The 6 Different Styles Of Leadership
“The best leaders don’t know just one style of leadership – they are skilled at several, and have the flexibility to switch between styles as the circumstances dictate.”
To be a good leader, you need to master a set of skills.
One of the most important is ‘emotional intelligence’ or the ability to recognise and understand emotions and know how they influence others.
The term was popularised by the psychologist and author Daniel Goleman who wrote the bestselling book Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More Than IQ.
Goleman argues that in a work environment, a leader needs to respond to his or her colleagues' diverse emotional needs. The most talented know that different approaches are required depending on the situation.
So how many approached are there?
His research revealed six distinct styles to master. Learning how to apply each one takes practice, but the results will be self-evident. Think of them as different “leadership languages” that you use depending on the situation.
Here’s a quick overview of each one:
1. The Coercive Style - ‘The Boss’
This is the dominant, more ‘macho’ leadership style often associated with military figures. It is appropriate in emergencies and difficult situations but otherwise will tend to discourage the team, especially for more creative members and projects.
2. The Authoritative Style - ‘The Visionary’
This style focuses on the goal or vision of the future and inspires others to follow. This is most appropriate when a new direction is required or clarification of the team’s goals. Visionary leaders are often described as “mavericks”.
3. The Affiliative Style - ‘The Carer’
Here the focus is on people, team building, bonding and creating relationships. This style is useful in the creation of teams or for healing dysfunctional relationships.
4. The Democratic Style - ‘The Listener’
A democratic leader values the views and opinions of their team heavily. They ask plenty of questions and involve all stakeholders. This is a good style to adopt when involving a wide range of people in decision making or building a consensus.
5. The Pacesetting Style - ‘The Hustler’
This kind of leader sets an example by working to extremely high standards of performance. This is useful to raise the stakes when a competent and motivated team is working well. Just watch out for the tendency to “micromanage”.
6. The Coaching Style - ‘The Mentor’
This style focuses on improving people’s strengths and is especially useful in building skills to develop managers and future leaders. It’s about empowering people to realise their potential.
If you’re interested in learning more about leadership then try our Leadership & Teams course or sign up for our upcoming course on Creative Leadership.
