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10 Management Styles Of Effective Leaders

Updated: Jul 16, 2024, 6:23am

Table of Contents

What is a management style, how to identify management styles, 10 management styles of effective leaders, how to adopt a new management style, frequently asked questions (faqs).

Effective management of any size team requires a specific set of skills that go well beyond the skills you might have developed as an individual contributor in an organization. More than evaluating employees and meeting project deadlines, your job as a manager is to motivate employees to do their best work and inspire them to get invested in the company’s success. Understanding and adapting your management styles is key to effective leadership.

A management style is the way you work to achieve the goals of a project, team or company. It includes how you interact with the team members you oversee and other stakeholders, plan projects, delegate work, set and measure goals, and make decisions for the project and team.

Understanding your own or your boss’s management style can help you communicate and work more effectively as a team. Identifying a management style early on in a hiring process can also help you determine whether a role or a team is a good fit, and knowing and communicating your management style to a team can help you all make adjustments to your communication and processes as needed to work together in harmony.

To discover your management style or that of folks you’re hiring, observe the characteristics that make up the way they manage:

• Interactions with coworkers, direct reports and direct supervisors, as well as other project stakeholders
• Communication style—how do you give and receive feedback? How do you relay and understand information?
• Decision-making steps, such as whether you get input from coworkers or prefer introspection, and whether you commit to decisions quickly or take a long time to decide
• Values and beliefs about work, leadership, productivity and relationships
• Leadership traits, including the ability to inspire, direct, be a visionary for a project and pay attention to details

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There are a number of different management styles, from the charismatic to the transformational leadership style. When implemented correctly, all of them can be effective management styles. Review these management styles to see how the above characteristics fit into each and understand how your style or someone else’s fits with the needs of a team and company.

1. Autocratic

An autocratic management style puts the manager at the top of the pyramid on a team. They make decisions and control projects without soliciting input from team members or other stakeholders.

How to identify an autocratic leader An autocratic manager is likely to take complete control of projects and teams, making decisions without input from others. They’re more likely to give directions than to inspire team members toward solutions, and they might be more focused on details than the big-picture vision. They aren’t likely to elicit feedback, especially from subordinates, and the feedback they give might be more critical and punitive than constructive.

When autocratic leadership works best In most cases, autocratic management isn’t productive for a team, because it takes a top-down approach that leaves employees feeling disempowered and on edge. However, autocratic leadership can be useful temporarily when a business faces a crisis. Autocratic leaders are skilled at making decisions fast and moving forward, which is incredibly valuable when you don’t have time to seek input and weigh options.

2. Democratic

A democratic management style, opposite of autocratic, puts the voice of the team at the forefront of decision-making and project management. The manager seeks input from subordinates and other stakeholders to drive the vision and direction of projects.

How to identify a democratic leader A democratic manager is likely to solicit and implement feedback and input from members of their team, company leadership and other project stakeholders before making final decisions. They might even designate decision-makers other than themselves for various projects to ensure variety and diversity of opinion. They’re not prone to snap decisions; instead, they foster an environment of consideration and debate to give everyone a voice in every step of a project.

When democratic leadership works best Democratic leadership has a place on most teams, because it ensures team members have their voices heard and have a stake in the work they do every day. Opening decisions up to multiple voices also ensures projects and goals are seen from diverse perspectives, deepening a company or team’s ability to innovate, adapt and serve a broader customer base.

However, true democracy is a slow way to make decisions, and it could result in regular stalemates that keep projects from moving forward. Democratic leadership is best for the early stages of a project, so all stakeholders can have a say in the vision and direction. It’s best to designate decision-makers for the minutiae of projects to ensure efficiency and progress.

3. Laissez-faire

A laissez-faire management style is a hands-off approach to leadership that lets team members work independently and make decisions for themselves.

How to identify a laissez-faire leader A laissez-faire leader is likely to spend their day focused on their own work without much attention to what team members are doing. They don’t seek or offer feedback, and they don’t offer direction unless a team member asks for it. They don’t make or guide decisions for the team or projects; instead, they let individual team members make decisions as they see fit. They might have a vision for projects but might not communicate those clearly to team members.

When laissez-faire leadership works best Laissez-faire leadership can cause problems for many teams. Team members might feel rudderless and without support, and projects might lack cohesion because of lack of direction or communication. However, some workers might thrive under the lack of oversight, which could help them discover their own leadership skills and leave them room to innovate.

As an overall management style, laissez-faire leadership should be reserved for high-level teams of highly skilled and experienced employees, such as C-suite and other executives. But you could temporarily employ this style at select points throughout a project—ease up on oversight and feedback when you want team members to strengthen decision-making skills, cope with challenges on their own and expand creativity and innovation.

4. Bureaucratic

A bureaucratic management style relies on rules, policies and standard operating procedures, rather than a leader’s personality, interests or charisma. Team members are evaluated on standard criteria, projects are planned according to procedure and goals are meticulously measured and reported.

How to identify a bureaucratic leader A bureaucratic manager is likely to document everything—processes, goals, evaluations, communications, you name it. They’re inflexible to varying employee needs and work styles, because they evaluate everyone according to the same standards and communicate with everyone according to protocol. They make decisions through established practices, soliciting input only through approved channels and evaluating options according to predetermined criteria.

When bureaucratic leadership works best Bureaucratic leadership is common in large organizations, where a company has to accommodate thousands of employees and projects, and avoid the appearance of favoritism or bias. It can be particularly important in government organizations, where work is subject to public scrutiny. Within a team, bureaucratic management can help keep team members on the same page and streamline communication.

However, bureaucracy is only effective at facilitating equity if its goals and procedures are designed equitably. Bureaucratic leadership can cause a manager to overlook an employee’s unique circumstances and needs and inadvertently foster a work environment that favors certain types of employees—especially those who think and work like the manager.

5. Servant leadership

A servant leadership style puts employees’ needs, growth and professional development ahead of the needs of the manager, company or project. It prioritizes team bonding and employee well-being.

How to identify a servant leader A servant manager is most concerned with their relationship with their employees and their employees’ happiness. They’ll solicit feedback and adjust their style but aren’t likely to offer feedback and criticism to employees. They might not offer clear direction on a task or project, but instead will regularly check in with employees to gauge their interest and mood. They’ll go to bat for employees with higher leadership, and might bear the brunt of feedback and expectations from their managers to protect their team members from criticism or extra work.

When servant leadership works best A servant mindset is an asset for any manager when balanced with other management styles. Servant leadership makes employees feel heard, seen and cared for, which can foster an attitude of service and care among coworkers. But managers might struggle to meet company goals and motivate employees toward professional development if they focus solely on employee well-being to the detriment of project and business objectives.

6. Coaching

A coaching management style focuses on employee professional development. It incorporates regular feedback, training and day-to-day support to develop and hone employee skills and strengths.

How to identify a coaching leader A coach-manager might share traits with a servant leader, because they put employees’ needs and strengths at the forefront. But they’re more in tune with how employees’ strengths, needs and skills can serve the goals of the business, and they use business objectives to help employees recognize their strengths and hone their skills. They provide regular feedback, guidance, advice and resources to help employees succeed within their tasks for the company as well as develop professional skills that can help them beyond the company.

Coaching leaders involve employees in decision-making while offering clear guidance on the purpose and criteria for making a decision as well as how an employee’s stance fits in with the overall vision.

When coaching leadership works best Coaching leadership is the best fit for managers who are in a position to help employees develop professionally. The style is best suited for managers in people-focused roles, such as learning and development, than in project-focused or business development roles. Mid-level managers who oversee green employees can use a coaching style to help employees develop within the projects their team is tasked with.

7. Charismatic

A charismatic management style relies on a leader’s personality and energy to inspire, engage and motivate employees.

How to identify a charismatic leader A charismatic manager is in tune with and in charge of how their energy affects people around them. They tend to have contagious personalities, make friends easily and effortlessly command attention when they enter a room. They know how to relay information and speak with each team member based on that person’s communication style and mood, and they’re known to perk up anyone in a bad mood. They can deliver critical feedback in a tone that leaves employees feeling motivated.

When charismatic leadership works best Charismatic leaders tend to rise to the top in traditional businesses, because they naturally exhibit traits our culture favors, such as extroversion, congeniality and positivity. Managers who aren’t naturally charismatic might burn out trying to mimic these traits, though. Charisma can be an asset when it’s your job to inspire employees and set a broad vision, but pull back on it when you need to deliver difficult news or relay tough criticism to avoid imbuing the workplace with toxic positivity .

8. Transactional

A transactional management style rewards employees for meeting specific milestones and objectives. It sets clear expectations and relies on the promise of a reward to motivate employees.

How to identify a transactional leader Transactional managers, such as bureaucratic managers, likely document, track and report on goals, timelines and objectives meticulously where everyone can see them. They communicate clear timelines and expectations to team members and offer incentives to reach milestones on or ahead of schedule. They might offer regular feedback to help employees achieve objectives, though employees will always be aware of where they stand without a manager’s input. They make decisions based on defined objectives and incentivize employees to do the same.

When transactional leadership works best Transactional management might sound like a poor relationship, but the style can be an asset on some teams. Competitive team members might be motivated by rewards even if those rewards are as small as a pizza party or a plaque, because they like to cross milestones. However, transactional management is best suited for cases where you have the authority and resources to deliver meaningful rewards, such as commissions, bonuses and other benefits, because those offer motivation while honoring the relationship between the employee and the company.

9. Transformational

A transformational management style focuses on inspiring and motivating employees to think outside of the box to raise the bar, both to achieve business goals and reach their full professional potential.

How to identify a transformational leader A transformational manager might see inspiring, motivating and developing team members as their highest managerial priority. They thrive in constant change and rapid growth and get bored with stability and stagnation. They’re big thinkers, always pushing the vision of the company forward (regardless of their role), and they encourage team members to do the same. These managers question the status quo and provide as much feedback to their bosses as to their subordinates.

When transformational leadership works best Transformational management is important in rapidly growing companies, such as startups, and those within fast-changing industries. Managers need to be skilled at steering their teams through change and developing team members according to a company’s changing needs. Too much focus on growth and change can be detrimental to day-to-day success, however. Transformational leaders need to balance setting clear expectations and stable milestones to keep employees from feeling like they can never cross a finish line.

10. Situational

A situational management style is a mix of all of them: Management style is adapted to the situation and team members’ needs.

How to identify a situational leader A situational manager understands the pros and cons of various management styles, when each works best, and how to apply them to different team members and business cases. They might adopt an autocratic style in a crisis, employ democratic leadership to name company values, employ coaching with green employees and use bureaucratic motivational tools with competitive workers.

When situational leadership works best Managers with large, diverse teams and varied projects need to adopt a situational leadership style to meet the various needs of their employees.

Adopting or incorporating new management styles requires not only changing your behaviors and protocols but also evaluating your values, beliefs, attitude and personality type.

If you identify your predominant management style and realize some of its characteristics aren’t the right fit for your role within your organization or for the people on your team, follow these steps to adapt and incorporate characteristics of a more fitting management style:

1. Name the problem

No management style is inherently always good or always bad. You don’t have to change your style just because it’s perceived as the wrong way to manage—your management style might be a great fit for the environment you’re in and the people you manage.

If you’re feeling friction or having trouble achieving your team’s goals, start by identifying the problems. Do you have an unmotivated team? Are you missing deadlines? Is communication inconsistent? Do team members feel left out of conversations or in the dark about expectations?

Once you identify the real problems, consider how your management style might contribute to them. If you’re missing deadlines, for example, is it because you’re being too democratic with decision-making and extending the time it takes to make progress on a project? Or is it because you’re too hands-off and team members don’t have enough milestones to hit before a final project deadline?

2. Understand other management styles

Once you identify the characteristics of your management style that aren’t working, discover the characteristics of others that might address your problems.

If you’re being too democratic, for example, how might you introduce some autocracy or bureaucracy to streamline decision-making? If you’re too hands-off, how might you be more of a coach to guide your team toward milestones?

3. Know your strengths

Not everyone is suited for every management style. Understand your professional and personal strengths and weaknesses and how those intersect with the characteristics of various management styles.

For example, you might be suited for autocratic leadership if you’re highly analytical and introspective, but democratic, coaching and charismatic management might not come easily to you.

4. Manage big changes with your team

Some changes in your management style might only happen within you—adjusting how you respond to feedback or letting go of beliefs about your relationship with coworkers, for example. But often, a change in management style means changes to protocols and procedures for your team. Even if this change is for the better, you’ll need buy-in from your team to implement it effectively.

