A recent article in Fast Company titled “6 Leadership Styles and When You Should Use Them”, made me pause and ask again a question which has crossed my mind before – Are there really different leadership styles that you can wear for different occasions?
The Fast Company article referenced the work of Daniel Goleman’s Leadership That Gets Results where he identified the following styles:
- The pacesetting leader expects and models excellence and self-direction.
- The authoritative leader mobilizes the team toward a common vision and focuses on end goals, leaving the means up to each individual.
- The affiliative leader works to create emotional bonds that bring a feeling of bonding and belonging to the organisation.
- The coaching leader develops people for the future.
- The coercive leader demands immediate compliance.
- The democratic leader builds consensus through participation.
Goleman is a recognised expert in the area of leadership and his guidance in the styles of leadership will assist many business leaders. However, for me leadership is personal and it requires a person with the right character traits and the willingness to commit themselves to the success of the business ahead of themselves. It is not about wearing different styles, it is about being a worthy leader and continually developing the right traits and keep in check those you never want to get ahead of you. The right traits are Wisdom, Sincerity and Humanity, Courage and Discipline. The bad traits that you never want to see in any leader are Recklessness, Cowardice, Impulsiveness, False Pride and Weak Compassion.
