What does the word “leader” mean to you?
For me, leaders are visionary, big-picture thinkers with the passion and charisma to inspire others to bring their vision to life. I believe that leaders aren’t born, they’re made – and that anyone can become a leader if they put in the time to cultivate the right skills and mindset.
I certainly never considered myself to be a leader when I was younger. Like many other successful leaders, I didn’t become a leader overnight. As a child, I struggled with self-esteem issues that took me years to overcome.
It wasn’t until I started working with my mentor W. Clement Stone that I began to believe in my self-worth and understand that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to. That set me on the path to leadership and inspired me to dedicate my life to helping others improve their self-esteem and realize their full potential.
If you feel a calling to become a leader in the world, one of the most important steps in your journey will be to decide what kind of leader you want to be.
Today I’d like to share my tips on how to discover your personal leadership style and develop the leadership traits you need to inspire others.
What’s Your Leadership Potential?
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5 Types of Leadership Styles
Most leaders fall into one of 5 leadership styles. Whether you’re a life coach or trainer, working in corporate management, building your own business, or fighting for social change – if you want to know how to be a good leader, it’s important to recognize these leadership styles and understand their strengths and weaknesses so you can determine yours.
Here are 5 leadership styles you should know about:
1. Authoritarian Leadership
An authoritarian leader is someone with an autocratic leadership style – they take control over all decisions and make those decisions quickly and confidently without much input from others.
While their “autocratic leadership” style makes them effective in a crisis, authoritarian leaders can quash their team’s confidence and creativity and make it hard for them to collaborate and innovate.
That’s why autocratic leaders must find a balance between maintaining control and taking decisive action — as well as encouraging more input from others and trusting their team’s insight.
2. Participative Leadership
A participative leader, also known as a “democratic leader,” values others’ opinions and input. In participative leadership, environmental decisions are made as a team which encourages employees to feel valued and appreciated.
However, this kind of collaborative approach can slow decision-making and increase the potential for communication issues and bad decisions.
For maximum effectiveness, a participative leader must know when and how to end the discussion and assume control as the final decision-maker.
3. Delegative Leadership
Delegative leaders are also known as “laissez-faire leaders” and fall into two camps.
Those who intentionally adopt a delegative approach to give their employees creative autonomy and foster a positive work environment where innovation and creativity thrive. And those who are unintentionally laissez-faire because they are reluctant to assert control and take responsibility.
When you’re a delegative leader, it’s important to know when to step in and provide enough direction so that everyone is united in pursuing a shared vision.
4. Transactional Leadership
Transactional leaders, also known as “managerial leaders,” inspire others into action by offering rewards for when goals are met and potential penalties for when there’s failure.
A transactional leader can be good at implementing order and systems and letting people know what’s expected of them. But they …
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