Leadership Styles in Action

Effective leadership doesn’t follow a single blueprint. There are many types of leaders, and each leader brings a unique blend of personality and experience to how they lead.

What sets great leaders apart is their ability to understand and adapt different leadership styles to fit their leadership and organizational goals. 

This article looks at various leadership styles and explores how you can shape a leadership approach that feels authentic and lead with intention, even in complexity.

What is a ‘Leadership Style’?

A leadership style is simply how we categorize the variety of ways leaders make decisions, engage with their teams, and reach goals.

Some lead by setting a bold vision and inspiring others to follow. Others focus on empowering teams through collaboration or driving progress through structure and efficiency. These different leadership approaches reflect not just strategy, but personality, context, and values.

That’s why leadership style isn’t fixed—it evolves. As your environment, roles and responsibilities, and self-awareness grow, so does the kind of leader you’re becoming. The leader you are today might not be the one you’re growing into tomorrow.

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."  - Charles Darwin

Why is it Important to Have a Leadership Style?

Although your leadership style may evolve over time, defining your current style creates clarity—not just for you, but for the people you lead.

When your approach is generally consistent and grounded in your values, it builds trust and authenticity. It also helps your team understand how you operate, communicate, and make decisions, which often results in increased productivity and makes collaboration more effective.

A clear leadership style becomes a signal: here’s what to expect, here’s how we work, and here’s how we grow together.

10 Common Leadership Styles 

As we mentioned earlier, leadership isn’t a fixed formula—it varies based on our personality strengths and weaknesses, context, and needs.

Some styles lean toward top-down decisions; others prioritize collaboration, creativity, or streamlined execution. While each has distinct traits, many share common ground, giving us the flexibility to adapt and combine strategies.

Here’s a look at several leadership styles, grouped by how they drive decisions, build relationships, and focus on results.

Note: While each leadership style is presented individually, they’re often used in combination, resulting in dynamic and personalized approaches.

Styles Based on the Decision-Making Process

Autocratic

The leader sets clear expectations, defines strict outcomes, and makes decisions. 

Democratic 

The leader listens to the team’s ideas and input but ultimately makes the final decision. 

Laissez-Faire/Delegative

The leader provides ample freedom for team members to complete tasks and serve the greater vision when and how they want. 

Styles Based on the Relationship Between Leader and Team

Transformational 

Transformational leaders encourage team members to push past their comfort zones to reach transformational goals.

Transactional

The leader uses incentives and positive or negative reinforcement to encourage efficiency in task completion.

Coaching

The leader emphasizes the success of individual team members as the key to a strong company culture and high performance for reaching company goals.

Pacesetting

The leader has high standards and sets ambitious goals, encouraging and modeling behaviors to meet those goals.

Styles Based on Procedures and Results

Strategic

The leader uses vision, awareness, and adaptability to identify growth opportunities and adjust management style and operations to capitalize on them.

Bureaucratic

The leader is focused on making decisions and using tactics that ensure alignment with company policy and established practices.

Visionary

The leader harnesses an energetic focus on a future vision and prioritizes teamwork to pursue long-term goals.

Successful Leadership is Deeper Than Style

A strong leadership style doesn’t automatically translate to effective leadership. While style shapes how we lead, it’s the mindset behind the style that often determines success. Great leaders draw on deeper, often less visible qualities—like self-awareness, emotional courage, and a clear sense of purpose.

These internal foundations influence how leaders show up, especially in moments of uncertainty. 

For instance, a strong leadership mindset grounded in clarity and resilience allows leaders to face challenges with confidence and make decisions that reflect both strength and empathy. Similarly, practicing connected leadership—staying attuned to the needs of others and ourselves—enhances any leadership style, helping it land with greater impact.

"You cannot lead others until you first lead yourself." ~John C. Maxwell

Finding Your Leadership Style

Identifying your unique leadership style is key to leading with confidence and consistency. When you understand how you naturally lead—and why—it becomes easier to make decisions, build trust, and adapt with intention.

It starts with self-awareness: reflecting on your strengths, values, and how you connect with others. It’s not about fitting into a mold but recognizing what feels authentic and effective for you. Because the most powerful leaders aren’t those who mimic a textbook style—they’re the ones who lead with clarity, integrity, and a deep understanding of themselves.

Want to dig deeper? Check out our article What Type of Leader Are You? for a closer look at how to identify and grow your leadership style.

Key Takeaways

As the workplace grows more complex and diverse, leadership isn’t just about being in charge—it’s about being adaptable, emotionally intelligent, and human.

The various leadership styles and approaches we’ve covered in this article are simply frameworks to help us more easily understand the attitudes and behavior patterns that shape how we motivate, communicate, and make decisions—especially in complex or high-stakes environments.

As with most things in life—developing your leadership style is not a one-time exercise; it’s an ongoing process of learning, reflecting, and evolving. And when done intentionally, it can transform how you lead, how others experience your leadership, and the culture you create around you.

References

• https://www.supernormal.com/blog/10-common-leadership-styles
• https://www.imd.org/blog/leadership/leadership-styles/
• https://asana.com/resources/leadership-styles