Everyone has a leader inside of them. Don’t believe me? At some point in time, you probably have found yourself in a position to make decisions for other people. It could have been at a large gathering, at work, or even at home with your family. At the time, you probably didn’t even think about it.
What was your leadership style? Some people seek different opinions before making final decisions while others prefer to decide alone. Some leaders are very flexible in decision making to accommodate for different behaviors and personalities while others are firm and disciplined.
While there is no fixed rule on how to lead, the most important thing is to adopt the style that works for you and produces the results you seek. No matter what your style, you can always get better to gain the respect and confidence of more people and achieve even greater results.
Let’s discuss the importance of knowing your leadership style.
Why You Must Know Your Leadership Style
As an executive, entrepreneur, or team leader trying to progress in your field, understanding your leadership style is crucial because only then:
- You will be able to truly hone in and take full advantage of the positive aspects of your leadership style.
- You will understand your leadership imperfections and gain the awareness to make necessary corrections.
- You will be able to strengthen relationships with those you lead through better communication.
- You will grow and develop into higher leadership roles in your career.
So, how can you discover your leadership style?
Self-Evaluation
When self-evaluating, it is important to be as blunt and reflective as possible. Be honest with yourself, and honestly think through your personal strengths and weaknesses in leadership. Are you quick to stress? Are you a fantastic listener? Write down as many qualities of your leadership style as you can, good or bad. What strengths should you emphasize from now on? What roles are your weaknesses playing in your decision making?
Ask for Feedback
Feel free to ask the team you are leading about your style. After all, they are most affected by your leadership. Make sure the people you ask, are those that will give you honest opinions. And when approaching them, mention that you are looking for constructive feedback. Now is not the time to get defensive. If there are negatives, write them down and feel sorry for yourself later. This is valuable data that will effectively help you course-correct your leadership style as swiftly as possible.
Take an Online Quiz
Still perplexed about your leadership style? There are hundreds of quizzes available online which you can take to assess your leadership style and quality. These quizzes are often easy, fun, and incredibly insightful. The online tool will rate you, tell you your style, and suggest ways of improvement. Simply google “Leadership Style Quiz” and you will find many to choose from. I suggest taking several so you can see what qualities are consistently popping up for you.
There are many ways to lead. One style is not necessarily better than the other. The important thing is to discover the style that works best for you, your team and the organization to sharpen the strengths of that style. With a bit of self-reflection and feedback, you will be a more effective leader in no time.
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About Debi
Debi is a coach to high performers, leaders and business owners wanting to achieve more and grow beyond what they believe is possible. Known for her clarifying insight and a pragmatic approach, Debi brings her clients to the next step by asking the right questions during strategy development and supporting them during strategy implementation. With experience in management, recruitment and employee development for various industries, she has a wide scope of expertise and will confidently guide you towards a successful future in your career.
Ready to take your career to the next level?
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