The most common leadership styles and how I found mine (Expert Insights)

Imagine the managers who inspire you – each your own leadership style and drive success in a unique way. I think leadership styles are important enough to shape how companies work, affect corporate culture and influence team performance.

I led a boutique marketing agency and most agree with the democratic leadership, the cooperation and joint decision-making. At the beginning of my career, I have to lead myself to transaction or mass, but my team and business have strengthened the adjustment of my approach.

If you understand your leadership style, you can become a more effective guide. In this article I will research common leadership styles and the determination of the best fit.

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Why is it important to know your leadership style?

If you know your leadership style, you can give employees appropriate guidance and feedback and better understand your thoughts how to make decisions and strategies that you can consider when implementing business decisions.

It can also help you understand how your direct reports see you and why you may give you a specific feedback.

For example, if the employees feel suffocated at work and do not have many ways to find out about their opinion, they can tell them that they are an autocratic leader who can benefit from changing their style.

That’s why I’m always so big in feedback – it enables me to constantly re -evaluate my Leadership features and whether this situation needs it. Are most of my team members introverted? Then I need your feedback on whether I am under pressure too prematurely or too abrasive.

Do not forget – every leadership style has its pitfalls and enables you to proactively address areas of improvement. This is crucial because some employees hesitate to speak even in an anonymous survey.

Are you ready to find out your leadership styles? Take a look at the most common styles below.

Types of leadership styles

1. Democratic leadership
2. Autocratic guidance
3. Laissez-Faire leadership
4. Strategic leadership
5. Transformation management
6. Transaction management
7. Coaching leadership
8. Bureaucratic leadership
9. Visionary leadership
10. Speed ​​management
11. Situational leadership

1. Democratic leadership

Also mentioned: Participative or relieved leadership

The democratic leadership is exactly what it sounds – the guide makes decisions based on the contributions of each team member. Although the leader is the one who makes the last call, each employee has the same say in the development of the project.

Democratic leaders often have the following features:

• Inclusive.
• Collaborative.
• Effective communicator.
• Authorize
• Supporting and sensitive.
• Trust construction.
• Emotionally intelligent.

Why this leadership style works for companies

This leadership style is similar to that managers often make decisions in the meetings of the company committee.

For example, a democratic leader could give the team a few decisions in connection with the board in a company board meeting.

You could then open a discussion about any option. After a discussion, this guide could take into account the thoughts and feedback from the board, or she could open this decision to vote.

Why this leadership style works

The democratic leadership style is one of the most effective, since it all encourages to participate in all processes, share their opinions and know that they will hear them.

It also encourages employees to get involved because they know that they will hear their feedback.

Team members have the feeling that they have space to participate can also increase the strengthening, motivation and participation of the employees.

Potential challenges

Reaching a consensus can take a lot of time, resources and communication with the democratic style. It can also affect decision-making, since some team members may not have the right know-how to make critical decisions.

My experience as a democratic leader

I have identified myself as a democratic leader over time. In the past, I might have been more based on a transaction or pacemaker approach and adapted to the needs of my surroundings and my projects. But the democratic leadership feels like at home – it agrees with the one that I am and how I naturally work.

This leadership style enables me to use my team’s collective intelligence, promote cooperation and to evaluate various perspectives. The rewards are immense, but also the challenges.

I approach life with the attitude that everyone knows something that I don’t do. It is an enriching philosophy, but the consensus of the group can be a serious buoyancy. The balance of inclusiveness with efficiency is a constant dance.

While I live on open discussions and joint decisions, I am aware that not everyone is pleasant. Some team members may feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of the contribution, and I have to remember that what excited me could feel for others.

Navigating in this leadership style requires awareness, adaptability and patience. But at the end of the day, the feeling of unity and the common purpose, which it promotes, makes the effort more than worth.

In Dharmesh Shahs Free eBook, teaching about leadership The value of these goals is highlighted as a service for employees.

Real relationships build trust and give employees a reason to work beyond the salary check. The opportunities for the contribution help employees to feel valued.

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2. Autocratic guidance

Also mentioned: Authoritarian, mandatory or commanding leadership

The autocratic leadership is in a strong contrast to democratic leadership. Here, decisions are exclusively in the hands of the guide, with hardly any or no entries from subordinates.

