Are you looking for ways to improve your leadership skills? Read on to discover these different types of management styles and how to apply each one effectively.
The way we manage others has an impact on our effectiveness as leaders. Thirteen different styles of management exist, and knowing which style works best for you will help you become a better leader.
Also Read: Master of Business Administration
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Types of Management Styles for Effective Leaders
As with most abilities in life, leadership skills are developed through practice and hard work. Nevertheless, being a good leader can take many forms. Great leaders often incorporate different types of management styles at different times.
These different approaches to providing direction, executing plans, and motivating people are known as leadership styles. In this article, we’ll discuss these leadership styles that are more common than you think.
The way leaders communicate with others has an impact on how well teams perform. This article will explain the differences between each style and provide examples of each approach in action.
In this post, we’ll also share the most common traits of effective leaders share so that you can take your management skills — and learn from these leadership styles and skills and take your business — to the next level.
Leadership/ Management Styles 101: The Basics
Leadership styles are based on the personality traits of the person leading. Learn about each type of leadership style and how they affect your team.
The most effective leaders are those who understand themselves well enough to know when they need to change their approach. They also know when to delegate authority and when to take charge.
13 different leadership styles are most effective when leading people. The best leaders use all thirteen styles at various times to achieve success.
Management Styles #1: Authoritarian – “I know what’s best for you.” Or A leader who makes the final call on what happens within an organization. / Autocratic – “You will do as I say.” Or A leader who makes decisions without consulting others. / The Enforcer / The Commanding Style
The commanding style is characterized by being authoritative, demanding respect, and having high expectations. It’s often used when there is a need to set clear goals and standards for employees. This style is effective when people are motivated by fear of punishment rather than a love of praise.
An authoritarian leader has strong opinions and beliefs about how things should be done. He or she will make decisions quickly and without consulting others. This leader is usually very confident and likes to control situations.
An enforcer leader is characterized by strict rules and regulations. They expect employees to follow them without question. If there’s any deviation from the rule, the enforcer leader will punish the employee with harsh consequences.
An autocrat will make decisions quickly and often without considering other people’s opinions. This type of leader is usually very decisive and tends to be inflexible.
An authoritarian leader makes decisions without consulting with anyone else. He believes that he knows better than everyone else how things should be done. He expects obedience and loyalty from his followers.
In an autocratic leader, there is no room for discussion or debate. Employees must follow orders without question. If they disagree with the decision, they must accept it.
Management Styles #2: Democratic – “We work together to make decisions.” Or A leader who listens to input from those around him or her before making a decision. / Participative – A leader who encourages his or her team members to participate in decision-making.
A democratic leader works with others to make decisions. He listens to what other people think and feels before making any decision. He encourages input from others and tries to understand their point of view.
Participative leaders encourage their teams to take ownership of projects and tasks. They also provide feedback and support when needed.
A democratic leader will listen to others before making a decision. He or she will consider everyone’s opinion and take into account what he or she thinks is right.
Management Styles #3: Laissez Faire – “Let me handle it.” Or A leader who lets people make their own decisions. / The Delegating Style
This leader allows his or her employees to do as they please without interference. They trust their employees to make good decisions and give them the freedom to act accordingly.
This style is based on trust and respect. It means that leaders should not try to control everything that happens in an organization. Leaders who use this style believe that employees will do the right thing without being told. They also believe that employees need to feel free to express themselves and share ideas.
In contrast, the delegating style is characterized by being focused on results and not so concerned with praise. People who use this style tend to be less confident and prefer to work alone. They also tend to be more successful at tasks that require little creativity or skill.
The delegator leader is a leader who delegates tasks to other people. He or she does not take ownership of projects or responsibilities. Instead, he or she focuses on making sure everyone else succeeds.
Management Styles #4: The Affiliative Leader
An affiliative leader seeks out input from team members and encourages them to share ideas. They also encourage feedback and seek advice from those around them. Affiliative leaders tend to be warm and friendly, and they often use humor to lighten tense situations.
Management Styles #5: The Collaborative Leader
A collaborative leader works well with others, listens to their ideas, and shares his or her thoughts and opinions. This type of leader is open to new ideas and welcomes constructive criticism. Collaborative leaders are usually good at building relationships and trust among team members.
Management Styles #6: The Disciplinarian
A disciplinarian leader sets clear expectations and holds employees accountable for meeting those expectations. This type of leader is often seen as an authority figure. Employees will follow orders because they fear punishment.