Employ the basic principles of change management to involve your team in decisions about new processes, motivate them to want to make changes, appeal to their individual needs and guide them through changes.

5. Communicate clearly

Don’t assume team members will naturally adapt to changes in protocols or procedures. Clearly communicate any changes you’ll make, when they’ll take effect, any new expectations you have for employees and what they can expect from you going forward.

Communicating about changes is also an opportunity to get feedback and suggestions from team members to ensure your new management style is in line with their needs.

Bottom Line

Understanding various management styles is important to effective leadership in any team or organization. Recognizing the style of management you’re most drawn to can help you seek roles you’re best suited for and understand how to adjust when you face challenges. Identifying the pros and cons of other management styles can help you adapt to each situation and adopt the characteristics of any management style that‘s best suited for various circumstances.

Learn more: Read our leadership development guide to learn how to create effective leaders.

What is a good management style?

No management style is inherently good or bad, but each has strengths and weaknesses depending on the situation. The best managers are adaptable and able to balance characteristics of many management styles according to their circumstances.

What are the traits of a good leader?

A good leader is attuned to the needs of their team and project so they can adapt to various situations. A leader should be able to guide and motivate team members while managing project objectives and caring for employees’ individual needs.

What is the least effective leadership style?

No management style is inherently good or bad, but some styles are less effective in some situations than others. Autocratic, laissez-faire, servant and transactional leadership can pose challenges in many situations but they can be an asset to a manager temporarily under certain circumstances.

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Dana Miranda is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® and founder of Healthy Rich, a platform for inclusive, budget-free financial education. She’s written about work and money for publications including Forbes, The New York Times, CNBC, NextAdvisor, Insider and Inc. Magazine.

Exploring Different Leadership Styles: A Comprehensive Guide

The way leaders guide and influence their teams can significantly impact productivity, engagement, staff turnover, staff wellbeing, and overall morale.

In fact, Gallup (2023) estimates that 70% of team engagement is attributable to the team leader. And a study by CMI found that 28% of job leavers cited a negative relationship with their manager as a key reason for quitting.

It is thus fair to say that how we lead really matters, even more so than who we lead. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of different leadership styles and suggestions for further reading and development.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Leadership Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or others adopt positive leadership practices and help organizations thrive.

This Article Contains

Goleman’s leadership styles, the 4 most effective positive leadership styles, leadership coaching: improving your skills, 3 leadership programs to enhance your leadership style, 4 recommended leadership books, 4 recommended youtube videos, positivepsychology.com resources, a take-home message, frequently asked questions.

In their influential book Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence , the psychologists Daniel Goleman, Richard E. Boyatzis, and Annie McKee (2002) turned the term “emotional intelligence” into a household concept. They also demonstrated the importance of emotionally intelligent leadership.

The authors champion leadership that is self-aware, empathic, motivating, and collaborative. These qualities are ever-more important in our increasingly economically volatile, fast-changing, and technologically complex world.

In the book, they also discuss the core features of six distinctive leadership styles. According to Goleman et al. (2002), each style has its own strengths and limitations. Ideally, effective leaders learn to adapt their style to the situation at hand.

1. The visionary leadership style

Goleman et al. (2002) define the visionary leadership style as the ability to move people toward a shared dream or vision.

Visionary leaders have a clear and compelling dream of the future, and they know how to communicate it. They inspire their team members with a sense of purpose and direction.

Their ability to articulate a compelling vision motivates and energizes their followers and fosters a sense of unity and shared commitment.

2. The coaching leadership style

The coaching leadership style is characterized by the leader’s focus on helping employees reach their full potential. Above all, coaching leaders seek to support personal development and growth.

By providing guidance and mentoring, offering constructive feedback, and promoting skill building, coaching leaders create an environment conducive to continuous learning and improvement. This style promotes employee engagement and generates long-term organizational success.

3. The affiliative leadership style

An affiliative leader prioritizes harmony and bonding among their team members. They emphasize building strong relationships, cultivating a sense of belonging, and creating a supportive work environment.

Goleman et al. (2002) argue that affiliative leaders aim to resolve conflicts and enhance team cohesion by focusing their energies on open communication, empathy, and trust.

4. The democratic leadership style

The democratic leadership style entails involving team members in decision-making processes and truly valuing their input and perspectives.

Goleman et al. (2002) suggest that democratic leaders seek to empower their teams. They foster a collaborative culture where everyone’s opinions are respected. This inclusive approach tends not only to result in high levels of job satisfaction , but also promotes creativity and innovation within an organization.

5. The pacesetting leadership style

The pacesetting leadership style is characterized by leaders who consistently set high standards and expect their team members to meet them. This style can be both inspiring and demanding.

Pacesetting leaders strive for excellence and inspire their team members through role modeling. However, although effective in the short term, this style may leave little room for creativity, development, and autonomy in the long run. It is also important to remember that a great challenge should ideally be accompanied by significant support.

6. The commanding leadership style

The commanding leadership style is assertive, direct, top-down, and expects immediate compliance. While commanding leaders may excel in crisis situations, they may create a negative work environment if they overuse that style in non-urgent settings.

This style can be effective for short-term results but may impede employee engagement and creativity over time.

Adjectives to describe more problematic leadership styles include autocratic, top-down, transactional, bureaucratic, laissez-faire, or military. We will now explore four well-known effective leadership styles in more detail.

The four positive leadership styles that are currently attracting the most interest among researchers and positive psychology practitioners are coaching leadership, transformational leadership, authentic leadership, and servant leadership. All of them are viewed as positive and constructive leadership styles that bring out the best in the people who are being led.

Coaching leadership

Coaching leaders focus on developing those whom they lead and seek to support their growth and learning. Coaching leadership revolves around cultivating a supportive and encouraging environment that promotes growth and excellence in team members.

Unlike traditional leadership styles that emphasize top-down decision-making and unquestioning compliance, coaching leaders adopt a facilitative approach. They focus on building strong relationships, fostering collaboration, and nurturing individual talents.

A coaching leader is in effect a powerful catalyst who reminds people of their own resources and strengths and encourages them to use and develop them.

Key principles of coaching leadership include:

1. Active listening

Effective coaching leaders actively listen to their team members, encouraging them freely to express their thoughts, feelings, and aspirations. This practice helps leaders gain a deeper understanding of their team’s needs and enables them to provide tailored guidance. Because they listen carefully to what others say, coaching leaders can also truly benefit from the collective intelligence of their teams and their team members’ insights.

2. Empowerment

Coaching leaders strive to empower individuals by fostering a culture of autonomy and accountability. They encourage their team members to take ownership of their work, to make informed decisions, and to learn from both their successes and their failures.

3. Growth mindset

Coaching leaders promote a growth mindset culture, in which mistakes are seen as learning opportunities and continuous improvement is valued. This mindset encourages individuals to step out of their comfort zones , explore and develop their skills, and embrace new challenges.

Benefits of coaching leadership include enhanced employee engagement and a focus on skill development and improved communication. By valuing people’s needs and aspirations, coaching leaders create a more engaged and motivated team.

This commitment leads to increased productivity and better overall team performance (van Woerkom et al., 2016). Through mentoring, skill-building exercises, and feedback, coaching leaders help their people develop new competencies and refine existing ones (Webb, 2019).

By listening actively and providing constructive feedback, leaders can foster trust, improve team interactions, and boost collaboration among team members (van Woerkom et al., 2016).

Transformational leadership

Transformational leaders inspire and motivate their teams by articulating a compelling vision and encouraging personal growth. They seek to create a sense of community and commitment, challenge existing norms, and drive positive change within their organization (Bass & Riggio, 2006).

At its core, transformational leadership is about empowering and inspiring individuals to transcend their limits by promoting a collective sense of purpose and growth. This leadership approach moves beyond traditional managerial practices by focusing on developing strong relationships, cultivating vision, and promoting personal and professional growth.

The four pillars of transformational leadership are:

1. Idealized influence

Transformational leaders serve as role models. They lead by example and demonstrate high ethical standards. By being charismatic visionaries, they inspire team members to trust, respect, and emulate their behavior.

2. Inspirational motivation

These leaders are adept at articulating a compelling vision and conveying it in a passionate way that instills inspiration within their teams. By sharing a clear purpose and setting high standards, they inspire employees to achieve their full potential and support the bigger-picture aims of their teams and organizations.

3. Intellectual stimulation

Transformational leaders value creativity and encourage innovative thinking in their teams. They challenge employees to question the status quo and build environments that are conducive to learning, curiosity, and growth.

4. Individualized consideration

Recognizing the diverse needs and aspirations of each team member, transformational leaders provide individual support, coaching, and mentoring . They genuinely care about their employees’ personal and professional development, fostering a sense of belonging and creating a supportive work culture.

Numerous studies have shown the positive influence of transformational leadership on both individual wellbeing and organizational outcomes (see, for example, Avolio et al., 2004; Bass & Riggio, 2006; Judge & Piccolo, 2004; Wang et al., 2011).

Through its emphasis on inspiration and personal growth, this leadership style has been linked to higher employee engagement, job satisfaction, and overall workplace wellbeing . Transformational leaders also tend to foster stronger commitment, loyalty, and organizational citizenship behavior among employees.

Transformational leadership can have a ripple effect throughout organizations, enhancing team performance and increasing overall productivity. By encouraging open communication, generating a shared vision, and valuing innovation, transformational leaders cultivate an environment that nurtures creativity, adaptability, and continuous improvement.

Authentic leadership

Authentic leaders seek to lead with integrity and transparency, inspiring trust and creating an environment where individuals can be their true selves. They prioritize being genuine, self-aware, and acting consistently according to one’s values (Avolio & Gardner, 2005).

Authentic leadership emphasizes genuine self-awareness, transparency, and a commitment to one’s core values. At the core of authentic leadership lies self-awareness, a deep understanding of our values, beliefs, strengths, and weaknesses.

These leaders cultivate awareness through introspection, reflection, and a sincere desire to learn and grow. A study by George et al. (2007) suggests that self-awareness helps leaders align their actions with their core values, which enhances their credibility and authenticity.

Authentic leaders are transparent about their intentions and decisions. They also risk being vulnerable in front of their teams. This transparency promotes trust and psychological safety , enabling followers to reciprocate with their own authenticity. Research by Luthans and Avolio (2003) describes authentic leaders as being down to earth, approachable, and actively engaged with their teams.

Their words and actions are aligned. In other words, they say what they think and do what they say. Even when faced with challenging situations, they uphold their values and ethics. Research by Avolio et al. (2004) suggests that leaders who demonstrate this kind of consistency and integrity are more likely to inspire and motivate their followers, cultivating a sense of trust, purpose, and commitment within their teams.

Authentic leaders possess a high degree of emotional intelligence, which enables them to truly understand and empathize with others. They leverage this empathy to connect with their team members. Positive psychology research conducted by Clapp-Smith et al. (2008) suggests that authentic leaders who display empathy can provide effective support, understanding, and compassion to their followers.

Servant leadership

Servant leaders prioritize the needs of their team members and work to help them reach their full potential, always placing the team’s success above their own. They demonstrate humility, empathy, and a strong commitment to serving others (Greenleaf, 1977).

Servant leadership , as described by Robert K. Greenleaf (1977), centers on the idea that leaders should be driven by a deep-rooted desire to serve and support their team members and the organizations they work for. This counterintuitive approach presents an antidote to traditional leadership styles. It emphasizes the wellbeing, growth, and success of those within the leader’s sphere of influence.

Some key features of servant leadership include:

1. Empowerment rather than control

While many leaders exert their authority and micromanage their teams, servant leaders recognize the importance of empowering individuals to be creative and resourceful on their own terms (Laub, 1999).

By actively listening, providing guidance, and creating a culture of trust, they enable their team members to thrive, pursue innovative ideas, and take full ownership of their responsibilities and decisions (Laub, 1999).

2. Building trust and collaboration

One of the foundational pillars of servant leadership is the cultivation of trust and fostering collaboration among team members. Servant leaders seek to create an environment in which people feel safe, respected, and valued.

By promoting open communication, embracing diverse perspectives, and actively involving everyone in decision-making processes, servant leaders seek to create a cohesive and nurturing team culture.

3. Emotional intelligence

Servant leaders possess strong emotional intelligence, which enables them to empathize with their team members’ experiences, needs, and aspirations. This heightened understanding allows them to provide the necessary support, guidance, and motivation, which, in turn, leads to increased satisfaction and personal growth among team members (Van Dierendonck, 2011).

