What kind of leadership shows a strong desire to serve and work for the benefit of others?
Think back on the leader you admire most. What exactly is it about their leadership style that you like? And are these traits that you could emulate yourself? These are great questions to ask yourself, and understanding the various leadership styles that are out there can help you come to a more conclusive answer. To help, we provided a snapshot of the 10 most common leadership styles below. These leadership styles are
organized as a continuum from the most rigid, structured style to the most flexible, unstructured style. We also assigned a rating to indicate Torch’s level of recommendation for each leadership style, with 1 being least likely to recommend and 5 being most likely to recommend. Autocratic leadership is defined by a top-down approach when it
comes to all decision-making, procedures, and policies within an organization. An autocratic leader focuses less on collecting input from team members and tends to make executive decisions that others are expected to follow. Recommendation rating:
1 out of 5 (least likely to recommend) Transactional leadership is defined by control, organization, and short-term planning. Leaders who adopt this style rely on a system of rewards and punishment to motivate their followers. As you can see, there are many similarities between transactional leadership and
autocratic leadership. The main difference is that transactional leadership, as the name implies, involves a clear exchange between the leader and the team members. For instance, in exchange for compliance and high performance, an employee might be rewarded with a promotion. Recommendation rating: 2 out of 5 (less likely to recommend) 3. Bureaucratic LeadershipBureaucratic leadership relies on a clear chain of command, strict regulations, and conformation by its followers. As the name implies, this is a leadership style that’s commonly found in government entities, as well as military and public organizations. Pros
Cons
Recommendation rating: 2 out of 5 (less likely to recommend) 4. Charismatic LeadershipCharismatic leadership is defined by a leader who uses their communication skills, persuasiveness, and charm to influence others. Charismatic leaders, given their ability to connect with people on a deep level, are especially valuable within organizations that are facing a crisis or are struggling to move forward. Pros
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Recommendation rating: 3 out of 5 (might recommend) 5. Transformational LeadershipTransformational leaders create a vision based on identified needs and guide their teams toward that unified goal through inspiration and motivation. The main difference between transformational leadership and the other styles we’ve covered so far is that this one is focused on changing the systems and processes that aren’t working – unlike transactional leadership or bureaucratic leadership, which don’t aim to change the status quo. Pros
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Recommendation rating: 5 out of 5 (most likely to recommend) 6. Coaching LeadershipCoaching leadership is a style defined by collaboration, support, and guidance. Coaching leaders are focused on bringing out the best in their teams by guiding them through goals and obstacles. Pros
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Recommendation rating: 5 out of 5 (most likely to recommend) 7. Democratic LeadershipDemocratic leadership, which is also commonly known as participative leadership, is about letting multiple people participate in the decision-making process. This type of leadership can be seen in a wide range of contexts, from businesses to schools to governments. Pros
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Recommendation rating: 4 out of 5 (likely to recommend) 8. Collaborative LeadershipCollaborative leadership is focused on encouraging people to work together across functional and organizational boundaries. The purpose of this leadership style is to encourage collaboration with other teams and departments to accomplish shared goals. Pros
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Recommendation rating: 4 out of 5 (most likely to recommend) 9. Servant LeadershipServant leadership puts the needs and wellbeing of followers first. In other words, these types of leaders adopt a serve-first approach and growth mindset to prioritize their organization, employees, and community above themselves. Pros
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Recommendation rating: 4 out of 5 (likely to recommend) 10. Laissez-Faire LeadershipLaissez-faire leadership takes a hands-off approach to leadership and gives others the freedom to make decisions. While leaders still provide their teams with the resources and tools they need to succeed, they remain largely uninvolved in the day-to-day work. This is a leadership style you’ll commonly find in creative settings, such as advertising agencies or startups, due to its encouragement of independent thinking. Pros
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Recommendation rating: 3 out of 5 (might recommend) We hope this overview of the most common leadership styles was helpful. If you’re curious to learn more or want to take a deeper dive into a leadership style that resonated with you, be sure to check out our ebook, 10 Leadership Styles You Should Know. We provide everything from personalized recommendations for each leadership style to situational examples of what all these approaches look like in action. What are the 4 types of leadership styles?Types of Leadership Styles. Autocratic.. Democratic.. Laissez-faire.. Transformational.. What type of leader shares power with followers and strives to ensure that followers well being is enhanced?A servant leader shares power, puts the needs of others first, helps individuals develop and optimize performance, is willing to learn from others, and forsakes personal advancement and rewards.
Which type of leadership style is most helpful?Democratic leadership is one of the most effective leadership styles. This is because it allows lower-level employees to exercise the authority they'll need to use wisely in future positions.
What are the 4 leadership behaviors?The 4 Leadership Behaviors that Really Matter. Solving problems effectively. The process that precedes decision-making is problem solving, when information is gathered, analyzed, and considered.. Operating with a strong results orientation. ... . Seeking different perspectives. ... . Supporting others.. |