Management Styles #7: The Coaching Style
The coaching style is characterized by being encouraging, supportive, and non-judgmental. It’s typically used when people are motivated by a love of praise rather than fear of punishment. This style is effective with individuals who are not very self-confident and need encouragement to succeed.
Management Styles #8: The Authentic Style
Management Styles #9: Indirect – Leaders with this style use indirect communication to influence their followers.
This type of leader has an open-door policy and encourages others to share ideas. He or she also gives praise and recognition to those who excel at what they do.
Management Styles #10: Paternalistic – Paternalistic leaders care more about the welfare of their subordinates than about their own needs.
They are concerned with the well-being of their staff and are willing to sacrifice their interests for theirs.
Management Styles #11: Emergent
Emergent leadership is a type of leadership in which a team member is not appointed or elected to a leadership role. Instead, their leadership develops over time as a result of the team’s interaction. An emergent leader needs to rely on influence rather than authority, and often team members don’t immediately accept a new leader who has not been appointed or elected.
A common tactic for emergent leaders is to influence their team by utilizing the concept of reciprocity and the exchange of favors. This leadership style is relationship-focused. For this style to be effective, the emergent leader needs to be well-versed in developing, maintaining and repairing relationships.
Management Styles #12: Pacesetting
A pacesetting leader leads by example. They set high standards for themselves in the hope that others will follow suit. A team comprised of self-motivated, high-performers who value continuous improvement will thrive under the direction of a pacesetting leader. Like autocratic leadership, pacesetting leaders are most commonly found in the military – but the pacesetting leadership style is much more effective.
Like the previously mentioned laissez-faire style, leadership styles that rely on autonomy can be problematic for those who require detailed guidance. It can also create an environment where individuals in the team might feel they’re being pushed too hard by a leader whose standards don’t mirror their own, a common occurrence in start-ups.
Management Styles #13: Servant Leader – “Serving others first”
A servant leader puts the needs of others before his own. He is willing to sacrifice his interests to help those he leads. This type of leader is often seen as an underperformer because he does not take credit for his accomplishments. However, he has a positive impact on those around him by helping them succeed.
The term “servant leadership” was coined by American author Robert Greenleaf in his 1970 book The Servant as Leader.
“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.” – Robert K. Greenleaf
In business, leaders typically serve the interests of shareholders and the bottom line. A servant leader is focused primarily on the well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. Servant leaders share authority, put the needs of others first, and help people realize their full potential. They are concerned more with the well-being of the societies in which they operate than their functional responsibilities. In a servant leadership organization, the leader exists to serve his or her direct reports, not the other way around.
Leadership Skills to Learn from Great Leaders Like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, etc.
5 Leadership Lessons from Steve Jobs
In his new book, Leadership Lessons from Apple’s Steve Jobs, author John Carreyrou explores what he learned about leadership from one of the most influential leaders of our time.
The world has lost many great leaders, but their legacy never dies. They always leave their legacy behind for us common beings to take lessons from and develop ourselves. One such leader, Steve Jobs passed away at age 56 after battling pancreatic cancer for several years. He was an innovator in technology and business, and his legacy will live on through products that changed the way we communicate, shop, and entertain ourselves.
Here’s A List of Top 5 Things We Learned from Steve Jobs
Be a good listener.
One of the things I admire most about Steve Jobs was how he listened. He didn’t just listen when people talked to him; he listened to them as they spoke. And, he took notes, asked questions, and made suggestions. He also paid attention to details—he knew exactly where to find the right product, and he knew how to make sure everything was done correctly.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
It’s easy to think that making mistakes means you aren’t doing something right. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Making mistakes is an essential part of learning. If we never made any mistakes, we would never learn anything. Mistakes help us understand what works and what doesn’t work. They teach us what to do differently next time. And they give us the confidence to try again.
Stay humble.
One of the things I admire most about Steve Jobs was how he handled failure. He didn’t let it stop him from trying again. Instead, he used his failures as stepping stones to success.
Always keep learning.
“I think we should all do everything we can to make sure that we learn something every day,” says Steve Jobs. “It’s not just about being smart; it’s about being curious. It’s about asking questions and challenging yourself. You never know when these little moments will turn into big opportunities.”
Be clear about who you are and what you stand for.
