Every team makes errors, including missing deadlines and creating information silos. Working with your team as a team leadership leadership styles is how you make a difference. A good leader plots a course for their team, aligns members toward a unified objective, and fosters a culture of accountability at work.

There is no “correct” method of leadership. It is not a matter of which leadership styles is superior but rather which style best suits the requirements of your team. Moreover, leadership is distinct from management. Managers are usually responsible for leading teams, but leaders are individuals who inspire and motivate their employees toward a shared vision, regardless of their seniority.

If you need guidance to give your leadership more structure, selecting a style can be a huge help. Knowing which leadership style resonates with you can facilitate more consistent decision-making and team-building. In this article, we will share with you the various leadership styles and how to choose one to become a more effective leader.

Transformational Leadership 

These leaders focus on inspiring and motivating their teams to accomplish a shared vision or objective. You emphasize fostering a positive organizational culture that encourages innovation, creativity, and personal growth. As its name implies, transformational leadership is all about assisting individuals and teams in their transformation.

To be an excellent transformational leader, you must genuinely care about the organization and its employees. It requires a high level of emotional intelligence and personal investment. For this reason, this approach is ideal for rapidly expanding teams that value innovation.

Steve Jobs is an excellent example: he inspired his team at Apple while transforming the company from the verge of bankruptcy to one of the world’s most valuable companies.

As a transformational leader, you will need the following types of leadership characteristics: 

• Relations with Others 
• Confidence in the future
• Active hearing
• Compassionate leadership

Authoritative Leadership

You may have an authoritative leadership style if you provide specific direction and objectives. As an authoritative leader, also known as an autocratic leader, you are self-assured and assertive, and you provide direction to assist team members in reaching their goals. 

This eliminates confusion, resulting in enhanced performance and quicker decision-making. Unfortunately, offering unilateral authority can appear rigid and extreme. A firm hand that prevents team members from making their own decisions may cause them to feel devalued.

A powerful leader should possess the following:

• Drive
• Pay attention
• Relations with Others
• Strategic reasoning
• Objective setting

Adaptive Leadership

As an adaptable leader, you prioritize adaptability in response to varying circumstances, such as your team’s requirements or project setbacks. This style of leadership necessitates a willingness to embrace change, take risks, and be innovative, as you must adapt rapidly to new situations while maintaining focus on overall objectives.

A combination of strategic reasoning, practical problem-solving skills, and strong communication and collaboration are required for adaptive leadership. In swiftly changing environments, such as startups and effective, employ adaptive leadership. 

The following are important abilities for adaptable leaders:

• Ability to adapt
• Strategic reasoning
• Creativity that takes chances
• Emotional competence

Inclusive Leadership

Leaders who are inclusive actively search out diverse perspectives. If you are inclusive, you are receptive to the opinions and suggestions of team members from diverse backgrounds and experiences. You prioritize creating a work environment that values and respects all people in all its forms so that every member of your team feels seen, heard, and appreciated. 

To foster a sense of psychological safety within a team, inclusive leadership necessitates an in-depth comprehension of diverse perspectives and experiences. This assists individuals in reaching their utmost creative, innovative, and problem-solving potential. Inclusive leadership has an effect on the entire organization, so it requires effort and dedication.

Key characteristics of inclusive leaders include:

• Human feeling
• Lack of prejudice
• Collaborative active attention
• Ability to adapt

Determining Your Leadership Approach

No leadership approach is universally effective. Identifying the leadership styles that works best for you, your team, and your environment is the key to effective leadership. Sometimes, this requires trial and error.

Here are a few suggestions to assist you in determining your leadership style:

Identify your purpose: Knowing your purpose and what you want to achieve can assist you in determining which style is optimal for you and your team’s objectives. For instance, if you are pressed for time and need to get things done, a delegation style may be the most effective.

Experiment with various leadership styles to determine the one that feels most intuitive and effective: What may have worked for a previous cohort may not work for your current one. Some may value transactional leadership, while others may detest the pressure it entails.

Request feedback: Determine how your team members prefer to be led. This will assist you in determining how they will react to your leadership style. They may favor more direct instruction than is permitted by participative leadership, or they may flourish under transformational leadership.

Conclusion

Determine the type of leader you aspire to be and begin laying the groundwork to get there. Keep in mind that your leadership style can and will change as you develop, regardless of whether you work with adaptive leaders or prefer the authoritative route.

By recognizing your assets, weaknesses, and preferences, you will contribute to the success of your team. Discovering an effective leadership style can help you become a stronger leader and possibly a great one.