By practicing servant leadership, leaders not only enhance the wellbeing and productivity of their teams but also seed a legacy of ethical and compassionate leadership. Servant leadership creates a positive ripple effect, inspiring others to adopt a similar people-centric approach. In that way, servant leaders can create sustainable cultures of humility, empathy, and continuous learning in organizations (Greenleaf, 1977).

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Whichever leadership style appeals to you, the good news is that leadership can be learned. It is a teachable skill, and the best way to develop as a leader is by opting for leadership coaching.

Leadership coaching (which differs from the coaching leadership style discussed above) focuses on developing leadership skills through one-on-one coaching and feedback sessions. This personalized and experiential approach helps leaders identify their strengths and areas for improvement and unlock their full potential (Grant et al., 2019).

Leadership coaching is a collaborative and personalized process aimed at improving leadership effectiveness. It can maximize potential and foster growth in individuals or groups (Hattrick & Scholz, 2020). Rather than dictating solutions, coaches empower leaders to discover their unique leadership style, overcome challenges, and achieve their professional and personal goals. They educate their coaches to help themselves and strengthen their own problem-solving capacities and resilience.

Leadership coaching has the following positive effects:

1. Enhanced self-awareness

Leadership coaching aids in fostering self-awareness , enabling leaders to understand their strengths, weaknesses, values, and areas where personal growth is required (Kumari et al., 2020). By recognizing and harnessing their unique qualities, leaders can guide and inspire their teams more effectively.

2. Improved communication and emotional intelligence

Leadership coaching emphasizes developing strong interpersonal skills, effective communication, and emotional intelligence. By honing these qualities, leaders can build better relationships, resolve conflicts with more equanimity, and create a positive work environment (Oakley et al., 2019).

3. Clarifying goals and strategies

Coaches assist leaders in clarifying their goals and defining strategies to achieve them. This process helps leaders focus on their vision and align their actions with their objectives (Salas-Vallina et al., 2021).

4. Increased resilience

Leadership coaching plays a crucial role in fostering resilience in leaders . By developing adaptive and coping strategies, leaders who are receiving coaching can better handle challenges, setbacks, and pressures (Passarelli et al., 2019). This resilience leads to improved decision-making and enhanced overall leadership performance.

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“The best positive psychology resource out there!” — Emiliya Zhivotovskaya , Flourishing Center CEO

To further develop your leadership skills, consider participating in the following leadership programs. Each program focuses on specific aspects of leadership, equipping individuals with the tools and knowledge to become more effective leaders.

Organizations such as the Harvard Business School, the Center for Creative Leadership, and the Henley Business School in the United Kingdom offer some of the most renowned leadership development programs.

1. Harvard Business School

The Harvard Business School is perhaps one of the most prestigious business schools. It offers four comprehensive leadership programs that offer business management and leadership curriculum and personalized coaching.

Find out more about their offerings to choose an option that appeals: Comprehensive leadership programs .

2. The Center for Creative Leadership

The Center for Creative Leadership offers numerous different and inspiring leadership development programs too, including one that focuses specifically on transformational leadership.

You can have a look at their options here: Leadership programs .

3. The Henley Business School

The Henley Business School, which is affiliated with the University of Reading, offers a comprehensive six-day in-person leadership program.

Find out more about The Leadership Programme .

To deepen your understanding of leadership and to develop new insights, you may enjoy reading one of the following books.

1. Leadership: A Very Short Introduction – Keith Grint

This book is a great comprehensive overview of leadership and leadership styles. No longer than a long essay, it is a perfect choice for those pressed for time and needing a good overview, and thereafter you can dive into styles and topics most appealing.

Keith Grint invites us to rethink our understanding of leadership in Leadership . His guide includes valuable reflections on how leadership has evolved over time and also considers the different contexts from which different leadership theories emerge.

Grint goes back all the way to the early reflections on leadership by writers including Plato, Sun Tzu, and Machiavelli.

Find the book on Amazon .

2. The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations – James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner

This international bestseller, which is now in its seventh edition, offers valuable practical guidance for becoming an exemplary leader.

The two authors deliver an essential strategic playbook for effective leadership. They explore the five practices of exemplary leadership, providing real-life examples and actionable strategies.

Crucially, the authors also emphasize that leadership is a skill to be learned as well as a practice grounded in relationships. New sections include reflections on how to lead in hybrid environments and how to combat disengagement and cynicism.

3. Dare to Lead: Brave Work, Tough Conversations, Whole Hearts  – Brené Brown

In this famous book and number one New York Times bestseller, Brené Brown combines research, personal stories, and practical advice to explore the qualities that make courageous leaders.

Brown’s take on the topic is unique. Above all, she emphasizes vulnerability, as well as self-awareness, curiosity, and empathy, as the key qualities of a great leader. She invites us to see power not as something we should hoard but as something to share with others.

Brown writes:

From corporations, nonprofits, and public sector organizations to governments, activist groups, schools, and faith communities, we desperately need more leaders who are committed to courageous, wholehearted leadership and who are self-aware enough to lead from their hearts, rather than unevolved leaders who lead from hurt and fear.

(Brown, 2018, p. 4)

4. Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t – Simon Sinek

In Leaders Eat Last , the international bestselling author Simon Sinek investigates great leaders who sacrifice not just their place at the table, but often their own comfort and even their lives for those in their care.

They range from Marine Corps officers to the heads of big business and government. They all share that they put aside their own interests to protect their teams. For them, leadership is not a rank, but a responsibility.

If you do not have time to read a book on leadership, you may enjoy watching one of our four recommended YouTube videos instead.

In this short video, Brian Tracy explains five different leadership styles that people can use to lead their teams to success: structural, participative, servant, freedom, and transformational leadership.

Kurt Lewin describes different leadership styles in this slightly longer video. Lewin focuses on autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire leadership. He discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each style as well as the situations in which each style is most useful.

In this much-watched TED talk, Peter Anderton argues that great leadership requires only two simple rules. Curious to find out what they are? Watch the video.

In this last video, Jenn, a career coach, shares insights into eight key leadership styles. Importantly, she also discusses how we can find out which style might be best suited for us. Many of us will have been wondering about this question. Jenn shares practical advice on how we can choose and develop our own natural leadership style.

PositivePsychology.com offers a range of resources to enhance your understanding of various leadership styles. On our website, you will find numerous in-depth articles on specific leadership theories and styles, many of which were only briefly discussed in this article.

In addition, there are a multitude of articles to assist in improving leadership as well as creating a positive working environment.

• How to Use the Johari Window to Improve Leadership
• Assertiveness in Leadership: 19 Techniques for Managers
• 15 Ways to Give Negative Feedback, Positively (+ Examples)
• Job Satisfaction Theory: 6 Factors for Happier Employees
• Why Team Building Is Important + 12 Exercises

Free tools and numerous inspiring activities to identify and enhance your leadership style can be found in our article offering leadership activities , games, and exercises.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others develop positive leadership skills, check out this collection of 17 validated positive leadership exercises . Use them to equip leaders with the skills needed to cultivate a culture of positivity and resilience.

17 Exercises To Build Positive Leaders

Use these 17 Positive Leadership Exercises [PDF] to help others inspire, motivate, and guide employees in ways that enrich workplace performance and satisfaction. Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

Perhaps the most important point about leadership is that leadership can be improved. Remember that great leadership is, after all, a combination of skills and qualities that we can work on, practice, and enhance.

As leadership expert Warren Bennis puts it:

“The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born — that there is a genetic factor to leadership. This myth asserts that people simply either have certain charismatic qualities or not. That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.”

(Bennis, as cited in Hunter 2004, p. 42)

Everyone can be a great leader — introverts as well as extroverts, feelers as well as thinkers, visionaries as well as people who care for detail and process.

What matters most is that we cultivate self-awareness, that we remain humble, that we truly care for those whom we lead, that we keep learning, and that we foster a growth mindset both in ourselves and others.

We hope you enjoy using these resources to advance your leadership journey and that they will help you unfold your true potential as a leader.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Leadership Exercises for free .

The four main leadership styles are

• autocratic – leaders make decisions unilaterally;
• democratic – decisions are made collaboratively;
• laissez-faire – leaders give employees the freedom to make decisions; and
• transformational – leaders inspire and motivate employees to innovate and change.

Leadership styles in management include autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, transformational, transactional (focused on supervision and performance), situational (adapting style to circumstances), and servant leadership (prioritizing employees’ needs).

Leadership styles in nursing typically include transformational (motivating and inspiring nurses), transactional (focused on rules and performance), servant leadership (emphasizing the wellbeing of staff and patients), and autocratic (where the leader makes decisions independently, often used in emergencies).

• Avolio, B. J., & Gardner, W. L. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly , 16 (3), 315–338.
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• Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness . Paulist Press.
• Hattrick, S. C., & Scholz, U. (2020). Beyond the dyad: Group-level patterns of change in leadership coaching. Frontiers in Psychology , 11 .
• Hunter, J. C. (2004). The world’s most powerful leadership principle: How to become a servant leader. Crown Business.
• Judge, T. A., & Piccolo, R. F. (2004). Transformational and transactional leadership: A meta-analytic test of their relative validity. Journal of Applied Psychology , 89 (5), 755–768.
• Kumari, S., Chaturvedi, S. K., & Isaac, M. (2020). Leadership development in medical education: From knowledge gained to real-world implementation. Frontiers in Psychology , 11 .
• Laub, J. A. (1999). Assessing the servant organization: Development of the Servant Organizational Leadership Assessment (SOLA) instrument  [Doctoral dissertation, Florida Atlantic University].
• Luthans, F., & Avolio, B. J. (2003). Authentic leadership: A positive developmental approach. In K. S. Cameron, J. E. Dutton, & R. E. Quinn (Eds.), Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline (pp. 241–258). Berrett-Koehler.
• Oakley, C. A., Baker, V. L., Baca, L., & Rowland, K. R. (2019). A strategic approach to coaching leaders: Expanding aftercare models to include emotional intelligence and psychological capital. Frontiers in Psychology , 10 .
• Passarelli, A., Caroli, M. E., Caetano, A., & Correia, A. M. (2019). Effects of a cognitive-behavioral leadership coaching program on the stress levels of leaders. Frontiers in Psychology , 10 .
• Salas-Vallina, A., Salanova, M. Martínez, I. M., Bresó, E., Schaufeli, W. B., & García-Renedo, M. (2021). Truly understanding work engagement: Efficacy, discipline, and extraversion as burnout antidotes. Frontiers in Psychology , 12 .
• Van Dierendonck, D. (2011). Servant leadership: A review and synthesis. Journal of Management , 37 (4), 1228–1261.
• van Woerkom, M., Meyers, M. C., & Rutte, C. G. (2016). Coaching leadership style and employee work outcomes: The role of feedback and goal orientation. Journal of Business and Psychology , 31 (3), 339–354.
• Wang, D., Liu, J., Zhu, W., & Mao, J. (2011). The influence mechanism of transformational leadership on employee innovative behavior: A moderated mediation model. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 43 (10), 1121–1132.
• Webb, K. M. (2019). Coaching at work: Leveraging the science of coaching. Frontiers in Psychology , 10 .

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Understanding Management Styles: A Comprehensive Overview

In the realm of management, there is no universal management approach. Different leaders exhibit diverse management styles and leadership styles, each with its own set of unique strengths and challenges. A management style is essentially the methodology that leaders employ to guide, motivate, and manage their employees. It molds the work style of the team, steers group dynamics, and ultimately has a profound effect on the organization’s success. By grasping the array of management styles at their disposal, leaders are better equipped to select those that most closely align with their objectives and cultivate a positive work culture.

What Are Management Styles?

A management style is how a leader engages with and directs their team. It includes their communication style, decision-making style, and overall leadership style. Managers bear the responsibility to provide clarity, support, and motivation to their team members. The management style they adopt can significantly influence the effectiveness and engagement of their employees.

The Importance of Management Styles

Effective management is pivotal to the success of an organization. It shapes how team members engage in team collaboration, communicate, and strive to meet objectives. It is crucial for leaders to be aware of the different management styles at their disposal and to choose those that resonate with their organization’s goals and values.

Makes Communicating Easier Effective management styles foster an environment of open communication, a cornerstone for innovation and productivity. When leaders adopt a style that encourages dialogue and feedback, team members feel valued and are more likely to contribute their insights. This open exchange of ideas not only enhances problem-solving but also cultivates a sense of camaraderie among team members.

