From our editorial team to our readers:
It’s important that you keep in mind that, in the various topics we address week after week, we will always contribute our part to make reading the contributions of experts in each field more engaging.
Specifically, regarding today’s topic, about what can be a reflection of your leadership style—as we say in the title, «the way you drive your car is a reflection of your leadership style»—leadership as a discipline can be considered a fairly flexible principle, as it is not a rigid formula or a set of immutable rules, but rather a dynamic process of influence that must constantly adapt to circumstances.
When we face rigid leadership, it is the most direct way for this characteristic to lead the leader directly to failure, while flexibility allows the leader to be effective in a wide variety of scenarios. And today, the combination of change and the ability to respond to challenges and problems makes this type of flexibility prevail in the way we lead. A generation of current leaders are forced to understand human aspects much more, be empathetic, motivating, and especially sensitive to the concerns of their staff.
It should be noted that this change is due to certain main reasons that explain this flexibility, such as:
- The context
- The diverse situations that arise
Leadership is not the same in all situations. A style that works at one time can be disastrous at another.
- The leader must encourage creativity, listen to everyone, and create a safe space for ideas to emerge.
- In a long-term project with an experienced team: delegative or «laissez-faire» leadership can be ideal, as it empowers the team and relies on their experience.
- Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership theory is based precisely on this idea: the leader must adapt their style (directing, persuading, participating, or delegating) according to the team’s level of maturity and competence.
Therefore, we must not lose sight of the essence of people management because teams are different; each person and each team has different needs, skills, and motivations. A flexible leader understands this and adjusts their approach.
- We must not forget the essential point of this subject: that there is no single leadership style.
Management history and theory have identified multiple leadership styles, which demonstrates that there is no single way to be a good leader. A flexible leader does not stick to a single style, but rather knows how to combine elements of several:
Autocratic leadership: makes unilateral decisions.
Democratic leadership: involves the team in decision-making.
Laissez-Faire leadership: delegates and gives complete freedom.
Transformational leadership: inspires and motivates through a shared vision.
Transactional leadership: relies on a system of rewards and punishments.
Servant leadership: puts the team’s needs first.
Therefore, the most effective leader is one who has a broad repertoire and knows which tool to use at the right time.
The 6 Most Common Leadership Styles and How to Find Yours
This contribution corresponds to the portal of Lausanne – International Institute for Management Development, Switzerland.
We are an independent academic institution with close ties to the business world and a strong focus on impact. Through our Executive Education, MBA, Executive MBA, and consulting programs, we help leaders and policymakers navigate complexity and change.
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Leadership itself is a fairly flexible principle.
Generally, most leaders adapt their leadership styles to their situation.
This is especially true the longer they lead.
They adapt their leadership style as they learn and interact with their employees.
To become a more successful leader, leaders must understand their current leadership style.
In this article, we will answer the question «what is a leadership style?» and analyze six of the most common leadership styles and their effectiveness.
The six most common leadership styles are:
Transformational Leadership
Delegative Leadership
Authoritarian Leadership
Transactional Leadership
Participative Leadership
Servant Leadership
What is a leadership style?
A leadership style refers to a leader’s methods, characteristics, and behaviors when leading, motivating, and managing their teams.
A leader’s style is defined by various factors, such as personality, values, skills, and experiences, and can have a significant impact on their leadership effectiveness.
Understanding your leadership style is crucial, as it influences every aspect of your leadership, from daily interactions with team members to crucial decision-making moments. Research consistently shows that leaders who know their style and can articulate their approach are more effective at building trust, driving performance, and creating positive organizational cultures.
Strategies, Plans, and Change
A leadership style also determines how leaders develop their strategy, implement plans, and respond to change, while managing stakeholder expectations and the well-being of their team.
It affects how they communicate expectations, provide feedback, manage conflict, and inspire others to achieve common goals.
Leadership style also influences how they delegate responsibilities, make decisions under pressure, and adapt to different team dynamics and organizational contexts.
In many cases, leaders express a wide range of leadership styles and likely adapt them based on their situation.
However, a leader typically has one predominant style that they tend to express most frequently: their natural leadership style.
The most effective leaders develop what researchers call «leadership agility,»
the ability to recognize when their natural style may not be the most appropriate for a particular situation and consciously modify their approach.
This flexibility allows them to meet the needs of their team without losing fidelity to their core leadership values.
The key isn’t finding the «perfect» leadership style, but rather understanding their natural tendencies, recognizing their strengths and limitations, and developing the skills to adapt when circumstances require a different approach.
Why is it important to know your own leadership style?
As a leader, understanding your leadership style is crucial to your success.
By understanding your own leadership style, you’ll be able to determine how it affects those you directly influence.
It will also help you identify your leadership strengths and define what leadership skills you need to develop.
Some leaders can already categorize their current leadership style, recognizing whether it makes them effective or how their employees perceive them.
But this isn’t always the case. Generally, leaders can categorize their style; however, they often exhibit traits of many other leadership styles.
Detailed feedback is an easy way to understand your leadership style.
Asking those you lead to provide open and honest feedback is a useful exercise.
Doing so will allow you to adapt the characteristics of your style to your daily responsibilities as a leader.
Where will your leadership journey take you?
At IMD, we have been transforming leaders around the world for over 75 years. Let us help you shape the next chapter of your success story with our high-impact leadership development programs.
Explore our programs
- Transformational Leadership
We’ve probably all been in a group situation where someone took control, communicated with the group, and created a shared vision.
