Skip to content

ACCA Strategic Professional · Strategic Business Leader · Qualities of leadership

Marisol manages a customer support team of newly hired agents who are enthusiastic but have little product knowledge and no experience with the ticketing system. Using Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership model, which style is most appropriate for Marisol at this stage?

Directing is appropriate because the agents have low competence but high enthusiasm. Under Hersey and Blanchard's model, such followers need clear instructions, defined tasks and close supervision, with little emphasis on relationship building until their skills and confidence grow.

  1. ADirecting (telling): high task focus and low relationship focus, with close supervisionCorrect
  2. BDelegating: low task and low relationship focus, leaving agents to decide
  3. CSupporting (participating): high relationship focus and low task focus, sharing decisions
  4. DCoaching (selling): high task and high relationship focus, explaining decisions and inviting input

Explanation

Followers with low competence but high commitment (development level D1) need clear instruction and close supervision. That is the directing style. Delegating suits highly competent, committed followers, and supporting suits competent but less confident ones.

Did you get it right without looking?

One question tells you little. A timed set on Qualities of leadership shows your real accuracy, how long you take and where you lose marks.

Practise Qualities of leadershipFree diagnostic mock

More Qualities of leadership questions