employees. An employee’s degree of maturity is characterized by their work-
related maturity, that is, by their experience, expertise, knowledge of job require-
ments, etc. On the other hand, the employee is also shaped by their psychological
maturity, e.g. their sense of responsibility, motivation, assertiveness, commitment,
etc. Depending on the maturity of the employee, the leader chooses a more or less
participative style of leadership.
2.4.1.2 Will or Skill?
A leader has to deal with different types of people. If a set of employees is
segmented by the criteria will (their readiness to perform or will to perform) and
skill (their capabilities and abilities), four types can be distinguished: the stars (high
aims, high skill), the workhorses (high will, low skill), the unmotivated specialists –
similar to the fairytale with the frogs that you must kiss to turn them into princes
(low will, high skill), and the problem cases (low will, low skill) (Fig.2.9).
This matrix provides basic criteria to get an idea of your own staff or team.
However, such classifications should not be exaggerated or used as absolutes, as
they are somewhat generalizing and at times a bit cynical. The matrix can be a
“crutch” for the leader to start assessing employees: “Every employee is an
individual and wants to be seen as such.”
Managers have to deal with the four types of employees in different ways: the
stars need to be motivated and retained. You should give them freedom and
prospects and offer them many challenging tasks to delegate. The workhorses can
grow based on a clear evaluation of their potential. Here delegation should be done
SkillWill
stars- ensure motivation
- bind
work horses- qualify
- develop
chickens- enable personal responsibility
- praise
problematic cases- individual and selective approach
- develop or separate
highhighlowlow
mediummediumFig. 2.9 Will-skill matrix (Source: The author, on the basis of various management approaches)
2.4 The Leadership Situation 107