Leadership Skills

Leadership Styles

Leaders behave differently in their interpersonal relationships and communication preferences. Those differences are often referred to as a person's leadership style. There are as many leadership styles as their are leadership theories, and people are likely to alter behaviors based on the specific group or situation.

Several common leadership styles are:

Authoritarian: This type of leader believes in direct supervision of subordinates. The leader is in charge, and those following the leader must behave as directed. It is rigid, but this type of leadership is good in some situations, such as the military. There are generally no disagreements about decisions because the leader has complete control. Decisions are made quickly.
Transactional: This leadership style is based on rewards and punishments, and the leader believes that the only way to motivate followers is to reward them for good behavior and punish them for bad behavior. This style is based on an exchange for performance. This type of leadership style works when efficiency and standard practices are outlined.
Democratic: This type of leader shares the decision-making with members of the group. With this type of leader, everyone contributes to the final decision, thus empowering members to speak up and become involved. As a rule, a democratic leadership style improves productivity and increases moral; however, there may be conflict about decisions if some member’s ideas are not incorporated. It takes time to consult and come to a decision.
Transformational: This type of leader challenges team members by creating a vision and inspiring members to follow that vision. This type of leadership style works well with groups that must be innovative and in situations where change is expected. Members are motivated by being empowered with a sense of purpose.
Laissez-faire: In this leadership style, there is no leader—every person is empowered to make a decision regarding the work at hand. This style is appropriate for situations where skilled or experienced members work independently without need for interaction.

It should be noted that many people distinguish between a manager and a leader. According to Peter Drucker, "Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right thing.” In most organizations, managers and leaders have different roles: managers ensure that employees have the right supplies, training, and authority to conduct their work; leaders have the knowledge, skills, and experience to step forward and lead the task.

There are other, lesser-known leadership styles, and an individual may switch between styles depending on the situation. Some other styles include charismatic, bureaucratic, ambassador, servant, parental, innovator, stabilizer, developer, mentor, facilitator, inspirational, and so on. Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee (2002, Primal Leadership) identified six styles: visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, and commanding. To determine how developed your primal leadership skills are, take this brief assessment. (You are not required to purchase anything.)

For a different leadership skills assessment, take this one from Your Leadership Legacy. This is informational only, and you are not required to subscribe to or purchase anything.

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Velda Arnaud, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Lead, Educate, Serve Society
leadeducateserve@gmail.com