What are the 5 most effective leadership styles? It doesn’t matter where you stand right now – you can always develop your skills in order to perform better at your job whether you are a long time boss, a fresh manager or an entry-level employee overseeing an intern.
For instance, have you ever noticed that certain projects require three times worth the investment of your time as others? You sweat as you toil through the difficult part of it but end up feeling that there is something missing, something you cannot pinpoint?
The answer to this could be your style of leadership. Hard work and sweat isn’t always what is required when it comes to a competitive management position, especially if it’s a senior one. You must possess an approach which is conducive to the position, situation and organisation such that you feel comfortable working.
Have a single head-on strategy for each situation might not be effective in the long run. Hence studies have shown that less than 40℅ of leaders are successful in their particular occupations. Hence to evade such a scenario and prove your capability as a boss – you must employ these effective leadership styles:
1-The Mentor
Are you quite proficient in your field? Do people have you answer their queries? Are your thoughts given ample importance at work, or better yet the industry? If so, then this is your natural style.
This style comes in handy when you possess the most knowledge and experience to tackle the task at hand. If the time is short, or if the knowledge gap between you and your colleagues is quite steep, you might have to lead like a mentor.
This style, however, may be used by a boss sparingly. If you use it too much, you may come across as an overconfident person who only places faith in his own abilities and not that of his fellow workers.
2-The Coordinator
In most contemporary workplaces, the go to the style employed on a daily basis is this one. Coordinators ensure that everyone is engaged and heard while they build a relationship with the entire group.
Coordinators possess a dual vision as they can focus on an objective and the people who can help them achieve it at once. You must first observe the strengths and capabilities of your employees and entrust them with suitable tasks accordingly. This leads to more employee engagement.
This style may not work all the time as each employee would want to grow and foster new talents. It could also happen that you might misread the employee from the start.
3-The Investigator
These are the opposite of mentors. Their main weapon is their curiosity which they can use to engage in queries to better the status quo. This can ensure the cultivation of more creative ideas.
Its use will be quite useful when the team is on a level field with respect to their knowledge and expertise. Here a leader who can harness the greatness from them is required. You might want to consider doing opposites for this role.
If your team has members that are shy or are not well settled in the company or they lack in pace, consider a more supportive approach. Use this only if the team is open to suggestions and critique.
4-The Navigator
Navigators love to monitor and guide employees. The true perk of this approach is that by monitoring the performance of your employees, you are in fact improving upon the capability of the entire organisation. The navigator leader guides people in practical solutions and because of this, they are trusted.
The best navigators will recommend to you that it is better to describe instead of prescribing how you want someone to work. They will tell someone what is to be done and will only tell them the specific requirements of the task as a last resort.
Not all employees are ready to be trained. Whether or not someone responds to your coaching is their overall productivity. If you don’t see a response on their part, its time to test a new tactic.
5– The Hero
A charismatic leader. This is the person who can swoop in at the time of desperation and save the day. This is because becoming a hero isn’t an act of choice, rather it is an outcome of making the right decision.
A good hero always demonstrates courage in spite of fears and apprehensions. They never allow their ideas to be passed up simply due to the lack of details. You might consider this approach when your organisation is struggling to develop. Think of things like “If some competition that could oust us came along, what would they be doing?” and then do just that.
I hope you enjoyed this blog focusing on the 5 most effective leadership styles. If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact us here.
