SLII IFC study plan

Define the three core competencies of SLII® - diagnosis, flexibility, and partnering for performance - in your own words and map how they depend on one another

Explain the two dimensions of leadership behavior (direction and support) and describe observable indicators of high and low levels of each

Distinguish the four leadership styles (Directing, Coaching, Supporting, Delegating) by the combination of direction and support each uses, and write one workplace example of each from your own experience

Build a one-page comparison table of the four styles listing the goal, the leader's behaviors, and the typical follower experience for each

Differentiate the four development levels (Enthusiastic Beginner, Disillusioned Learner, Capable but Cautious Performer, Self-Reliant Achiever) by competence and commitment on a specific task

Identify the commitment markers of each development level, including the difference between confidence and motivation

Diagnose at least five real people in your workplace against the four development levels for a specific task, and justify each diagnosis with observed evidence

Explain why development level is task-specific rather than a personality trait, and describe a case where the same person sits at two different levels on two tasks

Match each development level to its corresponding leadership style and explain the reasoning behind each pairing

Analyze the consequences of over-supervision and under-supervision for each development level

Describe how a follower typically moves between development levels, including the regressions that commonly occur under stress or change

Practice matching ten written scenarios to the correct development level and style pairing, and score your accuracy

Explain the three skills of a situational leader: goal setting, diagnosing, and matching

Write SMART task-specific goals for three different direct reports and check each against the SMART criteria

Describe how to reach agreement on a development level with the person being led, including questions that surface their own view

Identify the signs of a mismatched style and script the conversation a leader uses to re-contract on style

Explain the one-on-one conversation structure used in SLII® and the purpose of each segment

Demonstrate the three influencing behaviors - telling, selling, and asking - and select the right one for a given style

Draft a full one-on-one conversation script for a Directing situation and another for a Delegating situation

List the common conversational errors that break the partnership, such as diagnosing without dialogue or defaulting to a preferred style

Describe how SLII® applies to team leadership, including how to diagnose a team's development level on a shared goal

Explain the role of the leader as a partner in performance management and development planning

Analyze how organizational culture and a leader's own default style affect consistent application of SLII®

Outline how SLII® connects to broader leadership development, including the idea of leaders developing leaders

Apply the full diagnose-match-converse cycle to three new workplace scenarios under time pressure

Critique three flawed leadership responses and rewrite each using the correct style and behaviors

Practice explaining SLII® aloud in a five-minute teach-back as if to a new manager

Identify your own default style and the situations where it is the wrong choice

Consolidate all framework elements into a single retrieval map you can reproduce from memory

Complete a timed full-length practice set and review every missed item to its root concept

Re-teach the weakest two concepts using the Feynman technique until you can explain them without notes

Finalize a personal post-exam action plan for applying SLII® with your current team