What is Your Leadership Style?
Appeared in Dr. Ruth’s monthly column, “Workforce & Leadership Development,” in the Independent Funeral Directors of Florida’s weekly e-newsletter, Independent Weekly, Vol 7 Iss 3, on January 19, 2024. www.ifdf.org
Leadership style is a key factor in determining the success of a group. Whether you are a business owner, a C-suite executive, a manager, a supervisor, or a team leader, you may have a dominant leadership style that you use to establish direction for a group, gain group members' commitment, and motivate and influence them to achieve the goals to move in that direction. The New Year is a great time to assess the strengths and weaknesses of your leadership style and make adjustments if necessary.
A common expression is that one size fits all, meaning that a solution or approach can work for any problem or situation. However, this is not always true, especially when it comes to different styles of communication, leadership, or management. Depending on the context, the group, and the goal, leaders might need to adapt and adjust their style to suit the circumstances.
Four Basic Leadership Styles
There are four basic leadership styles to consider:
Transformational leadership transforms organizations. Transformational leaders inspire change in organizations. They are driven by values and help followers realize the significance and impact of their work. They communicate a clear vision and motivate followers to transcend their self-interest for the benefit of the organization. This style encourages employee autonomy and empowerment, enabling employees to contribute to the cultural and organizational transformation that fosters innovation and growth.
Servant leadership puts people first. Servant leaders are stewards who choose service over self-interest. They care about the success and well-being of the whole organization and the people in it. They serve rather than control others, and they are accountable for their actions and decisions. Servant leaders empower their employees to grow, learn, and contribute. They create a culture of inclusion and respect, where everyone can be themselves and perform at their best.
Transactional Leadership follows a system of rewards and punishments based on the performance of their employees. They define the roles and tasks of their followers clearly and expect them to follow them. This style of leadership is effective in settings that require structure and organization, but not in settings that value creativity and openness.
Situational Leadership is a flexible and adaptable style of leading, which allows leaders to adjust their behaviors according to the specific circumstances, the team or the individual they are working with. This way, leaders can provide the most appropriate and effective guidance and support for each situation.
Different situations and people require different leadership styles. You can enhance your leadership effectiveness by having a variety of styles at your disposal and adapting them accordingly. No single leadership style is superior to the others, but rather each one has its strengths and weaknesses.
Author's Bio:
Dr. Ruth earned her Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology from Keiser University in Fort Lauderdale. She is the founder of Bedell Consulting, LLC. She is also the Associate Director for Outreach of the IFDF