Creating unity, developing bonds, generating energy, and instilling passion. This person is most likely considered a transformational leader.
Transformational leadership is a leadership style that emphasizes change and transformation. Leaders who adopt this approach strive to inspire their followers to achieve more than they ever imagined, harnessing their potential.
This type of leadership can be very effective in organizations seeking to make significant changes or transformations.
Some of the key characteristics of transformational leadership include:
– Future-focus: Transformational leaders always look ahead and think about what needs to be done to achieve the organization’s goals. They inspire their followers to do the same.
– Focus on change: Transformational leaders are comfortable with change and understand that it is necessary for organizational success. They strive to ensure their followers are comfortable with change and can adapt to it.
– Focus on people: Transformational leaders see the potential in each of their followers. They strive to develop their followers’ individual strengths and abilities so they can reach their full potential.
- Delegative Leadership
Often referred to as «laissez-faire,» the delegative leadership style focuses on delegating the initiative to team members.
It is considered one of the least intrusive forms of leadership; this translates as «let them do it.» Therefore, it is considered a very passive leadership style.
Leaders who adopt this style trust their employees and believe they will do their jobs.
They do not micromanage or overly involve themselves in providing feedback or guidance.
In contrast, delegative leaders allow employees to use their creativity, resources, and experience to help them achieve their goals.
This can be a successful leadership strategy if team members are competent and take responsibility for their work. However, delegative leadership can also lead to disagreements among team members and divide the group.
Adapting to this leadership style can be challenging for newcomers, or for existing staff members, to understand who is in charge and responsible for results. Therefore, this leadership style must be monitored.
- Authoritarian Leadership
Authoritarian leaders are often considered visionaries.
Those who adopt this style consider themselves mentors to their followers.
Not to be confused with authoritarian leadership, authoritarian leadership emphasizes a «follow-me» approach. In this way, leaders chart a course and encourage those around them to follow it.
Leaders with authoritarian traits tend to motivate and inspire those around them. They provide overall direction and provide their teams with guidance, feedback, and motivation. This promotes a sense of accomplishment.
The authoritarian leadership style relies heavily on knowing each team member.
This allows the leader to provide more personalized guidance and feedback, helping people achieve success.
This means that authoritarian leaders must be able to adapt, especially as their team size grows.
Authoritarian leadership is very hands-on, but leaders must be careful not to micromanage. This is a tendency in this style, which can be overwhelming for team members and generate negative feelings.
Learn how to develop leaders prepared for change and complexity, and why adaptability is critical for long-term success.
- Transactional Leadership
Transactional leadership, often referred to as managerial leadership, is a leadership style that relies on rewards and punishments.
This leadership style clearly emphasizes structure, assuming that people might not have the motivation to complete their tasks.
With this reward-based system, a leader establishes clear goals or tasks for the team. Leaders also clarify how their teams will be rewarded (or punished) for their work. Rewards can take a variety of forms, but typically involve financial compensation, such as a salary or bonus.
This «give-and-take» leadership style focuses more on efficiently following established routines and procedures than on making transformative organizational changes.
Transactional leadership establishes roles and responsibilities for each employee.
However, if employees are constantly unaware of the value of their efforts, it can result in diminished results. Therefore, incentives should be consistent with the company’s goals and supported by additional recognition.
- Participative Leadership
Sometimes known as democratic leadership, participative leadership is a leadership style that encourages leaders to listen to their employees and involve them in the decision-making process.
This leadership style requires leaders to be inclusive, use good communication skills, and, crucially, be able to share power and responsibility.
When a leader adopts a participative leadership style, they encourage collaboration through accountability.
This often leads to a collective team effort to identify problems and develop solutions rather than assigning individual blame.
This leadership style has historically prevailed and has been used by many leaders in various organizations. However, as work habits have changed (accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic) and teams have become more decentralized, this leadership style has become more complex.
Spontaneous, open, and frank communication is often associated with a participative leadership style. Remote work or virtual teams can make it particularly difficult to maintain.
Participative leadership is often the preferred option, as it helps build trust with employees, empowering them and encouraging them to share their ideas on key issues, thereby demonstrating their value to the team.
- Servant Leadership
Servant leadership is a leadership style that prioritizes the needs of others. It focuses on building strong relationships with those around you and enabling them to reach their full potential. As a leader, it requires understanding the people you work with and developing their skills, while also setting a good example and understanding their personal goals.
At its core, servant leadership is based on ethical decision-making; following this model will make it more likely that decisions will be made based on what is best for everyone involved, rather than benefiting only a few. This approach fosters an environment where creativity and problem-solving thrive, as team members feel empowered to suggest new solutions and leverage the ideas of others.
Additionally, following the principles of servant leadership can result in better communication between all parties involved, from senior management to frontline employees. By considering the opinions of subordinates, leaders can prevent potential conflicts, maintaining healthy relationships and a calm work environment. Ultimately, these qualities help create a greater sense of loyalty among team members, which in turn translates into greater overall productivity.
How to Determine My Leadership Style
Determining your leadership style is key to the success of your team, your organization, and your growth as a leader.
This contribution corresponds to the Harvard Business Review website.
The author is Lian Parsons.
Lian Parsons is a writer and journalist based in Boston. She is currently a digital content producer at Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education. Her articles can be found in the Harvard Gazette, Boston Art Review, Radcliffe Magazine, Experience Magazine, and iPondr.
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