As a leader, you need to be clear about who you are as an individual and what you stand for as a team. This means having a strong sense of self and knowing exactly where you fit in the organization.
Bonus: STAY HUNGRY, STAY FOOLISH
5 Leadership Lessons from Elon Musk
Read about these five leadership lessons from Elon Musk and apply them to your life today!
5 Leadership Lessons from Elon Musk
Elon Musk has been called many things over his career, but “genius” isn’t usually among them. Yet, in recent years, he’s become known for being an innovator, entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, and inventor. He’s also a leader, and we’re lucky enough to learn from him every day.
Be humble.
In the book, “The Road Ahead,” Elon Musk wrote, “I think humility is one of the most underrated virtues. It’s easy to feel good when you’re successful, but success should never make you arrogant. You need to keep reminding yourself that you’re just a small part of something much bigger than yourself.”
Don’t take yourself too seriously.
If you want to become a leader, you must first learn how to lead yourself. This means being able to recognize your strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of others. It also means learning to manage your emotions so you can remain calm under pressure.
Focus on what’s important.
To be successful at anything, you need to focus on what matters. You should spend less time worrying about things that aren’t important and more time focusing on what matters.
Take risks.
If you’re going to do something new, take some risks. It’s easy to say “no” when you feel nervous, but if you’re not willing to try something new, you’ll never learn how to succeed.
Have fun.
You should enjoy what you’re doing. If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, then you will work harder at it.
5 Leadership Lessons from Bill Gates
Bill Gates has been described as one of the most influential people on earth. He’s also known for being an entrepreneur who started Microsoft. Read about his top 5 leadership lessons.
Bill Gates’ Top Five Leadership Lessons
Be Honest with Yourself.
One of the most important things I learned from Bill Gates is, to be honest with yourself. If you’re not happy with where you are right now, then make changes. Don’t wait until you feel better before making changes.
Focus on People First.
It’s easy to focus on the numbers when you’re running a business. You need to pay attention to how much money you’re bringing in, what kind of profit margins you’re getting, and so on. However, those numbers aren’t everything. They only tell part of the story. What matters more is how well you’re doing by focusing on your customers.
Don’t Let Fear Hold You Back.
If you’re afraid of failing, then you’ll never succeed. That’s why it’s important to learn from mistakes. Failure is often the best teacher because it helps you avoid making the same mistake twice.
Learn from Mistakes.
You should never let fear stop you from trying new things. It’s easy to think that you won’t make any mistakes when you first start. However, you will inevitably fail at some point. Don’t worry about it. Just try again.
Be humble.
If you’re afraid of failing, then you’ll never take risks. And if you never take risks, you’ll never do anything new. So, the next time you feel scared, remind yourself that you’ve failed before and you’ll probably fail again. That’s just part of life.
5 Leadership Traits of the Greatest Leaders of All Time
The greatest leaders of our time have one thing in common: they were able to inspire others to greatness. Discover what these great leaders had in common.
Leadership is an important part of life for everyone. Whether you’re leading a team at work or trying to influence someone else, many skills will help you become a better leader.
They were humble.
Great leaders are humble. They understand that they cannot do everything themselves. Instead, they delegate tasks to other people so they can focus on more important things.
They were authentic.
Authenticity is an essential trait of any leader. It means being true to yourself and your values. You should never try to fake who you are. If you’re not comfortable with who you are, then you won’t be comfortable leading others.
They were courageous.
Courageous leaders are willing to take risks and make decisions that might cause them personal harm. Also, they are willing to stand up against injustice and speak out when they see something wrong. And, they are willing to do things differently than everyone else.
They were visionary.
Visionary leaders can envision a better future for themselves and their followers. They can imagine how their actions will affect people and society as a whole. And, they can think outside the box and come up with new ideas.
They were inspiring.
Great leaders can motivate others to achieve more than they thought possible. They can inspire others to believe in themselves and their ability to succeed. They can make others feel valued and appreciated.
How to Be an Effective Leader?
Leadership is one of the most important skills we can develop as individuals and as a society. In this article, we’ll explore what leadership is and how to lead effectively.
The best leaders are those who inspire others to follow them. They’re able to motivate people to achieve goals that benefit everyone involved.
Define Leadership?
Leadership is an essential skill for anyone who wants to succeed in life. It’s also something that we often take for granted. We assume that other people will do things because they’re told to, rather than because they choose to. This isn’t true. People need to feel motivated to act, and they need to believe that they can accomplish whatever goal they set out to achieve.
