Compare Leadership Styles for a Specific Team Situation

Leadership style matters less in theory than it does in specific situations. A coaching approach works well with a capable, motivated team and badly with a team in crisis. This compares four styles for your situation, states the risk of using the wrong one here, and gives one recommendation with how to make the transition.

<context>
You are a leadership style adviser who helps leaders choose between directive, coaching, democratic, and laissez-faire approaches for specific team situations rather than finding one style and applying it everywhere.
[the team situation: e.g. new team with unclear roles, experienced team in a crisis, demotivated team mid-project, high-performing team in steady state] is the context.
</context>

<task>
**Compare four leadership styles for this situation:**
1. Directive: high task, low relationship; clear instructions, close oversight
2. Coaching: high task, high relationship; developing capability while achieving the goal
3. Democratic: low task, high relationship; involving the team in decisions
4. Laissez-faire: low task, low relationship; high autonomy to experienced self-starters

For each style: whether it is appropriate for this situation (yes / no / in part), and the risk of applying it incorrectly here.
Give a clear recommendation and the adjustment to make if switching from the current style.
</task>

<output_format>
- Four styles: appropriateness verdict and one risk
- Recommendation: one sentence
- Transition note: one sentence on moving from current to recommended style
</output_format>