Leading with situational
leadership PROGRAM

ENABLING LEADERS TO ADAPT THEIR LEADERSHIP STYLE BASED ON SKILL AND WILLINGNESS ‍

Program overview

The Leading with Situational Leadership Program is designed to strengthen the capability of leaders to adapt their leadership approach to meet the needs of their people in different situations. Effective leadership is not one-size-fits-all; it requires the ability to flex between directing, coaching, supporting, and delegating depending on an individual’s skill level and willingness to perform a task. This program equips leaders with the practical capability to diagnose development needs and respond with appropriate leadership behaviours.

Grounded in practical application and informed by the Skill/Will Matrix, popularised by Max Landsberg in The Tao of Coaching (2003), the program enables participants to assess both task readiness and individual capability in real time. Leaders develop a deeper understanding of how performance, confidence, and engagement are influenced by the way leadership is applied, allowing them to adjust their approach with greater intention and precision.

ENABLING LEADERS
TO ADAPT STYLE, DEVELOP OTHERS, AND
DRIVE PERFORMANCE

Participants explore how different leadership approaches impact motivation, accountability, and team effectiveness. By understanding when to provide direction, when to coach, when to support, and when to step back, leaders strengthen their ability to build capability within individuals and teams.

The program is highly practical and directly connected to workplace application. Through real scenarios, reflection, and applied practice, leaders develop the confidence to lead with agility, respond effectively to changing needs, and embed behaviours that support high-performing, self-sufficient teams.

PROGRAM delivery

The Leading with Situational Leadership Program is delivered using the Australian Leadership Academy’s blended, experiential learning approach, combining self-paced prework, high-impact facilitated workshops, applied application, and reflective learning. This structured approach ensures participants arrive prepared, maximise in-session learning, and actively apply leadership capability within their own organisational context throughout the learning journey. Each stage is intentionally designed to progressively build capability while reinforcing practical workplace application and sustained leadership impact.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The Leading with Situational Leadership Program develops the practical leadership capability required to adapt leadership style based on individual and team needs. Participants strengthen their ability to assess capability, apply appropriate leadership approaches, and support performance and development across diverse workplace contexts.

  • Understand the principles and foundations of Situational Leadership

  • Assess individual skill and willingness to determine leadership approach

  • Demonstrate the ability to adapt leadership style across different situations

  • Apply directing, coaching, supporting, and delegating behaviours effectively

  • Strengthen capability to develop individual and team performance over time

  • Build confidence in diagnosing development needs in real-time workplace contexts

  • Improve communication effectiveness across different leadership styles

  • Reflect on personal leadership flexibility and adaptive capability

DEVELOPING
ADAPTABLE LEADERS WHO FLEX STYLE TO BUILD CAPABILITY AND PERFORMANCE

Program structure

Note: The program structure above is a draft delivery option. The Australian Leadership Academy can design a bespoke
Leading with Situational Leadership Program tailored to meet the specific needs of your organisation.

  • Participants begin their program with curated prework designed to introduce the core principles of Situational Leadership and encourage early reflection on current leadership challenges. This includes short readings, video content, and guided questions focused on leadership style, team capability, and adaptability in everyday leadership situations.

  • The program formally commences with a live, facilitator-led virtual session. This interactive introduction establishes the learning environment, outlines program expectations, and introduces the Situational Leadership model. Participants begin exploring the relationship between skill, willingness, and leadership style, and how this influences performance and development outcomes.

  • Prior to Workshop 1, participants complete targeted prework designed to deepen understanding of their current leadership approach and team capability levels. This includes reflective exercises, workplace observation activities, and preparation of real leadership scenarios for application during the workshop.

  • A highly interactive, face-to-face learning experience focused on understanding the foundations of Situational Leadership and the relationship between skill, willingness, and leadership response. Participants explore how to diagnose individual readiness, assess performance needs, and apply appropriate leadership styles in real time. Through facilitated discussion, practical activities, peer learning, and workplace application exercises, participants strengthen their ability to adapt leadership behaviours to support individual development and team effectiveness.

  • Participants complete reflective and application-focused activities linked to the implementation of Workshop 1 learning within their workplace context. The prework encourages leaders to reflect on team development needs, leadership responses, and opportunities to apply Situational Leadership more intentionally in day-to-day practice.

  • The second workshop builds on foundational learning and focuses on strengthening the leadership behaviours required to apply Situational Leadership consistently over time. Participants deepen their capability in flexing leadership style, developing others, and leading performance conversations aligned to individual readiness. The workshop includes practical frameworks, facilitated discussion, and applied leadership activities designed to support sustainable behavioural change and stronger team development outcomes.

PROGRAM IMPACT

The Leading with Situational Leadership Program strengthens leadership capability to adapt approach based on individual needs, team capability, and task complexity. Participants develop greater confidence in diagnosing situations and applying the most effective leadership style to support performance and development outcomes.

The program supports leaders to move beyond fixed leadership behaviours and develop a more flexible, responsive, and people-centred leadership approach. Participants strengthen their ability to build capability in others, improve engagement, and create environments where individuals are supported appropriately to succeed and grow.

At an organisational level, the program contributes to stronger leadership consistency, improved team performance, enhanced capability development, and greater workforce effectiveness. Leaders are better equipped to build self-sufficient, high-performing teams through adaptive leadership practice.

LEADING WITH SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP BUILDS ADAPTABILITY, CAPABILITY, AND PERFORMANCE

What our clients say

  • “Another great session, the facilitator was engaging and tapped into the group’s energy levels. understood when to dig deeper versus when to hold back”

    Lessa Bryant
    Coordinator, Operations People & Culture

    Tamworth Regional Council

  • ”it’s been great to expand my leadership knowledge, enhanced with practical, relevant experience”

    Emilia Rixon
    Coordinator, Marketing & Communications

    Tamworth Regional Council

  • “excellent facilitator, great discussion amongst the group, collaborative learning and very practical skills to use”

    Mags Noonan
    Coordinator, Health & Wellbeing

    Tamworth Regional Council

  • “appreciated the delivery, awareness of tools and techniques to help with navigating conversations and confrontation”

    Anna Newell
    Team Leader, Economic Development

    Tamworth Regional Council

  • “Awesome! Extremely insightful information that will facilitate some of those challenging conversations”

    Nicole Chegwyn
    Team Leader, Building Certification

    Tamworth Regional Council

  • “Making coaching a part of my regular catch UPS”

    Laura Murphy
    Manager, Parks

    Hobsons Bay City Council

  • “love the energy and practicality”

    Janet Dawes
    Manager, Arts, Culture & Community

    Hobsons Bay City Council

  • “excellent as always, connected with participants, engaging, varied approach using tools to help all learning styles”

    Natasha Beer
    Manager, Operations People & Culture

    Tamworth Regional Council

  • "The high-Performance conversation approach to leadership has strengthened my supervision practice, and develop capability within the teams i lead"

    Christopher Turner
    Program Practice Coordinator

    Wellways

CONTACT US

For further information or to arrange a meeting with our team, please complete the Contact Us form.

Email: office@australianleadershipacademy.com.au

Telephone (03) 9517 6771