10 Leadership Styles Every Manager Needs to Know
10 Leadership Styles Every Manager Needs to Know
In this guide, I’ll give a tl; dr of the most common leadership styles, breaking down their advantages and drawbacks in a clear and straightforward manner. You’ll get a practical and comprehensive overview that helps you understand not just what these styles are, but also how they work in real-world situations. Whether you’re a current leader looking to refine your approach, or you’re just stepping into a leadership role, this guide will provide you with valuable insights to help you navigate the complexities of leadership effectively.
It’s important to clarify that choosing a leadership style is neither a permanent nor an either-or decision. Most successful leaders have a knack for picking and combining different styles of leadership with good situational awareness.
If you want a deeper dive into each of the 10 leadership styles, read my original, long-form blog post.
Preface: Situational Leadership And The Emotional Intelligence Model
Introduction to Situational Leadership
Situational leadership is a flexible and adaptive leadership style that proposes the need for leaders to adjust their approach based on the situation and the maturity level of their team members. Developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard, this model emphasizes that there is no single “best” style of leadership. Instead, it hinges on the leader’s ability to assess the competence and commitment of their team members and adapt their style accordingly. Situational leadership is divided into four distinct quadrants: Delegating, Supporting, Coaching, and Directing. Each of these styles is suited to different levels of team member readiness and maturity.
1. Directing (High Directive, Low Supportive Behavior)
In the Directing quadrant, the leader provides specific instructions and closely supervises task accomplishment. This approach is best suited for team members who are enthusiastic but lack the necessary skills for the task at hand. They need clear guidance and direction on how to perform their tasks. The leader’s role here is more of a traditional boss – setting goals, establishing timelines, and showing how to achieve the tasks. This style is characterized by a high level of directive behavior and a low level of supportive behavior.
2. Coaching (High Directive, High Supportive Behavior)
Coaching is necessary when team members are more capable but still require guidance and encouragement. In this quadrant, the leader still provides direction, but there’s also a lot of two-way communication. The leader helps build confidence and motivation, but decision-making becomes more collaborative. This style involves a high degree of both directive and supportive behaviors, recognizing that while the team member is developing, they still need guidance and encouragement.
3. Supporting (Low Directive, High Supportive Behavior)
Supporting leaders step back and facilitate decision-making. This style is used when team members have the skills they need but may lack confidence or motivation. The leader’s role is to listen, provide support, and encourage initiative. They facilitate problem-solving and decision-making but don’t directly lead tasks. This quadrant involves a low level of directive behavior and a high level of supportive behavior.
4. Delegating (Low Directive, Low Supportive Behavior)
In the Delegating quadrant, the leader takes a hands-off approach. This style is suitable for team members who are both capable and confident in their ability to handle tasks independently. The leader delegates tasks and provides little supervision or support, trusting the team members to take ownership and solve problems on their own. Here, both directive and supportive behaviors are low because the team member has both the competence and confidence to handle tasks independently.
Conclusion: The Versatility of Situational Leadership
Situational leadership is a highly versatile approach that recognizes the dynamic nature of leadership in practice. By understanding and adeptly applying these four styles – Directing, Coaching, Supporting, and Delegating – leaders can effectively respond to their team’s needs and promote a more productive, efficient, and engaged working environment. This adaptability not only enhances team performance but also contributes to individual team member growth, making situational leadership a powerful tool in the arsenal of any effective leader.
Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence (EI) Model is pivotal in understanding how emotional competencies can enhance personal and professional interactions. While Goleman originally identified five key components of EI, his model can also be viewed through a framework of four interrelated aspects: Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Self-Management, and Relationship Management. These aspects are critical in developing one’s emotional intelligence and play a significant role in effective leadership and personal growth.
1. Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is the cornerstone of emotional intelligence. It involves being conscious of your own emotions, recognizing their impact, and understanding how they affect your thoughts and behavior. This aspect also includes an awareness of your strengths and weaknesses, which is essential for personal development.
Leaders with high self-awareness are able to accurately assess their own emotional state and how it influences their interactions with others. This awareness allows them to make more informed decisions, manage stress effectively, and maintain a level-headed approach in various situations.
2. Social Awareness
Social awareness refers to the ability to understand and empathize with others. This involves being attuned to others’ emotions, needs, and concerns, as well as picking up on emotional cues in social interactions. It extends to understanding and navigating social networks and organizational dynamics.
In a leadership context, social awareness is crucial for building rapport with team members, understanding team dynamics, and responding appropriately to the emotional needs of others. It helps leaders in fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment.
3. Self-Management
Self-management, or self-regulation, is about controlling and regulating your own emotions in response to different situations. This aspect involves managing impulsive feelings and behaviors, adapting to changing circumstances, and dealing with challenges constructively.
Leaders who excel in self-management can maintain control in stressful situations, adapt to change with a positive attitude, and handle conflict diplomatically. This ability to remain composed and focused under pressure is essential for effective leadership.
4. Relationship Management
Relationship management involves using an understanding of your own emotions and those of others to manage interactions successfully. This aspect is about developing and maintaining good relationships, inspiring and influencing others, providing clear communication, and managing conflict.
