To say that there has been a lot written about leadership and leadership styles would perhaps be something of an understatement. There are literally hundreds of books written about the subject, with more and more titles added every year.
The internet too is full of advice on how to be a great leader, a digital leader, a change leader, a compassionate leader. We can read about how leaders break the rules, go from good to great, eat last, lean in, dare to be different, and even five things that the very best leaders do before their breakfast every morning.
Leadership is also an area that is packed with research and theories, especially when it comes to that perhaps most tricky of questions: which leadership style works best? There is a very brief – albeit somewhat unhelpful - answer to this question: it depends.
Depending on which theory you read, there are some writers that will tell you that it is the qualities and behaviour of a leader that matters most. The alternative viewpoint is that it’s what the leader actually does every day that is more important.
In truth, there is no one leadership style or set of leadership qualities that will work best in every single situation, organisation, or context. There is also no one leadership style that will work indefinitely. The single most important thing any leader can do is understand the style that works best for them and their situation and then learn to use it effectively. Adaption and flexibility are key – when the situation changes, so must the leadership style. This is true whether leading large businesses or small.
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There are many different leadership styles. There are some that focus on telling people what to do; others that are more consultative and collaborative. Here are just a few:
Each of these leadership styles has its benefits and drawbacks. There are some leadership styles that might instinctively feel more natural to us – or for whom we would rather work if we had a choice. There are styles in which we can recognise ourselves and our tendencies – remember, not everyone who leads has a leadership position.
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There are other styles that, while we know they exist and may even have experienced them from time to time, do not seem to make much sense when we compare them with our knowledge about what engages and motivates employees.
Not all leaders pay enough attention to their leadership style. They just simply do what they do, without reflection or focus. Paying attention to how you lead and placing deliberate attention towards determining an appropriate style is good practice for every leader.
For the leader who wants to do just that, why not begin with these questions?
Over a long leadership career there may be a time when an autocratic approach is a necessity and other times when a democratic approach is preferable. In truth, many leaders will have elements of more than one style, employing different approaches when they are needed.
When it comes to leadership style in business, context is everything. What are the current business challenges? What is the organisation’s current vision, values and mission? What needs to be achieved, and what is currently important or urgent?
From the answers to these questions, it is possible to determine the most appropriate leadership style for both the organisation and the people that work for it. There is no perfect style, only the right one, for the right moment.
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