Boss v. Leader: The Different Types of Leadership Styles
Are you a boss or are you a leader? Are you a manager or are you a supervisor?
Several different words are used to describe someone in a place of authority over other employees. Read below for information on how to determine what type of leader you are.
Democratic. No, we’re not talking political parties here. Instead, the democratic leader is one who is participatory and who values the input, advice and viewpoints of his colleagues and subordinates. Still, the democratic leader knows that he’s the one ultimately responsible for making final decisions. This type of leader can help raise employee morale because workers feel they have a say in how things are done, helping employees accept change more easily.
Transactional. Managers with this type of leadership style tend to give out projects/tasks that need to be completed and then provide consequences or rewards depending on results (such as raises or bonuses if goals are met or exceeded). While this does sound particularly autocratic, transactional managers actually work with their staff members to create these goals together. The transactional manager will review progress and results and will modify her employees’ efforts when they don’t reach the agreed-upon goals.
Leave it be. This type of leader (also known as the laizzez-faire manager) doesn’t supervise subordinates directly and rather lets them supervise themselves. This usually works only when employees are highly professional, trained and experienced. If workers need more supervision and feedback then the manager can provide, then poor production, increased costs and a growing lack of control could result.
The emperor. Also known as an autocratic manager, these supervisors tend to make decisions by themselves with little – if any – input from anyone else. These managers have – and enjoy – total authority over their subordinates and no one challenges the boss (or dares to). This style does benefit workers who need a lot of supervision but employees who enjoy a more free-range style of management probably will bristle considerably under this style of management and wilt under its heavy handedness.
Transformational. The leader who welcomes communication from all levels of his team can be a transformational manager. These types of leaders motivate their employees. Productivity grows even while systems become more efficient. These types of managers tend to focus on the big picture, leaving their subordinates to take care of the details (and trusts them to do so) needed to accomplish the team’s goals.
Each type of leadership style described above has benefits depending on circumstances. A manager needs to determine what type of team she’s leading, as well her own go-to style and modify as needed.
Are you looking to move into management or find new supervisory opportunities within the insurance industry? Then contact the recruiters at Insurance Relief™. We can help you find a great new position, one that helps strengthen and improve your own leadership style as you lead your team to success. Contact us today.