Define characteristics:

• Centralized decision making.
• Direct, top-down communication.
• Minimal delegation of authority.
• Limited team autonomy.
• Strong emphasis on hierarchy and control.
• Resistance to feedback or criticism.

Although this leadership style is not a long -term solution, this leadership style proves in high -pressure situations that demand immediate actions. In emergencies or crises, a relevant leader can quickly implement strategies without waiting for consensus.

Why this leadership style works for companies

Autocratic managers carry out strategies and guidelines with absolute focus.

Autocratic managers promote the execution with laser focus. If the time is of crucial importance, a crucial guide can quickly act without delays without delays if they are faced with high missions.

Why this leadership style works

This approach works best when it comes to complex problems in which uninformed entries can derail progress. It offers clear guidelines, compensates for gaps in team experience and ensures efficient execution.

Responsible parties can make a decision and give the employees a clear sense of instructions, and it can also compensate for the lack of experience in a team.

Potential challenges

A rigid top-down culture can suffocate morality, innovation and long-term engagement. Without collaboration, companies risk the employees who lead to dissatisfaction and high sales.

Imagine a manager in a restaurant that constantly changes the weekly hours of the waiter. Nobody would be happy and the friction will always be assembled.

Further challenges with autocratic managers are:

• Intimidation.
• Micromatory.
• Takes over via a single leader.

3. Laissez-Faire leadership

Also mentioned: Delegative or hand-off leadership

If you remember your high school French, you will assume that the leadership of Laissez-Faire is the most powerful, least disturbing form of leadership. The French term “Laissez-Faire” literally means “let them do”.

Managers who accept it give their employees almost all authority and do not take control of the project or the situation, unless it is code red.

Some important features of the Laissez-Faire leadership are:

• Limited instructions, direction and feedback.
• Minimal interference and control.
• High autonomy and freedom.
• Authorization and trust.

Why this leadership style works for companies

Laissez-Faire executives blame employees for their work without suppressing them with unnecessary tasks. This gives many employees an incentive to approach their work more creatively.

This type of manager often creates a more relaxed corporate culture. This makes it a good model for creative companies such as advertising agencies or product design. It also fits well with a company in which the teams are very focused and full of experienced specialists.

Why this leadership style works

In a young startup you could see a founder of the Laissez -Faire Company, for example, which does not hide large office guidelines in terms of working hours or periods.

They could fully trust their employees while concentrating on the general functionality of the management of the company.

Due to this high trust, employees who work for Laissez-Faire guides are valued, but also want to appear to repay the trust. You will receive the information you need and use your resources and experience to achieve the business goals.

Potential challenges

Although the leadership of Laissez-Faire can strengthen employees by trusting them to work as they want, there are disadvantages.

It can restrict team development and a challenge for new or inexperienced employees who would benefit from instructions if they are increased. Roles and responsibilities can also become unclear, and a culture of working in silos can build up in which people may work more autonomously than a coherent group.

This style can lead to critical growth and learning opportunities for companies overlook. It is therefore important to keep this leadership style in chess.

Experience as a Laissez-Faire leader

Meg Prater is the head of the content strategy and operations at Drift Kings Media. Prater describes himself as a mixture of Laissez-Faire and coaching guide styles.

Prater says: “I like to trust the people I commissioned to do a great job, but I also like to reject my approach to every person in my team in such a way that they best correspond to their work styles and career goals.”

Prater notes that part of her team thrives with more structure and others thrive with more autonomy. What is universal is the need for strong orientation and communication in our team.

“My priority (and my job) is to ensure that my direct reports understand our team and our company -wide goals and how your individual performance contributes to these goals,” she says. “As soon as we focus on the expectations, we can work together to identify initiatives that drive the needle ahead … and at the same time meet the interests and professional growth of the individual teams in the team.”

One of the challenges for a Laissez-Faire leader is to reconcile the desire, to trust the team and at the same time give the instructions that are required for inexperienced team members.

In my early career, my senior manager was a Laissez-Faire leader, and sometimes I felt a lack of instructions. As a brave problem solver, however, I also appreciated the autonomy that I had in the context of this type of manager.

In a way, the need to solve the problem alone has contributed to developing these skills to solve problem, but I can see how it would be difficult for some team members.

Prater’s coaching leadership style also plays into play because it appreciates the role of the leader and the advantage of feedback to the employees.

Prater says: “Shortly after I had become a manager, I had a fantastic leadership coach. She drilled me into me, the idea of ​​”being a friendly manager instead of being a nice manager”.