A More Engaged Team Employee engagement, a critical factor in organizational success, is intricately linked to management styles. Leaders who understand the diverse needs and motivations of their team members can tailor their approach to boost engagement. Whether it’s through transformational leadership, participative management, or a combination of styles, the goal is to create an environment where employees are motivated to invest their skills and dedication.

Better Alignment A cohesive integration ensures that leadership practices resonate with the company’s mission, leading to a unified and purpose-driven workforce. This alignment not only facilitates the achievement of objectives but also contributes to the retention of top talent, as employees are more likely to stay in an environment where their values align with the organization’s vision.

The Different Types of Management Styles

There are various types of managers and management theories, each with its own distinctive characteristics and advantages. Let’s delve into some of the most prevalent management styles:

• Autocratic Management Style

The autocratic leadership style is typified by a top-down approach, where the manager unilaterally makes all the decisions and assigns tasks to team members. This style is most efficacious in scenarios that necessitate swift decision-making, such as during crisis situations. Although it enables rapid decision-making, it may stifle creativity and lead to employee dissatisfaction due to a lack of autonomy.

Henry Ford (Founder of Ford Motor Company) is often cited as an example of an autocratic leader. During his time at Ford, he made key decisions independently, including the development and production of the Model T. Ford’s insistence on efficiency and standardization exemplified autocratic management.

• Democratic Management Style

The democratic management style is hallmarked by team collaboration and employee participation in decision-making. Managers who embrace this collaborative leadership style value the insights and ideas of their team members and foster open communication. By involving employees in shaping decisions, this style cultivates a sense of ownership and engagement. However, the democratic approach can result in slower decision-making and might not be as effective in urgent crises.

Angela Merkel (Former Chancellor of Germany): During her tenure as the Chancellor of Germany, exhibited a democratic leadership style. She was known for her consensus-building approach and often engaged in open discussions with her cabinet members. Merkel’s leadership emphasized inclusivity and collaboration.

• Persuasive Management Style

The persuasive management style is centered on clear communication and the art of persuasion in change management. Managers who utilize this style offer clear guidance while also valuing the input and commitment of their team members. They elucidate the reasoning behind decisions, engendering a sense of inclusion and respect. This style is particularly effective in situations where change is imperative and necessitates the backing and dedication of the entire team.

Tony Robbins (Motivational Speaker and Author)- while not a traditional corporate leader, Tony Robbins is a notable figure in personal development and leadership training. He is known for his persuasive communication style in motivating individuals to make positive changes in their lives.

• Paternalistic Management Style

The paternalistic management style is characterized by a manager who considers the well-being of their team members as a top priority, fostering a strong company culture. They create a trusting environment and actively encourage team members to express their desires and concerns. While decisions are made with the team’s best interests in mind, there is limited collaboration in the decision-making process. This style, rooted in paternalistic management principles, is most effective in organizations with a strong company culture and trust between leadership and employees.

Sundar Pichai (CEO of Alphabet Inc.) has been noted for his coaching leadership style at Google and later as the CEO of Alphabet Inc. He actively engages in mentorship and encourages a culture of learning and development within the organization. Pichai’s coaching approach involves guiding teams to innovate and pursue ambitious goals.

• Transformational Management Style

The transformational leadership style focuses on inspiring and motivating team members to achieve their full potential and foster intrinsic motivation. Managers who adopt this style set lofty goals and encourage creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. They invest in the professional growth of their team and help them see the bigger picture of what they’re working towards. While this style can lead to employee burnout if goals are not achievable, it is effective in fast-moving and intrinsically motivated teams.

Indra Nooyi (Former CEO of PepsiCo) is recognized for her transformational leadership at PepsiCo. She led a significant shift in the company’s focus toward healthier products and sustainability. Nooyi’s strategic vision and emphasis on corporate responsibility reflected a transformative approach to business.

• Laissez-Faire Management Style

The laissez-faire leadership style is characterized by a hands-off approach, where managers provide team members with autonomy and freedom to complete tasks in their own way. This style works best for self-motivated and creative teams that thrive on building their own ideas. However, without clear feedback and direction, team members may struggle to prioritize their work and feel unsupported.

Warren Buffett (Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway) is known for his long-term investment strategy, Buffett entrusts the management of the companies within Berkshire Hathaway to their respective CEOs. He provides guidance but generally allows them autonomy in decision-making.

• Visionary Management Style

The visionary leadership style focuses on inspiring and motivating team members by providing a clear vision of the organization’s goals. Managers who adopt this charismatic leadership style are outgoing and charismatic, and they prioritize educating team members about the larger vision of the organization. While this style can be effective in innovative teams, it requires genuine passion and support from the manager to be successful.

Steve Jobs was known for his ability to envision and create groundbreaking products. His vision for user-friendly technology and design innovation led to the development of iconic products like the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook.

• Consultative Management Style

The consultative management style emphasizes seeking feedback and input from team members, thereby enhancing employee relations. Managers who adopt this style actively encourage collaboration and communication. They value upward feedback and strive to educate and influence their team through the decision-making process. While this style can lead to slower decision-making, it fosters healthy communication and engagement among team members.

Satya Nadella, the current CEO of Microsoft, has implemented a consultative leadership style. He values collaboration and inclusivity, seeking input from employees and fostering a culture of innovation and teamwork within the company.

• Delegative Management Style

The delegative management style involves managers delegating tasks to team members and providing minimal supervision, thus promoting employee autonomy. Team members have the freedom to complete tasks in their own way, promoting creativity and autonomy. This style works best when team members have more expertise than their managers and can work independently. However, without a clear feedback process, the end result may suffer.

Richard Branson is known for his entrepreneurial spirit and delegative leadership style. He encourages autonomy within his various companies under the Virgin Group umbrella, allowing managers and employees the freedom to innovate and make decisions.

• Ready to use
• Fully customizable template
• Get Started in seconds

No matter what your project management style, utilizing a visual canvas to plan and organize your project offers a myriad of benefits. It serves as a dynamic tool for developing a comprehensive overview of the numerous facets of your project. Through a visual canvas, you can chart out timelines, milestones, and dependencies with clarity and precision. This visual representation not only aids in conceptualizing the project’s scope but also fosters collaboration among team members by providing a shared understanding of objectives and tasks

Choosing the Right Management Style

Choosing the right management style involves a nuanced understanding of organizational dynamics, individual strengths, and team culture. It requires a streamlined approach to tailor management styles for optimal alignment with the unique needs of both leaders and teams.

Self-Reflection:

Conduct a focused self-assessment to identify areas for improvement. Ask yourself if you effectively communicate updates, provide clear feedback, or if a reward system could enhance motivation. This introspection forms the foundation for targeted management evolution.

Understanding Team Dynamics

Evaluate your team’s strengths and weaknesses, considering unique skills and communication patterns. Tailor your approach to address specific needs; for instance, if technical prowess is strong but communication is lacking, prioritize clear communication and team-building activities.

Aligning Objectives

Choose a management style aligned with company objectives and your leadership goals. Ensure it resonates with your team’s needs. For instance, if professional development is key, an autocratic style may hinder growth.

Acquire Skills

Acquire new skills through training or guidance from career coaches to effectively implement the chosen management approach. This enhances leaders' proficiency and aligns them with the selected style.

Be Open to Feedback

Maintain open communication with the team. Actively seek feedback through 1:1 meetings or group sessions, adapting your approach based on evolving team needs. This ongoing feedback loop enables continuous improvement.

Avoiding Negative Management Styles

Negative management styles can severely undermine an organization’s efforts to maintain employee morale and prevent employee turnover. Practices like micromanagement, authoritarianism, inconsistency, neglect, and a lack of communication can all contribute to a decline in morale, heightened disengagement, and a rise in turnover. Leaders must recognize the impact of these negative management styles and strive to cultivate a supportive and engaging work environment. Embracing tools and strategies that facilitate open communication and collaboration can help leaders establish a culture that values and promotes employee input and development.

In conclusion, grasping the nuances of management styles is crucial for demonstrating effective leadership style and fostering employee empowerment. By selecting an appropriate management style, leaders can cultivate a positive work culture, elevate employee engagement, and hold on to top talent. From the persuasive style that melds guidance with participation, to the democratic style that treasures team contributions, or the transformational style that champions innovation, leaders can choose from a spectrum of approaches. By evaluating their personal strengths and the needs of their team, leaders can tailor their style to optimally support and empower their workforce.

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Chiraag George is a communication specialist here at Creately. He is a marketing junkie that is fascinated by how brands occupy consumer mind space. A lover of all things tech, he writes a lot about the intersection of technology, branding and culture at large.

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3 Common Leadership Styles & How to Identify Yours

• 22 Oct 2019

Leadership is an indispensable skill that can drive career advancement. According to a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers , leadership is one of the top attributes sought by hiring managers on a job seeker’s resume.

Effective leadership can lead to organizational success, too. A recent report by global consulting firm DDI found that companies committed to developing employees with high leadership potential are four times more likely to financially outperform those that don’t.

To take charge of your professional development and boost performance at your organization, it’s vital to establish a personal leadership style that informs how you handle demanding situations and motivate colleagues.

Before diving into some of the ways you can identify and develop your leadership approach , it’s important to understand what the term “leadership style” means.

What Is a Leadership Style?

A leadership style entails the patterns of behavior that are consistent across how you make decisions, interact with others, and use your time. It’s also characterized by how your colleagues would describe their working relationship with you.

In the online course Leadership Principles , Harvard Business School Professors Anthony Mayo and Joshua Margolis explain that your leadership style can be examined through three frameworks:

• Imprint: The way you’re experienced by those you work with and lead
• Functions: The practices you employ to mobilize colleagues and get things done
• Motivations: The desire, stimulus, or incentive that drives you to take a certain course of action

Using these frameworks, you can hone your personal style and become more effective in your role. But first, here’s a look at three common leadership styles that can inform how you determine the approach that works best for you.

3 Common Leadership Styles

Leadership imprint, one of the key tenets of leadership style, can be mapped along seven dimensions and consolidated into three primary groups. Those groups are:

1. Approachability

Approachability is comprised of authenticity and warmth—attributes that help you forge deeper connections with teammates. Being an approachable leader means conveying openness and showing empathy in your interactions.

This leadership style requires a high degree of emotional intelligence , or the ability to understand and manage your emotions, as well as those of others. According to EQ provider TalentSmart, emotional intelligence is the highest predictor of workplace performance , underscoring how important it is for you to hone this highly valued skill.

2. Credibility

Credibility encompasses competence, humility, and resolve. This leadership style imparts knowledge and authority. A credible leader can set a plan and guide others in the right direction.

This leadership style involves a great deal of trust between you and your employees, and requires strong decision-making skills, even when faced with difficult choices . Sharpening your ability to make tough calls can not only enable you to become a more effective leader , but help your team build resilience.

3. Aspiration

Aspiration is a combination of two leadership imprints: Elevation and faith. Elevation refers to the ability to set high expectations others feel motivated to pursue, while faith is the capacity to create a sense of belief and confidence in what can be achieved.

An aspirational leader brings out the best in both themselves and others. Through empowering employees and nurturing their growth, you can cultivate a high-performing team that’s driven to achieve organizational goals.

Related: 6 Characteristics of an Effective Leader

How to Identify Your Leadership Style

Understanding common leadership styles and the imprints they’re comprised of is just one part of developing your personal approach. Here are three ways you can expand on that knowledge and identify your own.

1. Build Self-Awareness

Being an effective leader starts with knowing yourself. Through honest reflection and self-assessment—using tools like the Myers-Briggs test or similar resources—you can gain a deeper understanding of your strengths and weaknesses and build greater self-awareness .

Research shows that leaders with high degrees of self-awareness are more effective in their roles, have better work relationships, and report lower levels of stress.

Look to your colleagues for feedback. Be open to their perspectives on your leadership tendencies so you can identify areas for improvement and growth.

2. Consider Your Core Functions as a Leader

Examining your leadership functions is the second of the three frameworks for developing your personal style. In Leadership Principles , two sets of practices are explored:

• Structure and direction: The behaviors you employ to mobilize others and clearly communicate tasks that need to be done
• Support and development: The behaviors you exhibit to rally others and provide instructional guidance

It’s important to use self-assessment to determine where you tend to fall on the spectrum between these two sets of practices. This knowledge can enable you to adapt your leadership approach to different business challenges, and figure out which function you should bolster to be more effective in your role.

