There are many great leaders in the business world who each have individual leadership styles. Quick research will show you 6 to 12 different leadership styles. Reading about each one in depth would take some time, so instead, this page will summarize the four most common leader types out there.
Each leader possesses leadership skills that are beneficial towards different organizations. Read on to determine which one fits your organization below.
A servant leader closely resembles a democratic leader. This is because they value the input of all of their team members before making a decision. Herb Kelleher, the co-founder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines, put it best when he said, “The business of business is people." The term was first coined by management expert Robert K. Greenleaf in a 1970 essay "The Servant as Leader". He wrote, "The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions." Servant leaders often lead by example with their high integrity and generosity. With their strong emotional intelligence, they aim to serve others rather than accumulate power or assert control. This leadership approach is a great example for customer service.
PROS:
CONS:
A charismatic leader leads with the strength of their character. Many of history's most effective leaders were considered charismatic. This is because their charm alone can influence not only behavioral changes, but also values and beliefs. Charismatic leaders possess superior communication skills. They can speak elegantly while connecting with their team in an emotional level. Essentially, a charismatic leader conveys an enthralling vision to their team and transforms them into this vision by rousing strong emotions through their words.
PROS:
CONS:
Think of Bill Lumbergh from the movie Office Space. This kind of leader is the type to come up to you and make sure you received the memo about the new procedure because they are a stickler for policies, procedures and guidelines. They can be similar to authoritarian leaders in that they follow the rules and expect you to do the same. An autocratic leader will make decisions without consulting others. They have all the power and expect their employees to strictly follow their will without challenging their orders. Autocratic leaders also expect their team to complete tasks the way they tell them. They have a strict business plan with little room for error.
PROS:
CONS:
Laissez-faire is a French term that means letting things take their course without interfering. In economics, this would mean a lack of government authority and regulations when it comes to the free market. Laissez-faire leaders monitor performance from a distance and give feedback when necessary. Otherwise, they trust their highly-skilled and trained team to take care of their business. This type of leadership is commonly found with household brands such as Donna Karan or entrepreneurs with many companies. Laissez-faire leadership gives authority to the employees where teams are allowed to choose how they want to work.
PROS:
CONS:
And there you have it – a brief summary of four common leadership personas. Which one most resonated with you? Will you be making changes to your organization based on what you read? I hope this helps your vision for your business. Thanks for reading!
