What kind of leader do you want to be? As a business owner, you must have some idea about the sort of leader you want to be. The answer to this question does not have to be a rigid one. Many people find their leadership style in the course of their role. With that said, you should still have a general idea of what leadership style to emulate. If you are confused on where to start, then here are some of the common leadership styles for businesses. Visionary Leadership Visionary leadership is all about setting the highest goals and showing the road forward. Leaders with this style do not lead from atop ivory towers but are akin to populist leaders. Visionary leadership motivates and encourages the workforce to bring out their best. This type of leadership requires passion and confidence. Autocratic Leadership This is what most of us stereotype leadership to be: one way communication with an expectation of results at all costs. The workers are not incorporated in any way in the decision making. They are given instructions and have to follow. This is a style of leadership which has relevance in some industries but has largely been phased out. You can start with this form to know the general skills and abilities of your workforce. It should not, however, be continued for long. Democratic Leadership This is the style of leadership that most people wish to develop. It is accepted among current discourse as the model which should be most followed. This style retains leadership at the top and is bolstered with active and continuous feedback and input of the workforce. This helps to build a more collaborative atmosphere and is good for team building and motivation. Democratic leadership is more practical for places with experienced employees or experts. Laissez-faire This is a French phrase which means let do. It basically means a hands-off, free for all approach to leadership. The leader is more of an official and honorary role. He does not take active part in setting goals, deadlines, targets, or compliance. This is not the right approach for business with large workforces. This is appropriate for managing a small team of highly skilled experts who do their separate projects. It is also implemented on senior management levels by CEOs. A CEO can’t micromanage their many manager and division heads on even a monthly basis. Coaching Leadership As the name implies, this style is like that of a sports coach. The leader takes the most active role in this style compared to any of the aforementioned ones. They conduct a SWOT analysis of their workforce and then work with them for improvement. Realistic goals, worker input, consistent feedback, and evaluation are parts of the process. This is one of the most rewarding yet underutilized styles. Visit our website for more information on our leadership coaching.