If leadership is âthe ability to motivate a group to achieve a vision and a goal,â as defined in a 2012 study about leadership published in the International Journal of Business and Social Science, then leadership style is the manner in which you do so. Your leadership style may change over time, as human beings arenât static, but research shows that the innate drivers that contribute to leadership styles are largely influenced by past experiences and natural personality traits. The science behind leadership styles and how to identify them first became popular in the 1970s. Since then, the leadership sphere has become part of the even greater $11.6 billion business coaching industry. Along the way, various companies and research institutes created their own leadership assessments that group participants into a fixed leader archetype or style. However, many experts contend this isnât the only or best way to identify your style as a leader, but rather a useful tool in the process. âHumans donât fit into neat little boxes,â said Michelle Duval, business coach and CEO of Fingerprint for Success, an online coaching startup. âLooking at motivations and attitudes takes into account the fact that people adapt and mature. It allows for a much more dynamic view of humans and how their leadership styles can change over time.â What experts do agree on is that identifying and understanding your leadership style will make you a stronger leader. Hereâs why itâs important, and how to identify your own style of leadership.
Leadership comes in many different forms. Understanding your own natural leadership style can help you become more effective and play to your inherent strengths.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the main types of leadership and how to figure out which one (or which combination) fits you best as an individual.
Assessing Your Traits and Abilities
The first step is to reflect on your personality traits, values and abilities to get insights into what style of leadership comes naturally to you.
Consider questions like:
- Are you more introverted or extroverted?
- Are you focused more on tasks or relationships?
- Are you detail-oriented or do you prefer big picture thinking?
- Do you take charge or facilitate collaboration?
- Are you assertive or more cooperative?
- Are you motivated by achievement or growth?
Think about your natural tendencies not necessarily what you aspire to be. There are no right or wrong answers. The goal is simply to understand your default inclinations.
Beyond general personality traits also reflect on abilities that may shape your leadership approach like
- Your ability to motivate and rally people
- Your capacity to take initiative and drive results
- Your skills in strategic planning and analysis
- Your talents in creative problem-solving
- Your strengths in mentoring and developing others
Start by simply listing out the traits, qualities and abilities you possess that might inform your leadership capacity. This self-assessment lays the foundation to dig deeper.
Understanding Your Values
Your core values provide important clues into what leadership style aligns best with who you are at a fundamental level.
What do you value most in life? What principles guide your decisions and actions?
Here are some examples of leadership-related values to reflect on:
- Achievement vs purpose-driven impact
- Autonomy vs collaboration
- Innovation vs consistency
- Efficiency vs relationships
- Quick decisions vs inclusive consensus
Make a list of your top 5-10 core values. Look for themes and patterns that give insight into what you fundamentally care about Your values will naturally shape your preferences as a leader
Evaluating Leadership Styles of Others
Looking outside yourself and observing other leaders you admire can further crystallize the types of leadership you gravitate towards.
Think about bosses, mentors, public figures and others who stand out as role models to you. What do you appreciate and respect about how they lead?
Specifically notice their tendencies in areas like:
- Communication style
- Decision making process
- Way of relating to and motivating their team
- Methods of driving progress and results
- Ability to adapt to new challenges
See if you can identify patterns in the types of leadership you respond well to. We often emulate behaviors of those we look up to.
Practicing Different Leadership Styles
While self-reflection can reveal your natural inclinations, actively experimenting with different leadership approaches gives you direct experience.
Don’t just think about different styles – try them out, especially outside your comfort zone.
Some ways you can practice stretching your leadership muscles:
- Take the lead on a volunteer project using a style that’s new for you
- Manage a work task or team in a way that leverages different skills
- Role play various scenarios with a trusted mentor or coach
- Join a forum or club and take on a leadership role
- Speak up and assert yourself in situations where you normally wouldn’t
Notice what feels enjoyable vs draining. What results do different leadership styles produce? Where do you excel and struggle?
Hands-on experience with diverse approaches builds self-awareness and flexibility to adopt different styles as needed.
Getting Feedback from Others
Finally, ask those who know you well directly about how they perceive your leadership tendencies. Get their objective insights into your strengths, blindspots, and areas for development.
Solicit feedback from people like:
- Your manager and coworkers
- Friends and family
- Direct reports (if you manage others)
- Mentors and teachers
- Peers who you collaborate with
Use open-ended questions like:
- What do you see as my natural leadership style based on working with me?
