How to choose a leadership style

As someone who's interested in the leadership path or looking for more structure in their current leadership approach, it can be helpful to choose a leadership style that feels authentic to you.

Some questions you may ask yourself when trying to determine which style is right for you include:

· What do I value more—goals or relationships?

· Do I believe in structure or freedom of choice?

· Would I rather make a decision on my own, or collectively?

· Do I focus on short or long-term goals?

· Does motivation come from empowerment or direction?

· What does a healthy team dynamic look like to me?

The above are just a few examples of questions to ask yourself while reading through leadership styles to help you decide on which style you relate with most.

To develop your leadership style consider these four strategies:
Source: indeed.com

1. Experiment. Try out varied approaches in different circumstances and pay attention to the outcome.

2. Seek a mentor. Consulting a leader with more experience than yourself can offer great insight into how they developed their style and what worked for them.

3. Ask for feedback. Constructive feedback helps you grow into a successful leader. Seek feedback from individuals you trust that will give you an honest answer.

4. Be authentic. Trying to perfect a leadership style that's in opposition to your personality or morals will come across as inauthentic. Try to choose a leadership style that’s in alignment with your strengths and work to improve it.

While a certain leadership style may be impactful in a specific job—for example, autocratic leaders tend to do well in military settings—the best leadership is using a blend of styles.

Knowing what style to enforce in workplace situations comes with time, practice and through emotional intelligence.

Source: indeed.com