At various points during our professional lives, most of us find ourselves on opposing sides of the leadership coin—we play the roles of both leader and subordinate, which gives us a first-hand, multi-faceted look at what leadership styles work in which situations and where they come up short. Another truth is that most of us have had direct experience with both good and bad bosses, which helps us develop a keen sense of which type of leader we’re dealing with in any given situation, for better or worse.
Building a solid understanding of effective leadership through experience empowers us to be better leaders and to better appreciate the leadership of others, especially in challenging situations. The truth is, no one leadership style is perfect in every conceivable situation. Some work well at certain moments and fail in others. Great leaders know when to modulate effectively to ensure that they’re providing steady, reliable, and appropriate leadership whenever it’s called for.
Whether you’re primarily a leader or subordinate at work—or both—having a core understanding of various leadership styles, along with the pros and cons of each, can really help you as you travel through your career path and take on various roles and levels of responsibility. Keep reading for a closer look at some classic leadership styles, along with their pros and cons.
Have you ever heard the expression “it’s my way or the highway”? It wouldn’t be surprising if it was first uttered by someone who embraced the dictatorial style of leadership. This type of boss requires ultimate and absolute adherence to their rules, methods, and style of handling work tasks and projects, often down to the smallest details. Furthermore, they often tolerate no questions regarding their decisions, and force strict allegiance from subordinates—or else.
Many of us have had a boss who’s primary agenda at work seems to be becoming everyone’s best buddy. They’re overly friendly, eager to please, and just want everyone to get along—especially with them. Workdays with a “best friend boss” are often spent engaged in amiable, lighthearted conversation, exploring personal topics in an effort to get to know each other better, planning after-work social outings, and all manner of general frivolity, all in an effort to build friendships with their coworkers.
Perhaps this situation sounds familiar: You start a new job and, practically from the very first moment you arrive, your new boss shows you your desk, wishes you good luck and then for all intents and purposes disappears from your life. Ghost bosses never seem to be around when you need them, regardless of your preferred mode of communication—whether by email, phone, or a drop-in to their office; they are either absent or unavailable to help you through any and all manner of situations that pop-up at work, leaving you on your own to fend for yourself.
The truth is, no matter how effective and ironclad a leadership style may seem, it inevitably has its own unique set of pros and cons that vary depending on the situation. Use the information provided here to help you make sense of what leadership styles work best for you—whether as a boss or an employee.
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