For emerging leaders, the topic of developing your leadership style comes up unavoidably. Sometimes, this question is triggered externally, for example, during job interviews. In this edition of Leading Choices, we’ll look at leadership frameworks first, then leadership styles. At the end, I’ll contrast when each style is best for your organization with the challenges it is facing. This article is part one in a three-part series on leadership styles:
Part 1 – Definition of Leadership Styles and Frameworks and When They Work Best
Part 2 – How to Find Your Personal Leadership Style (and Remain Authentic)
Part 3 – Creating Your Leadership Brand (And Share It In Job Interviews)
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What Is A Leadership Style?
Leadership styles refer to the actions and methods used by leaders when they are leading, influencing, and managing others. Your leadership style becomes visible in the strategies you employ as a leader and how you account for the expectations of those reporting to you.
There are many different types of leadership styles and frameworks. Each style has its own strengths and weaknesses, and each style is appropriate in certain situations. We’re taking a look at six leadership frameworks and 12 leadership styles in this article.
Importance Of Knowing Your Leadership Style
Each style produces different results and each is best suited to different situations. Understanding the differences in leadership styles can help you become a better, more self-aware leader.
Knowing your own style and those around you helps you communicate effectively and be intentional in the application of your leadership style. Your preferences for the mix of leadership styles will depend on your personality, the values you hold, and the experience you have gained in trying different approaches or observing other leaders.
By understanding your leadership style – or, rather the mix of styles you typically employ – you will have a greater awareness of your strength and weaknesses and how your communication style can support you to be an effective leader in a variety of scenarios.
We’ll start by looking at leadership frameworks for a larger context before diving into 12 leadership styles.
6 Useful Leadership Frameworks
There are some useful approaches you can use to become an even better leader. You may already use many of them, but there are others you might not have thought about. Your approach will probably include a combination of these. Let’s start by looking at some general principles and then we’ll move on to specific skills.
Lewin’s Leadership Styles
Kurt Lewin developed his framework of “leadership” in the 1930s. He believed that there were only three different types of leaders: autocratic, consultative, and democratic.
In summary: An autocrat will make decisions without consulting others, while a consultative leader will take advice before making a decision. A democratic leader will involve all team members in the decision-making process. These styles are not mutually exclusive and can be combined in various ways. Some organizations choose to implement an autocratic style, while other organizations prefer a consultative style. There are also hybrid models that combine aspects of each style.
The Blake-Mouton Managerial Grid
The Blake–Mouton grid focuses on the needs of the individual and the company. It helps managers identify the best style to adopt for each situation. Managers should focus on the needs of their employees and the company as a whole. A people-oriented style will help create an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. A task-oriented style will help managers get the job done.
This model suggests that leaders should find a balance between their concern for those around them with their desire to achieve what needs to be done.
PathGoal Theory ®
PathGoal Theory (PGT) is a theory that describes how people make decisions in complex environments. The PathGoal theory of leadership is based on the premise that leaders are responsible for creating an environment where people want to work. This means that they need to create opportunities for people to achieve goals. The leader must also be able to motivate people so that they will take action toward achieving those goals.
The PathGoal theory of leadership is an approach to understanding the factors that influence the success or failure of leaders. It emphasizes the importance of developing relationships.
The PathGoal theory of leadership distinguishes four leadership styles: directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented. The PGT model is flexible because it is contingency-based and takes multiple factors into consideration for choosing the appropriate leadership behavior.
This model has been criticized for its purely result-driven focus with less emphasis on purpose. It also may require more than these four leadership styles and is placing a heavy emphasis on the leader without accounting for team dynamics.
Aristotle’s Four Types of Leaders
In ancient Greece, Aristotle identified four basic types of leaders. Each type has its strengths and weaknesses. The first is the tyrant, who makes decisions based on personal power rather than on the group’s interests. Tyrants tend to be shortsighted and cannot see beyond themselves. Their actions are usually destructive and lead to chaos.
Next is the demagogue, who uses charisma and emotion to gain support from followers. Demagogues tend to be manipulative and self-centered. They are more concerned with gaining control over others than they are with achieving goals.
