“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” – John C. Maxwell
As there are many types of followers and situations, there are also many kinds of leaders. While some may claim that they were born with these, many attributes their leadership qualities and traits to their environment, exposure and experience. Leadership style usually changes and evolves along the way. However, there is one style that is predominantly in you, as a leader. Which one are you?
VISIONARY – What do Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk have in common? They were born and lived ahead of their time. They saw the way much ahead when and where no one else can. They were able to spot opportunities and trends which others cannot even imagine. They knew and created what the market needs long before the market needed it. A visionary leader has a clear idea of the big picture where he will bring his team and anticipates what his customers will need and want. As a leader, do you have a clear vision of the kind of a team you want to have and the kind of customers you will be serving? Look 5 years down the road, where do you see the team and the market? A potential drawback is when the visionary leaders fails to share his vison to the rest of the team which may result to unmet expectations and disconnection.
NAVIGATOR – These leaders are always at the forefront. They do not only know where they want to bring the team but they are with them to show the way and steer their members to the right direction. Instead of leading the team from behind their desks, these leaders are seen and felt by their people, in good and in bad times. During the pandemic, many teams/organizations did not make it, not because of the market condition but more so because their leaders were nowhere in sight. No one was showing them how to navigate during those trying moments. On the other hand, those who survived and thrived, had their leaders with and in front of them. However, if the leader is always on the battleground, he may lose sight of the big “battle” ahead and fail to plan accordingly.
STRATEGIST – There are leaders who are brilliant in making and crafting plans, programs and initiatives. From having the clear vision of what they want to happen and where to bring the team/organization, they also have the blueprint on how to make it happen. They can easily translate vision to actionable plans. One potential drawback of this style is that they may not have the actual grasp of the field reality as they usually work behind the scene.
COMMUNICATOR – Some leaders are endowed with the gift of gab. They are very good in messaging, and very effective in conveying information and ideas to others. They have a way with words and are very engaging. The moment they stand in front and open their mouth, their audience are glued and captivated. They have this magic that even what they are saying are not pleasing to the ears, their listeners will still understand and not feel bad as much. They are not only good in speaking, they also listen well. As such, they have good negotiation skills.
But all talks with no actions is also bad for leaders. Team members would want to see that their leaders are not only good in mouthing plans but are effective in executing them as well.
CONFORMIST – There are leaders who strictly follows the rules and standards. They are compliant and delivers what’s expected of them and of the team. They do things by the books, everything in black and white. No grey area and in-between for them. They are hesitant to do things that are not in the guidelines, that have not been done before or that will challenge the status quo. Most new leaders tend to be conformist. As they still lack the required skills, knowledge, and experience, they do not have the confidence and the courage to veer away from the norm. When leaders are too rigid and exacting, opportunities are often missed.
RISK-TAKER – They are the opposite of the conformist. These leaders are go-getters and thrive on challenges. They are not afraid to explore new ideas, try new ways of doing things, and innovate. Instead of focusing on what has been done in the past, they focus on the potential. They believe that there will always be better ways/alternatives than the present. They don’t settle…they challenge. Their motto—we will never know if it works until we try it. But risk-taking should be calibrated. Over eagerness can result to miscalculated actions and mistakes.
As leaders, there are possibilities that we have demonstrated some, if not all of these styles, along our leadership journey. Not one is better than the other. It depends on the situation and the people you are leading. What’s important is that we are aware of who we are predominantly as leaders, the potential setback of each style and how we can effectively carry out each leadership style.
Leadership is a gift. Let’s embrace and dispatch it with love, care and concern. Happy leading!
