Benefits: The bureaucratic leadership style can be efficient in organizations that need to follow strict rules and regulations. These leaders separate work from relationships to avoid clouding the team's ability to hit goals. Challenges: This style does not promote creativity which can feel restricting to some employees. This leadership style is also slow to change and does not thrive in an environment that needs to be dynamic. Example: Managers at a Department of Motor Vehicles office instruct their employees to work within a specific, defined framework.
They must take many steps to complete a task with strict order and rules. As someone who is interested in the leadership path or looking for more structure in their leadership approach, it can be helpful to choose a leadership style that feels authentic to you. Some questions you may ask yourself when trying to determine which style is right for you include:. What does a healthy team dynamic look like to me?
These are just a few examples of questions to ask yourself while reading through leadership styles to help you decide which style you relate most with. To develop your leadership style consider these strategies:. Try out varied approaches in different circumstances and pay attention to the outcome. Be flexible in changing out your approach. Seek a mentor. Speaking with a leader with more experience than yourself can offer great insight into how they developed their style and what worked for them.
Ask for feedback. Although sometimes hard to hear, constructive feedback helps you grow into a successful leader. Seek feedback from individuals you trust that will give you an honest answer. Be authentic. If you are trying to perfect a leadership style that is in opposition to your personality or morals, it will come across as inauthentic.
While a certain leadership style may be impactful in a specific job—for example, autocratic leaders tend to do well in military settings—the best leadership is using a blend of these styles. Knowing what style to enforce in workplace situations comes with time, practice and emotional intelligence. Remember, most leaders borrow from a variety of styles to achieve various goals at different times in their careers. While you may have excelled in a role using one type of leadership, another position may require a different set of habits to ensure your team is operating most effectively.
Related: 7 Types of Workplace Management Theories. Find jobs. Company reviews. Find salaries. Upload your resume. Sign in. Career Development. The importance of developing a leadership style. Image description Common leadership styles: 1. Types of leadership styles. Coaching leadership style. Are supportive Offer guidance instead of giving commands Value learning as a way of growing Ask guided questions Balance relaying knowledge and helping others find it themselves Are self-aware.
Visionary leadership style. Servant leadership style. Motivate your team Have excellent communication skills Personally care about your team Encourage collaboration and engagement Commit to growing your team professionally. Autocratic leadership style. Have self-confidence Are self-motivated Communicate clearly and consistently Follow the rules Are dependable Value highly structured environments Believe in supervised work environments.
Laissez-faire or hands-off leadership style. Effectively delegate Believe in freedom of choice Provide sufficient resources and tools Will take control if needed Offer constructive criticism Foster leadership qualities in your team Promote an autonomous work environment.
Democratic or participative leadership style. Value group discussions Provide all information to the team when making decisions Promote a work environment where everyone shares their ideas Are rational Are flexible Are good at mediation. Pacesetter leadership style.
Set a high bar Focus on goals Are slow to praise Will jump in to hit goals if needed Are highly competent Value performance over soft skills. Transformational leadership style. Have mutual respect with your team Provide encouragement Inspires others to achieve their goals Think of the big picture Places value on intellectually challenging your team Are creative Have a good understanding of organizational needs.
Transactional leadership style. Bureaucratic leadership style. Are detail-oriented and task-focused Value rules and structure Have a great work ethic Are strong-willed Have a commitment to your organization Are self-disciplined.
How to choose and develop your leadership style. What do I value more—goals or relationships? Do I believe in structure or freedom of choice? Would I rather make a decision on my own, or collectively?
Do I focus on short or long-term goals? Does motivation come from empowerment or direction? What Is a Commodity? Plus 4 Types of Commodities. Lean vs. Six Sigma: Definitions, Similarities and Differences. Procedural leadership thrives in organisations where the procedures are sound, sensible, and open to refinement. If a leader is responsible for implementing strategy according to procedures that are decided further up the chain as part of an ongoing process, then procedural leadership can be an effective way to motivate staff.
If the procedures are out of date, or if dogma prevents them from being examined and refined, this style of leadership becomes less effective. This is especially true if subordinates are aware of the procedural shortfall: If suggestions are made to improve things based on lived experience, and then ignored by leadership because they do not fit with how things are usually done, people may become stifled and disillusioned. Transformational leaders present a vision for the organisation and set goals to enable their subordinates to make this a reality.
Employees feel motivated and empowered , and as a result, this leadership style is associated with happy and engaged teams. A relatively large amount of control and freedom is afforded to employees, but there is a risk that transformational leadership will neglect the smaller picture.
Transformational leadership is useful in situations where staff achieve at different levels. An effective leader will set paces specific to the capabilities of each individual, meaning that while all staff are working toward the same goals, individual staff members have deadlines and targets to reflect their ability. The phrase "outside of your comfort zone" is applicable here: A transformational leader may aim to keep their subordinates just beyond their comfort zone so that continuous progress - or transformation - is possible.
All of this goal setting is done with a vision in mind, and constant course correction increases the likelihood of the vision becoming a reality. Transformational leadership requires a level of vigilance not necessarily required by others.
If bespoke deadlines and targets are set, these must be managed and supervised to ensure they are correct: Left unchecked, staff can become stressed, demotivated, and ineffective if things are too hard or too easy.
