Sometimes you need to give them what they want

In general I encourage the view that leadership is a process interwoven with teaching.  I believe that people should help coach and guide those employees, peers, or team members they work with to help them learn more, and therefore perform more effectively in future projects.  Effective leaders realize that teaching is an investment of time that results in a future of greater efficiency.

But what about those situations which necessitate taking charge.  Leaders frequently encounter them and they must be addressed.  Dan Rockwell, at the fantastic blog Leadership Freak, gives a ten question survey to identify if this is a 'Leader Take Charge' situation:

1) Employees expect direction. This may not be the determining factor but it matters.
2) Situations require direction.  Beginnings require more direction than middles or endings.
3) Tasks are once and done rather than frequently repeated.
4) Situations are highly ambiguous.
5) Uncertainty is high.
6) Organizational structure calls for authority; formal authority is high.
7) Team members lack skills, education, or experience and they need time to develop.
8) Tasks are highly complex.
9) Failure is high impact and public.
10) Job satisfaction is a function of the group rather than centered within the individuals.  Military organizations generally illustrated a need for highly directive leadership styles where job satisfaction is closely tied to the group.

(read his post here)

These times exist and failure to take charge is not an example of a caring and effective leader.  Rather its an example of a leader who is incapacitated and unable to accept responsibility.

For a leader who frequently is trying to help teach and develop, these times of directive leadership can feel like a bit of cognitive dissonance; you're always striving towards one way of thinking and suddenly you feel you are working in the opposite direction.

How can we maintain our effectiveness when we switch our leadership styles?

First of all, acknowledge the situation.  Identify the situation for what it is and inform your people you are going to take a more directive, or hands-on approach, for this project or goal.  Remember to choose your words carefully.  You do not need to tell someone 'You lack the skills necessary to perform this project,' when you could just as easily say 'This project requires a large skill set and I'm going to be more involved in it'.

Secondly, acknowledge your involvement.  Make sure to inform your team you're going to be more active in this project.  Take this as an opportunity to be in the trenches with your group and experience the same everyday minutiae they must go through.  This experience is a great relationship builder.

Finally, narrate the project.  Use meta-communication at times to encourage people to look at what they are doing or how they are doing it.  Its true you need to be involved for this specific task, but will the be ready to accomplish the next one?  Highlight specific points and areas that were done well or could become potential obstacles and explain why.  This is where the teaching comes in.

When done effectively a switch to directive leadership style won't feel like a substantial switch at all to your people.