Contingency Leadership Skills: A Practical Approach for Nonprofit and Healthcare Training
- Roseanna Galindo, CCBA, CAVS
- Mar 18
- 6 min read
Effective leadership is rarely one-size-fits-all—especially in mission-driven spaces like nonprofits and healthcare. Leaders in these sectors frequently oversee volunteers, advisory councils, workgroups, and administrative teams, all of which are often assembled to tackle pressing challenges. However, these teams rarely come with uniform skill sets, experience levels, or even the same degree of motivation. Unlike corporate environments with structured hierarchies, these teams are often fluid and ever-changing, requiring leaders to adapt their approach to meet the needs of their people.
For over two decades, I’ve been teaching small group communication, guiding students through the complexities of how leadership functions in diverse teams. One of the most practical frameworks introduced in our text is the Situational Leadership Model®. Situational Leadership® is a registered trademark of Leadership Studies, Inc. dba The Center for Leadership Studies.
Beyond the classroom, I’ve personally found this approach to be an invaluable tool in helping assess how to lead based on the situation at hand—particularly in environments where team capability and confidence vary widely.
Whether you call them task group, steering committee, advisory council, or the like, many organizations employ the use of groups to explore challenges and recommend solutions.
For example, a Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC) at a healthcare facility may include passionate patient advocates but lack members with deep knowledge of hospital operations. A group of volunteers may be eager and mission-driven but unsure of how to contribute effectively. A cross-functional steering committee may bring together seasoned professionals, but competing priorities can make engagement difficult.
This is where a contingency-based leadership approach becomes essential. Rather than applying a singular leadership style, this approach emphasizes assessing a team’s competence and confidence to determine the best leadership response. In this article, I’ll explore how this concept is a functional training approach for healthcare and nonprofit organizations, unpack its four leadership styles and the skills for choosing the right leadership approach for different situations.
The Leadership Challenge in Mission-Driven Organizations
Leading teams in nonprofit and healthcare settings is rarely straightforward. Unlike corporate environments where roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, mission-driven organizations rely on community member integrated, cross-functional teams and groups that often bring together individuals with diverse backgrounds, expertise, and levels of engagement. These teams are dynamic, formed to solve pressing challenges, yet they rarely come with a blueprint for how to work together effectively.
Consider a hospital steering committee tasked with reducing emergency room wait times. The team includes front desk staff, patient experience representatives, administrators, and community advocates. Some members have deep institutional knowledge, while others bring a patient-centered perspective but lack familiarity with hospital operations. The leader must decide whether to take a directive approach—assigning specific tasks and structuring the conversation—or adopt a facilitative role, encouraging open dialogue and collective problem-solving.
Or take a workgroup focused on developing a data-driven volunteer recruitment plan. It includes longtime volunteers who understand day-to-day operations, HR representatives who see recruitment from a policy standpoint, and an executive leader who oversees the program but hasn’t engaged directly with volunteers in years. The leader must navigate varying levels of experience, influence, and decision-making authority, ensuring that insights from frontline volunteers are valued alongside strategic priorities.
These scenarios illustrate why a flexible leadership approach is essential. A leader who applies the same style to every situation—whether highly directive or fully hands-off—risks disengagement, inefficiency, or missed opportunities. Instead, a contingency-based leadership approach allows leaders to assess their team’s needs in the moment and adjust their leadership style accordingly.
Skills Training: Choosing the Best Nonprofit Leadership Approach
Choosing the best leadership approach to apply is primarily contingent on understanding the group members’ competency and commitment levels. There are four primary leadership styles, each suited to a different combination of ability and willingness.
1. Direct
Best for: New or inexperienced team members
Leadership approach: Clear instructions, close supervision
Example: A new hospital volunteer team assigned to assist with wayfinding. These volunteers are eager to help, but most are unfamiliar with hospital layouts, privacy regulations, and proper patient interactions. Without clear direction, they might create confusion rather than provide assistance.
2. Coach
Best for: Team members with some competence but low confidence or motivation
Leadership approach: Explain, persuade, encourage participation
Example: A Patent Family Advisory Council (PFAC) working on a hospital discharge process. Members have personal experience navigating discharge, but they are unfamiliar with hospital policies and may feel hesitant in conversations with hospital executives. They need encouragement and structured guidance to engage fully.
3. Collaborate
Best for: Competent team members who need motivation or buy-in
Leadership approach: Collaboration, shared decision-making
Example: A hospital foundation’s fundraising committee. Some members are seasoned fundraisers, while others have strong community connections but little experience securing major gifts. The leader should foster collaboration, balancing experienced voices with new perspectives to keep motivation high.
4. Step-Back
Best for: Highly skilled and motivated teams
Leadership approach: Minimal oversight, full autonomy
Example: A DEI workgroup reviewing hospital equity policies. The team consists of experienced HR professionals, legal advisors, and DEI specialists who are already aligned on the task and committed to the work. A leader should step back and allow them to take ownership.
Applying a Contingency-Based Leadership Approach
Recognizing different leadership styles is one thing—knowing when and how to apply them is another. Many leaders naturally default to a single approach over time. But effective leadership isn’t static; it requires ongoing assessment and adaptation to fit the needs of the team and the situation at hand.
In my work with future leaders, I emphasize the importance of evaluating competence, confidence, and motivation when determining the best leadership approach. By working through real-world scenarios, learners quickly see that decision-making is rarely black and white. The same situation can call for different leadership styles, depending on the people involved.
For example, a hospital cafeteria team implementing new nutrition guidelines might seem like a situation that requires straightforward direction. However, if there is strong resistance among staff or a mix of experience levels, a more persuasive and engaging approach may be necessary. Similarly, a task force reviewing essential volunteer satisfaction survey measurement may include individuals with deep institutional knowledge but little hands-on experience with data analysis. In this case, a blend of guidance and collaboration is essential to ensure both insights and execution align.
These examples from my own experiences help leaders sharpen their skills, giving them a practical, real-time understanding of when to direct, coach, collaborate, or step back.
Why Leadership Skills Training Matters for Nonprofit Leaders
Whether you’re leading volunteers, advisory councils, or cross-functional teams, success comes down to understanding your team and adjusting your leadership approach accordingly.
Mission-driven organizations operate in dynamic, often unpredictable environments—volunteers come and go, strategic priorities shift, and resource constraints demand creativity. Leaders who can assess their teams and adapt their leadership style in the moment will build stronger, more engaged teams that stay focused on impact.
By developing the ability to evaluate competence and confidence, flex leadership styles, and guide teams effectively, nonprofit and healthcare leaders can move beyond a one-size-fits-all leadership approach and truly support the people who drive their mission forward.
Great leadership isn’t about control; it’s about empowerment—knowing when to take charge, when to guide, when to collaborate, and when to trust your team to take the lead.
Would love to hear from you—how do you adjust your leadership style in different team situations? Share your experiences in the comments!
Roseanna Galindo is Principal at Periscope Business Process Analysis, specializing in organizational learning and development. She is dedicated to advancing data literacy, enhancing healthcare experiences, and empowering volunteer leaders. Explore Roseanna’s expertise and insights on her blog, The Periscope Insighter, starting with the opening post, "Venn the Time is Right."
Roseanna offers a range of professional development services, including training workshops, keynote speaking, and executive coaching.
Visit PeriscopeBPA.com for more information or click on the button below to schedule a time to talk.
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