The 11 most common leadership styles

29 of August, 2022

It takes time to acquire leadership skills. And it takes even more experience to find a management style that really feels like you, and at the same time works for your team. To help you discover the right style for you, we have listed 11 common leadership styles.

What are the 11 most common leadership styles?

Autocratic

Autocratic leaders make decisions and give orders without consulting much or even at all with their team members. This style sounds like a thing of the past, but it can still be useful in certain occasions. For instance, if a problem requires a prompt and efficient resolution, then you might want to take a more autocratic approach.

Authoritative

You might at first think that autocratic and authoritative styles are the same thing, but there is a key difference. Indeed, both the autocratic and authoritative leaders are confident people who are not afraid of issuing orders. But the authoritative style is also called “visionary” because those who employ it also explain the reasons for their decisions, teach their subordinates and help them grow, unlike autocratic leaders.

Pacesetting

As the name suggests, pacesetting leaders set the same pace for their entire team. A pacesetter works hard and pushes their teammates hard. In consequence, this type of leadership can bring some people to the brink of burnout in the long run. But if you have a team as energetic and as motivated as you, then you can reach new heights with them.

Democratic

Democratic, also known as participative, leaders share information with their team members, listen to their opinion and advice, and make the final decision by taking into account their input. Having doubts about the effectiveness of democracy in a corporation? You shouldn’t. After all, if it worked for the Corinthians football team in the 80s, why not for your business?

Coaching

Coaches believe in unlocking the potential of the people they manage. So what they do is nudge them in the right direction and provide them with an environment where they can develop their talent. A very rewarding leadership style if you select the right people for you to coach.

Affiliative

An affiliative leader cares deeply about their team members. They really try to get to know their teammates, provide them with emotional support, and promote meaningful relationships within the team. The logic behind this approach is that a team performs better when its members work in harmony with each other and can quickly solve conflicts.

Servant

Similar the previous style, servant leadership also shows a deep concern for its team. However, servant leaders don’t focus only on the emotional aspect, but also try to help their team members in any way they can. This results in a high level of trust between manager and employees.

Laissez-faire

The laissez-faire or delegative style is particularly indicated when a leader works with skilled and experienced employees who require a high level of autonomy. A delegative manager trusts their team members to know what they are doing and does not monitor them closely.

Transformational

This management style aims at constantly transforming and improving the company by encouraging the staff to show initiative and suggest changes. This is a great way to increase employee engagement since employees take an active role in the shaping of the company’s future.

Transactional

The leader motivates their team by using positive as well as negative “transactions”. This way, team members know what reward they will get for meeting the objectives set by their manager. They are also aware of the consequences for failing in getting the job done. This style works best for jobs where increasing productivity matters more than promoting creativity.

Bureaucratic

A bureaucratic leader likes to do things the official way. They will have very clear rules about how they manage their team members and what they expect from them. This predictable style offers plenty of stability but risks creating a lack of innovation.

To make leadership even easier, don’t hesitate to check out Sesame’s employee centre. It gathers all the information regarding your team in one single place and simplifies management considerably!