Prater notes that it is tempting to water feedback or expectations – to be nice. It feels less uncomfortable, but in the long run neither the manager nor the direct report benefits.

“Sure, implementable and direct, can lead to unpleasant conversations, but in the end these are the conversations that help both sides grow. This council really shaped me as a manager. Although I don’t always nail it, ‘friendliness about the niness’ a north star, ”she says.

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4. Strategic leadership

Strategic managers work on the interface of daily business and long -term growth. They combine visions, competitive awareness and adaptability to promote companies. They balance the priorities of managers with the well -being of the employees and create an environment in which stability corresponds to the innovation.

Strategic leadership is not just about monitoring operations, but also about shaping the future. With this approach you can build a resilient, future -oriented organization that remains agile in a constantly changing business landscape.

Why this leadership style works for companies

Strategic managers bridge the gap between high -ranking business strategy and team management. They ask critical questions, refine strategies and focus on long -term growth. This leadership style supports important business priorities, such as B.:

• Accountability. Promotes responsibility at all levels.
• Productivity. Promotes efficiency by clear direction.
• Cooperation. Promotes teamwork and innovation.
• Transparency. Builds trust through open communication.

Why this leadership style works

Strategic thinking supports many employees at the same time, so it is a desirable style for many companies. It promotes visualization, planning and the best of existing resources and can motivate employees.

Potential challenges

Managers who work strategically can take over and risk too much to think too far into the future of opportunities and at the same time miss critical problems.

It is important to learn how to delegate this leadership style and share the weight of the decision -making.

Compromises, communication skills and consistent range are also essential.

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5. Transformation management

I think transformation leaders don’t just manage their teams – they inspire them. They build trust, promote growth and create an environment in which the employees feel valued and motivated to make a contribution.

It’s not just about achieving goals. It is about crossing limits, crushing the status quo and helping the team members to develop into their best professional self.

In the core, the transformation management revolves around positive changes. As a manager, I not only concentrate on daily tasks, I am constantly looking for opportunities to improve processes, increase my team and achieve permanent effects. “Good enough” is not in my vocabulary – I’m always looking for opportunities to do things better.

Why this leadership style works for companies

A great transformation leader helps the employees to see challenges as opportunities.

I press my team to think differently, to take initiative and find innovative solutions.

This type of leadership keeps companies on improving productivity and remaining competitive. It also creates a workplace culture in which the employees are authorized, motivated and really enthusiastic about their work.

Happy employees mean better results. Not to mention that if they feel support and challenged in the right way, people are more committed, productive and the success of the company. I try to maintain an atmosphere of continuous improvement, in which both individuals and business thrive.

Why this leadership style works

Imagine you start a new job and get a clear series of goals – not only basic tasks, but also challenges that should help you grow. So it is to work under a transformation leader. I don’t just tell my team what to do. I will show you what you are capable of and help you build your skills to get there.

They constantly develop with this leadership style. You can start with smaller, manageable tasks, but if you gain trust and master new skills, your responsibility grow. It is a cycle of learning, achieving and setting new goals, work dynamic and worthwhile.

Potential challenges

While the transformative leadership is powerful, it is not without challenges. Sometimes I can lose sight of individual learning curves in my advance. Not everyone grows at the same pace, and what is inspired for one person could feel overwhelming for another.

Another risk? Burnout. If the employees are constantly striving for the next goal, they can feel the pressure to always be “” on “. Therefore, I make it a priority of staying with my team, check in regularly and make sure that the expectations remain realistic. The setting of ambitious goals is great – but they have to be sustainable.

At the end of the day, the transformation management is about balance: progress in progress and ensure that the employees have supported every step of the path.

Experience as a transformation leader

Pam bump is Drift Kings Media’s boss for the content of content and research. It feels a match with a few styles, but identifies the most with the transformation management as its dominant style.

Bump describes her experience as a transformation leader. Before she was a manager, her role included the growth of the audience, brand development, experimenting and the development of new markets.

“I always have great opportunities for problem solving, ambiguous inquiries from leadership and identification of large bets for my companies,” she says. “Now … I encourage my team to do the same thing-whether they are working on a joint team experiment or examine, start and scale their own high-roi projects individually.”

It is an inspiring manager who consciously tries to reconcile the goals, needs and the individual needs of the team. As a challenge, transformation leaders can forget the individual learning needs and needs of the entire company.

