HP LIFE
The six leadership approaches
Experts have identified six key approaches to effective leadership 1.
Leadership Description
approaches
Affiliative Establishes positive
relationships and works to
create strong emotional
bonds with employees;
creates a sense of
ownership and belonging in
the business
Visionary Fosters trust and respect
by bringing the employees
together toward a common
vision and a focus on the
end goal; aligns and
motivates employees, and
allows them to drive work
forward independently
Coaching Focuses on mentoring his
or her employees and
building their strengths and
skills
Directive Takes charge and tells
employees what they must
do to address the challenge
or opportunity
Collaborative Involves the staff in
contributing to the
decision-making process
Pacesetting Sets high performance
standards and leads by
example
1
When to use it
In times of stress, as part of
a healing process, to build
or rebuild trust, when
bringing in new staff or
building a new team
When staff are already
skilled and don’t require
much guidance and when
the staff need a new vision
When the leader is
experienced and the staff
need to build their
knowledge and skills; when
employees are aware of
weaknesses and receptive
to suggestions
In times of crisis, when
there is little time to act
To get input from
employees, when
employee buy-in is needed,
when there is time
When the staff is highly
motivated and skilled;
when there is a tight
deadline
Drawbacks
Can encourage mediocre
behavior if negative
behaviors or poor
performance is ignored;
best when used in addition
to other approaches
Does not work well if the
employees are more skilled
or knowledgeable than the
leader about the specific
area
Can take more time, does
not work if the leader
knows less than the
employee, depends on the
willingness of employees to
change or learn and to
cooperate with the leader
If overused, can be
overbearing and cause
employees to feel resentful
and can reduce motivation
Doesn’t work well in times
of immediate crisis, can
take more time, depends
on how well informed the
employees are, sometimes
results in more talk than
action
Can overwhelm employees
and suppress innovation
The six leadership approaches

Used at the right time, each of these approaches can contribute to the success of the business and create a climate where
employees feel responsible to the organization and committed to a common purpose.

A good leader is flexible and adapts his or her leadership approach to the situation at hand. There are times when employees
need encouragement and praise, and there are times when they need to be coached or guided to a new vision. There are
situations when it’s a good idea to gather input from the staff, but there are also times when employees need to be told
exactly what to do.

Every entrepreneur is likely to be faced with a variety of challenges and opportunities as his or her business grows.
Understanding different leadership approaches and when each approach is most likely to be effective will help you to
succeed.

Think about the leadership approaches you have used in your business. Are there some approaches that you use more than
others? What approaches do you want to work on?

www.life-global.org

_____
1
Source: R00204, Goleman, D. (2000). Leadership that gets results. Harvard Business Review, 78(2).