What’s Your Leadership Style?

Analyze your Strengths and Weaknesses and Learn to Lead. 

Do you like to be in charge, or do you rely on your teams’ opinion? To lead the team for the first time, we tend to adopt a leadership style that we have witnessed, read or heard about. If it sounds appealing, we’ll go with that and effectively, it turns out to be our leadership style.

There are several methods available to us. A true leader adopts a leadership style by keeping in view the situation and the individuals involved. 

How Do I Assess Myself?

The following analysis will facilitate you to recognize the approach/style that is close to your personality. It will and guide you toward alternative styles that might be helpful, and for the instances, they might be suitable. 

The statements are straightforward. They base on psychologist Kurt Lewin’s Leadership Model- a framework built in the 1930s; it is famous and relevant in today’s settings. 

Guidelines

All the questions require you to complete the statement by selecting one of the three choices. Please choose the option according to your style of behaviour in real life. Avoid considering behaving in an ideal way. 

• In case of severe issue or conflict among my team members: A. I convey to everyone that we have targets to achieve. B. I arrange a gathering for discussing the matter with each other. C. I allow them to work by themselves, and it will be a way to avoid bothering each other. 
• I trust all members of my team: A. Highly. B. In a reasonable manner. C. 0 per cent. 
• A few of my team members are highly enthusiastic, motivated and skilled. They: A. Can demonstrate good results on their own. B. Mostly conduct meetings with me by coming up with creative plans. C. Are like others and subject to the same workplace policies and processes. 
• The most effective way to check if my team meets its targets is to A. Lead by an example. B. Motivate everyone to participate. C. Delegate frequently. 
• There is an eight-hour deadline for a project. But I think it requires almost 16 hours, so I: A. pass on the period and let everyone follow it. The team knows about its duties. B. Ask my team members what they think is the fastest way to complete the given project. C. Issue guidelines and the deadline to all team members. 
• Poor working needs to be A. Punished so that no one repeats it. B. Individually discussed with the team members so that they can improve. C. Left, it will be fine in the future.
• I should formulate a social media strategy. So, I: A Develop the procedure on my own and then give it to the team members and instruct them to make a plan. 
• I would like to: A. Allow my team members to make decisions. B. Make decisions but not without the input of my team. C. Make decisions but not without letting my team know the reasons behind decision-making. 
• I have a beginner in my team, so I: A. Allow them to find the best way of working. B. Make them the part of team collaborative meetings. C. Arrange sessions with them until they fully understand the procedures and the quality according to my expectation. 
• In my opinion, great leaders: A. Possess the best knowledge, and that is why they are leaders. B. demonstrate humility and understand that the best way is a team working. C. Give their team adequate space to let them work freely. 
• When someone asks if I would like to serve my team I: A. Am not 100% sure. B. Say yes, with full confidence. C. Confused. 
• When I notice that any of my team members are demotivated, so I: A. Carefully supervise their work. I ensure that they are following the system correctly. B. Make sure they participate in team meetings and discussions. C. Step aside, as they might need some space. 

Do You Think You Can Adapt Your Style of Leadership?

Professor of Harvard University Ron Heifetz and leadership experts William Torbet and David Rooke from the same institute believe you can. Therefore, it is essential to look at the leadership styles, their merits and demerits carefully. 

Authoritarian, Autocratic Leadership Approach 

The approach is useful when your team members need to follow a defined process to manage a significant risk. The style is also helpful in an environment where quick decision making is required. In this style, leaders have full control, and they may punish their subordinates.

However, depending on power and punishment may push people away. Also, if you want your team to work at a rapid pace all the time, then you may end up draining them. 

Democratic, Participative Leadership Style

Through this style, you determine goals, organize team discussions and take a final decision. In addition, you also make sure your team looks into the problem or a particular process, and you actively take their inputs. As a result, you get fresh ideas, and you would not have been able to get those on your own. Through this style, you successfully manage differing opinions in your team. 

Delegating, The “Laissez Faire” Leadership Style 

The French term Lasissez Faire refers to ‘Allow people to do what they opt to do.’ It defines a policy of leaving the situation to work on its own without any intervention. 

When you adopt this style of leadership, you provide your team with decision-making opportunities and manage the process, with minimal or no guidance. 

With this approach, things can go into chaos if team members are not highly motivated and have insufficient skills. It may give good results when you have a team of highly professional people. Additionally, this approach works well in case of flexible deadlines. 

Concluding Thoughts

You need to analyze your strengths and weaknesses if you want to become a leader. You should guide your team according to the style that best suits your attitude and the situation you are in. Authoritarian, Democratic and the Laissez-Faire style are the leadership approaches in practice.