In a rapidly evolving world, the demand for effective leadership is greater than ever. Whether in business, education, or public service, strong leadership is essential for fostering innovation, guiding teams through change, and ensuring organizational success. But what truly makes a great leader?
Christian Lagarde, the center director of our business and technology programs, weighed in:
“Great leaders possess a combination of vision, emotional intelligence, adaptability, communication, and integrity. These characteristics enable leaders to inspire, motivate, and guide their teams through the complexities of modern organizational life.”
While these qualities for being a great leader may be universal, there are a number of different leadership styles you can adopt.
Explore Your Leadership Style
There are many factors that can determine different leadership styles. Motivational approach, team goals, and varying levels of managerial involvement are all factors that play into determining what style of leadership you have. Each approach has benefits and drawbacks, and some are better for certain situations and organizations than others.
When reviewing the leadership styles below, consider that it’s possible to adopt more than one – it’s common to blend multiple leadership styles together to find the right approach that works for your team.
Democratic
Democratic leaders encourage team members to participate in the decision-making process, encouraging transparency and group discussions. “Democracy” literally means “run by the people.” This leadership style emphasizes employee engagement in problem-solving, flexibility, and creativity. Democratic leaders value their team’s opinions and keep an open line of communication with their employees.
Pros: One of the most effective leadership styles, well known to foster high levels of productivity, creativity, positivity, effective problem-solving, and an overall more collaborative work environment.
Cons: It can be time-consuming to make decisions, so it isn’t always ideal for fast-paced environments.
Transformative
Transformative leaders are known for being inspirational, motivational, passionate, and energized. They share a vision with their team and push them to excel and achieve it. Transformative leaders emphasize personal and professional growth for each and every employee, encouraging them to expand out of their comfort zone while offering support and guidance in pursuit of their goals. This method often incorporates a ‘lead by example’ approach.
Pros: Often boosts a team’s motivation, morale, and productivity.
Cons: The constant ‘reach for the stars’ methodology of this leadership style can lead to burnout across an organization.
Servant
Servant leaders prioritize the needs of their team and the goals of the organization above their own. Leaders who adopt this style focus less on results and management and more on mentoring and supporting team members. This involves an emphasis on active listening, empathy, and strong community building.
Pros: This style fosters a strong sense of loyalty and trust throughout teams, encourages team growth, and promotes a strong sense of employee satisfaction.
Cons: Often ineffective in fast-paced, competitive environments.
Laissez-Faire
Laissez-faire leaders are hands-off managers. They offer very little guidance to their team and don’t actively participate in the decision-making process, because they trust their team to manage themselves effectively. With this leadership style, a team usually has complete freedom and little supervision. This leadership style works best for teams that are organized and motivated.
Pros: Freedom allows for employee growth and innovation.
Cons: Lack of guidance and management can lead to disorganization and a lack of direction and productivity.
Situational
Situational leaders adapt their approach based on the shifting variables of different situations. With this style, leaders operate on what/how/when/why/where emphasis: what needs to get done, how it needs to get done, when it needs to be completed, why the task needs to get done, and where it fits into the overall operation. By assessing these elements, situational leaders adapt their management approach accordingly to ensure success with every task at hand. Some situations may call for situational leaders to be more hands-on and involved, while others will require them to stand back and let their team work as they need.
Pros: Highly adaptable to change and can be successful in a wide variety of situations.
Cons: This is a complex leadership style that can be difficult to maintain without the necessary skills, and requires a thorough understanding of team dynamics.
Transactional
Transactional leadership uses rewards and punishments to motivate employees and promote productivity. This style is based on the belief that maintaining order and structure is key to succeeding in the pursuit of goals. While team members under this leadership generally operate fairly independently of management, their productivity is closely monitored. This style of leadership is commonly used in military settings.
Pros: Extremely effective when goals and tasks are clearly defined.
Cons: Not an ideal fit for environments that want to foster creativity and innovation. Not a particularly inspirational model, and resistant to change.
Cultivate Your Leadership Potential with an Online M.S. in Leadership
Not everyone starts out as a strong leader – more often than not, many people have to learn how to lead. Developing leadership skills can make a positive impact in both your personal and professional life, helping you to navigate relationships and communication in new ways. But how do you cultivate your leadership potential and learn to be a good leader?
“Great leaders are not born, they’re made. Ultimately, our leadership programs emphasize lifelong learning. Leadership is not a static skill set but an evolving one, requiring continuous development and reflection. By aligning our undergraduate and graduate leadership courses, we ensure that students are not just prepared to lead today but are also equipped to adapt and thrive in the leadership roles of tomorrow.”
- Christian Lagarde
Center Director for Business and Technology Programs
Leadership programs, like an online master’s in leadership, will help you build a foundation of strong leadership skills to prepare you to advance your career and take on leadership positions. It’s a versatile degree that offers knowledge that can be applied to any industry and augments your resume with advanced education credentials.
“The M.S. Leadership program impacted my career in many different ways, but it also impacted me as a person – I was able to learn more about myself, about what it means to be a leader, and about my goals and objectives. This program taught me how to become more agile as a person and as a leader.”
- Aura Maria Huot, ’16, ‘20G
B.S. Business Management, M.S. Leadership