The third is the philosopher king, who seeks to develop the talents of the entire group. Philosopher kings are the most effective because they understand how to motivate and inspire others. They seek to improve the lives of their citizens by developing them into productive and independent individuals.
Finally, there is the military commander, whose goal is to win battles. Military commanders are focused on winning wars and don’t care about the long-term health of society.
Six Emotional Leadership Styles
There are six emotional styles that leaders exhibit. They are:
1) Affiliative – Leaders who are affiliative are warm, friendly, and approachable. They are good listeners and encourage cooperation among members of their teams. They are comfortable expressing positive feelings toward others.
2) Authoritative – Leaders who are authoritative are decisive, confident, and strong. They expect obedience from their subordinates and demand accountability. They are not afraid to make unpopular decisions.
3) Autocratic – Leaders who are autocratic are rigid, inflexible, and controlling. They like to be in charge and micromanage everything that happens around them. They are not interested in opinions from anyone but themselves.
4) Amiable – Leaders who are amiable are kind, gentle, and considerate. They are patient and understanding but do not tolerate insubordination. They are concerned about how other people feel.
5) Aggressive – Leaders who are aggressive are tough, demanding, and competitive. They push their employees to perform better and are willing to take risks. They are often impatient and intolerant of mistakes.
6) Reactive – Leaders who are reactive are impulsive and unpredictable. They are quick to anger and respond poorly to criticism. Their actions are based on emotion instead of logic.
Flamholtz and Randle’s Leadership Style Matrix
This model was developed by Flamingholtz and Randle (2011). The matrix can be used as a guide to help you decide which style best fits your personality and needs. It consists of four quadrants:
1) Autocracy – A leader who is autocratic will exercise control over his or her team. He or she will set clear expectations and rules for the team. However, he or she does not allow input from the team.
2) Democracy – A leader who is democratic will listen to ideas and suggestions from the team. He or she encourages open communication and debate. He or she also provides feedback and guidance to help the team improve.
3) Hierarchy – A leader who is hierarchical will delegate authority to his or her team. His or her role is to provide direction and support. He or she expects the team to follow orders and work together to achieve organizational goals.
4) Matriarchy – A leader who uses matriarchal leadership styles will have a high level of involvement with the team. She or he will spend time with the team, listening to their concerns and providing emotional support. He or she will also give praise when it is due.
From Frameworks To Today’s Most Common Leadership Styles
As you can see from these leadership frameworks, they have commonalities and overlap in some areas. Frameworks are there to provide just that – a framework within which you can navigate. Successful leaders have learned over time to seamlessly navigate different management styles to adjust their type of leadership style to suit their interactions with leaders, peers, and direct reports in any scenario.
You probably missed the names of popular leadership styles among the mentioned frameworks above. That’s because they summarize leadership types by their guiding principles, strengths, and weaknesses, emotional styles, and application in decision-making.
Let’s keep this in mind as we explore the most commonly known leadership styles. We’ll take a look at a brief definition for each of them before we explore when they work best and what limitations apply.
12 Types of Leadership Styles
Leadership has been evolving since the beginning of civilization. The first leaders were military rulers, kings, and queens who had absolute power over their subjects. Over time, people began to question this form of leadership and started looking for other ways to lead. This led to the emergence of different forms of leadership beyond autocratic styles.
Leadership styles have changed throughout history from autocratic (command) to democratic (participation). The most recent trend is towards participative leadership where employees are encouraged to take an active role in decision-making.
Democratic Leadership
This democratic approach is also known as participative or facilitative leadership because a key characteristic is the expectation of participation from all members of the organization. Employees are given opportunities to participate in decisions through voting or consensus building. They also receive feedback on their performance.
Autocratic Leadership
An autocratic leadership style is characterized by a single person with absolute authority. It is also described as coercive or command-style leadership. A key characteristic of autocrats is that supreme power is concentrated in a singular leader. Autocrats make decisions based on their knowledge and experience without consulting anyone else.
