Leadership styles that define the best bosses

Leadership is not so much about the leader's own needs, but about the needs of the people and the organisation he or she is leading., therefore, leadership styles must be adapted to the particular demands of the situation, the challenges to be faced and the people involved.

Daniel Goleman, in his book on leadership, describes six different styles. The fact is that the leadership styles should not be understood as an enumeration from which to choose the one that best suits one's habits and abilities; for in fact, The most effective leaders can move between several of these styles, adopting the one that meets the needs of the moment, also known as situational leadership.

Among the leadership styles that Goleman recognises and that can be part of a leader's repertoire are the following:

• Visionary.
• Coach.
• Affiliative.
• Democratic.
• Authoritarian.
• Helmsman.

However, this list is completed by new styles in which certain characteristics stand out from the rest, such as, for example, the servant leader or prestige leadership.

Dominance and prestige, two styles of leadership with almost opposite approaches

Dominance and prestige are two distinct routes to rise to influential leadership positions within an organisation. Both leadership styles can be easily recognised, since:

• A dominance strategy requires individuals to be more assertive, controlling, decisive and self-confident in achieving their goals.. Individuals pursuing this strategy often coerce or induce psychological fear among other group members to achieve goals, without concern for the consequences their actions and decisions may have on others.
• A prestige strategy achieves better social consideration since those who distinguish themselves by this leadership style, In addition, they not only succeed in matters of their direct competence, but also share knowledge or skills of great value to other members of the group. In return, they, They receive their respect and admiration, which leads to positions of greater responsibility and higher rank in the company hierarchy.

Steve Jobs or Donald Trump, leaders described as authoritarian, could fit the definition of a dominant strategy. For their part, Warren Buffett or John Mackey would fall into a democratic (like Walt Disney) or servant (like Martin Luther King) leadership style, respectively, in both cases applying a prestige strategy..

However, all of them have acted as visionary leaders, helmsmen, coaches or affiliates at some point. For example, in the face of uncertainty, individuals prefer a leader who is self-confident and decisive in achieving their goals, a dominant and authoritarian leader; but...the leader is not a leader who is self-confident and decisive in achieving his or her goals, If you want to empower employees, instead of imposing your own vision, you have to promote the vision of the team, for example, by encouraging your team members to actively discuss their ideas and to synthesise their contributions into a coherent strategy.

For the prestige leader it is as important to speak as it is to listen to employees, as it is in this way that this style of leadership builds a safe and secure environment. where team members feel respected and free to innovate and generate creative solutions. In this sense, leading through prestige often means lead in a more subtle way.

Does the culture of your organisation stand out as being conducive to relatively egalitarian relationships? What leadership style has helped you achieve better results?