Overview:
You will find that some styles overlap (i.e., charisma and transformational). They can be used together (facilitative and team leadership). Others are used less frequently (strategic and cross-cultural), and some are opposites (autocratic & participative).
1. The Transformational Leadership Style
“Nothing so needs reforming as other people’s habits” — Mark Twain.
“It a poor sort of leader who tries to change others, but can’t change themselves.” — Murray Johannsen.
The primary focus of the transformational leadership style is to produce a change in oneself and others. It is closely associated with the charismatic leadership style and acting as a visionary leader.
Some of our most outstanding transformational leaders have been long gone. But we still identify with their goals and ideals. And some of them have millions and millions of followers.
This type of leadership style applies to many of the most famous leaders in history. So you might say if you want the word great next to your name, you better be one.
Best Use
Entrepreneurs. Building something from nothing is never easy. Therefore, entrepreneurs must be transformational if they wish their organization to grow.
Turnaround Officer. Organizations grow, but they also decline. Some say the way individuals manage produces inevitable decline. To reverse this, you need transformational leaders.
2. The Charismatic Leadership Style
What is charisma, and what is the charismatic leadership style? Charisma (in the male) and charm (in the female) has an ineffable quality — you know it when you experience it. It is sometimes related to the ability to form a positive first impression. When you meet them, you like them. Researchers like House have described the charismatic style, but no universal set of charismatic characteristics exists.
Charismatic leadership encourages particular behaviors in others through force of personality. It is a set of nonverbal body signals that transmit power, trust, warmth, and likability.
The significant difference between charismatic and transformational leaders involves style and nonverbal communication patterns. Many feel that charisma is something that only experienced live. But others think that you can capture its essence on video and in movies,
Best Use
To Build a Network. Managers are not charismatic typically. The bureaucratic organizations in which they work want nameless workers, sad to say.
3. The Autocratic Leadership Style
One leadership style dimension has to do with control and one’s perception of how much power one should give to others. For example, the laissez-faire style implies low control; the autocratic style requires high control, while the participative style lies somewhere between. Kurt Lewin (1939) called these styles: authoritative, participative (democratic), or delegative (Laissez Faire).
If you were a personality psychologist, you would say that the style is simply an expression of dominance and submissiveness. Also, authoritarians and autocrats are similar in their personality structures.
Uses
This type of leadership style has its advocates (see the Academy of Management: When Authoritarian Leaders Outperform Transformational Leaders), but it is falling out of favor due to its many weaknesses (see The Autocratic Leadership Style: Four Strengths and Seven Weaknesses). For example, authoritative works well in a crisis where a decision must be made now. Some people have argued that the style is popular with today’s CEOs; who, a cynic would say, have much in common with the feudal lords of Medieval Europe.
4. The Facilitative (Democratic/Participative) Leader Type
What is the facilitative leadership style? The participative leadership style (also known as the facilitative leadership style) means the leader gives more control to subordinates. For example, in a large organization, one sets up profit centers or decentralized divisions that can function pretty well without. Sometimes, this type is called the laissez-faire leadership style. It’s a style that’s primarily “hands-off.”
This is an exceptional leadership type that anyone who runs a meeting can employ. Rather than being directive, one using the facilitative leadership style uses many indirect communication patterns to help the group reach consensus.
It is hard to order and demand someone to be creative, perform as a team, solve complex problems, improve quality, and provide outstanding customer service. However, the participative style presents a happy medium between over-controlling (micromanaging) and not being engaged and tends to be seen in organizations that must innovate to prosper.
Where and When To Use
Facilitative leadership is critical in certain types of leadership situations where the leader wants to appear to not to lead.
It requires a lot of skill. The amount of direction and face time required. Works well if you have highly trained, highly motivated direct reports. Likewise, use it when one needs a consensus, or you have the time to do so.
5. The Bureaucratic Leadership Style
“Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.” — Publilius Syrus.
The autocrat and the bureaucrat fit together like a hand and glove. One reason? Obedience to authority. One can argue that authority is the most common type of influence in large groups, such as multinational corporations and government agencies.
In a large bureaucratic organization, you rely on the authority associated with the position. Therefore, both charisma and transformational leadership styles tend to be rare.
When To Use
This type of leadership style needs a sizeable bureaucratic structure, such as a multinational corporation or a government agency. Those who excel don’t necessarily have a significant degree of personal power; they tend to be very good at positional power. Most are skilled at using “the rules” to their advantage. And it doesn’t hurt to have some political savvy as well.
6. Paternalistic and Maternalistic Types of Leadership
This type of leadership style focuses more on work but still pays attention to the people aspect. In addition, this style can take advantage of the “family” mentality. It allows one to act ethically (in the best interest of others) by demonstrating care for employees in a work setting.
Situations Of Use
People like it because the leader has the best interests of their group at heart. This can play out in a nation-state or a corporation. For example, Singapore is sometimes known as a “nanny state” because government tends to provide policies for its citizens that start at the womb and end at the tomb. It also applies to family-owned businesses. However, it would NOT apply to executives of public corporations since the executives, by law, only care about one group of stakeholders — the stockholders.