Get Smart: There is no better leadership style
This is my 7th of 12 posts about how to be among the Best Leaders. In these, I provide inspiration for everyone seeking professional and personal growth as a leader of people, projects, groups, teams and organizations. I welcome your comments and feedback.
Be flexible. There are situational, transformational, transactional leaders. There are servant leaders, authoritarians, democratic leaders, laissez-faire, visionary, charismatics, paternalistic, collaborative, consensus-driven, participative, coaching, commanding, pace-setting… We know about most of these, and many of us have identified with one or more of these styles. While scholars differ in how they type leadership practices and behaviors, they agree that the most effective leaders know how to effectively use multiple styles to meet various needs at different times in their organizations. (Read about types of leaders here).
There are many types of leaders, and many tools to help us understand our own styles based on personality and temperament. I believe these are helpful only to a point, because the best leaders know how they must adapt their leadership styles to be effective in specific situations. So we have to become proficient in many leadership behaviors, no matter what our natural styles or preferences might be. Read more about leadership theories here.
For example, leading in a crisis requires a more commanding or directive style, and during a strategy or brainstorming session, a collaborative or more hands-off style works better. Leading through long-term strategy shift, a merger or acquisition, scandal, or economic hardship also require different skills and behaviors. The best leaders know these differences and when to use them.