Leadership Styles. Can You Define Yours?

People occasionally throw the term “good leader” around. Or a “lousy leader,” for that matter! What does that even mean?

For the most part, this is “in the eye of the beholder.” There are many good leadership styles, and the best one is the one that matches the needs of the company in question. A good match means that the leader has all the traits that help them make the most of their team of employees.

While every leader is different, they also have something in common. Here are the nine most usual leadership types with their good sides and possible downfalls.

Autocratic style

This style of leadership works best in organizations where strict rule following or routine are essential. This is one of the leadership types that work best in the military. These types of leaders don’t share power and are in control. The downside may be the lack of creativity and little room for growth.

Accommodating style

This type of leader puts employee satisfaction first. They share power and embrace new ideas readily. These leaders work perfectly in non-profit organizations. The upside is high employee morale and loyalty, while the downside can sometimes be a loose scope of the business goals.

Participative style

This type of leader makes decisions based on a democratic principle of involving all employees. They formulate the opinion of the collective. While participative leadership can be an excellent leadership style, doesn’t work well for workplaces that require quick and efficient decisions.

Transactional style 

This style of leadership is based on the principles of rewards and punishment. Employees are given clear goals, and their fulfillment results in tangible rewards, while failures to fulfill them result in penalization. 

The By-the-Book style

Strict following of the rules and procedures is the essential cornerstone of this leadership type. This is the best style for workplaces in the health and safety industry. The downside is the lack of creativity and innovation.

Hands-off style

This is for leaders who prefer to assign tasks to employees offering little to no supervision. They put trust in their employees to do their best and give them a lot of freedom. It is also called Laissez-faire leadership. Downsides are a possible drop in creativity and confusion about what is expected from the employees. Sometimes, lack of project coordination can happen.

Motivational style

Motivational leaders create the environment in which their employees can make the most of their strengths. This is the perfect style for companies that need to grow. The tools for such progress are motivation, inspiration, and support.

Charismatic style

Similar to the motivational style, charismatic style is all about inspiring the employees. However, the source of inspiration and motivation is the energetic charisma of the leader himself. It may be a tough style to maintain since it is based on one person.

Situational style

An extraordinary person is needed for this type of leadership style. They should be able to assume any of the above styles if the situation demands it. It is versatile, but the downside is that it is challenging to find a leader who can assume different leadership styles successfully.

Besides understanding different leadership styles, it is important to know the requirements of the workplace, as well. Various industries and employee teams work best with varying styles of leadership. The key is to match the leader with the organization for the best results.