Assessing Your Leadership Style to Achieve Organizational Objectives
EILEEN NEWMAN RUBIN
Research has shown that there are more than 30 differently named leadership styles, ranging from micro-management to hands-off, each with its own proponents. Six, however, stand out as most com- monly found in business: authoritarian, democratic, transformational, laissez-faire, servant, and situa- tional. A review of the experiences of six leaders who embody these styles reveals that each mode of operating has its pros and cons; there is no sin- gle best approach. Being aware of one’s leadership style and that of others makes it possible to lever- age strengths and compensate for weaknesses and to properly match individuals to a particular role or task—for the good of the entire organization. ©C 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Whether they are involved in politics, corporate America, or a nonprofit endeavor, the style in which managers and other professionals exert their lead- ership can determine the outcome of their efforts. As the American businessman and political fig- ure Erskine Bowles said, “Leadership is the key to 99 percent of all successful efforts” (Kruse, 2012).
But what is the best leadership style to use? There is no simple answer to this seemingly simple ques- tion. One’s leadership style depends on several fac- tors, including the personality of the leader, the or- ganizational culture (and the many subcultures that may exist within it), the personalities of the people to be led, and the overall state of the organization. Certainly, exploring the leadership styles that have proven to be successful in a variety of environments can help pinpoint those that might work best in in- fluencing people and bringing about positive orga- nizational change.
What Is Leadership Style?
The ASPIRA Association (2012) defines leadership style as: “a form of cross situational