Leadership styles

Leadership can be defined as the ability to achieve extraordinary things, from common people

We would have met and interacted with many Leaders in our day to day affairs. They keep us inspired by their style of Leadership. Leadership style is the way the leaders use their power to lead others.

One thing we would have noticed is that the Leadership style they display could vary amongst them. It’s always important to develop different leadership styles to suit the needs and the situation. Great Leaders choose their style based on their needs and goals.

Though there is no strict classification of Leadership styles, below are a few common Leadership styles:

1. 1. Autocratic Leadership: A leader with all Powers, Authority and Responsibility. “The Boss” is a synonym for this style. They make the decisions, communicate them to the team members and expect a prompt implementation of the same. Leaders with this style are very clear with their requirements and vision and expect the team to follow them. Communication is always from top to bottom. Steve Jobs was one classic example of this style.
   2. Democratic Leadership: This leader involves all his team members in making a decision. Though the final decision will be taken by the Leader, all the team members’ voices will be heard and their views will be evaluated. Medical and many Hi-Tech companies look forward to such leaders as they need a high amount of collaboration.
   3. Strategic Leadership: They are the set of leaders who are the head of the Organization. They help in planning the vision and mission of the organization and plan to meet their organizational goals. They know all the rules of the game and plan the strategy to achieve the goal. Board Directors are a good example of this style
   4. Team Leadership: They are the leaders who take the Team together to achieve a common set of goals. They are very clear with the Objectives and the endpoints. They take all the necessary steps proactively to ensure the team never misses to deliver. They always try to take calculated risks. The sports team captain or the Project Manager are a few examples showing this style.
   5. Coaching Leaders: Coaching leaders enable their people organizations through powerful questioning and listening. They facilitate learning and development to unleash the potential yielding high performance.
   6. Pacesetter Leadership: This style is one of the most effective styles for driving fast results. They are very focused on the improvement of performance. Many organizations possess really skilled employees. But to keep them motivated they need regular mentorship and feedback. With the fast-paced world, it’s always a need to keep the employees on their toes and match the pace. Pacesetter leaders are the best fit for high tech organizations.

We should always understand that there is nothing like “the best” leadership style. As mentioned earlier, leadership styles should match the needs and goals of the tasks being performed.

By understanding various leadership styles, the leaders can select the right leadership style for the current situation.