How to embrace a leadership style that works for your team

How do your team members feel about you?

Research shows around 9% of Canadians from 2020 to 2022 said their bosses were "bad," and 16% described them as "meh."

Using the right leadership style when managing a team will increase your chances of being called a "good" boss instead.

There are different supervision styles that managers can use. Let's explore how to identify and embrace the leadership style that works best for your team.

Authoritative

Authoritative leaders know their organizations' missions and confidently work toward them. They empower their workers to do the same, encouraging them to become leaders themselves.

These visionary leaders give their team members direction but let them figure out how best to achieve their companies' goals.

Use this leadership style if you have a take-charge personality and industry experience. This leadership style may also work if your workers already know how to do their jobs due to training and coaching. 

Transactional

 Transactional leaders are task-oriented managers. They focus on achieving basic expectations.

These leaders monitor performance to ensure the desired results. They then reward team members who meet their expectations.

These types of leaders don't focus on encouraging innovation.

Choose this leadership style if your team members need extensive guidance since they're new to a project or their roles. This style is also a good option if you want your workers to celebrate victories together and hold one another accountable for their performance.

Empathetic

Empathetic leaders engage workers by creating emotional bonds with them. They want their team members to feel like they belong.

These empowering leaders focus on people first.

Empathetic managers don't micromanage their workers. They let their team members handle their tasks and serve as resources when needed. They're also quick to praise high performers.

Choose this leadership style if your team doesn't require much direction from you to complete their tasks. 

Democratic

Democratic leaders involve all team members in creating visions and strategies. They like surveys and group meetings. That's because they care about their workers' opinions and value discussion.

These types of leaders promote transparency, too.

Use this leadership style if your team members are tackling a new project. This is especially important if the project requires brainstorming.

Some managers also use this style if they're trying to solve problems and need fresh ideas.

A new small business or startup may especially benefit from the collaborative, tight-knit environment a democratic leader creates. 

Team Up with Legacy Bowes to Develop Your Leadership Style

The main leadership styles today include authoritative, transactional, empathetic, and democratic styles. Use the authoritative or empathetic style if your team is well-trained. The transaction style works well for an inexperienced team. Choose the democratic style if you value team collaboration.

At Legacy Bowes, we offer high-level leadership development, training, and coaching. We serve businesses throughout Canada. We can help you select the leadership style that works best for your team.

Get in touch with Legacy Bowes to learn more about our services, and let's partner today!