Not all leaders are equal. And they’re not supposed to be. It’s good to take inspiration from Abraham Lincoln who said: “whatever you are – be a good one”. Whatever your leadership style, be a good version of it. If you don’t know yet what your natural leadership style is, this post might be helpful: we give an overview of the 4 main leadership styles, as well as the typical traits of each of these styles. Curious? There we go!
1. The Visionary leader
“I have a dream” – Martin Luther King definitely comes to mind when we talk about the visionary leader. Visionary leaders have ambition – and they provide a compelling picture of a possible future. As a result, they provide hope. If their followers had to write a tweet, it would be “yes, we want”.
Are you a visionary leader? Does it come natural to you to be ambition driven – to embrace a cause, and to see a world of possibilities far beyond current reality? Do you naturally think beyond the beaten tracks – and come up with new opportunities that others had not yet thought about? If so, you might well belong to the group of visionary leaders.
2. The Thought leader
Or would you rather tend to be a thought leader?
A beautiful example of this leadership style is Einstein, whose expertise and knowledge were unparalleled. Thought leaders lead based on content. They seek to understand and to explore. Thanks to this trait, they provide answers to the most difficult questions. If their followers had to write a tweet, it would be “yes, we know”.
What about you? Do you have the curiosity to always know more about your subject? Do you not only seek to know the already existing knowledge, but also strive to develop completely new knowledge? Do you lead by bringing additional knowledge to the table? Is acquiring and developing content what fills you with energy? If so, thought leadership might be your style of choice.
3. The Dedicated leader
When we think about inspiring leaders, we often think of people that show exceptional dedication. Nelson Mandela jumps to mind as example of the dedicated leadership style. Dedicated leaders have enormous passion for the cause they embrace. They go well beyond the typical ‘hard work’ (some even acting as true heroes). Their commitment is contagious, and as such they provide inner energy to those around them. If their followers had to write a tweet, it would be “yes we will”.
What about your passion and dedication? Are you setting through where others would abandon? Do you show true courage and guts, just because you are so devoted to the mission you are embracing? Is your commitment contagious? If so, consider yourself a dedicated leader.
4. The Connecting leader
The fourth main leadership style we distinguish is the one shown by Bill Clinton. This ‘people leader’ connects with others, has a great level of empathy, and makes the other party feel good about themselves. When you are around these leaders, something ‘magic’ is in the air. In fact, they provide trust in self. If their followers had to write a tweet, it would be “yes we can”.
Does connecting with others come naturally to you? Do you have deep conversations with others, where these people invariably open up to you? Do you have such understanding of others that you know exactly what chord to strike? Do you instinctively feel what it is they need, and as a result are great at influencing them? If so, you definitely show the traits of the connecting leader.
Wondering what type of leader you could be at your best?
In our trainings and coachings, we’ll help you
- develop threshold level in the 4 dimensions above (vision, competence, dedication and connection)
- identify your most natural leadership style
- leverage your main strength to become an ‘outstanding version’ of yourself.
Contact us if you would like more info on our leadership trainings and coachings