Bump has the solution “to compensate for ambitious general, transformative team -wide goals and individual teammates. Visibility and at the same time the team goals. “

BUT 1: 1S also organizes half-regular career chats a week to discuss their personal long-term goals and tactics or skills with which they can get there.

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6. Transaction management

The transaction management, also known as “The Carrot and the Stick” approach, is based on reward and punishment to motivate and motivate behavior. They tell the employees that they can expect rewards when a goal is achieved. However, you may need more 1: 1 or check-ins if people do not achieve goals.

This leadership style deals with the maintenance of the status quo and the achievement of the predetermined goals and standards. What most people forgot is that this leadership style teams overload and success can not only make a goal.

Why this leadership style works for companies

This style is popular in company companies because it focuses on results, existing structures and defined systems of rewards or punishments. This leadership style also recognizes and rewarded the commitment, but is not so efficient with the members of the gene Z team.

Why this leadership style works

Transaction managers can offer helpful clarity and structure of expectations that can help employees feel safe because they understand the expectations. The employees also have a clear overview of what they receive in return for achieving the business goals.

Potential challenges

In this style, it is more about using rewards to build relationships with employees, develop coaching and develop teamoral.

Keeping a diverse team can be difficult if only a few are reward motivated, and it can lead to low creativity and fear of punishment.

7. Coaching leadership

Also mentioned: Conscious leadership

A coaching guide focuses on the identification and promotion of individual strengths of every team member and the development of strategies that teams can better work with.

This style is similar to strategic and democratic leadership, but emphasizes the success of individual employees.

A manager with this leadership style can help employees improve their strengths until:

• Give them new tasks to try it.
• Offer instructions.
• Meet to discuss constructive feedback.

They could also encourage one or more team members to expand their strengths by learning new skills from other teammates.

Coaching managers focus on building trust and building strong relationships with their team members. They promote an environment of open communication and psychological security, which encourages individuals to exchange ideas, search for feedback and work together to work together.

Why this leadership style works for companies

Coaching executives actively support the development of skills and independent problem solving. You can achieve ambitious business goals by creating a strong corporate culture and contributing to a long -term vision of a company as valuable mentors, often after leaving a company.

Why this leadership style works

This leadership style can motivate employees if they feel supported in the team. It acknowledges that every employee is unique and can build various and exciting teams in which every employee offers something else.

This leader focuses on high performance, with employees who can communicate well and take unique skills to do work. They also encourage the team members to search for new challenges, learn from experiences and to continuously improve their skills and knowledge.

Potential challenges

It can take a lot of time to develop employees with a coaching style, but mentoring is not effective for every employee.

My experience in working with a coaching guide

Marja Vitti Is an editor at HubSpot, who identifies with the coaching leadership style. I received great feedback from Vitti on my pieces and think that coaching guidance style is well suited.

In her leadership style, says Vitti: “While I worked with freelance writers and content creators, I quickly realized that both the team and the work would benefit from the leadership that recognized their individual strengths.”

Vitti notes that she gave everyone in my team the same possibilities, but also appeared as individuals for her. A team member may need more positive reinforcements to gain confidence. Another can show signs of a new challenge, and another may burn out and requires a easier load.

“It was intuitive for me to lead with this coaching style, and it was only then to me that this was a certain leadership style,” notes Vitti.

Vitti’s instructions for my letter are always given conscientiously. She always invites another feedback and discussion that I find authorized but soothing.

Every writer will know that it can be difficult to get feedback on the work in which you have poured your soul, but she knows how to bring the value of promotion of improvement with the need of the writer, support yourself feel.

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8. Bureaucratic leadership

Bureaucratic leaders follow the rules. In contrast to the autocratic leadership, they could listen and take into account the contributions of employees, but they could reject input that do not match corporate guidelines or previous practices.

Some important characteristics of bureaucratic leadership are:

• Centralized decision making.
• Strict compliance with rules and procedures.
• Clear command chain.
• Limited autonomy.

Why this leadership style works for companies

This style is best suited for larger, older or traditional companies that are successful in their current processes.

This leadership style works for these companies because they want to maintain existing business models and processes because their current strategies are successful and something new that does not work can waste time and resources.

Why this leadership style works

This leadership style can be a challenge for some, but has many advantages. It lowers the risk of preference and replaces it with central tasks, job security and predictability.

