This is a question that people ask all the time, and the answer is – we are all leaders in our own right. We adapt our leadership styles based on several factors:

• Previous experiences – Our experiences as a leader, and being led shapes the way we lead others in the future
• Environment – You can see your leadership style change depending on the environment you are in while leading
• Mood – Your mood can equally affect your leadership style, especially when you are not in a place to have a leadership conversation

It’s important to evaluate all of the above heading into a leadership conversation, so that you can show up as your best leader.

But I bet you are still wondering – what kind of leader am I?

The 6 Types of Leaders

Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee’s 2002 book Primal Leadership: Learning to lead with Emotional Intelligence outlines 6 kinds of leadership styles:

Visionary Leader

This type likes to dream big, and motivate people towards a common goal. Use it when you need to change up the vision, or create some clearer direction

Affiliative Leader

This type wants everyone to be a part of the success and their motto is “together we thrive”. Use it when you need to bring a team together to strengthen relationships, especially in stressful situations. 

Coaching Leader

This type enjoys connecting with the individual to see what they want to achieve in relation to the big goal. Use it when you need to motivate an individual towards a goal. 

Democratic Leader

This type puts value on the input of each and every member of the team. Use it when you need your team to buy-in to the goal or project, or when you want the team to be included in the decision making process. 

Pacesetting Leader

Like a metronome, this type will set the pace of the project, and push everyone to keep on track to the bigger goal. Use it when you have a highly motivated and competent team who can keep up with the pace. 

Commanding Leader

This type likes to set clear expectations and directions for an individual or the team. Use it when you need to create boundaries & expectations for a poor performing member of the team, or when you need to navigate your team through a pivot or even a crisis. 

Why does this matter?

After looking at each of these leaders, you can see that there are multiple types of leaders. The point is for you to lean into each style depending on the situation, and to not rely on just 1 type of leadership style.

After spending over 10 years coaching & mentoring a variety of team members, I can say with confidence that I was most successful at leading my team when I adapted my own leadership style to match both the situation and the person.

How to implement them

It’s important to understand which leader is your strength, so you become aware when you default back to that leadership style.

Take this quiz to see what kind of leader you are, so you can start to better understand your strengths and work on your weaknesses.

Comment below and let me know which leadership style is your strongest, and which style are you going to focus more work on strengthening it.

Daniel Goleman, et al. Primal Leadership:l Learning to lead with
Emotional Intelligence. Harvard Business School Press, 2002.