If you’ve undergone leadership training, you probably have a good grasp of the common leadership styles. Nevertheless, several lesser-known styles might be unfamiliar to you.
Granted, the way individuals showcase their leadership abilities can differ significantly. Delving into the subtleties of the more conventional approaches and categorizing them can aid in comprehending the strengths and weaknesses of each method. Here’s a broad overview of six leadership types and their distinctive features.
- Collaborative
As the name suggests, collaborative leaders encourage their employees to collaborate to get the job done. This teamwork includes breaking down silos between departments and seeking opportunities to pool talents and energies toward common goals.
Pros: This style builds organizational trust, strengthens interpersonal relationships, promotes innovation and creativity, and boosts problem-solving efforts. The resulting synergy can lead to more successful outcomes.
Cons: Egos can get in the way unless there are well-defined responsibilities and clear expectations about the latitude teams and individuals have. Role ambiguity and interpersonal conflicts are risks too.
- Commanding
Leaders who lay out specific goals and objectives for their team and give clear directions about how staff should complete their work are viewed as commanding leaders. These individuals create a structured working environment focused on productivity and well-defined roles and responsibilities. They are not seeking input or agreement.
Pros: This perspective can give newer employees the support they need until they learn their responsibilities and develop the necessary skills. It also helps in a crisis when quick action is required.
Cons: With less autonomy, staff may hesitate to make a decision and second guess themselves. They may be worried about stepping out of line and doing anything that might be construed as challenging the leader’s instructions.
- Pacesetting
Pacesetters excel in establishing clear parameters for how work is to be accomplished and setting a schedule to be followed. These individuals likely lean toward an authoritative style. They require their people to adhere to the pace they set and not question what they say. Plus, they are apt to step in and assist if there is a risk to the project being completed on time.
Pros: Such a strong focus on results ensures meeting deadlines and ensuring quality. This leadership style facilitates early identification and mitigation of problems. Individuals reporting to this kind of leader typically deliver high performance.
Cons: The amount of oversight that pacesetting leaders employ can be disempowering for staff and may negatively impact the overall team morale. Plus, any attempt at innovation is stifled, meaning that the project may suffer.
- Servant
Servant leaders earn this name due to their drive to put the well-being of their people at the forefront. They believe that the route to success is to place their own needs second when compared to those of the organization, their employees, and their clients or customers. These leaders seek to inspire, support, and develop team members.
Pros: Placing interest and trust in others, servant leaders enhance trust, foster employee engagement, decrease staff turnover, promote cooperation, elevate performance, and establish a secure working environment.
Cons: The drawback is that these types of leaders often face higher energy demands, leading to potential burnout. Additionally, servant leaders may face criticism for perceived weaknesses, and projects under their guidance might take longer to complete.
- Situational
This leadership style is marked by a high degree of flexibility and adaptability. Situational leaders change their methods to suit the circumstances they find themselves in. They are skilled at sizing up the situation and what actions to use to nurture and direct others to achieve the best outcome.
Pros: The ability to tailor leadership methods according to the circumstances can be very impactful. Team members feel that they have what they need in the moment and success is more readily reached.
Cons: In situations with tight timelines and high demands, these leaders experience heightened pressure. Demonstrating the emotional intelligence and situational awareness required can be challenging, especially when dealing with changes in players and circumstances.
- Transactional
Transactional leaders operate with what could be called a reward and punishment mindset. They offer recognition for a job well done or penalize staff when objectives are not reached. Penalties may include canceling a work celebration or making the team stay late to finish a project.
Pros: A transactional style might function well with employees who are motivated by rewards and feel secure with direct communication and close oversight.
Cons: This ‘carrot and stick’ route can demoralize employees and extinguish any attempt at ingenuity or innovation.