8 Business Leader Types & Why the Alpha Boss Won’t Cut It Anymore
So what type of business leader are you?
We all recognise the cliché of a strong leader with characteristics associated with “masculinity”, “power”, “ego” and “control”.
But those connotations are becoming more outdated with a new type of leader at the boardroom table.
Many more women, team players and introverts are running businesses now and with that comes a new style of business leader.
Why is this important?
As an employee, nobody wants to feel “controlled” or dictated to. Alpha bosses are notoriously bad listeners and have little time or inclination to nurture those around them. Not good news for team morale or productivity.
As a leader, employing a new leadership style can reap huge rewards in your business. Not only will you get the best from your team, you’ll create a more harmonious workplace and a more productive one too.
What type of leader are you?
1. The Emotionally Intelligent Leader
Psychologists and leadership experts have proved that having high emotional intelligence is good for business.
Leaders need empathy. Why? Because however skilled and experience the leader may appear on paper, if they’re not listening to their team, motivation and morale in the workplace will decrease significantly.
The employee who has a boss who shows compassion, who listens attentively and makes them feel heard, will be rewarded with a more confident and motivated team around them.
2. The Humble Leader
Humility in a boss is not the most obvious trait you’d find in a leader, but these days, the boss who is “in service” to his or her employees, who admits to not knowing all the answers and will ask for advice, places the team at the heart of their organisation.
The aim is to put the success of the people and business first. This style, often shown in female bosses, sees success in the business as a whole.
3. The Learning Leader
The learning leader is always wanting to improve. To be the best version of themselves.
This boss will ask you about their performance and feedback on their work. If this sounds “weak”, don’t be fooled. This new style of leadership, like the humble leader, will not shy away from criticism and in fact will relish it, seeing it as another step to self-improvement, leading ultimately to the improved success and better results in the business.
4. The Authentic Leader
Being true to yourself, authentic, honest and transparent is shown to win trust from your team.
A style which shows up more in female bosses, this authentic leader style will earn the loyalty of your team who will pay you back with their increased levels of commitment and dedication.
5. The Creative Leader
Not necessarily just for leaders in a creative industry. This style of leader is creative in their approach to getting the best out of their team.
They will encourage collaboration, sharing of ideas, optimistic plans for the business and “thinking outside the box”.
Ideas and brainstorming will be a regular feature of this type of business leader who will have a growth mindset and a clear vision to “think big” and discover new routes to success.
6. The Democratic Leader
If you work for a democratic leader you will feel empowered. Because they will value your input in order for them to make a decision.
As the leader, by asking your team for their opinions and feedback, you should see great harmony within the workplace. Employee loyalty will be high and you will be rewarded with enviable levels of employee satisfaction and dedication to the success and growth of the business.
7. The Peaceful Leader
The antithesis of the fast-paced, stressed out business leader who is too busy, driven and preoccupied to see what’s going on around them.
This “conscious” leader will slow down, pause, see the balance of the business and take time to reflect on the direction of the company as a whole.
This style of leader is very intuitive and can often see and avoid crises before they occur.
8. The Happy Leader
Productivity in your business can be related directly to the positivity of its leader. So how happy are you as a business leader?
Your enthusiasm, upbeat nature and happy outlook on life can in turn energise those around you. Making them more engaged and spreading energy and commitment throughout the team.
Which leadership style do you relate to most?
The good news is that the more styles you recognise in yourself, the better boss you’ll be.
The most inspiring leaders can adapt their style to suit different situations or people in their team. The more you can say “we” and not “I”, the ability to show humility, authenticity, creativity and positivity will create a more harmonious, productive team around you.
Adopt these new leadership styles and you can look forward to more success, growth and happiness in your business.
Want to discover more about your own leadership style? Learn how to recruit and retain a winning team?
Then book a free leadership and team discussion with our DiSC accredited business coach, Neil Martin here.
