another. Don't pigeonhole people.

• Evolution: Strive for the S4 (Delegating) style, but don't take shortcuts. Skipping S2 and S3 will result in a team of lost individuals, not independent ones.

• Technical Empathy: Situational leadership combines hard competence analytics with a soft touch for emotions.

Managing people in 2026 isn't about being right. It’s about having the right key for every door your team encounters. The Blanchard and Hersey model is that very ring of keys.

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