This clear and efficient leadership style can lead to a high degree of creativity for some employees.

Potential challenges

The employees may not feel as controlled as the autocratic leadership, but there can be a lack of freedom how many people can do in their roles.

This approach can close the innovation and is not suitable for companies that pursue ambitious goals and fast growth.

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9. Visionary leadership

Also mentioned: Affiliative leadership

The visionary leadership focuses on future and long -term goals. You want to inspire and lead your team to achieve a joint vision.

This type of manager promotes cooperation, emotional intelligence and teamwork. They also promote a culture of innovation and change and encourage individuals to accept new ideas and approaches.

Why this leadership style works for companies

Visionary managers can create a clear plan for compliance and execution of employees. They are powerful and convincing communicators, which helps them to hire the teams for effective business growth.

Since the focus is on future growth, visionary managers can predict potential roadblocks and outlined action plans and give employees an increased trust in uncertainty or challenging times.

Why this leadership style works

Teams can do more and enjoy their work more if they have a vision that can be worked on. This type of manager offers vision statements and other tools to inspire and motivate teams to get involved at work.

Potential challenges

Visionary managers can skip daily problems in order to focus on long -term ideas, missing roadblocks that could build up and cause problems in the future.

Another frequent challenge is the hyperfocus of a single goal, which can affect the consideration of other ideas that can be just as valuable to the company.

Experience as a visionary guide

John XieCo -founder and CEO at Taskadeidentifies itself as a visionary guide. How I developed his leadership style over time.

He says: “It took me a while to develop this leadership style. After working with many different companies over the years, it is clear to me that I am best when I encourage a positive long -term vision for the team. Then you can see how your work will be effective and motivated to continue. “

As a visionary guide, Xie recognizes the pitfalls and potential challenges. He knows that he can be “a little too strategic”, but he has found a way to sit back and motivate the team “.

When overcoming the challenges of a visionary guide, he says: “Everyone has their own unique style, and it is best to find the one that suits them. If you try to force another leadership style, you will find that the team will be solved quickly, and then you know that you should return to your natural style. “

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10. Mass guidance

A pacemaker leader sets ambitious standards and expects employees to achieve these goals exactly as they have stipulated.

These managers expect productivity and high -quality results from employees and can be received to ensure that things are done correctly and on time. As a Pacesetter, this guide paves the way and leads with a good example.

Some characteristics of a pacemaker are:

• High performance standards.
• Pretend with a good example.
• Result -oriented.
• Preference for speed and efficiency.

Why this leadership style works for companies

This type of manager sets ambitious goals with a clear and focused effort, so that the employees know exactly what is expected of them. For example, set and exceed the sales of stripes that the sales leaders set and outperform for quarterly sales cadres.

These managers could also work with their team and drive the performance and strengthen the teamoral.

Why this leadership style works

Expert and experienced teams often thrive under this type of guide. They use the skills of motivated and competent team members and make the goals of the meeting urgently and exciting.

It can also be gratifying for the team members to see their leader hard with them.

Potential challenges

The executives of pacemakers can sometimes create a highly stressed workplace environment if goals are unrealistic, which the teams can overwhelm and demotivate.

This can affect the commitment and lead to burnout, in which people have difficulty achieving and working as expected.

The concentration on goals can also suppress the creativity and diversity of thinking, so that the employees do not believe that they can use their expertise to propose alternative goals or strategies.

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11. Situation management

Situation leaders change their management style in order to meet the needs of the situation or team. This leadership style includes the analysis of specific situations, the assessment of the competence and commitment of individuals as well as the adaptation of the management approach.

It is proactive and realizes that change is the only constant.

Why this leadership style works for companies

This management approach can motivate employees and make sure that people do not work in a way that makes no sense for the situation.

It is also valuable for startups or companies that need frequent changes and flexible talents and support.

Why this leadership style works

Situation leaders are great communicators and use team feedback to make decisions. You also analyze market changes and can quickly evaluate and update processes to ensure success.

This can create strong relationships and help the employees to see and feel the value for the company.

Potential challenges

Managers need a high degree of specialist knowledge in all business processes and functions to make decisions and they have to be able to turn quickly.

It is important to remember long -term goals and to meet the immediate needs. Not every guide can do this effectively.

It can become confusing and stressful for teams if the approach of a guide changes too often because he does not know what to expect.

