How to Find Your Leadership Style
Assess your personal strengths., Figure out what leadership style best fits your strengths., Default to the style that you believe will work., Draw on multiple styles of leadership., Avoid emulating leadership styles that don’t fit your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Assess your personal strengths.
Whether you tend to be more collaborative or more independent when taking on a leadership role, there are a whole slew of characteristics that go into your personality – and accordingly, to your personal leadership style.
Take online personality and leadership style tests to help further establish the dominant characteristics of your personality and the potential style of leadership that may work best for you.Ask your colleagues – both above you and below you in the hierarchy of the professional world – what strengths they believe you have, as well as those areas you should look into strengthening further. -
Step 2: Figure out what leadership style best fits your strengths.
There are established styles of leadership that will allow you to capitalize on the strengths you already actively demonstrate.
Knowing what these strengths are can you choose the style that may be the most effective for you.
Consider the following lists of characteristics and consider whether you identify especially strongly with one particular set.Are you empathetic, team-oriented, emotionally approachable, open to input, and inspiration-driven? Leaders of this variety are seen as collaborators or energizers, and can use their positive energy and ability to inspire to lead and motivate others.
Are you action oriented, confident in the methodology you use, loyal, quality-driven, execution-focused, and stable? Leaders who identify with these characteristics can be seen as providers or harmonizers, and are often able to keep a team working together smoothly.
Are you cautious in making decisions, task-focused, results-oriented, traditional, decisive, and self-reliant? Leaders of this sort, considered producers or composers, are often especially able to lead their team to achieve specific goals. , Your search for a particular leadership style should reflect attention to what will generate results in the context within which you are expected to lead.
While your default personality makes using certain leadership styles easier – this doesn’t necessarily mean that the style of leadership you may naturally be inclined towards is the right one for the job.Recognize that the leadership style you choose to employ is a choice, and a temporary choice at that.
Think about how different styles of leadership will allow you to do different things, and consider leaning towards the style you think will be the most effective. , Be ready and willing to adapt your leadership approach when different situations call for it.
For example, be willing to utilize more directive, pace-setting styles of leadership at certain times
- even if you usually take a more collaborative, creative, and participatory approach.Your go-to leadership style will simply not work in every situation you face.
This is perhaps especially true in unexpected moments, when effective leadership is most necessary.
Prepare for situations in which you may need to utilize a style of leadership you’re not used to.
This includes the role of enforcer.
If your leadership role usually doesn’t require you to be forceful, don’t allow this to lead to hesitation or uncertainty when a situation that calls for a stern approach arises. , Do not allow yourself to resort to leadership styles that do not accurately reflect who you are as an individual.
More than likely, straying too far from how you usually behave and interact with those around you will come across as disingenuous.
Maintain authenticity by behaving in a manner that you can be genuinely proud of.
If you’re feeling awkward when trying out a new leadership style, don’t stick to something you don’t see developing further.
Keep experimenting with leadership styles until you find the one that allows you to be comfortable and confident. , Recognize and appreciate the strengths of your colleagues and the value of their contributions to maximize your collective effectiveness.It’s impossible to be perfectly well-rounded, let alone have a mastery of all the skill sets needed to complete most multi-faceted projects.
A well-led team, however, can be both well-rounded and masterfully multi-talented.
Reflect on who you work with, and who on your team has strengths that compliment your own.
Allow others to take the reins while executing certain aspects of your shared responsibilities.
Not only may they be especially capable, your demonstration of trust in them will facilitate their appreciation for you as a leader. -
Step 3: Default to the style that you believe will work.
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Step 4: Draw on multiple styles of leadership.
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Step 5: Avoid emulating leadership styles that don’t fit your personality.
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Step 6: Be ready and willing to follow.
Detailed Guide
Whether you tend to be more collaborative or more independent when taking on a leadership role, there are a whole slew of characteristics that go into your personality – and accordingly, to your personal leadership style.
Take online personality and leadership style tests to help further establish the dominant characteristics of your personality and the potential style of leadership that may work best for you.Ask your colleagues – both above you and below you in the hierarchy of the professional world – what strengths they believe you have, as well as those areas you should look into strengthening further.
There are established styles of leadership that will allow you to capitalize on the strengths you already actively demonstrate.
Knowing what these strengths are can you choose the style that may be the most effective for you.
Consider the following lists of characteristics and consider whether you identify especially strongly with one particular set.Are you empathetic, team-oriented, emotionally approachable, open to input, and inspiration-driven? Leaders of this variety are seen as collaborators or energizers, and can use their positive energy and ability to inspire to lead and motivate others.
Are you action oriented, confident in the methodology you use, loyal, quality-driven, execution-focused, and stable? Leaders who identify with these characteristics can be seen as providers or harmonizers, and are often able to keep a team working together smoothly.
Are you cautious in making decisions, task-focused, results-oriented, traditional, decisive, and self-reliant? Leaders of this sort, considered producers or composers, are often especially able to lead their team to achieve specific goals. , Your search for a particular leadership style should reflect attention to what will generate results in the context within which you are expected to lead.
While your default personality makes using certain leadership styles easier – this doesn’t necessarily mean that the style of leadership you may naturally be inclined towards is the right one for the job.Recognize that the leadership style you choose to employ is a choice, and a temporary choice at that.
Think about how different styles of leadership will allow you to do different things, and consider leaning towards the style you think will be the most effective. , Be ready and willing to adapt your leadership approach when different situations call for it.
For example, be willing to utilize more directive, pace-setting styles of leadership at certain times
- even if you usually take a more collaborative, creative, and participatory approach.Your go-to leadership style will simply not work in every situation you face.
This is perhaps especially true in unexpected moments, when effective leadership is most necessary.
Prepare for situations in which you may need to utilize a style of leadership you’re not used to.
This includes the role of enforcer.
If your leadership role usually doesn’t require you to be forceful, don’t allow this to lead to hesitation or uncertainty when a situation that calls for a stern approach arises. , Do not allow yourself to resort to leadership styles that do not accurately reflect who you are as an individual.
More than likely, straying too far from how you usually behave and interact with those around you will come across as disingenuous.
Maintain authenticity by behaving in a manner that you can be genuinely proud of.
If you’re feeling awkward when trying out a new leadership style, don’t stick to something you don’t see developing further.
Keep experimenting with leadership styles until you find the one that allows you to be comfortable and confident. , Recognize and appreciate the strengths of your colleagues and the value of their contributions to maximize your collective effectiveness.It’s impossible to be perfectly well-rounded, let alone have a mastery of all the skill sets needed to complete most multi-faceted projects.
A well-led team, however, can be both well-rounded and masterfully multi-talented.
Reflect on who you work with, and who on your team has strengths that compliment your own.
Allow others to take the reins while executing certain aspects of your shared responsibilities.
Not only may they be especially capable, your demonstration of trust in them will facilitate their appreciation for you as a leader.
About the Author
Rachel Webb
Specializes in breaking down complex pet care topics into simple steps.
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