Every field requires a leader for guidance. Leaders are responsible for managing and guiding their teams to accomplish targets. Every leader is different and holds a different approach. Due to that, there are many types of leadership.
An effective leadership style is measured by how much the followers trust them. If your team trusts you, they’ll go over and beyond to achieve targets!
“A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see and who sees before others see.” – Leroy Eimes, author and leadership expert
In this article, I will discuss the different types of leadership in detail.
Let’s start!
10 Different Types of Leadership
1. Democratic Leadership
Democratic leadership is one of the most influential and popular leadership. Every member has the opportunity to contribute and share their thoughts. It gives them a sense of involvement and equality. However, the final decision lands in the hands of the leader.
In democratic leadership, achieving a mutual discussion can be time-consuming.
Pros
- Welcomes opinions from everyone in the discussion.
- Encourages collaboration between the team members and the leader.
- Entire group engagement leads to productivity.
- A mutual decision in the end.
Cons
- Multiple new viewpoints can lead to confusion and waste of time.
- At times, minorities are sidelined.
- A majority of unskilled groups can also result in decision-making.
2. Autocratic Leadership
Autocratic leadership is the complete opposite of democratic leadership. Here, the viewpoint of the organization does not matter. An autocratic leader makes decisions as per his interest.
Pros
- The decision-making process is fast and does not take much time.
- Specific duties with a clear aim are provided, and no one is allowed to switch roles, so it leaves more productivity and focus.
- Workflow is consistent as commands from only the leader is followed, not other team members.
Cons
- Hampers collaborative spirit and innovation.
- Team members may feel left out and discouraged.
- Minimum scope of professional growth.
3. Bureaucratic Leadership
Bureaucratic leadership means running according to commands and strict regulations. You can easily find this type of leadership in various government organizations. Further, in this kind of setup, the followers must abide by the rules of an organization.
Pros
- A proper set of regulations and rules define each process diligently.
- Zero bias.
- High job security and good professional growth.
Cons
- The narrow scope of relationship building within team members.
- Does not let team members be creative or innovative.
- It can be inefficient at times due to a series of commands from the leadership position.
4. Transactional Leadership
Transactional leadership is quite similar to autocratic leadership. Transactional leaders try to push their team members by following a process of punishment and rewards. The same applies to autocratic leadership. However, in transactional, the team member directly talks with the leader and can reap benefits if they deliver excellent performance.
Pros
- Provides efficiency, structure, and stability in the team.
- Companies can achieve short-term goals effectively.
Cons
- Does not result in creativity and personal growth.
- Not recommended for individuals who like to take the initiative or pitch ideas.
5. Charismatic Leadership
A charismatic leader is highly persuasive and holds excellent communication skills. These leaders have the potential to connect immediately with people. Moreover, they are precious for companies who need to collaborate with other brands.
Pros
- It encourages people and is highly motivating.
- Engage people highly and make them feel valued.
- Push the team towards productivity and positive changes.
Cons
- Charismatic leaders may focus more on themselves and their thought processes.
- Can sideline team members’ points of view at times.
6. Collaborative Leadership
Collaborative leaders focus on helping organizations build their collaborations with others. It is a beneficial leadership quality as it fosters team and company relationships. Additionally, a collaborative leader is highly creative and possesses excellent communication skills.
Pros
- Helps strengthen relationships between teams and organizations.
- Leads in creative and innovative thinking.
- Helps build trustworthiness.
Cons
- Conflicts regarding roles and responsibilities in the team may arise.
- Chances of leaders fighting for position.
7. Laissez-Faire Leadership
Laissez-Faire leadership promotes creative thinking. In this system, the leaders provide freedom to their employees for taking day to day decisions. You can see this type of leadership in various agencies, such as advertising. Further, employees get all the necessary tools for completing tasks from their leaders.
Pros
- Every team member gets an opportunity to lead tasks.
- Enhances creativity and independence amongst the team.
- Builds trust between leaders and team members.
Cons
- Lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities may create conflicts among teams.
8. Strategic Leadership
In strategic leadership, the leader helps their team members to achieve long-term goals in a systematic approach. The main aim is to make the best of situations and achieve deadlines.
Pros
- Open-minded and self-aware
- Excellent personal communication skills
- Understanding and empathetic
- Run according to the schedule to achieve the aim.
Cons
- Lack of innovation and creativity
- Resistance to change
- Somewhat rigid personality and decisions
9. Coaching Leadership
Coaching leaders are highly enthusiastic about learning more about the strengths and weaknesses of team members and working on them. These leaders are creative and motivate their teams to the best of their abilities.
Pros
- Runs the team as one unit.
- Provide clear directions to the team.
- Core participation in making the individuals productive and efficient.
Cons
- Such leaders do not provide instant results.
- The team has to stay united; leadership can be at risk if things go south.
- Not efficient for short-term goals.
10. Pacesetting Leadership
Such leaders focus on high productivity and qualitative work. They have a slight resemblance with authoritarian leadership.
Further, they want the task to be done strictly on time. These leaders want the team to follow in their footsteps and work accordingly.
Avoid working with such a leader if you can’t work under pressure.
Pros
- Achieve their targets on time.
- Focused on results.
- Aim to get high performance.
- Excellent problem-solving skills.
- Take the initiative to get things done if an issue occurs.
Cons
- They can leave team members demotivated.
- Discourage the team or individuals.
- Over-controlling nature.
- Hardly appreciates their team
Conclusion
These were the most popular leadership styles. A good leadership style helps grow individuals and the entire organization. The list mentioned above explains different types of leadership. I hope that the information helps you understand them in detail.
In case of any queries, do comment below.
Keep learning, and keep exploring!
Frequently Asked Questions
Ques1. Which leadership style is the best?
Ans. Democratic leadership is one of the most famous leadership styles. It provides a sense of involvement amongst the team members. Further, the final decision is mutual but taken by the leader.
Ques2. What is strong leadership?
Ans. Leadership that focuses on the growth of individuals builds trust and instills a sense of involvement in the team members can be considered strong leadership.
Ques3. What type of skill is leadership?
Ans. Leadership skills involve the capabilities and strengths of an individual who can motivate and drive their team members to achieve goals.
Ques4. Is leadership a talent or a skill?
Ans. Leadership is a skill that you can learn and develop over time.
Ques5. Is leadership possible without power?
Ans. Leadership without power or authority is quite challenging and close to impossible.
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