Leaders with strong skills in relationship management are able to build strong, collaborative teams, effectively manage change, resolve conflicts, and lead with a vision that motivates others. This aspect is key to building a cohesive team and fostering a positive workplace culture.
1, The Autocratic Leadership Style
Let’s start with the most controversial one — the style we all love to hate. Many people dislike autocratic leadership because it can feel controlling and one-sided. In this style, the leader makes all the decisions without much input from others, which can make team members feel ignored and undervalued. This lack of teamwork and open discussion often leads to frustration and a negative view of the leadership style.
In some situations, though, autocratic leadership can be very effective. This style is useful when quick decisions are needed, like in emergencies or high-pressure scenarios. Because the leader makes all the decisions, it can lead to fast action and clear direction, which is crucial in urgent or critical situations. This approach can help avoid confusion and delays that might occur in a more democratic decision-making process.
2, The Democratic Leadership Style
Democratic leadership, with the motto “What do you think?” is highly valued in environments where collaboration is key. This style focuses on including everyone’s input, which is great for team-oriented settings. An example of where this works well is when deciding on the direction of a team project. In democratic leadership, everyone has a voice in the decision-making process, leading to more diverse ideas and a stronger sense of team unity. This approach encourages open communication and shared responsibility, making it a popular choice for teams looking to work together effectively.
While democratic leadership is great for fostering collaboration and inclusivity, it’s not always the best approach in every situation. One of its main drawbacks is that it can be time-consuming. When many voices and opinions are involved, reaching a consensus can take longer, which might not be ideal in urgent or time-sensitive scenarios. Additionally, in situations where team members lack the expertise or information needed to make informed decisions, this leadership style can lead to less effective outcomes. Too much input can also create confusion and conflict, making it hard to arrive at a clear, unified decision. Therefore, in fast-paced, high-stakes, or highly specialized environments, relying solely on democratic leadership might not be the most effective strategy.
3, The Adaptive Leadership Style
Adaptive leadership is all about being flexible and ready to change when things around you are shifting quickly. It’s especially useful in situations like when a company needs to change direction because of new market trends or during a big company shake-up. The key idea of this leadership style is asking, “How can we adjust?” This means constantly looking for the best way to respond to new challenges and changes.
While adaptive leadership is valuable in fast-changing environments, it’s not without its drawbacks. This style often involves constant change, which can be unsettling for teams who prefer stability and clear, long-term directions. Constantly adapting to new situations can also lead to a lack of consistent strategy, making it hard for teams to focus on long-term goals. This intro aims to explore these and other challenges associated with adaptive leadership, offering insights into its potential limitations.
4, The Coaching Leadership Style
In the diverse spectrum of leadership styles, coaching leadership stands out for its focus on developing people’s skills and preparing them for future challenges. This approach is less about directing and more about guiding team members towards realizing their full potential. Ideal for fostering personal growth and upskilling teams, coaching leadership is particularly effective in environments where continuous learning and development are key to success.
One of the primary drawbacks of this style is the significant time and effort required from the leader. Coaching demands a substantial investment in one-on-one interactions and personalized development plans, which can be challenging to sustain, especially in larger teams or fast-paced environments. Another potential issue is the reliance on the willingness and ability of team members to engage in the coaching process. Not all individuals are receptive to or comfortable with the introspective and participative nature of coaching. Some may prefer more directive or hands-off leadership styles. Additionally, the coaching style may not always align with immediate business needs. In situations where quick decision-making and rapid action are required, the deliberative and developmental approach of coaching can be seen as too slow or impractical. Balancing the long-term benefits of coaching with the immediate demands of the business can be a challenging task for leaders.
5, The Strategic Leadership Style
This leadership style is all about looking at the bigger picture and steering the team or organization towards a future vision. Ideal for guiding companies through periods of growth or significant change, strategic leadership is encapsulated by the motto, “Here’s my vision.” It’s about setting a clear, ambitious direction for the future and meticulously planning how to get there.
However, strategic leadership is not without its challenges. One of the key difficulties is maintaining the balance between long-term vision and short-term operational needs. There’s also the risk of being so focused on the future that immediate issues or opportunities are overlooked. Moreover, in a rapidly changing business environment, sticking rigidly to a long-term plan can sometimes be counterproductive. Strategic leaders must be flexible enough to adapt their vision in response to new information or changes in the market.
6, The Inspirational Leadership Style
Inspirational leadership is a dynamic and impactful style that revolves around motivating and uplifting teams through a compelling vision and passion. Perfectly encapsulated by the motto “Let’s aim higher,” this approach is about igniting enthusiasm and commitment among team members, rallying them around a common goal or vision. It’s particularly effective in scenarios like introducing a new company direction or a groundbreaking technology vision, where the ability to inspire and unite a team is crucial for success.
