A good leader can step into any given situation, construct a vision for a better future, brainstorm strategies for realizing that future, and execute a plan to see it to realisation. But great leaders take it a step further by understanding their own strengths and weaknesses and by learning to practice the leadership styles that best suit them and their team, allowing them to accomplish more, compel greater change and create a legacy that extends beyond their lifetime. Great leaders follow many different types of leadership styles, but what they all have in common is that they have built some of the most powerful companies, teams, and organizations in the world.
Types of Leadership Styles-
- Servant Leadership– Servant leadership means using your leadership skills to serve a greater good. To truly be a servant leader, you must find your purpose and integrate it into everything you do. This could mean working to benefit your workplace, community, culture, or the world at large. Having a purpose is vital in business: It informs your company’s values, culture, and its success or failure.
- Democratic Leadership– Democratic leaders place a high value on the diverse skills, qualities, and knowledge of their team. They cultivate consensus within the group by consistently asking for opinions and deeply listening to the answers. Democratic leaders tap into the collective wisdom the group has to offer in order to discover the next best step and allow others to develop confidence in the leader.
- Visionary Leadership– Visionary leaders excel at finding new directions and new potential solutions to a given problem. This leadership style relies on abstract thinking and is able to visualize possibilities that others aren’t yet able to see.
- Coaching Leadership– Coaching leaders focus on cultivating deep connections that allow for a more thorough understanding of an individual’s hopes, beliefs, dreams, and values. One of the types of leadership styles that focuses on guiding rather than instructing, coaching leaders will lift their team to great heights by knowing what inspires them into action.
- Affiliative Leadership– This type of leadership style focuses on building trust within the group and creating emotional bonds that promote a sense of belonging. Affiliative leaders are very effective in times of stress or when group morale is low. This is one of the best leadership styles for repairing broken trust in the workplace, improving communication, and fostering a sense of team harmony.
- Commanding Leadership– Commanding personalities are one of the most effective leadership styles in times of crisis when quick decisions need to be made. This type of leadership style is also common in top-down organizations, such as the government and the military.
There is no “right” or “one-size-fits-all” leadership style. The world needs all types of leadership styles to fit various situations, challenges, and obstacles. Sometimes, a problem is best solved by combining different leadership styles.