Transactional Leadership
A transactional leadership style is based on an exchange of rewards or penalties for results. Leaders use rewards and punishment to motivate and control their teams to achieve objectives. Rewards may include promotions, bonuses, raises, etc. Punishments may include demotions, reprimands, etc. Transactional leaders also use structure and monitoring of results to inform them of the actions they want to take based on the reported results.
Charismatic Leadership
A charismatic leadership style is based on inspiration and motivation. Leaders inspire followers by sharing their vision and values. They motivate followers by showing that they care about them as individuals. Charismatic leadership has more recently been under scrutiny because it is associated with abusive behavior. However, some research suggests that charismatic leadership can actually increase productivity and creativity while decreasing stress among workers.
Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership is based on helping followers develop into self-actualized human beings. It involves developing followers’ potential so that they can achieve more than they thought possible. It emphasizes personal growth and development.
This style requires a leader to consistently help employees or followers to push their boundaries. This can take various forms, e.g., stretching their thinking, adopting new habits, and taking on stretch projects or tasks that move them beyond their comfort zone.
Strategic Leadership
Strategic leadership is based on planning and goal setting. Leaders set strategic (long-term) goals and work with their teams toward achieving these goals. Strategic leaders plan ahead and consider long-term consequences when making decisions.
Strategic leaders are known for being “big picture thinkers” and having the ability to convey the vision by taking factors influencing strategic decisions into account before breaking down objectives for their teams. Strategic leadership often requires a high level of communication skills. Strategic communication requires the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and concisely without derailing into details.
Servant Leadership
Servant leadership is based on serving others. Servant leaders put the needs of others before themselves. They focus on what is best for the team instead of focusing on their own needs. This style has gained popularity in recent years, which is not surprising, considering our generation is oversaturated with individuals seeking to be influencers and to be seen and acknowledged.
Servant leadership is often illustrated as an inverted pyramid with the teams to be served by the leader at the top. This style has been shown to have an impact, including increased job satisfaction, improved morale, reduced turnover, and better performance. Servant Leadership aligns well with the core values of most modern organizations: teamwork, collaboration, integrity, respect, honesty, compassion, humility, and service.
Coach-Style Leadership
This leadership style uses coaching methodology to enable teams and individuals by asking questions that bring awareness, open up new opportunities and help discover obstacles and solutions. Using this method, the leader invests in the development of the employee and invites the employee to become an active part of the development through interactive dialogue. Like Servant Leadership, this style has gained popularity in recent years.
Bureaucratic Leadership
Bureaucratic leadership is characterized by rules and regulations. Leaders create detailed policies and procedures to ensure compliance with organizational standards. Bureaucrats have little flexibility and prefer to follow established guidelines rather than adapt to changing situations.
Pacesetting Leadership
Pacesetting leadership is based on setting high expectations for your team. Leaders set challenging goals and expect everyone to meet those goals. Pacesetters lead by example and encourage others to do the same.
Visionary Leadership
Visionary leadership is based on inspiring people to accomplish great things. Leaders share their visions and dreams with their followers. They show how following their visions will benefit others. The “Why” matters to visionary leaders – sometimes more than the “How”.
Delegative or LaissezFaire Leadership
Laissez-faire leadership is based on letting go and trusting employees to make good decisions. That’s why this style is often called “hands-off leadership.” Leaders give employees the freedom to make decisions without interference from above. Employees are expected to take responsibility for their actions. Delegation allows leaders to spend time doing other things while still being available if needed.
Which Leadership Style Is Best for Your Team?
As you read through the descriptions of the different leadership styles, you may have been drawn to some and appalled by others. Not every leadership style is ranking high in popularity, but they are known to be effective leadership styles given a specific context.
To reiterate the point made earlier on leadership frameworks: Leadership approaches are also not mutually exclusive. In fact, great leaders learn to adapt their leadership style in the context of organizational demands, individual needs, personalities, and circumstantial requirements while remaining authentic. So let’s look at each of these styles from different angles and see when they work best and what limitations they face.