3. Understand Your Motivations

Motivating your team members and equipping them with the resources to succeed is one of your key functions as a leader. But it’s important to also understand what inspires you to do your best work.

In examining your motivations as a leader, consider what external rewards stimulate you, such as salary and perks. Take stock of intangible forms of motivation as well, such as a sense of belonging at your organization or the opportunity to work on new and exciting projects.

With an innate sense of what drives you to perform at your best, you can, in turn, unleash that potential in others, enabling them to develop and deliver in the face of organizational challenges.

Related: 4 Tips for Developing Your Personal Leadership Style

Developing Your Leadership Style

Identifying and refining your personal leadership style is a process. By understanding common approaches to leadership, practicing self-assessment, and garnering feedback from colleagues, you can heighten your self-awareness and build a foundation upon which you can continue to learn and grow.

Do you want to enhance your leadership skills? Download our free leadership e-book and explore our online course Leadership Principles to discover how you can become a more effective leader and unleash the potential in yourself and others.

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How to Lead: 6 Leadership Styles and Frameworks

Authoritarian leadership (autocratic), participative leadership (democratic).

• Delegative Leadership (Laissez-Faire)

Transformational Leadership

Transactional leadership, situational leadership.

Leadership styles are classifications of how a person behaves while directing, motivating, guiding, and managing groups of people. There are many leadership styles. Some of the most widely discussed include: authoritarian (autocratic), participative (democratic), delegative (laissez-faire), transformational, transactional, and situational.

Great leaders can inspire political movements and social change. They can also motivate others to perform, create, and innovate. As you start to consider some of the people who you think of as great leaders , you can immediately see that there are often vast differences in how each person leads.

Fortunately, researchers have developed different theories and frameworks that allow us to better identify and understand these different leadership styles.

Lewin's Leadership Styles

In 1939, a group of researchers led by psychologist Kurt Lewin set out to identify different styles of leadership.   While further research has identified more distinct types of leadership, this early study was very influential and established three major leadership styles that have provided a springboard for more defined leadership theories.

In Lewin's study, schoolchildren were assigned to one of three groups with an authoritarian, democratic, or laissez-faire leader. The children were then led in an arts and crafts project while researchers observed the behavior of children in response to the different styles of leadership. The researchers found that democratic leadership tended to be the most effective at inspiring followers to perform well.

What Kind of Leader Are You? Take the Quiz

If you're curious about your leadership style, this fast and free leadership quiz can help you determine what kind of leader you are:

Authoritarian leaders, also known as autocratic leaders, provide clear expectations for what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be done. This style of leadership is strongly focused on both command by the leader and control of the followers. There is also a clear division between the leader and the members. Authoritarian leaders make decisions independently, with little or no input from the rest of the group.

Researchers found that decision-making was less creative under authoritarian leadership.   Lewin also concluded that it is harder to move from an authoritarian style to a democratic style than vice versa. Abuse of this method is usually viewed as controlling, bossy, and dictatorial.

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Authoritarian leadership is best applied to situations where there is little time for group decision-making or where the leader is the most knowledgeable member of the group. The autocratic approach can be a good one when the situation calls for rapid decisions and decisive actions. However, it tends to create dysfunctional and even hostile environments, often pitting followers against the domineering leader.

Lewin’s study found that participative leadership, also known as democratic leadership, is typically the most effective leadership style. Democratic leaders offer guidance to group members, but they also participate in the group and allow input from other group members. In Lewin’s study, children in this group were less productive than the members of the authoritarian group, but their contributions were of a higher quality.

Participative leaders encourage group members to participate, but retain the final say in the decision-making process. Group members feel engaged in the process and are more motivated and creative. Democratic leaders tend to make followers feel like they are an important part of the team, which helps foster commitment to the goals of the group.

Delegative Leadership (Laissez-Faire)

Lewin found that children under delegative leadership, also known as laissez-faire leadership, were the least productive of all three groups. The children in this group also made more demands on the leader, showed little cooperation, and were unable to work independently.

Delegative leaders offer little or no guidance to group members and leave the decision-making up to group members. While this style can be useful in situations involving highly qualified experts, it often leads to poorly defined roles and a lack of motivation.

Lewin noted that laissez-faire leadership tended to result in groups that lacked direction and members who blamed each other for mistakes, refused to accept personal responsibility, made less progress, and produced less work.

Observations About Lewin's Leadership Styles

In their book,  The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Managerial Applications , Bass and Bass note that authoritarian leadership is often presented solely in negative, often disapproving, terms. Authoritarian leaders are often described as controlling and close-minded, yet this overlooks the potential positives of stressing rules, expecting obedience, and taking responsibility.

While authoritarian leadership certainly is not the best choice for every situation, it can be effective and beneficial in cases where followers need a great deal of direction and where rules and standards must be followed to the letter. Another often overlooked benefit of the authoritarian style is the ability to maintain a sense of order.

Bass and Bass note that democratic leadership tends to be centered on the followers and is an effective approach when trying to maintain relationships with others. People who work under such leaders tend to get along well, support one another, and consult other members of the group when making decisions.

Additional Leadership Styles and Models

In addition to the three styles identified by Lewin and his colleagues, researchers have described numerous other characteristic patterns of leadership. A few of the best-known include:

Transformational leadership is often identified as the single most effective style. This style was first described during the late 1970s and later expanded upon by researcher Bernard M. Bass. Transformational leaders are able to motivate and inspire followers and to direct positive changes in groups.

These leaders tend to be emotionally intelligent , energetic, and passionate. They are not only committed to helping the organization achieve its goals, but also to helping group members fulfill their potential.

Research shows that this style of leadership results in higher performance and more improved group satisfaction than other leadership styles. One study also found that transformational leadership led to improved well-being among group members.

The transactional leadership style views the leader-follower relationship as a transaction. By accepting a position as a member of the group, the individual has agreed to obey the leader. In most situations, this involves the employer-employee relationship, and the transaction focuses on the follower completing required tasks in exchange for monetary compensation.

One of the main advantages of this leadership style is that it creates clearly defined roles. People know what they are required to do and what they will be receiving in exchange. This style allows leaders to offer a great deal of supervision and direction, if needed.

Group members may also be motivated to perform well to receive rewards. One of the biggest downsides is that the transactional style tends to stifle creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.

Situational theories of leadership stress the significant influence of the environment and the situation on leadership. Hersey and Blanchard's leadership styles is one of the best-known situational theories. First published in 1969, this model describes four primary styles of leadership, including:

• Telling : Telling people what to do
• Selling : Convincing followers to buy into their ideas and messages
• Participating : Allowing group members to take a more active role in the decision-making process
• Delegating : Taking a hands-off approach to leadership and allowing group members to make the majority of decisions

Later, Blanchard expanded upon the original Hersey and Blanchard model to emphasize how the developmental and skill level of learners influences the style that should be used by leaders. Blanchard's SLII leadership styles model also described four different leading styles:

• Directing : Giving orders and expecting obedience, but offering little guidance and assistance
• Coaching : Giving lots of orders, but also lots of support
• Supporting : Offering plenty of help, but very little direction
• Delegating : Offering little direction or support

Lewin K, Lippitt R, White K. Patterns of aggressive behavior in experimentally created “social climates” . J Soc Psychol. 1939;10(2):271-301.

Bass BM.   The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Managerial Applications . 4th Ed. Simon & Schuster; 2009.

Choi SL, Goh CF, Adam MB, Tan OK. Transformational leadership, empowerment, and job satisfaction: The mediating role of employee empowerment . Hum Resour Health. 2016;14(1):73. doi:10.1186/s12960-016-0171-2

Nielsen K, Daniels K. Does shared and differentiated transformational leadership predict followers’ working conditions and well-being? The Leadership Quarterly . 2012;23(3):383-397. doi:10.1016/j.leaqua.2011.09.001

Hussain S, Abbas J, Lei S, Haider MJ, Akram T. Transactional leadership and organizational creativity: Examining the mediating role of knowledge sharing behavior . Cogent Bus Manag. 2017;4(1). doi:10.1080/23311975.2017.1361663

Kark R, Van Dijk D, Vashdi DR. Motivated or demotivated to be creative: The role of self-regulatory focus in transformational and transactional leadership processes . Applied Psychology . 2017;67(1):186-224. doi:10.1111/apps.12122

Hersey P, Blanchard KH. Life cycle theory of leadership . Training and Development Journal . 1969;23(5).

Blanchard KH, Zigarmi P, Drea Zigarmi.   Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Through Situational Leadership . William Morrow, An Imprint Of HarperCollins; 2013.

Hersey P, Blanchard KH. Management of Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources . Prentice Hall, 1969.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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9 types of management styles and when to use them

While all managers have similar responsibilities, it’s normal to tailor your particular management style to your communication preferences and personality type. That said, being aware of your default style can help you grow and better support your team. Below we dive into nine different management styles, the pros and cons of each, and when to use them.

As a manager, it’s your responsibility to provide clarity and context so your team members can get their best work done. Great managers are dot connectors, context providers, and clarity creators. But every manager takes a different approach to how they do that.

The approach you take makes up your management style. From the type of team building activities you plan to the conversations you have during 1:1 meetings with team members, your management techniques guide every interaction you have with your team—even if you don’t realize it.

What are management styles?

Management styles describe the distinct approaches that different managers take to support and guide a team at work. All managers have the same responsibilities, but management styles describe how different types of managers specifically use their managerial toolkit to motivate team members. 

There are a huge variety of management styles. Every manager naturally leans toward one management style, even if you don’t realize it. Our management styles come out through our communication preferences , our personality types, and how we show up at work. The key thing is to identify which management style you naturally use. Identifying your go-to management style can help you gain a better understanding of how you’re communicating and supporting your team—even the things you don’t realize you are doing. 

Types of management styles

There are a wide variety of management styles, with more being defined every day. Anything that defines how you can guide your team, plan work, and connect the dots can be considered a management style. Some of these styles are top-down, while others are more hands-off. The nine different management styles include:

1. Autocratic management style

Autocratic managers centralize the decision-making process. On these teams, the manager usually makes the majority of decisions—including what the team should focus on, what short- and long-term goals they should work toward, and which tasks and projects are associated with these initiatives. A manager with an autocratic management style will then delegate work to the team member they think is best suited for the job. This is the most top-down approach to management.

The advantages of an autocratic management style: 

It’s easier to make quick decisions since there is only one decision-maker.

The disadvantages of an autocratic management style: 

Autocratic management can quickly veer into micromanagement .

Team members under autocratic managers are less encouraged to offer suggestions since there is only one decision-maker.

Team members can feel creatively stifled.

Best for: When decisions need to be made quickly and there is little room for error. In crisis situations, the autocratic style is the way to go. 

2. Persuasive management style

One type of autocratic management is persuasive management. The persuasive management style puts decision-making totally in the hands of managers but encourages managers to share the logic and rationale behind their decisions. This helps team members feel more connected to the decision-making process .

The advantages of a persuasive management style: 

It can help educate junior-level team members about what goes into managerial decisions. 

It builds trust between the team and the manager since the team is given an explanation for every decision. 

The disadvantages of a persuasive management style: 

Like in any autocratic style, team members can feel creatively stifled. 

Team members may feel like their feedback isn’t heard since communication is still one-sided.  

Best for: Managers that are leading a more inexperienced team. Under this dynamic, the manager should be the sole decision-maker based on their experience but should share explanations in order to help their team grow.  

3. Paternalistic management style

Another type of the autocratic style, paternalistic management is a form of unilateral decision-making where the team’s best interests are always kept in mind. While communication is still one-sided, team members are heard and decisions are made with their wants in mind. However, there is no collaboration between the manager and the team about the decision itself. 

In this management style, managers try to create a feeling of trust within their team. By doing so, their direct reports are confident their feedback is taken to heart whenever the manager makes a decision. 

The advantages of the paternalistic style: 

Managers are truly committed to the well-being of their team. Team member well-being is at the heart of every decision. 

Unlike other autocratic styles, team members are actively encouraged to express their desires to their manager, even if they don’t get to collaborate on the decision-making process itself. 

The disadvantage of the paternalistic style: 

Loyalty to leadership is imperative for this style to be effective. If the team doesn’t trust management, they’ll be less motivated to produce strong results. 

Best for: Organizations with strong company culture . If leadership is able to build strong bonds within the organization, team members can trust that the right decisions are being made. 