Thanks to a strong focus on the bigger picture, a transformational leader risks losing sight of the smaller things. Though subordinates have some level of freedom in deciding how to achieve their goals and targets, leadership is required to make sure things stay on track. Participative leadership sees leaders working alongside their team in a way that has not been seen in previous leadership styles. Employees are involved in decision making, and tasks are delegated downward from the leadership, implying a sense of trust.
This leadership style is useful when expertise is distributed throughout an organisation but leadership needs to have a final input to ensure things are done correctly. Success is arrived at through the creation of an environment where everyone feels a sense of ownership over the organisation and its achievements. Focus is given to the development of subordinates, too: They are able to exercise authority and to strengthen their participatory skills, which will stand them in good stead for the rest of their career.
In participatory leadership, the leader may make a unilateral decision after evaluating the input of everybody who contributed, or they may decide to open up the decision to a vote.
This exchange of managerial authority for subordinate freedom can become a drawback if the leadership team are unable to maintain effective control, or if subordinates do not engage in a meaningful way. In laissez-faire leadership, structures and processes are determined by the skills of the team, rather than being dictated from above. Leadership comes from facilitating this environment and steering the course of decisions being made.
In many ways, it is left up to subordinates to decide the best way to work. This is a non-intrusive style of leadership, useful in a healthy organisation where employees are motivated, capable, and willing. Also in organisations where a non-hierarchical structure is being nurtured, and where expertise is not centralised at the top of the chain of authority.
In a start-up where staff are few and highly qualified for example, there is a lot of merit to letting each team member contribute to the direction of the company. In this situation, laissez-faire leadership can shine.
Because of this very hands-off approach and its very specific organisational requirements, laissez-faire leadership can quickly devolve into a malaise where nobody feels motivated to contribute. Leaders using this style must be aware of its limitations. While consensus suggests there are five key leadership styles - those outlined above - you may come across some other terms. Some of these are full leadership styles proposed by other theorists, while others are traits or behaviours that sit alongside leadership styles.
Charismatic leadership is considered by some theorists to be a standalone style, where the action is achieved by inspiring people to make a change. Transactional leadership is also considered a standalone theory by some, rather than an alias for authoritarian leadership. When this is the case, rewards and punishment are used to encourage or discourage actions taken toward the achievement of the goals that have been determined. In coaching , a leader links the goals of the individual with those of the organisation and develops both with a focus on the future.
There are many similarities between coaching and transformational leadership: The key differentiator is the setting they exist within. When this is the case, words like disenfranchised, disengaged, disillusioned, and dissenting start to enter the picture. Your subordinates will not feel valued and their full potential will not be realised, and negative feelings will eventually make themselves manifest. To avoid this situation, a solid understanding of your strengths and weaknesses is vital.
Strengths can be built upon and leveraged; weaknesses can be improved upon and avoided. Listing your own perceived abilities and shortfalls is a good place to start, and asking your team for their thoughts will offer a deeper level of insight.
An understanding of your strengths and weaknesses will help you to identify your leadership abilities, as will an understanding of where you sit on the various spectrums outlined above.
As you begin to understand your strengths, weaknesses, priorities, and the interplay between them, you will see how your traits map onto the leadership styles outlined above. Instead, there is information to guide you toward a better understanding of the aims of your organisation, your leadership style, and the optimal combination.
A successful manager will provide the right infrastructure for subordinates to build upon and perform within, based on a solid understanding of the situation, effective strategy, and the required technical information and tools. They will also accept responsibility for failure within the infrastructure that has been created, and use this to implement changes rather than to punish. Effective management relies on understanding the capability of subordinates, the complexity of the situation, and to lead in a way that yields the best results.
The best managers become invested in the development of the people around them, and helping them to realise their potential. They will demonstrate the ability to move effectively between leadership styles, rather than trying to force one style onto a situation regardless of its effectiveness. A great leader will also reflect on their own capabilities with a view to improving on all of these points.
This leadership style is often admired and can be effective in creative work environments that don't require quick decisions. Laissez-faire leadership: Laissez-faire leaders have a hands-off approach and let their employees assume responsibility in the decision-making process, although they must still set employee expectations and monitor performance. This leadership style can be effective when working with highly experienced and confident employees.
Servant leadership: Servant leaders share power and decision-making with their subordinates and often direct the organization based on the interests of the team. This leadership style can be effective for humanitarian organizations, nonprofits, and teams that need to create diversity, inclusion, and morale. Situational leadership: Situational leaders can implement a range of leadership types and modify their style based on the needs of their employees and the environment.
Because of its versatility, this type of leadership can be effective in most organizations. This leadership style can be effective for teams who are motivated by rewards. Transformational leadership: Similar to charismatic leaders, transformational leaders use their inspiring energy and personality to create an infectious workplace.
This type is often more effective than charismatic leadership, as it also motivates teams to build confidence and accountability. It can be effective in organizations that have intellectual team members who thrive in interactive environments. Why it is important to understand your leadership style According to Lindor, self-awareness is the foundation of a good leader.
Business News Daily Staff. Skye Schooley is a staff writer at business. In addition to researching and analyzing products that help business owners launch and grow their business, Skye writes on topics aimed at building better professional culture, like protecting employee privacy, managing human capital, improving communication, and fostering workplace diversity and culture.
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