19 Types of leadership styles & how to apply them
40% of new leaders fail within their first 18 months due to an inability to cope with the mental stress of high-impact roles. This shocking statistic demonstrates a clear gap in understanding and adapting to diverse leadership styles required for success.
Whether transitioning into a new leadership role or seeking to improve in your current position, understanding different leadership styles is essential for building effective team dynamics.
Gallup says managers affect 70% of employee engagement scores, showing how critical leadership styles are in team performance and satisfaction.
This article explores 19 leadership styles that can help you identify the best approach for your personality, team dynamics, and organizational goals. We’ll also provide clear definitions for each and explain why understanding them is essential for your success as a leader.
What is a leadership style?
A leadership style refers to how a leader guides, manages and motivates employees. It reflects how they communicate, make decisions, and solve problems.
Different leaders use different approaches based on their values, personalities, and the needs of their team. Some leaders are more hands-on, while others give their team more freedom to act.
Leadership styles can range from authoritative and structured to collaborative and supportive. Each style affects how a team works together and how goals are achieved, with leaders choosing what works best for their team’s culture and objectives.
Why are different leadership styles important?
Different leadership styles are important because they help leaders adapt to the changing needs of their teams.
As technology evolves and business challenges shift, leaders must adjust their approach to stay effective. The employee journey is eclectic, and people learn in different ways, so a one-size-fits-all style won’t work.
Leaders need to recognize when to try new methods or shift their approach to keep their employees engaged and productive. Having a sense of adaptability allows leaders to face fresh challenges, connect with employees at all levels, and ensure team success despite constant change in the workplace.
19 Types of effective leadership styles
Only 47% of leaders who are confident in their skills believe they are good at coaching and developing others. This means many leaders may need to improve their mentoring ability and support their teams better, which is essential for growth and success.
Understanding the different leadership styles is key to developing the skills to coach and guide your team. Recognizing which style suits you and your team’s needs can help bridge the gap between confidence and competence in leadership.
Our list starts with leadership styles that focus on control and direction and then moves to styles that encourage team involvement, growth, and visions for the future.
With that in mind, let’s explore the nineteen types of leadership styles.
- Autocratic leadership
Autocratic leadership is a style where the leader makes decisions alone, with little or no input from others. This approach is highly directive, with the leader controlling all aspects of the team’s work. While it can be effective in situations requiring quick decisions or when managing inexperienced teams, it can limit creativity and reduce employee engagement.
For example, in a manufacturing plant, an autocratic leader may quickly set strict guidelines and expectations to ensure tasks are completed efficiently and without errors, especially when there’s little room for deviation from established procedures.
- Bureaucratic leadership
Bureaucratic leadership emphasizes strict adherence to rules, policies, and procedures. Leaders using this style ensure that every task follows established guidelines to maintain consistency and order. It works well in structured environments where precision and reliability are key but can hinder flexibility and innovation.
This could mean that a bureaucratic leader would prioritize strict protocols to ensure patient safety in a healthcare setting, leaving little room for deviation. While this approach minimizes risk, it may also stifle creative problem-solving or slow down decision-making when unexpected challenges arise.
- Paternalistic leadership
Paternalistic leadership involves the leader taking a caring, guiding role and making decisions in the best interest of their team. Leaders with this style prioritize their employees’ well-being and like to create a nurturing work environment. While it builds strong loyalty, it often reduces individual autonomy and initiative.
In a small tech startup, a paternalistic leader might take a hands-on approach and ensure employees are not only hitting targets but also managing work-life balance. They might offer personal advice and prioritize team morale. However, this could result in employees becoming overly reliant on the leader, limiting their ability to make independent decisions.
- Laissez-faire leadership
Laissez-faire leadership is a hands-off approach where leaders give their team the freedom to make decisions with minimal interference. This style trusts employees to manage their work, often encouraging creativity and independence. However, it can lead to a lack of direction and accountability if not balanced properly.
In a marketing agency, a laissez-faire leader might trust the team’s expertise and allow the team to choose how to approach projects. While this breeds creativity and ownership, it could also result in confusion or missed deadlines if employees aren’t aligned on goals. The leader’s lack of oversight can even cause projects to lack focus or clarity.
