Leadership is one of the most important skills you can develop. If you want to be a successful manager, supervisor, or project lead then it’s important that you know how to lead your team effectively. However, different types of leaders need to use different styles in order for their employees to respond well and improve performance. There are several different leadership theories out there that offer guidance on what makes someone a good leader and how they should act in certain situations:

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership is a leadership style used by a charismatic leader. It is based on the values of the leader and is usually effective in motivating and inspiring followers.

Transformational leaders are able to inspire others by setting an example for them to follow. They are dynamic, proactive, and forward-thinking, which can often be infectious. Transformational leaders have vision, they know what they want and how to get it; they know how to set goals and achieve them. They also have integrity, honesty, and authenticity which allows them to be respected by their followers.

Transactional Leadership

The transactional leadership theory is focused on the exchange of resources and rewards for performance. It’s a style of leadership that focuses on the bottom line and often uses fear to motivate teams. Transactional leaders are not concerned with the personal development of their team members. Instead, they’re task-oriented and very focused on short-term results, which makes this type of leader more likely to make decisions based on logic than emotions or ethics.

Servant Leadership

Servant leadership is centered on the idea that the leader creates a shared vision and then focuses their efforts on helping others achieve it. Servant leaders are focused on serving those they lead, not controlling them. They do this by creating a safe environment where people can learn, grow, and collaborate. Servant leaders also promote trust in their organization so that employees feel comfortable taking risks without fear of repercussion.

Servant leadership theory posits that people want to work for leaders who want them to succeed as much as themselves; therefore servant leadership requires self-sacrifice from its practitioners. The leader must be humble enough to understand his or her own weaknesses and acknowledge them instead of seeking credit for successes—this demonstrates the leader’s belief that success comes from working with others rather than through individual effort alone or control over others’ actions

Laissez-faire Leadership

In the laissez-faire leadership theory, leaders should take a back seat, and let their team do the work. Leaders shouldn’t interfere with the team’s work. They also shouldn’t try to control every aspect of their team’s work: they should delegate responsibility to their staff members, and allow them to make decisions on their own. This way, you’ll promote innovation within your group or organization!

Charismatic Leadership

Charismatic leaders are inspirational. They’re the ones that make you want to be in the same room with them, just because they’re so charismatic. They can be a good choice for startups, because a new company doesn’t have much in terms of structure or processes yet. The charisma of a charismatic leader might help people accept change more easily and get excited about it. Charismatic leaders also work well when your organization is facing some sort of crisis or disruption—again, because their personal magnetism may help people feel more secure in uncertain times.

Charismatic leaders might not be right for every situation though: they can also come across as authoritarian (which can be good or bad depending on what you’re trying to accomplish). And they may not work well with certain personality types who prefer more structure and rules rather than free-form creativity.

Different types of leaders need to use different styles.

You’re probably familiar with the term “leadership,” but you may not have thought too much about what it actually means. Simply put, leadership is about influencing people. This can be done through charisma or by creating the right conditions for success so that others can perform at their best.

There are many different types of leaders and each type will use a different style to achieve their goals. There is no one right way to lead – all leaders have strengths and weaknesses and there are times when one style is more effective than another.

Transformational Leaders: These are rare individuals who inspire others by showing empathy and vulnerability while also challenging them to achieve more than they thought possible. They inspire loyalty by being authentic and transparent with their employees; they care deeply about their people and want them to succeed both personally and professionally (as long as this doesn’t conflict with organizational goals). Transactional Leaders: As opposed to transformational leaders who build long lasting relationships with those around them, transactional leaders focus on getting things done efficiently without spending too much time worrying about how those things impact other people’s lives or emotions – after all, if something goes wrong then someone else will fix it! This type of leadership works well in certain situations where relationships matter less than results but beware because transactional behaviors can create feelings of isolation among staff members if not handled correctly because they feel like nothing matters beyond making money…and maybe not even then! Servant Leaders: Servant leadership relies heavily upon trust between leader/manager/supervisor etcetera…and employee(s) meaning that if you’re working under someone who makes decisions based off personal gain without considering others first then opportunities could arise where something bad happens because no one else knows how much pressure was placed on someone before making decisions which led up until now have been considered safe choices.”

Servant leadership begins by ensuring everyone has access to information and resources they need to do their jobs, then it becomes a matter of understanding what motivates each individual on your team. Servant leadership isn’t a set of tools or techniques but rather a mindset focused upon the needs of others first, followed by your own personal needs.” – (Kouzes & Posner)

Leadership theories can help you understand the way that people interact with each other and how they make decisions. You may also be interested in our article on leadership skills, which covers some of the key traits that leaders need to possess. These include being able to delegate tasks effectively, inspire others through their own example and communication skills.

Contact us today if you would like our assistance with your leadership style or in-house leadership training.