My experience in working with a situational leader

Kaitlin Milliken is a senior program manager at HubSpot. She is the editor who commissioned me to work with Drift Kings Media and we have been working together for over eighteen months.

In her leadership style, Milliken says: “During my entire career, I changed how I work on the basis of what I work with. Of course I adapt to what other people need, so this type of leadership definitely fits my style. “

Milliken notes that this type of leadership enables it to work with people with different experiences. Someone who is new to the field may need more mentoring. An expert may want to concentrate on organizational needs.

“It is difficult to lead if I am not very familiar with the expertise of a person. This is something I always work on, ”she says.

As someone who works directly under Milliken, I always appreciated her openness to autonomy. I feel comfortable to recommend ideas and arrangements where I think they make sense. Milliken welcomes these ideas as the head of the situation, but also expresses their real appreciation and praise.

Writing for Drift Kings Media always meant a lot to me. This led to an imposter syndrome early on, but thanks to Milliken’s leadership style, I was authorized, trustworthy and comfortable.

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Decision between different leadership styles

There is not a single “best” leadership style, so it is important to find out which is best suited for you and your surroundings.

How do I understand my leadership style?

Managers need good instincts and many managers focus on their own experiences and habits when they develop a leadership style.

Indeed yours Instincts and habits will always influence the way they lead. However, if you are in situations that you are not sure of how to react, you may want to look at other leadership styles.

Here are two examples:

• If you are extroverted with a shy member of your team, you may want to work on an active listening.
• If you run an introverted team of a team of outgoing people, you may have to learn new ways to promote, support and inspire your team.

Instincts will always influence the leadership, but as a Lisa LanierPresident and CEO of Lanier Law Group, PA Sometimes they have to adapt to the situation.

“Of course I am attracted to help and lead others, but I also learned a lot from my mistakes and failures. Resilient and learning from these experiences helped me to refine my approach and become more effective in different situations, ”says Lanier.

Pro tip: If you start your way to lead, you may want to keep notes. Write down how you would deal with certain situations or problems. This can help you to be a confident and capable leader. If you find that things don’t run as expected, you can rethink your approach.

Can you change your leadership style?

Yes. While it can take some time and effort, you can always change your leadership style and improve your processes.

The first step to make changes is to recognize the need for changes. Regardless of whether this comes from the direct feedback from the employees, notes that the goals are not achieved or when people seem to experience burnout, it is the first step to identify this.

Scott KnutsonFounder and Chief Afficer at Lead2servechanged his leadership style based on the feedback. He first followed the leadership of the leaders, to whom he was exposed when he was promoted to a leadership role.

Knutson notes, however: “My success was totally for me. I wasn’t concerned about someone. This became very clear when I had to complete a 360-degree rating and learned that my team hated me. It was a figurative kick in the stomach that forced me to learn something about different leadership styles. “

As Knutson emphasizes, your leadership style may be effective for your team, but you may have a challenge time to connect with people.

Knutson took control by researching leadership styles. He says: “Successful managers have to understand that it is not about the guide, but about the team. The concentration on my team and helps them to be successful became what was doing me. “

There is a lot to learn from Knutson’s experience: Sometimes it is necessary to change the leadership style, but it will not always be easy. If changing your leadership style feels right for you, you should try it.

I personally shifted my leadership style from the transaction or mass leadership to democratic leadership. I like and appreciate all of these leadership styles – but with confidence and experience I feel most authentic when I lead with a democratic style.

Pro tip: You don’t necessarily want to throw away your current style, but you want to identify what and not works. Then you become curious and start adapting the way you lead.

How to select the right leadership style for you

There are many ways to find a leadership style that works for you. For this reason, it can be difficult to know where to start. If you are not sure which leadership styles work for you, these steps can help.

1. Get to know yourself.

Everyone has a unique path to self -discovery. Some take risks and try out new things and others prioritize the quiet time. Writing exercises and listing strengths and weaknesses.

Another way to learn about yourself is physical activity and time with other people. Whatever you do, it is an important first step to be a guide.

The journey to get to know yourself will lead to a feeling of authenticity. Gauri ManglikCEO and co -founder at InstrumentEstimates the role of authenticity in leadership.

She says: “Guided tour is a trip and you never stop learning. But staying loyal to your values ​​and leading to authenticity is the key. “

2. To convert your values ​​and challenges.

Being a guide means working quickly and making decisions quickly so that your values ​​are assigned can be extremely helpful.