4. Democratic management style

Democratic, or participative, managers collaborate with their team members to distribute the decision-making process. They invest in their team’s well-being and career development. This management style encourages creativity and employee engagement. Though they are still the person making the final decision, managers who use a democratic style encourage contributions from all team members.

Before setting quarterly priorities, a democratic manager will make sure every team member understands the company goals and how their team’s initiatives contribute to the company’s yearly objectives. This type of manager will then encourage team members to suggest their own goals. If necessary, a democratic manager will workshop goals in order to ensure each team member is working toward their most important priorities each quarter.

The advantages of a democratic management style: 

Team members have the context they need to succeed.

Teams with democratic managers often come up with more creative ideas because everyone is brainstorming together.

This management style promotes high engagement and buy-in.

Team members are encouraged to tap into their full potential at work.

The disadvantage of a democratic management style:

This collaborative management style takes more time than the others because the manager is more present.

Best for: Teams that are constantly looking to change and improve their processes. If you manage this type of team, it’s best that everyone stays on the same page when it comes to decision-making. 

5. Consultative management style

A subset of the democratic management style, consultative managers are consistently looking for feedback from their team and trying to improve in their position. Differing from the authoritative style, consultative managers rarely make decisions alone but instead encourage collaboration from their team. 

The advantages of the consultative management style: 

It breeds healthy communications among teams.

It encourages upward feedback.

The disadvantages of the consultative management style

It can lead to inefficiency and slow decision-making since everyone is involved in the process. 

Best for: Managers who want to take on more of a mentor role. Consultative managers strive to educate and influence their team through the decision-making process.  

6. Transformational management style

Another type of democratic management is the transformational management style. Used predominantly among creative teams, transformational managers strive to create a culture that encourages adaptability, innovation, and problem-solving. 

Transformational managers are invested in the professional growth of their team and look less at short-term projects and more at long-term development. Oftentimes, this means setting lofty and challenging goals for team members.

The advantages of a transformational management style: 

This style works very well for motivated team members looking to grow in their careers and roles. 

It helps breathe life into more mundane projects and helps team members see the bigger picture of what they’re working toward. 

The disadvantage of a transformational management style:

Since this style relies on setting difficult goals, it can backfire if your team isn’t motivated enough to achieve them. As a result, this management style can sometimes lead to burnout and employee turnover. 

Best for: Fast-moving, intrinsically-motivated teams that are always adapting to new circumstances. By integrating adaptability into their management style, transformative managers prepare their team for whatever may come their way.

7. Laissez-faire management style

Laissez-faire managers are the most hands-off managers. Laissez-faire literally translates to “let it go” in French, and this management style leans into that relaxed, hands-off approach. Laissez-faire managers prefer to give team members nearly full autonomy, and they typically only meet with team members or host team meetings if the team requests it. Otherwise, a laissez-faire manager only checks in if something went wrong.

The advantages of a laissez-faire management style: 

Team members are encouraged to be creative and come up with their own ideas.

Self-motivated employees benefit from increased autonomy. 

The disadvantages of a laissez-faire management style: 

Unless team members are very experienced, they can struggle to prioritize their own work. 

A laissez-faire manager doesn’t tend to provide context for work or proactively connect daily work to company objectives.

This management style can result in employees feeling unsupported or lost. 

A manager with a laissez-faire management style doesn’t model collaboration best practices or lead by example.

Best for: Self-motivated creative teams that thrive when building their own ideas. This model works best for teams that work individually and don’t require much supervision. 

8. Visionary management style

A type of laissez-faire management, the visionary management style is less concerned with the day-to-day operations and more interested in educating team members about the larger vision of the organization. Visionary managers tend to motivate and inspire rather than give instructions about day-to-day tasks. 

These managers tend to be more outgoing and charismatic. This style works well for teams that are good at managing themselves and don’t require much individual attention. For less experienced team members, this may not be the most effective style of management. 

The advantages of visionary management style: 

When done well, this style can spur creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. 

The visionary style can encourage your team to work harder because they’re truly passionate about their work.

The disadvantages of the visionary style: 

If you want to use this style, you can’t feign inspiration. The visionary management is only effective when the manager is truly passionate about the company’s mission.

This method can feel more like leadership than management. If you use this method, be sure you’re continuing to support your team rather than just trying to inspire. 

Best for: Innovative teams looking to disrupt an industry. In this case, a visionary leader can be exactly what a team needs to continue thinking outside the box. 

9. Delegative management style

Another type of laissez-faire management, delegative management refers to a system where managers and team members only interact when managers are assigning them tasks. From there, the manager will come in at the end of the project, review the work, and the cycle will restart. 

In this style, team members generally have the freedom to do tasks in their own way. Like teams with visionary managers, members tend to have a strong knowledge of the work and how it needs to be done.

The advantages of the delegative style: 

It allows team members to maximize creativity in their assignments. With little to no supervision, team members can think outside the box when completing tasks. 

There’s no risk of micromanaging in this style. As a result, team members feel autonomous in their work. 

The disadvantages of the delegative style: 

Without a clear feedback process during the project life cycle, the end result may suffer. 

With the manager only existing to delegate , there’s no process for conflict resolution .  

Best for: Employees with more expertise than their manager. In cases like this, the manager should facilitate rather than support and give feedback.  

Management qualities and responsibilities

No matter what style you choose to use, it’s important to understand what it means to be a manager, and what qualities of a leader you should bring to the table in order to support your team. These include:

Connecting daily tasks to company objectives. One of the most important things you can do for your team is to make sure they have the context they need to succeed. Only 26% of knowledge workers have a very clear understanding of how their individual work relates to company goals. Without that context, team members don’t have a good sense of what they should be prioritizing, and what their highest impact work is. 

Assigning and delegating work. Part of being a good manager is delegating work to the right team member. Good managers don’t think, “I can do that,” but instead approach a task or project with the mentality, “I know the best person for the job.” As a manager, it’s your responsibility to ensure that team members have enough work that engages and challenges them but that they aren’t feeling overworked or burnt out.

Providing feedback and professional development. Good managers are forward-thinkers who want to help their team members improve and get to the next level—whatever that next level looks like for them. Part of this is providing clear, constructive feedback to help your team members turn their weaknesses into strengths. Additionally, professional development and coaching sessions can help team members identify where they want to go in their careers—and begin moving in that direction.

Encouraging team building and collaboration. The best teams are those that work together—and the best managers are those that help their teams do just that. Good managers make time for team building opportunities . They emphasize the importance of team collaboration and open communication, so that team members feel comfortable bringing their full selves to work.

Management styles vs. leadership styles

Another quality of a good manager is simply knowing the difference between leadership and management .

“Management is operational; it’s about setting priorities, evaluating priorities, hiring and firing decisions, compensation decisions, things like that. A leader is more of a coach, or even a spiritual guide. She is responsible for maintaining energy, keeping everyone on the team inspired and helping them grow, and for ensuring everyone is aligned in the same direction. A leader must be a point of strength and stability across changes.” —Dustin Moskovitz, co-founder and CEO, Asana

Management styles are how managers support and guide a team at work. Managers are focused on execution, organization, and planning—so management styles are primarily about how to provide clear direction on projects and support your employees at the team level.

Leadership styles are how leaders motivate and inspire a team or company. Leaders tend to be bigger-picture thinkers—so leadership skills primarily focus on motivating team members, leading company culture, and creative problem-solving. You can use leadership styles in management, but you need to make sure your main focus is on the specific aspects of management. 

There’s a lot that goes into good management, and using the right management style is just the beginning. To continue improving your management style, actively source feedback from your team so you can support them as you grow. 

Part of this growth also means communicating openly and honestly—even when sharing constructive feedback . By proactively encouraging open and honest communication, you can ensure your team is best equipped and supported at work. 

To continue developing your team’s communication skills, get 12 tips to improve workplace communication .

Related resources

How to give and take constructive criticism

Data-driven decision making: A step-by-step guide

Listening to understand: How to practice active listening (with examples)

How executives and individual contributors differ when it comes to AI

Leadership Styles and Frameworks You Should Know

Charlotte Nickerson

Research Assistant at Harvard University

Undergraduate at Harvard University

Charlotte Nickerson is a student at Harvard University obsessed with the intersection of mental health, productivity, and design.

Learn about our Editorial Process

Saul McLeod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

On This Page:

Key Takeaways

• Leadership styles refer to leaders’ characteristic behaviors in directing or managing groups of people.
• Knowing and deliberately adjusting one’s leadership style can help managers better communicate and foster positive relationships within their teams.
• Lewin and his colleagues conducted the first notable study of leadership styles on young children completing arts and crafts projects. They identified three leadership styles: autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire.
• There are numerous leadership styles beyond those that Lewin identified. Among them are strategic, coach-style, bureaucratic, transformational, and transactional leadership.
• Each leadership style has its own advantages and disadvantages. As a result, the best leadership style for a manager to take on depends on their goals and the organizational circumstances they must cope with.

What Are Leadership Styles?

A leadership style is a leader’s characteristic behaviors when directing or managing groups of people. A person’s default leadership style is the way they feel most comfortable leading others to achieve their vision.

Barchiesi et al. (2007) measured the effect that leadership effectiveness had on the performance and attitudes of teams.

The researchers found that, while high leadership score indexes are not related to the past performance of a team, they are associated both with a higher probability that the team’s performance will increase in the future and a higher reputability of the organizations that these teams belong to.

Information about leadership style can be powerful for managers in that it gives them an awareness of how they are perceived by others.

This awareness can enable leaders to communicate better, assess others” needs, and forge positive relationships.

Lewin’s Leadership Styles

Lewin (1939) and his colleagues set out to identify different leadership styles. While other researchers have identified more, Lewin’s original work has provided a basis for more defined leadership theories.

Lewin et al. began experimental research into leadership and group processes by 1939, looking at effective work ethics under different styles of leadership.

Lewin assigned schoolchildren to one of three groups with an authoritarian, democratic, or laissez-faire leader and then led an arts and crafts project.

Autocratic Leadership

Autocratic leadership , otherwise known as autocratic leadership, is focused on the leader. Authoritarian leaders provide clear expectations around what needs to be done, when it should be done, and when it should be done.

As a result, there is a division between the leader and members as the leader makes decisions independent of the group.

Because only one person is the decision-maker in this style, decision-making can be much faster than it is in other leadership styles. This can achieve the performance and decrease the stress of certain groups — such as small teams or countries in a life-or-death conflict.

On the downside, however, Autocratic leadership can lead to fear and frustration among those who follow the leader, as they feel that they are not being heard.

On the upper level, an autocratic leadership style can lead to new opportunities from those below the leader being missed and, ultimately, a breakdown in communication.

As a result, decision-making tends to be less creative. Lewin also concluded that moving from an authoritarian to a democratic style, or vice-versa, is more difficult than moving between other leadership styles.

For these reasons, autocratic leadership styles are best to use when quick decisions are needed, when close supervision is necessary, and when workflows need to be streamlined quickly.

The most famous autocratic leaders are dictators such as Adolph Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte; however, there are situations where the style can provide good outcomes.

Consider the distribution of supplies and evacuation plans proceeding and following a natural disaster. If this natural disaster was particularly unexpected, those who normally make decisions about, say, rescuing others and distributing food may have very little time to make a decision.

Leadership styles that slow down the pace of decision-making — such as democratic or laissez-faire leadership — have considerable disadvantages over an autocratic style that allows the leader to quickly make decisions.

Autocratic leadership styles are also useful in situations where subordinates know little about the problem at hand and do not have the time to learn. For example, consider a plane that lands on water.

The flight attendants on the plane have a limited amount of time to evacuate the passengers on specialized life rafts.

In this situation, the flight attendants may lead the passengers autocratically, providing precise instructions for the passengers to follow for the task at hand.

Democratic Leadership

Lewin’s original (1939) study on schoolchildren found that, generally, participative or democratic leadership was most often the most effective in making arts and crafts.

Democratic leaders offer guidance to group members while also allowing participation and input from other group members. While children in this group were less productive than those of the authoritarian group, their contributions were of a higher quality.

In contrast to autocratic leadership, those who use democratic leadership focus on the team, meaning that team members share decision-making.

The shared decision-making of democratic teams can reduce the risk of complete failure, as members bring their own perspectives to their decisions, as well as leading to higher team morale and a more cooperative working environment.

On the downside, democratic leadership can lead to slow decision-making as well as an over-dependence of individuals on the team. These two factors can combine to create a collaborative burden.

