Leadership styles in the workplace

One of the things to be aware of when moving into the workplace, is that there are different leadership styles which managers adopt. It is important to understand the different styles and your personal preferences.

According to Daniel Goleman, managers adopt one or more of six key styles. Most managers will have a natural preferred style, and good managers are able to adapt their style to the situation.

Hopefully, you will be fortunate to have a manager who uses a style which not only suits the situation, but also works well with your preferred behavioural styles.

The styles are:

Commanding – which demands immediate compliance, and is best used in a crisis situation

Visionary – which mobilises people towards a goal or vision, and is best used to initiate change

Affiliative – creates harmony and builds emotional bonds, and is great during team building and supporting staff during stressful situations

Democratic – creates consensus through participation, and is useful to get input and engage with staff

Pacesetting – sets high expectations for performance, and is best used for quick results from a strong team

Coaching – focuses on developing people for the future, and is used for developing individuals and improving performance

The image below shows the aspects of each style visually. You can see the image in your browser and zoom in more easily here.