What is Your Leadership Style? (plus examples)
Imagine all the leaders and managers you’ve encountered over your career. Some were inspiring and supportive, while others were authoritative and direct. Now, it’s your turn to lead – but what is leadership? And more importantly, what is your leadership style?
Leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s about understanding your strengths and harnessing them to inspire your team to meet business goals and objectives. And no, you don’t have to squeeze yourself into one box. As psychologist Daniel Goleman, author of Primal Leadership, says, “The best leaders don’t know just one leadership style – they’re skilled at several, and can switch between styles as the circumstances dictate.”
In this article, you’ll learn the six most common leadership styles to help you better understand your strengths to help you lead with confidence.
What is a leadership style?
A leadership style is how you communicate, make decisions, and persuade your people. Some leaders motivate through bold vision, while others create impact through teamwork and collaboration.
The best leaders know how to adapt their leadership style based on the situation, usually leading to higher employee performance and job satisfaction.
Research shows that leadership styles directly impact employee engagement and retention, making it essential to understand what works best for you and your team. No matter your industry or role, how you lead will affect team morale, productivity, and overall business success.
Why is it important to know your own leadership style?
Ever worked under a leader who just got their team? Someone who knew exactly how to motivate, support, and challenge people in the right way? That’s because they understood their leadership style and used it effectively.
When you identify and embrace your leadership approach, you can:
- Communicate more effectively, e.g. speak your team’s language and inspire action
- Make better decisions, e.g. play to your strengths while addressing blind spots.
- Boost team engagement and retention, e.g. higher emotional intelligence to understand and nurture your team’s needs
- Refine your skills, e.g. identify areas for growth to further develop your leadership strength
Understanding your leadership style helps you lead with confidence but also ensures your approach works for your team, not just for you. Great leadership isn’t about having all the answers or being the best. It’s about knowing how to bring out the best in others.
Examples of great leadership styles
Not sure which leadership style best describes you? Here are six of the most common leadership approaches and real-world examples of leaders who embody them.
1. Coercive leadership
This is the “let’s get it done, now” leadership style. It’s direct and demanding and leaves little room for negotiation. Coercive leaders take control in high-pressure situations and expect immediate compliance. While effective in crisis management, this approach can backfire if overused, disempowering employees and affecting team morale.
Pros – Great for urgent decision-making, corporate turnarounds, and crisis situations.
Cons – Potential for low employee engagement and burnout if used long-term.
Example:
Elon Musk is known for his coercive leadership style, high expectations and fast-paced work culture. His leadership has led to ground breaking innovation but has also been criticised for being overly demanding and unsustainable.
2. Authoritative leadership
Authoritative leaders inspire and guide their teams with a strong vision. They set clear goals and empower employees to reach them. This leadership style creates alignment and motivation, making it one of the most effective for long-term success.
Pros – Great for setting a new strategic direction, leading through change, and inspiring innovation.
Cons – Can come across as too controlling if not paired with collaboration.
Example:
Satya Nadella is an authoritative leader who became Microsoft CEO in 2014. He shifted Microsoft’s culture toward innovation, collaboration, and cloud computing, leading to massive growth for the company.
3. Pacesetting leadership
Pacesetting leaders lead by example and set high-performance standards. They expect excellence and efficiency, often pushing their teams to achieve at an accelerated pace.
Pros – Great for high-performing teams that thrive under pressure
Cons – Higher risk of team burnout due to lack of work-life balance.
Example:
Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Meta, is known for her pacemaking leadership style, setting ambitious goals and holding her teams to high performance standards.
4. Affiliative leadership
Affiliative leaders focus on emotional intelligence, building relationships, and fostering a positive workplace culture.
Pros – Great for improving team morale, strengthening company culture, and resolving conflicts.
Cons – Risk of prioritising harmony over productivity or avoiding tough decisions.
Example:
Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors, is well known for her affiliative leadership style, fostering an inclusive, people-first leadership approach while driving GM’s transformation in the auto industry.
5. Democratic leadership
Democratic leaders, sometimes called collaborative leaders, value their team’s options and input and encourage collaborative decision-making.
Pros – Fosters creativity, staff retention, and more trust.
Cons – Risk of decision paralysis when too many opinions are involved and encouraged.
Example:
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, is known for his collaborative approach, valuing team input and creating a culture of openness.
6. Coaching Leadership
Coaching leaders focus on professional development, long-term employee success and growing together.
Pros – Strong employee growth, leadership development, and career progression.
Cons – This style takes time and trusts that employees will remain loyal to the company.
Example:
Eric Schmidt, Former CEO of Google, was known for coaching and mentoring employees, helping shape Google’s next generation of leaders.
How to get help finding your leadership style
It’s normal if you still need help finding your leadership style. Our Manager Training and Leadership Workshop is designed to support you in understanding and embracing your strengths, growing where needed, and leading in a way that works for you and your team.
