What is Situational Leadership? A Headhunter’s Perspective on Hiring Adaptable Leaders
The Changing Face of the CFO: Why Finance Leaders Need Tech and AI Skills
February 28, 2025
Adaptability is one of the most crucial skills for any leader, and in today’s ever-changing world of business, assessing a potential candidate's adaptability is one of the keys to success.
An executive who can flex and shift their management style is an asset to a company. Overcoming unique challenges, reaching organisational goals, and leading and inspiring diverse teams – the skillset of an executive hire must be vast.
This is where Situational Leadership comes in. But what exactly is it, and why does it matter in executive recruitment?
In this article, we’ll break down Situational Leadership, its importance in high-level hiring, and how headhunters identify adaptable leaders. Look beyond the CV – can your candidate handle themselves and take the lead in changing landscapes?
What is Situational Leadership?
Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard we the developers of the situational leadership model. Their theory suggests there is no single "best" leadership style. Instead, effective leaders adjust their approach based on the competence and commitment of their team members.
The model outlines the 4 key leadership focuses:
- Telling (Directing) – For inexperienced teams, this approach offers high guidance, low support.
- Selling (Coaching) – For confidence and motivation, this approach offers high support, high guidance.
- Participating (Supporting) – For employees who have the skills but need encouragement in confidence or mortivation, this approach offers low guidance, high support.
- Delegating – Experienced teams, competent team members and comitted individuals benefit from low guidance, low support.
For C-suite executives, the ability to adapt between these styles is a critical leadership skill.
Why Situational Leadership is Crucial for Executive Roles
Beyond expertise, individuals at the executive level must also demonstrate agility. Here are just a few of the criteria senior leaders need to navigate:
- Cultural alignment – Ensuring their leadership approach is appropriate for a business’ goals and positioning
- Diverse teams – The ability to lead individuals with varied skill levels and styles of work
- Shifting business – Overseeing restructuring, mergers, shifts in the market
- Crisis management – Assessing when taking direct control to motivate a team through challenges is the best course of action
Executives who understand and apply Situational Leadership can drive better team performance, reduce resistance to change, and foster a high-performance culture.
How Headhunters Assess Situational Leadership in Candidates
As experts in executive headhunting, our thorough process can assess far more than can be gleaned from a CV. Here are some of the ways we can evaluate leadership adaptability:
1. Behavioural Interviews
Tangible, scenario-based questions offer insight into how candidates have adapted their leadership styles in past roles.
- “Tell us about a time you had to manage a team with mixed experience levels. How did you approach it?”
- “Describe a situation where you had to change your leadership style to meet a company’s needs.”
2. Leadership Assessments
Leadership competency evaluations and psychometric tests are helpful for measuring a candidate’s flexibility in decision-making and management styles.
3. Real-World Case Studies
Hands-on, problem-solving exercises and executive simulations allow us to assess how a potential hire would handle business challenges.
Some headhunters use executive simulations or strategic problem-solving exercises to see how candidates would handle real business challenges.
4. Reference Checks with a Leadership Focus
Rather than generic references, we ask previous colleagues and direct reports how a candidate adapted their leadership to different team dynamics.
Hiring an Adaptive Leader: What Businesses Should Look For
Identifying situational leadership indicators in executive-level candidates are a must during the interviewing process. At a minimum, headhunters will assess:
🔹 Emotional Intelligence (EQ) – Can they read the room and adjust their approach?
🔹 Communication Style – Do they tailor their messaging to different stakeholders?
🔹 Track Record of Change Management – Have they successfully led through transitions?
🔹 Decision-Making Flexibility – Are they rigid, or do they adjust based on context?
The time of one-size-fits-all leadership has passed. The best leaders will adapt to the challenges and the individuals in front of them to find the best approach.
Final Thoughts: The Role of Headhunters in Finding Adaptive Leaders
Taking the theory posed by the concept of situational leadership, we can identify the real-world skills that separate good executives from exceptional ones. Businesses looking to hire top-tier leadership need headhunters who understand how to assess and identify adaptable leaders.
At Eagle Headhunters, we specialise in finding C-suite talent who can lead effectively in any situation. If you’re looking for an executive with the right mix of experience, adaptability, and leadership agility, contact us - we can help.