- Participative leadership
Participative leadership thrives on involving the team in decision-making, ensuring everyone has a say in how things are done. This approach boosts employee collaboration, trust, and a sense of ownership. While it can increase engagement and innovation, it may also slow down the process because decisions require consensus.
For instance, a manager leading a product launch might gather insights from various departments—marketing, design, and sales—before settling on a strategy. This ensures that every perspective is considered, but it could lead to longer planning stages as leaders balance differing opinions and priorities.
- Democratic leadership
Democratic leadership is a style where leaders seek input from their team before making decisions, helping ensure everyone has a voice. While the leader makes the final call, the process is highly collaborative. This style builds trust and teamwork, but it can slow down decision-making when there are differing opinions.
For instance, in a technology startup, a democratic leader might ask the development team for ideas on the best features to include in a new app. After gathering feedback, the leader makes the final decision. While this approach ensures the team is engaged, it could delay the project timeline if consensus is hard to reach.
- Ethical leadership
Ethical leadership focuses on making decisions that align with strong moral principles, even when faced with tough choices. Leaders who follow this style are committed to fairness, transparency, and doing what is right. However, it can be challenging when business goals conflict with ethical values.
In a software development firm, an ethical leader might choose to halt the release of a new app feature after discovering a potential security vulnerability, even if it means delaying the product. This decision prioritizes user safety over profits, reinforcing the company’s commitment to integrity.
- Coaching leadership
Coaching leadership is about helping people grow by guiding them through challenges and offering continuous support. Leaders who use this style focus on building skills, setting goals, and providing regular feedback. It takes time but helps team members improve and reach their full potential.
A coaching leader might notice an employee struggling to handle difficult clients on a customer service team. Rather than just telling them what to do, the leader offers tips, role-play scenarios, and sets goals for improvement. Over time, the employee becomes more confident and skilled, leading to better customer interactions and overall team success.
- Quiet leadership
Quiet leadership involves leading through calm presence, active listening, and supporting others without seeking the spotlight. These leaders empower their teams by offering guidance and trust, letting their employees take the lead while providing behind-the-scenes support. It’s an effective approach to building trust, though it may be overlooked in more high-energy environments.
In an HR department, a quiet leader might observe team dynamics without immediately stepping in. Instead of directly addressing every issue, they offer guidance privately, listen to team concerns, and provide resources for growth. Their low-key approach builds autonomy within the team while still ensuring steady progress and support.
- Distributed leadership
Distributed leadership means spreading leadership roles across the team, meaning everyone takes charge in areas they are good at. This leadership style promotes teamwork and gives everyone a chance to lead. It works well when team members trust each other and communicate clearly.
For example, during the launch of an eCommerce website, one person might lead the development, another manages marketing, and a third focuses on customer support. Each person leads their part of the project, but they all work together to ensure success This helps get things done quickly and creatively by using everyone’s strengths.
- Transactional leadership
Transactional leadership is focused on maintaining order and achieving specific goals through clear guidelines and rewards. Leaders using this approach often rely on a structured system where performance is directly tied to incentives or consequences. While it ensures consistency, it can stifle creativity and fail to motivate employees beyond the minimum requirements.
In a logistics company, a transactional leader might set strict delivery deadlines and reward drivers who consistently meet them with bonuses. If deadlines are missed, they could face penalties or extra shifts. While this keeps the team focused on efficiency, it doesn’t inherently encourage drivers to look for new ways to improve routes or customer service.
- Transformational leadership
Transformational leadership inspires and motivates team members to go beyond their limits and achieve extraordinary results. Leaders who use this style focus on vision, creativity, and personal growth. They encourage innovation, challenge the status quo, and support their team’s development, creating a sense of purpose and excitement in the work.
At a tech startup, a transformational leader might inspire the team with a bold vision of creating a groundbreaking product. They encourage everyone to contribute ideas and take risks. This approach can lead to high motivation levels but requires a leader to communicate the vision and manage change.
- Adaptive leadership
Adaptive leadership helps teams face challenges by encouraging flexibility and quick thinking. Leaders who practice this style guide their teams through change, urging them to find new solutions and adapt to unexpected situations. It’s about being open to change and learning from mistakes.