According to Lewin, democratic leadership is best used when team members are experts, and it is necessary to create ownership.

Democratic leaders aim to empower subordinates by allowing them to participate in decision-making; however, ultimately, the final decision is up to the leader.

Two historical examples of successful democratic leadership are that of General Dwight Eisenhower and Nelson Mandela.

In the business world, a democratic CEO may participate in meetings with their subordinates, where participants can put forth their opinions, and silent team members are specifically asked for their opinions to make sure all perspectives are heard.

For example, in deciding how highly to price a product, the democratic leader may consider the feedback and opinions of a large group before coming to a final decision.

Laissez-faire Leadership

In laissez-faire leadership, the leader allows the team to self-direct rather than interfering directly with decision-making. In this style, all of the authority to set goals, solve problems, and make decisions is given to subordinates.

From the leader’s perspective, the goal of laissez-faire leadership is to build a strong team and then avoid interference.

Laissez-faire leaders are typically concerned with the creation and articulation of their vision as well as which steps to take to achieve their vision.

However, once the leader’s vision has been articulated, it then becomes the team’s task to figure out how to implement it.

Laissez-faire leadership tends to work in the high levels of an organization, where senior leaders appoint other senior leaders and allow them to solve particular problems (Lewin, 1939).

One advantage of laissez-faire leadership is that it creates personal responsibility. Another is that it supports fast course corrections, as motivated people working autonomously overcome problems and adjust their direction far more quickly than they would if they needed to seek approval.

Lastly, laissez-faire leadership supports higher retention within organizations (Chaudhry & Javed, 2012).

Laissez-faire leadership tends to work best in situations where an organization’s team members are highly skilled and thus able to overcome barriers more quickly than they would if they were waiting for the leader to create a response to the problem.

Perhaps the most notable example of laissez-faire leadership in the business world is Warren Buffet.

For example, consider a research lab with many highly skilled scientists working on their own projects.

During the group meeting, the lab’s leader may sit in the chair, only offering their opinion when it is specifically sought out by a team member.

Individual team members may bring up their problems and solve them through the efforts of the group, but not the leader.

As a result, each scientist is able to exercise autonomy and hold a sense of personal responsibility for their research.

Additional Leadership Styles and Models

Transformational leadership.

Transformational leaders model behavior, set clear goals, have high expectations, and offer support. At the core of the style is the presentation of a compelling vision and a set of values to work by.

Transformational leaders create a culture that tends to avoid blame rather than focusing on the problems that the team faces collectively and how these can be solved.

Transformational leaders are often known as “quiet leaders,” preferring to model behavior rather than explicate it.

They are also known for not making detailed plans, instead facilitating conversations between people inside and outside of an organization to achieve their end.

On the upside, transformational leadership can balance the need for both short and long-term goals. Subordinates often trust transformational leaders because they behave with integrity and form coalitions.

Thirdly, transformational leaders have vision-focused communication. By communicating about a long-term goal objectively and passionately, transformational leaders can keep everyone in the organization motivated and brought in to achieve the vision.

However, there are also disadvantages to transformational leadership. Firstly, it can be ineffective in the beginning. This happens because transformational leadership is based on trust.

At the beginning of their tenure, before they have built trust and collaboration within their organization, it may be difficult for others to unite with the leader in pursuing a shared goal.

Another disadvantage of transformational leadership is its de-emphasis on details.

Because transformational leaders are motivated to inspire others, they can struggle with the details of day-to-day implementation.

Transformational leadership is most effective when a team needs a long-term inspiring vision, when the right to lead has been earned, and when an urgent, short-term focus is not necessary.

Transformational leadership is often not appropriate when someone is new to an organization and has yet to build trust with their team.

Transactional Leadership

The transactional leadership style views the relationship between leaders and followers as a transaction. In this view, the follower joins the leader and agrees to be compensated for meeting specific goals or performance criteria.

The transactional leader then validates the relationship between performance and reward in a way that encourages the subordinate to improve performance.

According to Kahai et al. (2004), group efficacy was higher under the transactional leadership condition than others.

Transactional leaders tend to focus on task completion and employee compliance and rely heavily on organizational rewards and punishments (Burns, 2003).

Illustrative Example: Transformational and Transactional Leadership in Sales

Transactional leadership is common in situations where a leader’s relationship with their subordinate consists of the leader purchasing some product or resource from that subordinate.

This can often be seen in sales roles, where employees receive commissions — a portion of the price of the product that they are selling to someone else — in exchange for good performance.

Although transactional leadership is seen as the most common style in sales, there have been studies that show that transformational leadership may actually improve performance more.

For instance, MacKenzie, Podsakoff, and Rich (2001) examined the impact of transformational and transactional leadership behaviors on sales performance and the extent to which salespeople believe that they are part of an organization, as well as the mediating role played by trust and role ambiguity in the process.

The researchers found that transformational leader behaviors actually have a stronger direct and indirect relationship with sales performance and organizational citizen behavior than transactional leader behaviors, accounting for biases.

Strategic Leadership

Strategic leadership balances the ability to influence teams to make decisions that lead to long-term success with understanding the current cultural and financial context of the organization. By doing this, strategic leaders can link long-range visions and concepts to daily work.

According to Davies and Davies (2004), strategic leaders have the organizational ability to:

• be strategically oriented;
• translate strategy into action;
• align people and organizations;
• determine effective strategic intervention points;
• develop strategic competencies.

Strategic leaders have these organizational abilities because they display:

• dissatisfaction or restlessness with the present;
• absorptive capacity;
• adaptive capacity;

Like transformational leadership, strategic leadership is visionary, focusing on understanding the current existing realities while also developing a clear sense of direction for the organization (Korac-Kakabadse & Kakabadse, 1998).

On the upside, this “visioning” can encourage debate and create strategic conversations based on future scenarios (Davies & Davies, 2007).

However, powerful visions can actually do damage to an organization.

By creating and communicating a clear vision and by creating conditions that require a leader’s followers to commit themselves to that vision, Schwenk (1997) argues, a leader is in danger of imposing uniformity of thinking and stifling healthy debate, destroying dissent and discussion which are essential to creative decision making.

Bureaucratic Leadership

Bureaucratic leadership relies on a clear hierarchy, strict regulations, and conformity by its followers.

The style aims to acquire rationality as well as avoid ambiguity (Aydin, 2010). The style is characterized by:

• Well-structured management, often with written rules and regulations. Hers, managers must pay attention to details and formal rules that outline the rights and responsibilities of subordinates;
• A formal, well-defined, hierarchical structure where subordinates are selected and promoted based on qualification and specialization;
• Strong managers who work on maintaining the well-structured framework for what is oftentimes a large workforce; and,
• Task-oriented managers who clearly defined tasks to subordinates and put forth guidelines.

Bureaucratic leadership is advantageous in that it is scalable and predictable, seeks to create best practices, leads to a strong level of job security, centralizes duties and roles within teams, and encourages familiarity (Kaleem, Asad, & Khan, 2013).

However, the style also tends to limit forward movement within organizations, may lead to stifled productivity, is often based on a quotas system, often bases decisions on cost structures, allows less space for team input and creativity than some other styles, is not necessarily efficient, and can be difficult in the face of change.

Coach-Style Leadership

Coach-style leadership is characterized by collaboration and guidance. Leaders focus on recognizing each team member’s strengths, weaknesses, and motivations in order to help them improve.

In opposition to Lewin’s autocratic-style leadership, coach-style leaders focus on bringing out the best in individual team members over top-down decision-making.

Over time, this leads to short-term problem-solving being replaced by longer-term strategic thinking (Berg & Karlsen, 2016).

Coach-style leadership has many characteristics. Lee et al. (2020) explicate on them as:

• Feedback was provided by both management and the team. Everyone, regardless of their status in the organization, is encouraged to take constructive feedback and act upon it.
• Leaders become effective communicators who share, engage, and listen to the team.
• Delegation is effective and deliberate. This enables employees to work to their strengths and grow their skills. Team members are credited with their successes.
• The leader’s objective is to help their teams visualize the goals behind what they are doing. After communicating this vision, leaders can allow their subordinates the autonomy to complete their own work.
• Micromanaging is discouraged. Instead, the coach-style leader is motivated to enable others to succeed and reach personal and group goals.
• Clear empathy and awareness in the leader’s actions and communication.
• Encouraging the personal and professional development of employees.
• Opportunities for individual growth and creative thinking.

Coach-style leadership can be effective in environments where people lack the skills or knowledge to reach a shared vision or have otherwise become worn down by providing direction and motivation and encouraging skill development. This results in a more robust and effective team.

Addition positives of coach-style leadership include (Lee et al., 2020):

• Employees who spend more time sharing knowledge and engaging in growth and development;
• Lower staff turnover;
• A greater awareness of the challenges an organization faces and more creativity in how they can be resolved;
• Long-term, sustainable performance improvements;
• A feeling that staff benefit from being valued and increasingly related to the environment;
• An increased sense of competence among staff and timely, constructive feedback that helps them continue their development;
• Constructive two-way communication and collaboration;
• A supportive environment enabling creativity;
• Increased trust and empathy in leaders; and,
• Greater autonomy as employees find solutions to their own problems.

Nonetheless, coach-style leadership also has disadvantages (Lee, 2020):

• Leads to longer delivery times for tasks and goal completion. This makes coach-style leadership difficult to implement in a fast-paced, high-pressure, or in companies that want timely, predictable results;
• It is difficult to implement if staff are unwilling to receive or are fearful of negative feedback;
• Requires managers to spend more time with their staff.

One notable example of coach-style leadership is that at Microsoft. When Satya Nadella became CEO of Microsoft in 2014, the culture was stagnant and fixed.

Nadella encouraged his staff to learn from mistakes rather than avoiding or hiding from them, shifting the company from one that valued “knowing” to one valuing learning.

Participative Leadership

Participative leadership is one of the four participative decision-making styles. It is a leadership style in which, as the name suggests, all team members are encouraged to provide input and thoughts about group goals and decisions.

Some well-known examples of participative leaders include Bill Gates and Jim Lentz.

Further reading

• Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (1969). Life cycle theory of leadership. Training & Development Journal.
• Wang, H., & Guan, B. (2018). The positive effect of authoritarian leadership on employee performance: The moderating role of power distance. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 357.
• Gastil, J. (1994). A meta-analytic review of the productivity and satisfaction of democratic and autocratic leadership. Small Group Research, 25(3), 384-410.

Barchiesi, M. A., La Bella, A. (2007). Leadership styles of the world’s most admired companies: A holistic approach to measuring leadership effectiveness. International Conference on Management Science & Engineering.

Berg, M. E., & Karlsen, J. T. (2016). A study of coaching leadership style practice in projects. Management Research Review .

Burns, J. M. (2003). Transforming leadership: A new pursuit of happiness . Grove Press.

Chaudhry, A. Q., & Javed, H. (2012). Impact of transactional and laissez faire leadership style on motivation. International Journal of Business and Social Science , 3 (7).

Davies, B. J., & Davies, B. (2004). Strategic leadership. School leadership & management , 24 (1), 29-38.

Kahai, S. S., Sosik, J. J., & Avolio, B. J. (2004). Effects of participative and directive leadership in electronic groups. Group & Organization Management , 29 (1), 67-105.

Kaleem, Y., Asad, S., & Khan, H. (2013). Leadership styles and using appropriate styles in different circumstances.

Korac-Kakabadse, A., Korac-Kakabadse, N., & Myers, A. (1998). Demographics and leadership philosophy: exploring gender differences. Journal of Management Development .

Lee, A., Legood, A., Hughes, D., Tian, A. W., Newman, A., & Knight, C. (2020). Leadership, creativity and innovation: a meta-analytic review. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology , 29 (1), 1-35.

Lewin, K. (1939). Experiments in social space. Harvard Educational Review.

MacKenzie, S. B., Podsakoff, P. M., & Rich, G. A. (2001). Transformational and transactional leadership and salesperson performance. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 29(2), 115-134.

Schwenk, C. R. (1997). The case for ‘weaker leadership. Business Strategy Review, 8(3), 4-9.

