Most leaders recognise the need to manage people in different ways, but they also need to use different techniques according to individuals’ tasks. A leader needs to determine an individual’s level of skill and knowledge for a specific task and how much they want to do it – this helps determine the best leadership style to use with them.

The level of directive leadership behaviours (telling them what they need to do) needs to be flexed with the level of supportive leadership behaviours (encouragement, listening and motivating) in line with their needs.

For example, imagine Sally is a longstanding team member who has been competent in compiling reports each month. If Sally were required to complete a similar report for the pharmacist, she would need little direction or support for success – essentially this would be delegation.

However, imagine Sally is also required to help deliver a new service within the pharmacy that she has never done before. In this situation, she would need far more support and direction. You can see how, with one employee faced with two different objectives, two very different leadership styles are required.