In a cybersecurity firm, an adaptive leader might steer the team through a new type of cyber threat. Instead of sticking to outdated methods, the leader encourages the team to research and develop new security protocols. As threats evolve, the leader adjusts strategies quickly, promoting a culture where innovation and problem-solving are key to staying ahead of hackers.
- Agile leadership
Agile leadership helps teams stay flexible and quickly adjust to changes. Leaders guide their teams through short, focused tasks and encourage constant feedback. This way, teams can keep improving and stay on track even when things shift.
In a gaming company, an agile leader might break a big project into smaller parts, like creating levels or characters, and set short deadlines. After each part is finished, the leader checks in with the team to see what’s working and what needs fixing. If something isn’t going well, the leader helps the team adjust so they can keep development moving forward without losing momentum.
- Charismatic leadership
Charismatic leadership relies on a leader’s ability to inspire and energize their team through their personality and vision. These leaders naturally attract followers with passion, confidence, and strong communication skills. Their enthusiasm motivates others to work towards a shared goal, often creating a highly energized, loyal team.
A charismatic leader might rally the team around a bold vision at a cloud-based software company, such as transforming how people share and store data. The team’s excitement and confidence in the project spread, driving employees to put in extra effort. The leader’s presence alone can be a powerful motivator, making the team feel part of something special.
- Authentic leadership
Authentic leadership is built on honesty, transparency, and being true to oneself. Leaders who follow this style lead with integrity. They openly share their values, beliefs, and motivations with their team. Their authenticity helps build trust and strong relationships, making them approachable and reliable.
At a fintech startup, an authentic leader might openly share the company’s successes and challenges with the team. Instead of hiding difficulties, they encourage open conversations about risks and opportunities. This transparency builds trust, where employees feel valued and are more willing to contribute ideas. They do this knowing they are supported by a leader who values honesty above all.
- Operational leadership
Operational leadership focuses on ensuring that everything in a business runs smoothly every day. These leaders pay attention to the details, manage resources, and guarantee tasks are completed on time. Their goal is to keep things efficient and organized.
An operational leader might manage the team at a logistics company to ensure packages are sorted and delivered quickly. They track routes, confirm drivers are on schedule, and fix problems if something goes wrong. Keeping everything organized and on time allows the company to run smoothly and helps customers get their packages as promised.
- Visionary leadership
Visionary leadership is about setting big goals and inspiring a team to work towards them. These leaders see the future clearly and get others excited about making that vision a reality. They motivate their team to be creative and think outside the box to reach long-term goals.
At a SaaS company, a visionary leader might focus on making video communication the go-to way for businesses and schools worldwide. They may share big goals with the team, pushing them to innovate and improve the software. Focusing on the future means leaders get everyone excited and working together to change how people connect online.
- Strategic leadership
Strategic leadership focuses on planning for the future and making decisions that help a company grow over time. Leaders with this style balance immediate tasks with long-term goals, adjusting their plans as the business environment changes.
At a cloud storage company, a strategic leader might expand services to support large businesses based on growing demand for enterprise solutions. Rather than just focusing on current users, they plan for future growth. This helps ensure the company’s offerings evolve to meet new market needs and stay ahead of competitors. Their foresight helps guide the organization toward continued success in the long run.
Wrapping up leadership styles
The leadership styles we’ve discussed will resonate with different personalities, so it’s essential to find what works best for you.
Adapting your leadership approach is key to staying relevant and effective as technology evolves. The best leaders often blend multiple styles, adjusting their method based on the needs of the team or the situation. Whether you’re guiding a small team or a large organization, the ability to tweak and adapt your leadership style will help you remain flexible and increase business agility all while meeting the challenges of a business environment in constant flux.
FAQs
Leadership styles vary in their approach to decision-making, communication, and team involvement. Some are more directive (like autocratic), while others emphasize collaboration and empowerment (like democratic). Each style adapts to different team needs, challenges, and organizational goals.
Leadership styles shape team dynamics by influencing motivation, trust, and communication. A clear, supportive style can boost morale and productivity, while a mismatched or inconsistent approach can lead to confusion and disengagement, which can negatively affect performance and goal achievement.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all style. The most effective leadership style depends on the team, company culture, and specific challenges. Successful leaders often blend multiple styles, adjusting their approach based on the situation and team needs to drive results