Define your Leadership Style
Define Your Leadership Style
Effective Leaders recognise that everything they do (and fail to do) goes to form an impression of their leadership style in the minds of the team.
If you are a leader, then ask yourself: "What impression do I want to leave in the minds of my team members?", and then act accordingly.
Before you make your mark on your team, decide what kind of mark you want to leave. An effective leadership style is not the product of luck; but rather the result of an intelligent design.
When designing your leadership style, you have options from which to choose:
- Directive or Consultative decision-making style.
- Logical or emotional relationship style
- Positive or negative motivational style.
Directive or Consultative decision-making style.
Directive style leadership tells people what to do, and how to do it. They are the ship's captain and every decision is decided by the "Captain". This style is the traditional view of the strong leader, but it has inherent weaknesses, because only one brain is being utilised to its fullest, and all the others are not.
Consultative leadership style asks people what they think we should do and how we should do it. This is "leadership by committee" and it is a common approach. It has the advantage of accessing a wider set of opinions which may be a strength, but it could be indecisive and slow to react.
Or you could have a mixture of the two styles.
Logical or emotional relationship style.
A logical style is willing to subordinate people's feelings to achieve the team goal. Leaders of this type are focused on achieving targets, and they do it sometimes at the expense of team morale.
An emotional style is willing to subordinate the achievement of goals to people's feelings, since they see that morale is a primary factor to be maintained at all costs.
You need to decide your leadership priorities. Does "task" outrank "morale", or the other way around?
Positive or negative motivational style.
Some leaders motivate their staff by means of fear and anger; (do it or I will get angry!).
This management style is typical of the military Sergeant Major. It works, but is it the best way?
Other leaders motivate staff by means of inspiring positive emotions based upon achievement, trust and confidence. This method works and is more positive in its nature.
Most people respond best to positive motivators, but it is also a sad fact that some people don't move until they are forced to.
With these six options in mind, decide how you want your leadership style to be perceived and then, act accordingly.
Leadership and Management Training
Find out more about Leadership styles on our two-day Leadership and Management Training course.
About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years’ experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
Blogs by Email
Do you want to receive an email whenever we post a new blog? The blogs contain article 5-10 minutes long - ideal for reading during your coffee break!
Further Reading in Leadership and Management
-
Tannenbaum and Schmidt's Leadership Model
Leadership styles are not one-size-fits-all. Leaders need to adapt according to the context in which they find themselves. Leaders must be aware of the situation and choose the appropriate blend of leadership style.
Read Article > -
How to Handle Unexpected Events
Acknowledge that plans may require adjustments due to changing circumstances. However, regardless of these changes, effective time management is essential. The key principle in time management is prioritisation.
Read Article > -
Management Communication Styles
People can be categorised into different types, depending on the way they put theories into practice. Are you a winner or a dreamer?
Read Article > -
How to Manage a Crisis
When managing a crisis, the most important thing is to prioritise tasks correctly. Our method for prioritisation will help you to do that. Then, why not take advantage of our FREE Prioritisation App which will do the hard work for you!
Read Article > -
The Power of Perception and Deduction in Leadership
In today's information-saturated world, finding truth is tough. Most of what we know comes from others, but they can be misled. Leaders must tackle info chaos by relying on their own perceptions and logical deductions.
Read Article >
Looking for Leadership and Management Training?
If you're looking to develop your Leadership and Management Skills, you may find this Leadership and Management Training Course beneficial:
Open Training Course Pricing and Availability
Next Open Course Starts in 4 days, Gloucester (M5 J11), places available