There is not one good leadership style, but nine (9). Which is yours?
Have you ever had a chaotic Monday morning where you wish you could have just handed out the tasks and said: "do it this way and that's it", while on another day, during a creative brainstorming session, the most important thing was to get everyone's opinion heard?
Meet Zita. Zita is HR Manager at an up-and-coming IT company in Budapest. In February, she and her team were struggling with a critical project deadline. The air was buzzing with tension and the deadline was fast approaching. In this situation, Zita gave clear, unambiguous instructions, made quick decisions and scheduled every minute. There was no time for lengthy discussions. Did she seem autocratic? Perhaps. But the project was delivered on time and the team breathed a sigh of relief.
Two months later, they were faced with a completely different challenge: developing a new long-term training strategy for the company. Zita then organised workshops, involved everyone in brainstorming and decisions were made together. Was it democratic? Yes.
Which was the right one leadership style? Both. Because Zita has understood something that many people ignore: leadership is not made for a single goal. The situation, the team and the goal determine which face we have to show. The biggest mistake you can make as a leader is to cling stubbornly to a single, tried and tested method. (I made the same mistake early in my leadership career, because I heard it was good, then I quickly changed my style and used a different one. Sometimes incorrectly, but mostly I got it right and it quickly evolved in the right directions, as I discuss below, but in my case it suited me perfectly. That being said, it doesn't have to and shouldn't be that way for everyone!
What is your leadership style and why does it matter which one you use?
Think about the leadership style like a toolbox. When the faucet drips, you don't take out the saw, you take out the pipe wrench. In the same way, when you have to manage a team, you can't always use the same 'tool'. A leadership style is essentially the way a leader gives direction, makes decisions and motivates the people in his or her charge. This is your default setting.
But why is it so important to be flexible? Because your team is not a homogeneous bunch. Some people are frustrated by tight control and others feel safe because of it. A new, enthusiastic junior colleague needs a very different kind of support from an independent senior expert who has been in the business for 15 years. If you don't have the right leadership style communicate with them, the result can easily be demotivation, burnout or even termination.
The different leadership style knowing the types is not just a theoretical knowledge; it's a practical map to help you navigate the daily maze of driving. It is the ability to consciously shift between the average boss and a truly effective leader.
The nine leadership styles. Which one works best when?
We've put together the 9 essential leadership style model that the most successful leaders use in their everyday lives. You don't have to be a master at all of them, but if you can recognise them and know when to use them, your effectiveness will soar.
The table below will help you to find out which leadership style in which situation it can be most useful.
| Leadership Style | When does it work? | What should you look out for? | Example |
| Visionary | When a new direction is needed, long-term inspiration is needed. | Without concrete daily tasks, the vision is in the air. | When the company enters a completely new market and you need to get the team excited. |
| Democratic | For complex problems where several aspects need to be taken into account. | The decision-making process can slow down and not everyone's opinion is equally relevant. | In the development of a new product, where the opinions of the marketer, developer and customer service representative count. |
| Server | If the goal is to build a strong, loyal company culture and retain talent. | The leader's own needs and tough decisions may take a back seat. | In a team where mental health and long-term commitment are a priority. |
| Autocratic | In crisis situations or when you need to make quick, clear decisions. | In the long run, it destroys morale and creativity because team members do not feel involved. | When dealing with a production fault immediately, where there is no time to argue. |
| Coaching | Developing your staff, tapping into their potential. | It is time-consuming and does not work for colleagues who are not open to development. | Mentoring a talented but inexperienced colleague. |
| Transformation | When radical change is needed, the whole organisation needs to be renewed. | It can put too much pressure on the team and constant change can lead to burnout. | When modernising an outdated company structure, introducing new technologies. |
| Transactional | For well-defined, repetitive tasks where performance can be clearly measured. | It does not inspire innovation and thinking 'outside the box'. | In a sales team where commission is based on performance. |
| Laissez-Faire | Highly skilled teams of independent experts who need time off. | Without direction, the team can fall apart and responsibility can become blurred. | In a research and development department, where creative freedom is key. |
| Situational | Virtually at any time, it's the ability to consciously switch between styles. | It requires high emotional intelligence and situational awareness. | An experienced leader who changes style several times during the day depending on the nature of the meeting and the task. |
"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things."
Peter Drucker
This quote makes the point perfectly. The different leadership style models are not meant to pigeonhole us, but to give us the tools to do the "right thing".
What mistakes do leaders make if they don't change their style?
Most drivers fall into the trap of having a default, comfortable leadership style and apply it in all situations. It's like someone salting every meal, whether it's a soup or a cake. The result is bound to be bad.
