Choosing an Effective Leadership Style

Leaders should switch their leadership styles to effectively lead in different situations. Research shows that there are four behavioral leadership styles* to choose from:

1 - Directive leadership provides guidance and structure for a team to complete complex tasks with unclear rules.

2 - Supportive leadership provides nurturing care for team members when doing repetitive and unchallenging tasks.

3 - Participative leadership involves the team to accomplish unclear and unstructured tasks.

4 - Achievement-Oriented leadership challenges team members to work through complex and challenging tasks.

How do you, as a leader, help your team members to define their personal, team and organizational goals and accomplish those goals? Directing, guiding and coaching actions based on leadership style should change to suit different work situations to accomplish work goals. Many leaders that I know stick with one preferred leadership style most of their professional career, when they could lead more effectively using the style that works best in the situation that they are faced with.

Please contact us for your leadership development needs and for guidance in more effective leadership style choices.

* From Leadership Theory and Practice by Peter G. Northouse on pages 121-122.