5 Types of Leadership Styles in Management and How to Implement Them

While it may not be too difficult to identify who is cast in a managerial role in an organization, it can be a bit more challenging to define how this person prefers to lead. If management is focused on details and project execution, leadership is often a more general, macro-level view of the organization. Yet, just as there are many ways to manage an issue, there are many ways to lead. This article highlights five types of leadership styles while explaining the pros and cons of their usage in the workplace.

5 Type of Leadership Styles

1. Charismatic Leadership

A charismatic leader is someone who leads through the power of personality. Leaders in this category are typically well-known, and through their boundless energy and enthusiasm, they motivate others to act in ways that few other leaders are capable of doing.

Charismatic leaders may be great for improving the visibility of a company, but, on the other hand, they can sometimes “tie” the company to themselves. If a charismatic leader leaves, the company may be left without a sense of direction or purpose

2. Innovative Leadership

An innovative leader is one who specializes in finding new and creative ways to overcome traditional obstacles in the workplace or project. Innovative leaders are “big picture” leaders and are often adept at grasping the entirety of a project and finding precisely where a problem lies.

While this can be highly beneficial in righting wrongs and encouraging a creative atmosphere, it also means that innovative leaders tend to operate with a significant level of risk. Sometimes, the innovation does not prove as effective as envisioned, leaving teams scrambling for new ways to fix problems.

3. Command and Control Leadership

Command and control leaders are generally a bit more rigid and hierarchical than others. In a command and control system, the leader prefers to be seen as an authority figure with the final say in any workplace decision. The level of discipline and structure encouraged by these leaders can be very beneficial for teams that need to meet precise deadlines or work with specific procedures.

However, command and control leadership can sometimes be seen as restrictive if not kept in check. It may also limit other team members from growing their own leadership qualities.

4. Servant Leadership

Servant leadership focuses on the needs of the customer or worker first and foremost. Servant leaders encourage a sense of community and customer service that tends to improve both company morale and the reputation of the company as a whole. Companies with servant leaders are often ranked as great places to work because they lead by example, foster positive culture and increase team morale.

On the other hand, while a servant leader may be great for helping people feel like they are part of a team, they are generally less effective in making quick decisions or dealing with workplace strife.

5. Situational Leadership

Situational leaders are those who prefer a hybrid approach of the above options, capable of being either flexible or controlling in order to meet the needs of the situation. The situational leader is skilled in assessing the problem at hand and adjusting leadership tactics accordingly, making this leadership style highly effective in environments with frequently changing parameters.

However, the situational leader must be careful to not be too inconsistent, leaving workers without much of a clue as to how he or she will react to any circumstance.

What is Your Leadership Style?

While this article highlights some of the possible leadership styles for managers in the workplace, it is important not to take any one style as inherently better than the others.

In truth, each of the five types of leadership styles has its place. Although managers will naturally gravitate toward one in particular, having an awareness of how each can be utilized to meet certain challenges can greatly help improve organizational effectiveness.