Leaders employ different leadership styles in accordance with each situation or team they lead, including:
Autocratic leaders make decisions without consulting anyone who reports to them and have an authoritative hierarchy. This style can be particularly effective during times of emergency when fast decisions must be made quickly.
Pacesetting leaders set goals and encourage their teams to work hard, yet setting unrealistic goals may lead to burnout and low morale among team members.
Laissez-faire
A laissez-faire leadership style gives group members the autonomy and trust needed to make decisions without micromanagement, leading them to feel more satisfied in their jobs and confident they can rely on each other. Furthermore, this approach can foster a welcoming company culture while aiding employee retention.
Laissez-faire leadership style can only work when used effectively in certain circumstances, for instance with highly skilled and experienced team members who can complete tasks without much guidance from their leader. Laissez-faire leaders must provide their teams with all of the support and training necessary for them to thrive under this style, which will enable their team to perform at its peak performance.
Strategic
Strategic leaders focus on how business models, processes, and systems fit together seamlessly. They understand the big picture as well as the interaction between long-term goals and short-term ones.
Strategic leaders evaluate current trends and identify growth opportunities, in order to set goals that will move their company in the desired direction. Successful strategic leaders bring team members onboard in support of the vision while keeping everyone focused on reaching its end goal.
Strategic leaders possess the ability to delegate tasks and rely on the expertise of their team, while still knowing when it is necessary to step in with guidance or training. They’re ideal candidates for companies with vibrant cultures in which employees are ready to help tackle big-picture tasks.
Transformational
Transformational leadership is a management style which creates an inspiring vision of the future and motivates employees to work harder and do more. However, transformational leadership only works if communication between team and leader remains open at all times.
This style of leadership has also been found to foster employees’ professional development while encouraging balance between professional and personal lives. This can reduce stress levels among staff as they find meaning in their work and meet goals more easily. While managing this style may prove challenging for leaders, it can still prove effective under certain conditions.
Transactional
The Transactional Leadership Style is a hierarchical, structured approach to leadership that prioritizes structure, organization, supervision and performance. Based on the belief that people respond best to rewards and punishments as motivational tools, leaders set clear goals for their followers while expecting them to perform effectively.
This leadership style is ideal for accomplishing daily targets, short-term goals and daily jobs in routine environments, and times of crisis. Unfortunately it lacks creativity and doesn’t promote innovation – making it suitable for organizations that prioritize compliance over innovation. First described by Max Weber in 1947; further refined by Bernard Bass and Bruce Avolio during the ’80s.
Coaching
Pros: Coaching leadership styles focus on strengthening individual team member abilities through one-on-one conversations that assess each member’s needs and how best they can be met by the company, leading to higher-quality results for your company.
Cons: Coaching leadership styles may be demanding on leaders as it requires constant monitoring of employee progress while still giving them freedom to complete their tasks.
Commanding leadership can be invaluable when team members lack necessary expertise or need structure in order to be productive. This style creates clear expectations while simultaneously allowing quick decision making by their leader.
Bureaucratic
Bureaucratic leadership emphasizes structure, consistency and efficiency; however it may stifle innovation and flexibility. Bureaucratic styles work best in environments that rely heavily on rules and require prompt decision making processes.
This leadership style emphasizes specialized roles within an organization. This allows employees to specialize in their areas of expertise while at the same time benefitting the organization as a whole. Furthermore, following all company policies and procedures helps employees advance in their careers.
This leadership style can be useful for organizations with large teams that require clear guidance and direction from their leaders, as well as for companies that are highly regulated.