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Perceived Leadership Styles, Outcomes of Leadership, and Self-Efficacy Among Nurse Leaders:

In response to improving upon a leadership development program at a US regional medical center, coupled with the understanding that transformational leadership is linked with better outcomes, as a first step, we examined the perceived leadership styles, outcomes of leadership, and level of self-efficacy among nurse leaders, namely nurse managers, clinical supervisors, and nurse directors. Twenty-three hospital-based nurse leaders completed the surveys with a response rate of 57.5%. The majority of the leadership styles aligned with that of transformational. However, the items with the 3 lowest average frequency ratings within the transformational leadership style were in the areas of communication and showing confidence. Additionally, the perceived median self-efficacy score was low. Organizational support by way of providing continuous, sustainable professional leadership development, especially in the area of communication, and building self-efficacy is needed to ensure leader effectiveness, and improvement in staff and patient outcomes.

• • This study identified the most prevalent leadership style among nurse leaders at a regional medical center in the United States.
• • Although nurse leaders perceive to have a transformational leadership style, this study identified the need for professional development and interventions in the areas of self-efficacy and communication for nurse leaders in the hospital setting.

Nurse leadership in the unpredictable and often chaotic health care setting is critical to ensuring the delivery of safe, evidence-based care necessary to positively impact the overall patient experience. 1 Nurses make up the most significant number of health care professionals in the medical workforce, where daily, they are either directly or indirectly involved in patient care. 2 Nurse leaders in the clinical setting, therefore, have the critical and challenging task of influencing effective workplace performance and retention of hospital staff nurses by directing clinical practice and outcomes inclusive of compliance with regulations, human resource issues, fiscal accountability, patient satisfaction, and overall excellence in service. 3 The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly reinforced the need for quality nurse leadership within health care. In troubling times, nurse leadership is paramount to safety and organizational outcomes.

Historically, nurse leaders have had a remarkable capacity to manage. However, becoming an exemplary leader requires transformational leadership, the personal capacity to inspire others through innovation to achieve optimal outcomes. 4 Inspired by James McGregor Burns’ theory of transformational leadership, 5 the American Nurses Association, the premier organization for nursing professionals, describes transformational leaders with having the ability to communicate effectively, inspire others, have enthusiasm, support positive change, and lead others in pursuit of shared goals. 6 , 7 In a systematic review conducted by Wong et al., 8 transformational nurse leadership was found to have resulted in staff work engagement, 9 nurses’ reluctance to quit, 10 medication safety, 11 , 12 , 13 workplace safety climate, 14 quality of care, 10 and decreases in inpatient falls, hospital infections, and patient mortality. 12 , 13 Additionally, self-efficacy, defined as the belief in one’s ability to accomplish specific tasks, has been found to mediate the relationship between transformational nurse leadership and staff engagement. 15 These studies, albeit limited, inform us that transformational leadership, which is the most optimal leadership style, with transactional and passive avoidant being suboptimal, can lead to overall staff well-being and improved patient outcomes.

In 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), now known as the National Academy of Medicine, published The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health , 1 which provided a blueprint for nurse leadership development and mentorship within 3 core domains: transformational leadership, mentorship, and involvement in policy making. In response, efforts have been mobilized to equip clinical nurses with leadership competencies in their nursing programs and workplace that would enable to answer IOM’s call for effective nurse leadership in the hospital setting.

Survey on Leadership Styles, Outcomes of Leadership, and Self-Efficacy

In an effort to improve professional development for nurse leaders at a regional medical center located in the mid-Atlantic area of the United States, we conducted this hospital-based survey to examine the perceived leadership style, outcomes of leadership, and self-efficacy among nurse leaders at one of the third busiest hospitals in its state. The survey is the first stepping stone to inform the adaptation of an existing 9.5-day leadership development training program for nurse leaders focusing on fundamentals of performance coaching, leadership challenges, analyzing performance issues, and finance management facilitated by the human resources (HR) department. This survey for nurse leaders who held the position of clinical supervisor, nurse manager, or nurse director is a result of the medical center’s HR department's desire to strengthen the training focusing on transformational leadership and building self-efficacy for nurse leadership.

The survey and future development of a nurse leadership training program are inspired by the theory of structural empowerment, which posits that the work environment is accountable for providing access to resources to enable effective and influential leadership. 16 Structural empowerment is one of the core components of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program® where it recognizes an institution that promotes shared decision-making, continual professional development, and organizational commitment and support that will ultimately lead to staff well-being, better patient outcomes, and institutional financial success. 16 , 17

We conducted the survey between June and July of 2019, utilizing a cross-sectional approach to examine the perceived leadership styles, outcomes of leadership, and level of self-efficacy among nurse leaders, inclusive of nurse managers, clinical supervisors, and nurse directors at a single-site regional medical center located in the mid-Atlantic area of the United States. Anonymous paper surveys without identifying information were stored via interdepartmental mail in a secure, locked file cabinet. Unique random numbers were assigned to each survey for participants to keep so that they may have access to their results. The results of the survey were disseminated to participants by placing them in a secure area, and participants used their identification number to identify their survey results. The sole collector of data was a clinical manager who did not observe who picked up the survey and who returned completed surveys. We collected information on participant’s gender, age, years of experience as a nurse and nurse manager/director/clinical supervisor, number of years in the workplace in current position, education, race/ethnicity, place of licensure, and type of unit (i.e., general surgical).

For the Perceived Leadership Style & Outcomes of Leadership , we used the 45-item Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) 5x Short Version. 18 The MLQ is an established and validated leadership instrument that evaluates self-perception of 3 different leadership styles: Transformational, Transactional, and Passive-Avoidant, and Perceived Outcomes of Leadership using a 5-point frequency behavioral scale (0 = not at all, 1 = once in a while, 2 = sometimes, 3 = fairly often, 4 = frequently, if not always). The specific components within each leadership style are as follows: Transformational (5 I’s): Idealized Attributes—ability to build trust; Idealized Behaviors—acting with integrity; Inspirational Motivation—ability to motivate; Intellectual Stimulation—ability to inspire innovation; Individual Consideration—focus on the individual development plan for personal achievement; Transactional : Contingent Reward—set goals; Management by Exception–Active—focus on compliance; Passive-Avoidant : Management by Exception–Passive—punitive; Laissez-Faire—uninvolved; Perceived Outcomes of Leadership– Extra Effort: can get followers to go above and beyond; Effectiveness—productive; Generates Satisfaction—staff satisfaction achieved. We measured level of self-efficacy using the general self-efficacy scale. It is a 17-item scale developed by Mark Sherer, which consists of 5-point Likert responses ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.” Scores range from 17 to 85, where higher scores indicate greater self-efficacy. 19 Group frequency mean scores and standard deviations for each leadership style and outcomes of leadership scale and subscales were computed. Group standard deviations of the frequency ratings for the leadership scales and outcomes measured the variation in response to the MLQ. The smaller the standard deviation, the higher the agreement among group self-ratings. A value of 0.0 would mean complete agreement among ratings. Mean, and mode were calculated to measure the level of self-efficacy perceptions. We performed normality testing, using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and measures of central tendencies. The survey was reviewed and approved as exempt research by the institution’s clinical research committee.

Table 1 summarizes the demographic characteristics of the participants. There are a total of 40 nurse leaders at the regional medical center. Twenty-three deidentified surveys were completed and returned with index cards for a response rate of 57.5%. The majority of nurse leaders were above 41 years of age, self-identified as White, had at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and had a mean of 21 years of nursing experience and 5.2 years of nurse leadership experience in a clinical setting.

Table 1

Demographic Characteristics of Participants (N = 23)

Perceived Leadership Styles and Outcomes of Leadership

The MLQ 5x mean frequency scores by Leadership Style, Outcomes of Leadership, and related subscales are summarized in Figure 1 . The majority of the leadership styles aligned with that of Transformational (Idealized Attributes mean ± SD: 3.1 ± 0.3; Idealized Behaviors mean ± SD: 3.1 ± 0.4); Inspirational Motivation mean ± SD: 3 ± 0.5); Intellectual Stimulation mean ± SD: 3.1 ± 0.5; Individual Consideration mean ± SD: 3.5 ± 0.4), followed by Transactional (Contingent Reward mean ± SD: 2.9 ± 0.6; Monitors Deviations and Mistakes mean ± SD: 1.5 ± 0.9) and Passive Avoidant mean ± SD: Management by Exception–Passive mean ± SD: 1 ± 0.5; Laissez-Faire mean ± SD: 0.7 ± 0.5). The items with the 3 highest average ratings within the Transformational leadership style scale were in the areas of coaching and developing people (mean: 3.6 treating others as individuals), acting with integrity (mean 3.5 considering consequences), and building trust (mean 3.5 building respect from others). The items with the 3 lowest average ratings for Transformational leadership style were in the areas of acting with integrity (mean 2.5 talking about personal values and beliefs), encouraging others (mean 2.5 vision casting), and building trust (mean 2.7 showing confidence).

Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ 5X) Mean Frequency Scores by Leadership Styles and Outcomes of Leadership Compared With Self-Norms (N = 23).

∗ The bar chart shows how the participants perceived the frequency of their behaviors for each leadership style compared to various norms for the MLQ. Self-norms represent data from 3375 self-ratings of leaders who previously completed the MLQ.

Regarding the perceived outcomes of leadership, the satisfaction of leadership had the highest mean frequency score (mean ± SD: 3.2 ± 0.4) followed by perceived leadership effectiveness (mean ± SD: 3.1 ± 0.5) and generating extra effort among staff (mean ± SD: 2.9 ± 0.5).

Perceived Level of Self-Efficacy

The general self-efficacy mean and median scores were 2.4 ± 0.6 and 2.5, respectively, implying that the participants had low general self-efficacy.

We found that the nurse leaders perceived their leadership style to be transformational, followed by transactional and, lastly, passive avoidant. Nevertheless, we see opportunities for professional development in the areas of effective communication around personal values and beliefs, vision and mission, and showing a sense of power and confidence in the workplace. These potential areas for professional development align with the findings that the participants reported having a low-level of self-efficacy. In a recent integrative review of nurses’ needs to practice effectively in the hospital environment, quality leadership was identified as the highest need nurses have in the workplace setting. 20 Fine-tuning existing professional development training for nurse leaders to improve communication and confidence is necessary for quality leadership that so many nurses desire.

Nonetheless, leadership development should begin well before one becomes a leader in the health care setting. 21 Leading nursing organizations have provided resources to help. For example, the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), the professional organization for nurse leaders in health care, provides a comprehensive list of Nurse Executive Competencies, in which effective communication and relationship building is primary. 22 The AONL also provides 2 leadership credentialing certifications to become a Certified Nurse Manager and Leader or Certified in Executive Nursing Practice.

At the regional medical center, nurses should be encouraged and financially supported to pursue graduate programs such as the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Executive Leadership program, designed for experienced nurses seeking to be competent in the knowledge of various leadership theories, managing complex health care environments, applying evidence to practice, improving patient care through policy engagement and advocacy, and leading interprofessional collaboration. 23

This survey was intended to give us preliminary information on how to strategize professional development to support nurse leaders at a regional medical center. The first step is to examine their perceptions about their leadership style, outcomes of their leadership, and self-efficacy.

Despite the information gathered in this survey, there were limitations. We did not examine factors related to the transformational leadership style, outcomes of leadership, and self-efficacy. The survey is also prone to social desirability bias. Nurse leaders may provide responses that are desirable for their roles. To limit bias, we ensured that participation was not tracked because we did not observe who collected and returned surveys, and no identifiable information was collected. Despite the limitations, the results of this survey provide much-needed information on the areas of strength and for future projects focusing on professional development. Although the transformational style was the leading leadership style among the nurse leaders, content around effective communication around values and vision, and showing confidence is necessary to include in the hospital’s leadership development training. Finally, organizational support by way of providing continuous, sustainable professional leadership development is needed to ensure leader effectiveness and improvement in staff and patient outcomes. Hospital-based interventions and professional development focusing on leadership self-efficacy and effective communication are necessary to ensure leadership effectiveness and ultimately, clinical care outcomes.

Sharolyn Bush, MSN, RN, CMSRN, is a Clinical Nursing Director at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Maryland. Diane Michalek, DNP, RN, NE-BC, is the Director of Nursing Practice and Outcomes at the University of Maryland Baltimore in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Lucine Francis, PhD, RN, is an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Baltimore, Maryland. She can be reached at [email protected] .

Note: The research received no funding. Funding to purchase the MLQ tools were provided by the regional medical center where the study was conducted. The regional medical center played no role in the design, collection, and dissemination of study or study results. There were no conflicts of interest to declare. We thank the nurse leaders who participated in this study. We also thank the leadership of the Nurse Leadership Institute (NLI) in Maryland for their support. The authors conducted this study as nurse leadership fellows at the NLI.