When Democratic Leadership Works Best
A democratic leadership style works best when there is trust between the leader and the team. When leaders are honest, fair, transparent, and consistent in their communication, they build trust among their teams. This helps them get buy-in and support for their ideas. Democratic leadership can create high engagement because it gives followers a sense of ownership in the organization.
Challenges Democratic Leaders Can Face
Another challenge is that democratic leaders may not be as effective as autocratic leaders when dealing with complex issues. Not every team member may be equipped with the expertise required to make critical decisions. Furthermore, building consensus can take time, which can be slowing progress. Lastly, the success of democratic leadership hinges on the engagement of the teams involved. No engagement, no progress on the decisions you want to reach a consensus on.
When Autocratic Leadership Works Best
Autocratic leaders tend to be very direct and firm in their approach. They expect immediate compliance and obedience. When they use autocratic leadership, they make decisions quickly and stick to them. Autocratic leaders are usually good at getting things done. They are decisive and don’t like to waste time discussing issues. Autocratic leaders are great at setting deadlines and making sure everyone knows the company goals and what is expected of them individually.
Challenges Autocratic Leaders Can Face
Authoritarian leaders can sometimes be too rigid and inflexible. They often lack empathy and understanding. They can be impatient and intolerant of mistakes. They can also be insensitive to the feelings of others.
In cultures with a low power distance, autocratic leaders may find that their team doesn’t always comply with their directives, causing them to feel ignored. In these situations, leaders should consider adjusting their leadership style by applying a hybrid approach that encourages cooperation and teamwork.
When Transactional Leadership Works Best
The leadership traits of transactional leaders are a focus on results. They want to see tangible outcomes and thrive in organizations that manage by objectives. Transactional leaders are generally good at motivating people to work hard and follow through on commitments. Another key characteristic of a transactional approach is the monitoring of followers and applying corrective actions to steer individuals or teams in the desired direction.
Challenges Transactional Leaders Can Face
Transactional leaders can have difficulty delegating authority. They prefer to take control – or even micromanage to provide the best oversight. They may feel challenged in understanding how to motivate people. The focus on results and rewards and punishment can lower engagement and impede creativity.
When Charismatic Leadership Works Best
Charismatic leaders inspire followers to achieve more than they thought possible. They are charismatic because they are able to connect emotionally with their followers. Charismatic leaders are inspiring and motivating. They are good at communicating their vision and values in a way that mobilizes teams.
Challenges Charismatic Leaders Can Face
Charisma leaders can be difficult to lead because they are so persuasive. Their charisma can cause problems when they become overconfident, controlling, or manipulative. Charismatic leaders can also be ineffective if they aren’t careful about managing expectations.
When Transformational Leadership Works Best
Transformational leaders are most useful in organizations where there is a need for change. They are inspirational and motivating and encourage people to reach higher levels of performance.
Challenges Transformational Leaders Can Face
Transformational leaders can be demanding and intimidating. They can be overly idealistic and unrealistic. Transformational leaders can also be inconsistent and unpredictable.
Innovative managers are constantly experimenting with new ways to improve their organizations. Thus, their employees may feel exhausted by constant change. If their employees do not get enough opportunities to take risks and try out new ideas, then they may lose interest. Finally, no matter how much effort an organization puts into innovation and transformation goals, those goals will remain meaningless unless they produce tangible outcomes.
When Strategic Leadership Works Best
Strategic leaders are most helpful to organizations that face complex challenges. They have the ability to identify long-term goals and develop strategies to meet those goals. Strategic leaders are effective at creating a shared sense of purpose among employees.
Challenges Strategic Leaders Can Face
Strategic leaders can be slow to act and take action. Strategic leaders can also be unable to delegate effectively.
When Servant Leadership Works Best
Servant leaders are most successful in organizations that embrace collaboration, and power-sharing and have people-oriented cultures. They are also well-placed to drive turnaround where there is high stress and low trust. They are committed to helping others succeed and are willing to make sacrifices for the benefit of others.
