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What Sort of Leader are

You?

Your Leadership Styles

Based on the answers you gave your leader‐
ship style mix is:

Well developed styles: 3

Styles that need some further de‐

2
velopment:

Styles that need a lot of further

1
development:

Overall, you have a good mix of leadership

styles and the potential to be a well-round‐
ed, effective leader. There is however, al‐
ways potential to further improve your lead‐
ership styles.

See our page: Developing Your Leadership

Style for more information.

Your 3 well-developed leadership styles

are:

Authoritative leaders move people towards a

vision, so are often described as ‘Visionary’.
This style is probably best summed up as
‘Come with me’. It is the most useful style
when a new vision or clear direction is needed,
and is most strongly positive. Authoritative
leaders are high in self-confidence and empa‐
thy, acting as a change catalyst by drawing
people into the vision and engaging them with
the future. An affiliative leader values and cre‐
ates emotional bonds and harmony, believing
that ‘People come first’. Such leaders demon‐
strate empathy, and strong communication
skills, and are very good at building relation‐
ships. This style is most useful when a team
has been through a difficult experience, and
needs to heal rifts, or develop motivation. It is
not a very goal-oriented style, so anyone using
it will need to make sure others understand that
the goal is team harmony, and not specific
tasks. It is probably obvious from this that it
cannot be used on its own for any length of
time if you need to ‘get the job done’. The de‐
mocratic leader builds consensus through par‐
ticipation, constantly asking ‘What do you
think?’, and showing high levels of collabora‐
tion, team leadership and strong communica‐
tion skills. This style of leadership works well in
developing ownership for a project, but it can
make for slow progress towards goals, until a
certain amount of momentum has built up.
Anyone wishing to use this style will need to
make sure that senior managers are signed up
to the process, and understand that it may take
time to develop the consensus.
You have 2 fairly well-developed leader‐
ship styles, these are:

Pace-setting leaders expect excellence and

self-direction, and can be summed up as ‘Do
as I do, now’. The Pace-setter very much leads
by example, but this type of leadership only
works with a highly-competent and well-moti‐
vated team. It can only be sustained for a while
without team members flagging. Like the Coer‐
cive leader, Pace-setters also show drive to
succeed and initiative, but instead of self-con‐
trol, these are coupled with conscientiousness.
A coaching leader will develop people, allowing
them to try different approaches in an open
way. The phrase that sums up this style is ‘Try
it’, and this leader shows high levels of empa‐
thy, self-awareness and skills in developing
others. A coaching style is especially useful
when an organisation values long-term staff de‐
velopment.
Your least well-developed leadership style
is:

Coercive leaders demand immediate obedi‐

ence. In a single phrase, this style is ‘Do what I
tell you’. These leaders show initiative, self-
control, and drive to succeed. There is, of
course, a time and a place for such leadership:
a battlefield is the classic example, but any cri‐
sis will need clear, calm, commanding leader‐
ship. This style does not, however, encourage
anyone else to take the initiative, and often has
a negative effect on how people feel.

Further Reading from Skills

You Need

The Skills You Need Guide to

Leadership eBooks
Learn more about the skills you need to
be an effective leader.

Our eBooks are ideal for new and expe‐

rienced leaders and are full of easy-to-
follow practical information to help you
to develop your leadership skills.

See also:
Leadership Styles | Developing Your Leader‐
ship Style

Project Management Skills | Delegation Skills -

How to Delegate

Conflict Resolution | Motivating Others

Personal Development

Questions to Change Your Life

Questions to Change Your Life - Self

Improvement Book, Re=ection Journal
questionstochangeyourlife.com

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