If you write your values, take a look at the crucial moments in your previous life. Then look for trends, people to whom you are attracted to and for common topics. When your list is long, groups of similar ideas together.

If you have an overview, you can see how you react, your strengths and weaknesses and a basis for your basic values.

Mark W Lamplugh Jr.CEO at South Jersey Treatment Management Company, is strongly driven by his values ​​for joint decisions.

He says: “The tour that I went through was strongly influenced by my experiences in marketing and in the field of mental health, where empathy and understanding are very important. In the style of the participatory leadership, I feel most connected to his values, which support the common decision -making. “

Lamplugh noticed that progress was natural. When he advanced professionally, it became clear that the collective brainstorming sessions were the best places for ideas.

3. Observe managers who respect them.

Watching managers who respect you can also help you define your leadership style. When observing in meetings, customer discussions and presentations, make notes about what you like.

Another approach is to look at their actions with specific leadership styles and to help them find out what their approach is and whether it will work for them.

The most important thing should be noted that the leadership style must Work for you. Gauri Manglik found her way to her leadership style after thinking the bosses or mentors who admired them.

She says: “My leadership style has developed organically in my career. I tried to emulate bosses or mentors that I admired. But I quickly learned that I had to develop my own style that fits my personality and my strengths. “

4. Try different leadership styles.

A practical option is to try out different guide styles. You can create an overview of what interests you and check your notes before your next meeting to see how you can include you in your interactions.

I spoke to many managers when writing this article, and there is a common topic: leadership styles are being developed over time.

Connor GillivanCMO at Triosebegan to experiment with leadership styles in college. He says: “I founded in college with a real e-commerce business with real life (from leadership) and built a team of more than 30 team members for over four years.”

In over 15 years as an entrepreneur, Gillivan’s leadership style has developed.

His goal as a manager is to bring people into a win-win-win situation: “A victory for them in their personal growth, a victory for the company in its growth phase and a victory for me in terms of growth” says .

5. Find a business coach or mentor.

Cooperation with a business coach can also help you improve your leadership style.

A mentor can be someone at your job that you respect and from whom you would appreciate a feedback, be it another leader or a colleague you respect. You can also check this guide to find a business coach.

Matthew SanjariFounder and business coach Prime Consultingsays: “I spent a lot of time developing my leadership style by being trained and looked after myself.”

6. Ask colleagues and leaders for feedback.

Another way to find the best style for your needs is to ask other colleagues, managers and team members to ask feedback.

The best approach for this strategy is to find out what you want to ask and why you get the feedback you need. Think about how people could react and also determine clear guidelines and expectations.

If you receive feedback, be sure to listen. You will receive valuable information about your strengths and weaknesses that help you understand where you have to improve and what style you can improve.

Bhavik SarkhediCMO at Write correctlyFeedback with the feedback to help him develop his style. He says: “My leadership style tends to be transformative – I try to inspire and motivate my team by setting a vision that drives borders and promotes innovations.”

Sarkhedi notes that this style did not appear overnight. It was cultivated by continuous learning, feedback and adaptation to various challenges.

“At the beginning of my career, I watched various managers and noticed what was resonance with their teams. The detailed reading, from classic leadership rents to contemporary articles, offered theoretical support that I have collected, ”says Sarkhedi.

7. Perform the leadership style.

Management ratings are helpful instruments for managers, even as an individual and teams.

A leadership quiz can make it easier to understand your strengths and skills. It can determine habits and qualities that you may not know and give you a clear direction of growth.

If this is something you want to try, the following management assessment is a great starting point.

Inge of AulockCEO of Top appsBelieve that high self -confidence makes a good guide.

She says: “There are some important aspects of the guided tour based on strengths. You have to have self -confidence because you have to be honest with yourself through reviews and feedback brutally with yourself. “

Evaluation of the management style

Managers bear a mixture of the leadership styles mentioned above. Management experts Bill Torbert and David Rooke say that they are called “Action Logics”.

These action logics assess how (managers) interpret and react to their surroundings when their power or security is questioned. “

That is the idea behind the Leadership development profileA popular management survey. Created by Professor Torbert and psychologist Susanne Cook-Geuters and presented in the book Personal and organizational transformations.

The survey uses a sentence of 36 open sentence tasks to better understand researchers how managers develop and grow.

