Four leadership styles every CEO needs to master

Executive overview

Most leaders apply the same style regardless of context. Situational leadership matches your approach to the person's skill and confidence on a specific task — not their overall seniority.

Direction, praise, and involvement should all decrease as competence grows. The same person needs different styles across different projects.

A great leader's job is to adapt style task-by-task, not person-by-person.

The four styles

1. S1 — Directing: Step-by-step instructions, close oversight. Used when skill or confidence is low, regardless of seniority.
2. S2 — Coaching: Show the how and explain the why. Person has some skill but still needs guidance to build understanding.
3. S3 — Supporting: Open-door, question-driven. Person has solid skill; praise and dialogue keep them developing.
4. S4 — Delegating: Hand off the project and step back entirely. No praise needed; competence and confidence are high.

Applying it in practice

• For each project, ask: what is this person's skill level on this task? What is their confidence?
• Answer those two questions first, then select the matching style.
• The same team member may sit at S1 on a new initiative and S4 on their core expertise simultaneously.
• Avoid praising tasks a person finds trivial — it reads as patronising.