Daniel Goleman's Leadership Styles

 
18 august, 2019
Well-known psychologist Daniel Goleman believes that there are six distinct leadership
styles and that each one of them can be useful depending on your context and desired
outcome.

 Transformational Leadership
 Self-Leadership: Realizing Your Dreams
 Reinvent Yourself and Survive!
In modern society, we do almost everything in groups. That’s why leadership is
such a fundamental skill. Many psychologists have studied this concept, and
Daniel Goleman is one worth mentioning. Goleman is best-known for his work on
emotional intelligence. However, he also writes about and researches leadership styles.

Daniel Goleman’s classification of six different leadership styles is the most commonly
used in a variety of disciplines. In business, for example, many CEOs and managers
study his work to improve their leadership skills. Keep reading to learn more about these
different leadership styles.

What are Daniel Goleman’s leadership styles?

 In his book Leadership that Gets Results,  Daniel Goleman describes six different
types of leadership. Each type is based on a component of emotional intelligence.

According to Goleman, these six leadership styles aren’t incompatible. On the

contrary, the best leaders are able to use elements of each style to best
adapt to the situation at hand.

Either way, to choose the best style for the situation you’re in, you first have to know
what they are:

 Authoritative
 Democratic
 Affiliative
 Visionary
 Pace-setting
 Coaching
1 – Authoritative leadership
This first leadership style is based on discipline. People who follow this style
prioritize maintaining discipline above all. To that end, they usually give short, concrete,
and precise instructions. In general, the consequences for not following their instructions
are harsh. These kinds of leaders try to make an example of others’ bad behavior so that
no one will be tempted to slack off.
This leadership style doesn’t usually make the team feel motivated. Employees feel
like they have no control over their work. They get the impression that
they’re no better than machines.

Consequently, you should only use this leadership style in extreme situations. It’s useful
if you need to take very concrete action or if your organization or group has a lot of
problems. For example, during an emergency or for an extremely complex task that
requires precision.

2- Democratic leadership

This leadership style states that it’s very important to take everyone’s opinions into
account when making a decision. That usually means having a lot of meetings, debates,
and discussions. This style is especially useful in cases where you have lots of time to
choose a particular path. It’s also handy when the group members have similar
backgrounds.

Democratic leadership is also helpful when you’re working with a cross-

functional team. In this context, you have to blend the different disciplines in order to
move the project forward. In other words, you have to find the places where
different disciplines overlap and coincide so that everyone’s work fits
together.
3- Affiliative leadership
The third type of leadership is based on creating bonds between the team
members. That way, they’re able to work and collaborate in harmony. Leaders who
use this style try to ensure there’s a good work environment because they understand
the effect it has on their employees.

The main problem that these kinds of leaders face arises when there is a significant lack
of discipline and organization. They can also have trouble during conflicts because
people will be more emotionally invested in the situation.

4- Visionary

Leaders who use this leadership style motivate their employees with a clear and exciting
vision. They also help each person see their role within that vision. The main advantage
of this type of leadership is that everyone has a clear picture of the end goal. That makes
everyone feel more motivated.

In general, this leadership style is one of the most popular as of now.

5- Pace-setting leadership
The role of a pace-setting leader is to set a course of action and make
sure everyone sticks to it. The pacesetter wants to set an example for everyone
else. In general, they’re managers and bosses who like to feel like they play the leading
role in a project.

The problem with this leadership style is that it makes it impossible for the team to
propose something new that isn’t just an imitation of what the pacesetter is doing.

This type of leadership is especially effective when the leader is an expert in the field. As
a result, the rest of the group members have to see the project as a learning opportunity.

6- Coaching leadership

The last type of leadership is based on helping the members of a group find their
strengths and weaknesses. Then, the coach will help each person develop to their full
potential. The idea behind this style is that a good worker will have more to offer than
one who hasn’t maximized their potential.
Each of Daniel Goleman’s leadership styles has its advantages and disadvantages.
That’s why it’s important to carefully analyze the situation and choose the one that works
best depending on the circumstances. Developing leadership skills is useful not only for
managers and supervisors, but for anyone who has to work on a team to achieve a goal.