Management 4

Leadership Styles Just as leaders can be found in many places in a business, there are many ways to be a leader— different styles and approaches. The six leadership styles discussed below are one way to look at leadership styles. Each of these styles sends a clear message to the team about how the leader and the team interact. Some leaders adopt one of these styles and use it every time they lead. But more effective leaders master most or all of these styles, evaluate the team and goals at hand, and choose the most appropriate style for the given situation.

A pacesetting leader says to the team, “Do as I do, now.”

The pacesetting leader is a high performer himself, and expects his team to perform with excellence and speed. The leader models the desired behaviors and expects the team to mirror it. This style works well with a highly skilled and motivated team. It can create problems when a team gets overwhelmed, or when more creativity is appropriate.

A visionary leader says to the team, “Come with me.”

The visionary leader sets out a common vision and goal for the team, and invites each individual team member to find his or her way to achieve the necessary tasks. This style works well when a new vision is appropriate and when there is latitude in how a goal may be attained. It can be counter-productive when the group knows more than the leader.

An affiliative leader says to the team, “People come first.”

Focuses first on the team and its emotional needs and the emotional health of the team as a whole. This is an appropriate style in times of stress, when a team needs some extra TLC. This style may not be appropriate when there are many pressing deadlines for a project.

A coaching leader says to the team, “Try this.”

The coaching leader is focused on the team’s professional development and offers team members opportunities to work on developing new skills or improving weaknesses. This style works well when a leader is proficient at many things and can truly help team members improve in various ways. When people are unwilling to learn, this style may not be a good use of time and resources.

A coercive leader says to the team, “Do what I tell you.”

The coercive leader gives rigid instructions and requires total compliance. This can be appropriate when there is an emergency, an extremely short time frame, or some other unusual circumstances. This style should be used sparingly because it tends to make people feel less valuable or important and often causes tension.

A democratic leader says to the team, “What do you think?”

A democratic leader encourages the participation of every team member and uses consensus-based decision-making to make sure every person is on board. This is a great method when the leader has a strong team and their buy-in is important to the

great method when the leader has a strong team and their buy-in is important to the goal. It won’t work as well when there is an emergency or the team doesn’t have enough expertise to provide helpful input.

It’s important to note that there isn’t any single leadership style that is always appropriate. Seeking consensus from a team about which way to exit the building during a fire is a terrible idea. But ordering everyone to walk out a certain door without stopping for personal belongings at the end of a regular workday is also a bad idea. By tailoring a leadership style to the particular circumstances, a leader can ensure that the team works together efficiently toward a common goal.