A real case from our practice
Gábor led a highly successful, dynamic sales team. His default style was transactional: clear goals, measurable results, bonus for performance. This worked perfectly for years. But when the company asked his team to launch a new, innovative product, the old way failed. What the team needed was not guidance, but inspiration and brainstorming together. But Gábor continued to ask for numbers, which led to frustration and a loss of motivation. The project only got off the ground when, with the help of our coach, Gábor realised that it was time to move away from visionary and democratic leadership style elements into its repertoire.
The most common mistakes when a driver does not change style:
- The "one size fits all" trap: Fairness does not mean treating everyone the same. A seasoned professional may be offended by micromanagement, while a career starter may be lost in excessive freedom. The inflexible leadership style does not take into account individual needs.
- Burnout and frustration: If a creative team is constantly managed in an autocratic way, creativity will quickly die. If, in a crisis situation, the leader opens a democratic forum for debate, chaos ensues. Inappropriate leadership style unnecessarily burden both the manager and the team.
- Missing opportunities: A leader who cannot coaching approach to support your talents or you can't find a inspire your team with vision, it lags behind the competition in the long run.
How can we consciously switch between styles?
The good news is that this skill can be learned. It is not an innate gift, but a skill that can be consciously developed. The key lies in three areas:
- Emotional Intelligence (EQ): It is the ability to recognise and manage your own and others' emotions. A leader with a high EQ can 'read between the lines', sense the mood in the room and understand whether your team needs encouragement, guidance or freedom.
- Situational awareness: Before you respond, stop for a moment and ask the question: What is the most important goal now? What is the priority right now? How much time do we have to decide? An accurate diagnosis of the situation is essential for the right leadership style to select.
- External support and feedback: Often we ourselves are the least objective about our own functioning. Ask your team for feedback regularly! In addition, an external expert, such as an executive coach, can be worth its weight in gold. It can help you identify your blind spots and consciously practice new behaviours. A At CoachLab Coaching Services this is exactly what we support the leaders who come to us. If you feel stuck, or want to build a more conscious leadership style toolbox, the executive coaching can offer an effective solution.
International trends also show that the future leader is agile and adaptable. Recent analyses by Harvard Business Review and Forbes, looking ahead to 2025, highlight that in an era of hybrid working and a rapidly changing market environment, leaders who can shift between empathetic, supportive and results-oriented, decisive leadership style Between.
Exercise: which is your basic style? And which one would you like to develop?
We now invite you to a short self-reflection. The following questions will help you to identify your own default leadership style your operation. There are no right or wrong answers, just honest ones.
- Which of the 9 styles above do you feel most comfortable describing?
- What feedback do you get most often from your team? (e.g. "You're too controlling", "I need more guidance", "I like that you involve the team in decisions".)
- What type of leadership situations do you feel most comfortable in? And the most insecure?
- If you honestly look inside yourself, which is the leadership stylewhich you dislike the most or use the least?
If you have the answer, you have already taken the first step. Awareness is the basis for progress. The leadership style, the one you use the least, probably has the greatest potential for you.
Concluding thoughts
Driving is a journey, not a destination. The goal is not to find the one, perfect leadership style model, because there is no such model. The real goal is to become a flexible, versatile leader who pulls the most appropriate tool out of the box for the situation, the team and the goal.
If you know when which leadership style works, you make fewer mistakes, avoid unnecessary conflict and build a more motivated, engaged and ultimately more effective team. It's not just good for the company, it's good for you too; leadership becomes an exciting and exhilarating task rather than a constant struggle.
If you feel ready to consciously develop your leadership tools and become more effective, we at CoachLab are ready to help.
Now is the time to become the right leader for your team! Start here!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Which is the best leadership style?
There is no single "best" leadership style. The most effective leaders do not stick to one style but make a conscious choice between different styles based on the situation, the maturity of the team and the nature of the task. Flexibility and adaptability are the keys to success.
How can I improve my leadership style?
Self-reflection is the first step of progress: recognise your own default style and its limitations. Ask your team and superiors for feedback regularly. Conscious practice, such as trying out a less used style in new situations, is also helpful. Often the most effective way to improve is executive coach support to help you identify blind spots and learn new behaviours.
What is the difference between situational and other leadership styles?
Situational leadership is not a separate style from the others, but rather a "meta-style" or framework. It involves a leader's ability to assess the situation and the level of competence and commitment of his or her staff, and to choose the most appropriate behaviour accordingly, in relation to the other leadership style (e.g. coaching, autocratic, democratic). This requires the highest level of managerial awareness.
