How many times have you heard someone say “this job would be so easy if it weren’t for the people”?  How many times have you said or thought it yourself?  One thing I’ve found during my career is that if your team isn’t giving you what you want, its probably because you’re not giving them what they need.

Of all the leadership training / studying I’ve done (and with too many degrees, and nearly 8 years at some of the best leader developing companies in the world, I’ve done more than I probably should have) my favorite is still situational leadership.  Simple concept, yet fiendishly difficult to apply consistently.

The upside, if you can do it well, most of your “people problems” will magically go away.  About two years ago we rolled out the model and supporting training to the managers and team leads within PrintingForLess.com.  To start understanding the model, Wiki has a good overview, and for great training, see this site.

It was eye opening for many, and so helpful that we continue to provide training and support to almost every new team lead in the building so they can learn to flex their style and get the high level of performance from the team that everyone wants to give. Give it a shot and see what kind of leadership you can cultivate in your workplace.