Understand the Difference Between Leadership and Management.
There are two main types of leaders: managers and motivators. Managers focus on getting others to follow orders, while motivators focus on inspiring them to follow through with those orders. Leaders are both managers and motivators. They manage by setting goals and giving instructions, but they motivate by showing confidence and trust in their team members.
Know When You’re Not Leading.
A leader must also understand when he or she isn’t leading. This means knowing when to give up control and letting other people take charge. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you need to do everything yourself, but sometimes letting go of control is necessary to allow others to succeed.
Learn How to Lead by Example.
If you’re a leader, you should model good behavior. You should set an example for those who follow you. And you should encourage them to do the same.
Develop an Attitude of Gratitude.
Leaders need to be grateful for everything they have. They must appreciate the opportunities they have been given and recognize the people who helped them along the way.
The Leadership Bookshelf: The Ultimate List of Leadership Books for 2022
Get inspired by these best-selling leadership books from Amazon. They cover topics like leadership, management, motivation, and much more.
These books will inspire you to become a better leader. Whether you’re looking for inspiration on how to motivate others or learn how to manage yourself, many great books will help you grow in this area.
The Ultimate List of Leadership Books for 2022
The Leadership Bible: A Practical Guide to Leading People (Amazon #1 Best Seller)
This book is an essential guide to leading people. It provides practical advice on how to lead effectively, with examples from real-life situations.
The Leader’s Guide to Radical Management: Transform Your Organization with Radical Ideas About Work (Amazon #1 Bestseller)
The Leader’s Guide to Radical Management is a collection of essays written by Peter Block, founder of the Center for Organizational Learning at Santa Barbara Graduate School of Business. In his work, he has developed a set of principles for effective leadership based on the idea that leaders should focus on what matters most to them as individuals, rather than trying to please others. He argues that this approach will help organizations become more innovative and productive.
The Art of Managing Humans: An Insider’s View of Building Great Teams (Amazon #1 Bestselling)
This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to lead people effectively. It provides an insider’s view of how to build teams, manage people, and motivate them to perform better.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable (Amazon #1 Best Selling)
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leader’s Guide to Getting Things Done (Amazon #1 Best Seller)
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change (Amazon #1 Bestseller)
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business (Amazon #1 Bestseller)
The 10 Best Online Leadership and Management Courses of 2022
To help you narrow down your choices, we’ve reviewed the 10 best online leadership and management courses below.
- Udemy — Think Like a Leader with Brian Tracy — Top Pick
- edX — Becoming a Successful Leader (Inclusive Leadership Training) — Most Affordable
- edX — MicroMasters® Program in Business Leadership — Most Comprehensive
- edX — Agile Leadership Principles and Practices — Best for Project Managers
- Coursera — Building Your Leadership Skills — Best for Introspection and Personal Growth
- Coursera — Inspired Leadership Specialization — Best for Inspiration, Inclusivity, and Positive Change
- Future Learn — Educational Leadership: Working for Good — Best for Education Professionals
- Columbia University Business School — Digital Business Leadership Program — Best for the Digital Sector
- LinkedIn Learning — Coaching Skills for Leaders and Managers — Best for Lunch-Hour Learning
- Emeritus — Leading Organizations and Change — Best for Organizational Change
The Greatest Leaders of All Time
From ancient times to the modern day, there have been many leaders who have changed the world. Discover their stories!
The greatest leaders in history have had an impact on our lives. They’ve inspired us to change the way we live, think, and act.
Alexander the Great
Alexander was born in 356 BC in Pella, Greece. He was the son of King Philip II of Macedon and his wife Olympias. His father died when he was young, so he became king at age 18. He conquered much of Asia Minor and Egypt before dying at age 32.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) was an Italian military leader and politician who rose to prominence during the French Revolution. He led France in its conquest of Europe during the Napoleonic Wars. He also served as First Consul of the Republic from 1799 until his overthrow in 1804.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) was the 16th President of the United States. His presidency lasted from March 1861 until he died in 1865. During his presidency, he signed into law the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves in areas under Confederate control.
George Washington
He was born on February 22, 1732, in Mount Vernon, Virginia. He became the first president of the United States after defeating John Adams in the election of 1800. Also, he served as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1955, he graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in sociology. After graduating, he worked as an organizer for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He later joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) where he helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Related: The Concept of Management