What Is Your Leadership Style?
How would you describe your leadership style?
Would you say that you are:
Autocratic or Democratic – Autocratic leaders make decisions unilaterally, maintaining control and authority, while democratic leaders encourage team participation and collaboration in decision-making.
Task-oriented or People-oriented – Task-oriented leaders prioritize structure, tasks, and achieving specific goals, while people-oriented leaders focus on building relationships, team dynamics, and the well-being of their members.
Transactional or Transformational – Transactional leaders focus on the work, processes, and procedures, while transformational leaders focus on inspiring and motivating their teams toward a shared vision. For a deeper dive into this one, check out my latest article on my website.
Most people intuitively know their leadership style, but knowing your style is only the first step.
Altering your style or choosing how you show up is something completely different.
A Lesson from Lisa
When I started coaching leaders, I worked with a client named Lisa. That wasn’t her real name - I’m changing it to protect her identity.
Lisa was a hard-working executive with a type A personality. She was highly driven, competitive, and ambitious, so it was no surprise that she was very good at managing projects, hitting deadlines, following through, and getting her team to deliver results. But something was missing.
Despite her successes, she was constantly exhausted, juggling too many roles and feeling like she wasn’t connecting with her team the way she wanted to.
Lisa thought the solution was to just work harder. She tried to create more structure, oversight, and hustle, but that wasn’t the solution. All of the hustling and hard work just made her feel worse, and then, one day, she completely lost it. She didn’t have a complete breakdown, but she did a few things that raised the red flag, and the organization brought me in to help her get back on the right path.
As we talked, we realized she was burnt out and operating on auto pilot when it came to her leadership style. Her style was no longer serving her, and it was starting to do some damage. When I suggested that she could show up differently, she shot back with a bit of her type-A skepticism: “I’m afraid I won’t be able to change because I’m a control freak, Matt!” she told me, “Isn’t all of this just baked into my DNA?” she asked.
I told her what I tell all of my clients:
It’s not about changing who you are. It’s about making subtle shifts in how you show up so that your strengths work for you, not against you.
This applies to all of us as we wrestle with the limitations of our leadership styles.
Practical Takeaways: Small behavioral shifts lead to significant style shifts.
Over the years, I’ve become a behaviorist. I’m confident that our thoughts and emotions have a significant role in our lives, but ultimately, what we do sets us on a path to success or failure.
If you feel angry but refrain from yelling at others, you will be better off because of it. If you feel compelled to work 12-hour days but go home to have dinner with your family, likewise.
The results in your life come from your behaviors more than your feelings, and while I don’t want you to ignore the latter, paying attention to your behaviors is the best way to grow and change.
Here are a few subtle shifts you can make to become a more effective leader:
From Control to Trust: It’s tempting to think that staying in control guarantees success. However, true leadership comes from trusting your team to take ownership. Shift from being the decision-maker for everything to guiding them to make their own decisions.
From Execution to Strategy: If you’re always in the weeds, you’re not leading—you’re managing. Shift your focus from day-to-day tasks to high-level strategy. Delegate the details and create space for big-picture thinking.
From Telling to Asking: Strong leaders often default to giving directives, but asking questions can be even more powerful. Shift from telling your team what to do to asking them how they would solve a challenge. It fosters creativity, accountability, and engagement.
Your Challenge This Week
If you’re ready to adjust your leadership style, try making one subtle shift this week.
Take a moment to reflect on an area where you might be leaning too heavily into control. Are you micromanaging projects or making every decision for your team? This week, try loosening the reins. Invite your team into the decision-making process or trust them to handle more responsibility.
This shift may reveal something surprising: a more engaged, empowered team and a little more breathing room for yourself.
I’d love to hear how this shift affects your leadership and if you notice any changes. Reply to this email and share your insights!
Resource: A Guide to Leadership Shifts
I mentioned earlier that I wrote an article about transactional and transformational leadership. Check it out to learn more about how you may be showing up as a leader.
Closing Reflection: Small Shifts, Big Impact
Your leadership style isn’t set in stone. It may act like an anchor that holds you back, but you can change it. You can make small, subtle behavior shifts to be a more effective leader. So, as you head into the week, think about where you can make just one subtle shift. The results might surprise you.