In the following I used open-end sets to outline six action logic that describe everyone. Check the sentences, see how you swing with you and find out which leadership style based on the action logic with which you match the most, based on the action logic.

1. Individualist

The individualist is confident, creative and focuses primarily on your actions and development in contrast to the overall organization performance.

This action logic is driven exceptionally by the desire to exceed personal goals and constantly improve your skills.

Here are some things that an individualist could say:

• Individualist 1: “A good guide should always trust his own intuition about established organizational processes.”
• Individualist 2: “It is important to contact others so that I can easily tell you complex ideas.”
• Individualist 3: “I feel more comfortable than persistent success with progress.”

2. Strategy

Strategists are very conscious of the environments in which they are, and have a deep understanding of the structures and processes that make their business tick. Nevertheless, you can also evaluate what could be improved.

Here are some things that a strategist could say:

• Strategist 1: “A good leader should always be able to build a consensus in shared groups.”
• Strategist 2: “It is important to develop the organization as a whole as well as the growth and the individual successes of my direct reports.”
• Strategist 3: “Conflict is inevitable, but I know that my team’s personal and professional relationships in order to cope with friction are as good as possible.”

3. Alchemist

Rooke and Tolbert describe the alchemist as highly developed and effective when managing organizational changes.

They differ from other action logic in their unique ability to see the overall picture and the tiny details at the same time. No department or employee is overlooked with an alchemist leader.

Here are some things that an alchemist could say:

• Alchemist 1: “A good leader helps their employees to exploit their highest potential and has the necessary empathy and moral awareness to get there.”
• Alchemist 2: “It is important to have a profound and positive impact on everything I work on.”
• Alchemist 3: “I have a unique ability to reconcile short -term needs and long -term goals.”

4. Opportunist

Opportunists are guided by a certain distrust of others and base themselves on a control facade to keep their employees in line.

“Opportunists tend to consider their bad behavior as legitimate on average and the thrust of an eye-by-eye world.”Write Rooke and Tolbert.

Here are some things that an opportunist could say:

• Opportunist 1: “A good leader should always consider others to be potential competition in order to be defeated, even if he is at the expense of their professional development.”
• Opportunist 2: “I reserve the right to reject the entry of those who question or criticize my ideas.”

5. Diplomat

In contrast to opportunists, the diplomat does not deal with the competition or control over situations.

Instead, this action logic tries to have minimal effects on your organization by complying with the existing standards and doing your daily tasks as little as possible.

Here are some things that a diplomat could say:

• Diplomat 1: “A good leader should always oppose the change because he leads instability to instability in their direct reports.”
• Diplomat 2: “It is important to safely deliver the” social glue “in team situations, certainly not of conflicts.”
• Diplomat 3: “I tend to thrive in team -oriented or supportive leadership roles.”

6. Expert

The expert is a professional in his given area and is constantly trying to perfect his knowledge of a topic and to meet her own high expectations.

Rooke and Tolbert describe the experts as a talented individual participant and a source of knowledge for the team. However, this action logic lacks something central to many good managers: emotional intelligence.

Here are some things that a diplomat could say:

• Expert 1: “A good leader should prioritize his own striving for knowledge about the needs of the organization and its direct reports.”
• Expert 2: “If problem deletion solves others in the company, my opinion is more the right one.”

Which guide are you?

So what action logic felt like you? Think of every sentence for a moment.

If you are now using the table below, read which of the seven leadership styles on the right based on the sentences with which you are charged on the left.

The more action logic you agree, the more likely it is that you will practice a mixture of leadership styles.

For example, if you agree with everything the strategist said, this would make it a strategic guide of 66% and a democratic leader of 33%.

If you agree with the third statement and everything the alchemist said, this would make you a 50% transformation, 25% strategic and 25% democratic leader.

Note that these action logics are regarded as stages of development as permanent attributes. Most managers will progress through several types of leadership throughout their career.

Find out your leadership management style to become a better guide

Regardless of whether you manage a large or small team, your leadership style has a strong impact on how your direct reports see and how your team works together to achieve the goals of your company.

There are many different leadership styles. So if you choose one that works for you, you can make a more effective guide.

If you want to be a guide who makes a difference, you have to continue to grow and accept changes. Are you ready to get started?

Note from the publisher: This post was originally published in August 2016 and was updated for completeness.