- When have you seen me be an especially effective leader?
- What leadership qualities do you think I should develop further?
Thank them for their candor. Compare their observations with your own self-assessment to gain a 360 degree view.
Common Leadership Styles
Once you’ve done the self-reflection and research above, read over common leadership style definitions to see what resonates:
Visionary
Visionary leaders inspire people towards a compelling vision of the future. They think big picture and communicate their vision to rally team members.
Affiliative
Affiliative leaders build relationships and connect emotionally with people. They prioritize collaboration, positivity and belonging.
Democratic
Democratic leaders involve their team in decision making and problem solving. They seek consensus through participation and build commitment.
Pace-setting
Pace-setting leaders expect excellence and drive hard to deliver results fast. They hold themselves and others to very high standards.
Coaching
Coaching leaders develop people through mentoring, constructive feedback and opportunities for growth. They unlock potential in others.
Commanding
Commanding leaders take decisive action and direct others assertively. They don’t hesitate to make tough calls and prioritize results above all else.
Of course, most leaders are a blend of multiple styles rather than fitting neatly in a box. You may lean more heavily on some styles over others or adapt based on context.
Lead From Your Strengths
Determining your type of leader allows you to build self-awareness and play to your natural strengths while being aware of your gaps.
Rather than conform to a rigid style, lead in a way that leverages your innate traits, values and abilities while continuing to stretch and develop new skills over time. Balancing what comes naturally with mindful effort makes for compelling, authentic and effective leadership.
Keep reflecting on how you lead and getting input from others. We always have more room to grow. And ultimately, true leadership comes from within.
Understanding Your Natural Strengths
By investigating and identifying your leadership style, youâll be able to better recognize your natural strengths and weaknesses, and increase your awareness of how other people experience your decision-making in the workplace. With this awareness of how you interact with others at work, as a leader youâre able to make more thoughtful decisions and identify opportunities for growth and success. When people are in the grip of survival thinking, like facing high-pressure decision-making on a tight deadline, they tend to revert to their most innate, reactive way of responding. But with a purposeful awareness of yourself and your leadership styles, the option to respond differently becomes possible. âPersonal insight is a powerful tool for behavior change,â said Karen Laos, a San Francisco Bay-area leadership coach who specializes in working with high-achieving women. âRather than reacting out of frustration, weâre able to take a moment, pause, and come back to the conflict at hand after weâve taken time to process.â Itâs difficult to attain self-awareness without objective input from others; in that vein, learning about your leadership style or styles can also help you understand how other people perceive your actions. âIdentifying our leadership style is important because it gives us insight into other peopleâs experience of us,â noted Clare Montaeu, PhD, an organizational scientist who uses neuroscience-based training programs to facilitate change in organizations. âWe canât possibly know other peopleâs experience of the world. And that can lead to many misunderstandings and opportunities for miscommunication that damage our ability to lead effectively and powerfully.â Becoming familiar with your leadership style can help you understand the impact youâre having on others and how theyâre experiencing you as their leader. Hereâs how to home in on your own.
3 Ways to Identify Your Leadership StyleÂ
There is no one âright wayâ to find your leadership style. Some experts swear by traditional, formal assessments, while others believe a qualitative examination of yourself is more effective. Here are three methods to consider as you begin to identify your unique style.Â
How To Be A Leader – The 7 Great Leadership Traits
How do I know what type of leader I am?
If you’re an entrepreneur looking to harness your leadership abilities, here are six ways to figure out what type of leader you are: 1. Know Your Personality Traits The only way you can truly understand the type of leader you are is to assess your personality.
How do you know if you are a good leader?
Follow these steps to figure out what type of leader you are: 1. Assess your traits and abilities Understanding your leadership style typically starts with understanding the natural abilities and traits you possess. Examine any dominant characteristics you have and evaluate how they impact your relationships at work or in your personal life.
How do I determine my leadership type?
From a process point of view, I suggest using three simple steps to determine your leadership type and the types of those around you. The first step is a self-assessment. The primary key to this is to be honest with yourself.
Do You Know Your leadership style?
You can step into any situation, create a vision, set goals and guide others to achievement. But if you want to be your most effective as a leader, then you must understand your leadership style. The advantage of understanding your leadership style is that you will have more awareness of your strengths and weaknesses.
