Situational leadership, coaching, and classroom teaching for managers

Executive overview

Most managers conflate leadership style, coaching, and teaching — but they are distinct skills requiring different approaches. Situational leadership is the meta-decision: choosing which mode to use. Coaching grows an individual on skills they already practice. Classroom teaching introduces new skills to a group.

The job of any leader is to grow people's skills, confidence, and connections — without breaking their spirit.

Situational leadership styles

• Choose the style based on the person and context, not habit
• Options range from tight delegation to full hands-off autonomy
• Coaching is one mode within this broader decision-making framework

Coaching: developing individuals

• Start by asking the person to self-assess: three things going well, three to improve
• Self-assessment primes them to receive external feedback without defensiveness
• Follow with your own three positives, then three areas to improve
• Frame improvements as growth areas, not deficiencies
• Consistent positive reinforcement ("sugar") makes corrective feedback land

Classroom teaching: growing groups

• Use when introducing a skill to multiple people at once, in person or over Zoom
• Create the gap first — help people see why they need the skill (promotion, pay, efficiency)
• Without a felt need, learners disengage; no gap means no motivation
• Accommodate the three learning styles present in most teams:
  • Visual learners need to see it demonstrated
  • Auditory learners respond to explanation
  • Kinesthetic learners need to try it themselves
• Talking alone fails two out of three learning types; build in demonstration and practice

Platform and facilitation skills

• Engage the whole room — don't anchor to one or two people
• Know your direct reports' learning styles before you teach
• Theory alone is insufficient; pair it with observation and hands-on practice