What should a good leader do? The answer to this question will reveal a lot of facts about your leadership style and skills. Unlike many other practices, leadership is very fluid. It is important for leaders to evolve with ever-changing trends and requirements. In the long run, a successful leader would have seen numerous challenges, patterns, and paths of life. In order to become a successful leader, you need to be aware of where you stand at the very moment. With this being said, here are a few common leadership styles to help you.
Democratic leaders
As suggested by its name, these leaders take into consideration the inputs from every member of the team. Though they make the final judgment, the ideas and opinion of each team member is valued. This helps democratic leaders build a stronger and more loyal organization. For generations, democratic leadership traits are claimed to be highly effective.
Autocratic Leaders
These leaders are hardly effective in what they accomplish. This leadership style is the direct opposite of democratic leaders. In this style, the opinions of team members are not valued greatly. In many cases, the team is not consulted for opinions. Instead, they are expected to match the pace and timing of their leaders.
Laissez Faire leadership
In French, the term Laissez-Faire translates to “let them do”. This leadership style is effective, but not in all situations. Here, leaders offer all the authority and importance to their employees. Time after time, members working under this leadership feel empowered.
Strategic Leaders
Over the years, the nature of strategic leaders has changed drastically. Today, this leadership quality is all about connecting opportunities with operations. Leaders ensure that all their employees have a favorable condition to work in. As a result, employees feel comfortable working in the given organizational structure.
Transformational leadership
The transformational leadership style is effective under special conditions. As suggested by its name, it involves the use of goals that can transform lives, and the way a company functions. However, this kind of leadership can push employees beyond their comfort zone. You are likely to come across this leadership style in many startups.
Transactional Leadership
Finally, you have transactional leadership, which is extremely common. These leaders choose to reward employees based on their achievements. This could be anything like a scheduled bonus, or a day off! In the beginning, the rewards will be given for completing common tasks at the right place. With time, the rewards will get bigger and more difficult.