Challenges Servant Leaders Can Face
Servant leaders can be perceived as weak and passive. They can be seen as unassertive and indecisive. They can also be criticized for being submissive instead of directive. Servant leadership is only possible if the leaders are motivated to serve and rely on the moral framework of the organization. Like democratic leadership, decision-making can be more time-consuming compared to autocratic leadership.
When Coach-Style Leadership Works Best
Coach-style leaders are best suited to organizations that value teamwork, innovation, and continuous improvement. They are skilled at encouraging self-reflection and developing individual strengths. They are also adept at coaching and mentoring and aim to enable teams to learn and grow beyond instructing them on how to execute their work. This leadership style is best applied when the continuous development of talent is desired.
Challenges Coach-Style Leaders Can Face
The biggest challenge of coaching style leadership is that it requires a lot of energy from the leader and is hard to scale. Coaching leaders must be able to listen well, ask questions, and give feedback. They also need to understand how to motivate others.
When Beaurocratic Leadership Works Best
Beaurocratic leaders are most effective in organizations with rigid hierarchies and strict rules. They are good at enforcing compliance and ensuring that everyone follows the same procedures. They are also good at maintaining order and discipline.
Challenges Beaurocratic Leaders Can Face
The main challenge of bureaucratic leadership is that they are too slow to react to changes in the market. Beaurocrats tend to be conservative and risk-averse, which makes them less innovative and flexible. This leads to stagnation and complacency, which ultimately results in failure.
When Pacesetting Leadership Works Best
Pacesetting leaders are most effective in fast-paced environments where change is constant. They are good communicators who can explain what needs to be done and why. They are proactive and seek out opportunities to advance themselves and their team.
Challenges Pacesetting Leaders Can Face
The biggest challenge of pacesetting leadership is to be able to trust others to do the job effectively and to balance the needs of the organization and the needs of the individual. If leaders do not set clear goals for themselves, they cannot help others achieve theirs. Pacesetters must also be willing to sacrifice personal interests for the greater good.
When Visionary Leadership Works Best
Visionary leaders are most effective in highly creative and innovative industries. However, they are also needed in organizations in need of change. Visionaries are great motivators who inspire others to follow them. They are able to identify problems before they occur and are quick to act.
Challenges Visionary Leaders Can Face
The main limitation of visionary leadership is that visionary leaders tend to think big, which means they can have a tendency to set unrealistic goals for themselves and others. Without understanding critical details, this can cause them to lose sight of what is realistic and achievable.
When Delegative or Laissez-Faire Leadership Works Best
Delegative leadership has been proven to be effective for small businesses, but it can be difficult to implement in larger organizations. Delegation or “hands-off leadership” works well in teams that know each other well and have established a high level of trust and alignment. This often requires team members that have a high degree of expertise and a preference and ability to work with little supervision.
Challenges Delegative or Laissez-Faire Leadership Can Face
The main challenge of laissez-faire leaders is that it requires high trust between leaders and followers. This means that leaders must be able to delegate effectively and transfer some decision-making.
The Harvard Business Review states that this style can “develop into the most subtly destructive leadership style: absentee leadership.” It is marked by the absence or avoidance of meaningful involvement with their teams. Laissez-Faire style leaders may be too distant from their team members and causing them to feel ignored or not invested in – especially if they are not yet able to work without much supervision.
Emotionally Intelligent Leadership
Leaders who are emotionally intelligent understand that there is no one right way to lead. There are many different approaches to leading, depending on the situation. The key is to know yourself well enough to recognize your own strengths and weaknesses. This allows you to choose an appropriate style for each situation. For example, if you are an autocrat, you may need to temper this style with more affiliative or amiable behaviors.
Which Leadership Style Is Best For You?
There is more than one way to lead. Each style of leadership fits a different context and has its limitations. Developing leadership skills includes learning to navigate between different leadership styles as you encounter challenges. Adjusting your leadership style requires emotional intelligence, self-awareness, situational awareness, and a constant assessment of organizational context and changes.
In the next edition, we’ll look at how you can identify your natural leadership style (or mix) and be an authentic leader.
Share your views: What leadership styles resonate with you? What have you learned from other leaders?
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