You may have heard the saying “A company is only as good as its employees”.

But there is more to this saying. Because even if a company has the best of the best in the industry, it is not enough to hire exceptional people.

The company still has nothing of value to offer the world unless it has a strong leader. The manager must also give all employees a clear direction. Otherwise, even the best employees will not bring the desired results for the company.

Business professionals also agree that the way an organization works is directly related to how it is run. It doesn’t matter whether the company is trying to secure a quick round of financing from a bank or strategically planning mergers and acquisitions. The point is that leaders need to be critical in making sure everyone else is going together in the right direction. This is the only way for the company to achieve its goals efficiently.

Leadership styles can vary widely, and the leaders themselves can vary widely based on their approaches.

Different leadership styles can inspire their teams to act in different ways. This is also the reason why certain organizations are more successful and productive compared to others.

If you are or would like to become a leader, it is also important to identify your leadership style. By doing this, you will be able to take advantage of the best aspects of various leadership styles and grow as a leader.

There is no authoritative list that everyone follows regarding leadership styles. However, various lists are circulating on the Internet or are mentioned in management textbooks. For example, Goleman, Boyatzi’s, and Mckee’s book, Primal Leadership, outlines a quite useful list of six leadership styles.

Here are the six leadership styles according to the book:

Directive or commands

Authoritarian or the stereotypical “big bosses” fall under the directive or commanding style of leadership.

To them, the leader is the only one with authority to make decisions, and members are expected to obey his orders without question. Regardless of whether they really understand or agree with the goal, each member just needs to follow the boss.

This type of leader causes employees to act in fear, which leads to a toxic work environment. While this can lead to high productivity, it is not emotionally sustainable. This can then lead to high fluctuation rates.

Many business and leadership professionals oppose this type of leadership. However, you should note that this type of guided tour will be useful in certain circumstances.

An example is emergencies where quick decision-making is critical and too many voices can lead to confusion.

It is also gratifying that this leadership style is still the standard in several cultures and in almost every military power in the world.

visionary

The visionary leadership style is used by leaders who have a long-term and concrete vision of where the organization needs to go. They then use it to guide their members. Everyone in an organization with this leadership style knows where they are going and is motivated by the knowledge that even the seemingly mundane tasks contribute to a larger goal.

Visionary leadership can increase productivity, but only if managers can clearly communicate their vision. This means that the message has to be understood right down to the lowest rungs.

There is one cause for concern, however: the refinement of details along the road. Executives and members can focus on the big picture in such a way that they overlook the small steps that are necessary to achieve the vision.

partner

Affiliative leadership focuses on maintaining group cohesion and harmony. The leader’s goal is to build strong bonds with members to foster mutual trust and communication.

This means that members feel comfortable around their leader, whom they consider both a friend and a colleague.

Everyone can work efficiently in a fear-free and panic-free workplace. Employees tend to work with a leader who listens.

However, when there are serious and sensitive issues to be resolved, a bold approach in an organization with an affiliative leadership style can be detrimental. This is because emotions could get the upper hand. You can prevent the leader from confronting members when they are needed.

Democratic / Participative

As the term suggests, democratic leadership means that there is a leader who really takes everyone’s opinions and concerns into account. Members can express their opinions, which the chairman has heard openly, before a final decision is made.

Members who work for a democratic leader feel respected and heard, which motivates them to be productive. However, if members have poor judgment, the leader is at risk of making bad decisions. Additionally, this may not work in cases where quick decisions need to be made, as interviewing each member is counterproductive and simply inefficient.

Pacemaking

A trend-setting leader is usually a high performer. He or she then expects his or her followers to follow suit. The manager wants everyone to follow in their footsteps and achieve excellent results.

A good situation where the clock style works well is when the company needs to do a task at a specific time.

However, regular use of this leadership style, like directed leadership, would not be sustainable in the long term. This is because it leads to more burnouts and high turnover.

Coaching

A leader, who is also a coach, focuses on the long-term progress of their members by supporting them. The aim is to develop their talents and skills.

Coaching leaders are dedicated to leading and challenging their colleagues so they can make continuous progress. They are considered to be mentors who can provide excellent advice and feedback.

This type of leadership promotes a healthy work environment in which employees are encouraged and inspired to learn from their superiors. However, because coaching takes so much time and energy, teaching slow learners can be counterproductive. This gets worse when there are people who are actually unqualified for their position.

However, strictly following one style of leadership will not work in all circumstances.

Remember: a good leader needs to be able to adapt to changing circumstances. Also, none are generally better than the others as they work well for certain situations. For example, tactical and directive leadership styles are often viewed as bad, but can still bring many advantages in the short term.

Aside from changing goals and unforeseen challenges, many other factors can change a person’s primary leadership style. These are:

• National culture: There are cross-cultural studies of leadership styles that have been carried out around the world. Norway and Sweden, for example, have democratic leaders who act as mediators in long dialogues with their constituents. China and Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, prefer directive leadership, where the leaders of the team or organization are the sole decision-makers.
• Industry: Companies in creative areas such as marketing or advertising are more likely to have democratic and affiliative leaders, while companies that rely heavily on sales are more likely to have pacemakers.
• Even: This affects a person’s personality and values, which are shaped by a multitude of other factors. This includes one’s own upbringing, individual experiences, education and so on. Put simply, these important factors determine your own leadership style.
• Members: When deciding on a leadership style, a leader should consider the personality of the members of the team and the organization. Some people don’t mind following the directions of a commanding leader, while others want their input to be taken into account in making decisions.

Increasing and maintaining a company’s productivity can be challenging. For this reason, managers need to adapt their leadership style and also use those who are outside their comfort zone.

It can take a long time to find the best combination of leadership styles for your business. Remember, however, that there is no one-size-fits-all formula for leadership, so keep trying until you succeed!

Written by Rumzz Bajwa

Rumzz is a digital strategist and content marketer. She enjoys spending time with her family. She loves going out and experiencing new moments when they come out. Rumzz finds satisfaction in exploring new topics that help broaden her perspective. You can often find them in a good book or looking for a new experience.