As a leader, you set the tone for the entirety of the business. It’s important and beneficial to know the different leadership styles along with different pros and cons for each. Different types of companies and situations may call for different types of leadership styles. For example, an emergency situation would need a different leadership style than a company wide meeting.
Structural
In this style everyone knows what needs to be done, why it needs to be done, and to what standard. You, as the boss, take full responsibility for your staff. This style allows you to make quick decisions without the input of others. Use this style when your team is already motivated. On the downside, there isn’t much room for flexibility.
Participative
The emphasis in this style is to make your team feel like you care about them by putting them first and relate to them on a friend level. Treat them with the same caring and respect you would a family member or friend. Express care and concern for them. This boosts morale and allows their voices to be heard. Use this during stressful times or when trust needs to be built. On the downside, it can cause mediocre performance.
Autocratic
This is the opposite of participative. In this style the opinions of the employees isn’t taken into consideration. Leaders with this style expect employees to listen and follow any decisions they make. It’s not a sustainable approach for the long term and there is minimal freedom given to employees. It’s useful in organizations with strict guidelines or employees that need supervision who lack experience.
Servant
You see your job as serving your team, and your team as serving you. You manage others how you would like to be managed. Make sure your team knows exactly what they are doing and you provide training if needed. This style achieves high levels of respect and is a people first mindset. In this style you teach your employees vital skills. This is best for a diverse team. It helps gain their trust and loyalty. This style also helps boost productivity, decision making, and help create future leaders. Be sure there’s a balance of authority so that area isn’t lacking. A con of this style is that servant leaders may easily become burnt out if they are putting others’ needs before their own.
Visionary
A visionary leader’s main goal is to inspire its team. This leadership style helps bring about progress by motivating their employees to accomplish goals. It helps to instill confidence in the employees. Pros to this style include helping companies grow, unify teams, and improve problem solving. Some cons include missing small important details because they are more focused on the big picture. Leaders in this style may also miss present day issues by focusing too much on the future.
What style do you associate most with? Which style do you aim to be? It’s helpful to be mindful of where you currently are to make strides in the right direction to be the ultimate leader you’d like to be. Also be sure to hone in on how your employees and team respond to your leadership style. Are they productive? Are they motivated? Do they easily accomplish their goals? These are also important factors to keep in mind.