You Need Many Flexible Leadership Styles, Not Just One

This is a topic that appears frequently in many places-books, research, journals and my client sessions. Most frequently, the context is “here’s your/my leadership style” or “here’s how to develop your leadership style”. While that all might be well intended, it’s inaccurate and increasingly faulty especially in todays dynamic world. Sticking with only one leadership style WILL negatively impact a leaders impact.

Leadership style simplistically translates to how one chooses to listen, interact, relate to and communicate with others. One might say their style is direct, or motivational or detailed, or curious, or just laid back. Fact: there are 100’s+ of leadership styles. If a leader stuck to only one style they would be connect with a certain (lower) % of individuals, but not everyone. They would be situationally ineffective many times during the course of any given day.,

Today’s reality is that the effective leader chooses their style like a golfer (not me, but good example) chooses their club for the situation. An effective leader uses their emotional IQ levels to assess and adapt to the diverse situations they face. An effective leader is committed to using a multitude of flexible interaction methods to reach and influence people.

So when you read those articles or books on leasdership style or hear stuff in the news, keep in mind that while those views on “one style” might be well intentioned, but highly flawed.

To maximize your ability to motivate, persuade and move people/teams/organizations-have a mindset of committing to asking yourself “how do I need to listen and communicate to THIS individual” and NOT “they need to understand my leadership style”:.