However, like any leadership style, inspirational leadership has its challenges. The balance between inspiring and remaining grounded in reality is delicate. There is a risk of over-promising or creating expectations that may not be entirely realistic. Inspirational leaders must ensure that their vision is achievable and backed by a solid plan. Another challenge is ensuring that the drive to inspire does not overshadow the need for clear communication and practical strategies. The team’s enthusiasm needs to be channeled into actionable steps and sustained efforts towards the goal.
7, The Laissez-Faire Leadership Style
Laissez-faire leadership, characterized by its hands-off approach and the motto “You’ve got this,” stands as a unique and effective style in environments where team independence is key. Ideal for skilled and self-driven teams, this leadership approach is about entrusting team members with the freedom and autonomy to manage their tasks and make decisions. It’s particularly effective when managing a group of experienced experts, where the leader’s role shifts from being a director to more of a facilitator.
However, laissez-faire leadership is not without its challenges. It’s crucial that this style is applied in the right context and with the right team. It works best with highly skilled and motivated teams who require little oversight. In situations where team members lack experience, confidence, or motivation, this style can lead to confusion, lack of direction, and poor performance. Moreover, there is a risk of leaders becoming too detached, which can result in a lack of accountability and cohesion within the team. Leaders must find the right balance between giving autonomy and remaining engaged, ensuring that the team’s work aligns with the organization’s broader objectives.
8, The Transformational Leadership Style
Transformational leadership is a powerful approach for driving significant change and innovation within organizations. With the motto “Let’s change the game,” this leadership style is especially relevant when guiding teams through innovative projects or executing new business strategies. It’s about inspiring and motivating team members to not only accept but embrace and drive change, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
However, transformational leadership comes with its set of challenges. One key consideration is balancing the drive for innovation with the realities of the organization’s current situation and constraints. Leaders must ensure that their ambitious visions are grounded in practicality and achievable within the resources and capabilities of the team. Another potential challenge is ensuring that the focus on big-picture change does not overlook the smaller, day-to-day operational aspects that are critical to the organization’s success. Transformational leaders need to maintain a holistic view, ensuring that while they drive change and innovation, the fundamental operations and processes are not neglected.
9, The Transactional Leadership Style
Transactional leadership, encapsulated by the motto “Meet these goals,” is a pragmatic and goal-oriented approach that focuses on the relationship between leaders and their team members in terms of rewards and penalties. This leadership style is particularly effective in environments where clear, measurable outcomes are needed, such as meeting sales targets or achieving specific project milestones. It’s about setting clear expectations and then rewarding or penalizing team members based on their performance against these expectations.
However, transactional leadership has its limitations. One of the main criticisms of this style is that it can lead to a somewhat transactional (hence the name), even mechanical, work environment. The focus on rewards and penalties can overshadow other motivational factors such as personal growth, creativity, and intrinsic job satisfaction. Additionally, this leadership style may not be effective in environments where innovation and creativity are required. In such settings, the emphasis on structured rewards and penalties might stifle innovation and discourage team members from taking risks or thinking outside the box.
10, The Servant Leadership Style
In the diverse landscape of leadership styles, servant leadership stands out for its focus on the welfare and development of team members. This approach, encapsulated by the motto “How can I support you?”, is centered on the leader taking a supportive role rather than a directive one. Servant leadership is particularly effective in creating nurturing and supportive work environments, where the focus is on the well-being and growth of the team members and the health of the team itself.
One potential pitfall is the risk of overextending in the quest to support team members, which can lead to burnout for the leader. Additionally, there is a balance to be struck between being supportive and maintaining the authority necessary to make tough decisions when required. Another consideration is ensuring that the focus on team well-being does not come at the expense of achieving organizational goals. While prioritizing team needs is crucial, servant leaders must also ensure that they are driving their teams towards achieving business objectives effectively.
Closing Words
In wrapping up this comprehensive exploration of various leadership styles, it’s clear that each style has its unique strengths and challenges. From the directive nature of Autocratic leadership, valuable in crisis situations, to the inclusive approach of Democratic leadership, ideal for fostering collaboration and innovation, each style offers different tools for different situations. Similarly, Adaptive leadership’s flexibility is key in rapidly changing environments, while Coaching leadership’s focus on personal development is crucial for long-term team growth. Strategic, Inspirational, Transactional, and Servant leadership styles each bring distinct approaches to managing teams and achieving goals.
The essence of effective leadership lies in understanding these diverse styles and knowing when and how to apply them based on the situation at hand and the team’s needs. The ability to adapt and blend these styles is what truly defines a successful leader. Whether it’s steering through challenging times with Autocratic decisiveness, inspiring innovation with Transformational vision, or supporting team growth with Servant empathy, the art of leadership involves a dynamic and responsive approach.
Remember, leadership is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s a dynamic skill set that, when used judiciously and empathetically, can lead to remarkable outcomes for both leaders and their teams. As you navigate your leadership journey, keep these insights in mind, and aim to apply the most suitable style that resonates with your team’s needs and the objectives you seek to achieve. With this adaptive and informed approach, you’re well-equipped to lead effectively and make a positive impact in your professional environment.
in my experience we are usually a combination of these style - but there is a fault one we always fall into under pressure :)