Which Type of Leader Are You? How to Understand Your Leadership Type and Become Even Better

Effective leadership is crucial for any company. Different leaders may have a certain style that they prefer. But it is important for leaders to adapt their leadership styles depending on the situation, because some ways of leading are more effective than others, depending on the circumstances.

Here are some of the different leadership styles and what makes them effective:

Autocratic leadership

These are leaders who issue commands or instructions and expect them to be carried out as given. In today’s complex business world, this type of leadership style may not be looked upon as the most effective, but there are situations where it can be useful.

The autocratic leader has a clear vision of the goal that they want to achieve, setting specific guidelines and clear expectations for their employees. This type of leadership is the most effective when time is a critical factor, where people need clear guidance as to what needs to be done.

The pacesetter

This leadership style emphasizes speed and energy. But this type of supervisor leads by example, doing the work alongside their employees. The pacesetter is focused on getting results, and getting them as efficiently as possible. This type of leadership style tends to produce a high-pressure environment. It is most effective when there is a deadline that needs to be met.

Transformational leaders

These are the people most often described as visionaries, those who are focused on the big picture, on long-range goals. They focus on the overall direction and mission of the organization.

They emphasize the professional development of their employees and solicit their ideas and opinions about achieving goals that will move the company forward.

Coaches

These types of leaders focus on guiding and developing their employees to be their most productive. They see themselves as mentors and teacher, giving their people the direction they need to reach their full potential as individuals and as members of a team.

They believe in the importance of giving feedback and motivating their workers.

Democratic leaders

These types of leaders focus on getting employee input and participation as part of the decision-making process. These leaders look for suggestions and ideas from their teams before choosing a course of action. They emphasize dialogue, discussion, and participation by everyone involved. However, these leaders still make the final decision.

Delegators

These people are at the other end of the leadership scale from autocratic leaders. They provide only a scant amount of guidance to their people. They give their employees a lot of autonomy to solve problems on their own using their own methods.

Delegators, however, still set clear expectations of what they want and are always available to employees to give feedback.

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