The Four Types of Leadership Styles
Are you familiar with the types of leadership styles and how they can help you make an impact?
I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders as a consultant over the last two years and have found no skill more critical to success than self-awareness.
Those who take the time to become self-aware of who they are as a leader can better leverage their strengths, be flexible in times of crisis, know where to stretch themselves as they continue to develop, and understand who to effectively partner with on big projects.
Being a leader comes with a constant flow of challenges. Lacking self-awareness can make these challenges much more complicated than they need to be.
This tool can help leaders at all levels better understand themselves and be more impactful in their roles.
Why is it essential for you to understand your type of Leadership Style?
To be effective and impactful, you need to understand how you will react to obstacles, conflict, and opportunities to collaborate. Understanding your Leadership Style can help you be intentional about being at your best, understand where to focus in terms of development, and be aware of how others may perceive you.
Understanding how YOU will look at problems will help you be impactful when interacting with your peers, employees, community, family, boss, and potential clients.
What happens when we lack self-awareness?
Lacking self-awareness can lead to us questioning why we do the things we do.
Why do we excel in one situation and then struggle in the next?
The truth is we all have preferences. Using my background in Myers-Briggs and StrengthsFinder, I’ve put together the four types of leadership styles for you to use to help you better understand your style, but also as a way to guide you in leading members of your team.
As a leadership coach, and while facilitating leadership development programs, I know that focusing on leadership types is an excellent way for a leader to make an impact.
A few things to note:
- This tool is based on the principles of Myers-Briggs science. That means it focuses on where leaders get their energy, depending on their preferred Leadership Style.
- This is a tool for you to use as you see fit. Please bookmark this page, use it as a resource, and pull it up to reference as needed.
- Do not use this tool to stereotype or limit the potential of the people around you.
- There is not a type of leadership style that is superior to another. All leadership styles come with potential benefits and drawbacks.
- You will recognize one of the four leadership styles that fit you most naturally, but you’ll probably have a lot in common with two others as well.
- You don’t need to share your results with anyone.
A Quick Roadmap of this article:
- What are the Four types of Leadership Styles?
- How will each generally act in a meeting?
- Three Tips for Each of the Leadership Styles.
There are four types of leaders in this world.
The Tour Guide (SF) brings practical information and will focus on being there for others.
The Cartographer (ST) brings step-by-step instructions and will focus on the details.
The Explorer (NF) brings enthusiasm and focus on the possibilities.
The Theorist (NT) brings theories and will focus on logical analysis.
Remember, there is likely one that will stand out as most natural, but you probably connect to some degree with at least two others.
For example, just because you are an Explorer doesn’t mean you never focus on details. It just means you prefer to focus on the possibilities.
Let’s look at the role each type of leadership style will play in a team strategy session.
Let’s imagine that The Tour Guide, The Cartographer, The Explorer, and The Theorist all jump on a Zoom call to put together a plan for their next quarter.
The Tour Guide: Will focus on immediate issues and will want to be able to analyze data before moving to hear about proposed solutions. Will want to stay focused on primary issues and find more value in fine-tuning current processes. Will feel motivated to find a consensus amongst the group. Will leverage their own and the values of the team when making decisions. They will focus the majority of their focus on the facts presented. When making decisions, they will lean on how decisions are aligned with the team’s values and their impact on people.
The Cartographer: Will be firm and desire fairness among everyone in the meeting. Decisions will be made using logical analysis. Will focus on immediate issues and want to analyze data before moving to hear about proposed solutions. Will want to stay focused on primary issues and find more value in fine-tuning current processes. Cartographers will need data to filter through before making a decision. They will also appreciate others taking the time to organize a plan’s details before presenting to the group.
The Explorer: Will feel motivated to find a consensus amongst the group. Will leverage their own and the values of the team when making decisions. Explorers will highlight the meaning behind the data and enjoy focusing on significant, new, and complex issues. Will want the big picture before focusing on facts. Will likely push for change and innovation. They get excited about new ideas but can get a bit bored after an idea’s newness disappears. They may take feedback to heart, so be tactful in your approach if you are looking to make an impact.
The Theorist: Will highlight the meaning behind the data. Enjoy focusing on significant, new, and complex issues. Will want the big picture before focusing on facts. Will likely push for change and innovation. Will be firm and desire fairness among everyone in the meeting. Decisions will be made using logical analysis. Will likely push for change in strategy sessions and set a goal but then allow teammates to arrange details needed to execute.
Three tips for each Leadership Style:
By now, hopefully you have a good idea about your preferred leadership style. Let’s look at how we can use this information to get better. Here are three things you can focus on to ensure you are having an impact.
The Tour Guide (SF) brings practical information and will focus on being there for others.
- Don’t forget to include you.
- You are passionate about the people around you, which makes you an incredible teammate, but don’t forget to make time for yourself.
- Make time for big picture thinking.
- Avoid the trap of missing long term impacts of current processes by taking time to think about what positive and negative effects will potentially play out. Just because the current strategy seems to be working doesn’t mean there isn’t a different approach that would be even more effective.
- Learn to address miscommunications
- Find a process to address problems that come up urgently. Don’t let molehills become mountains. Even though providing direct feedback can be uncomfortable, it is a necessary component to having an impact.
The Cartographer (ST) brings step-by-step instructions and will focus on the details.
- Find reliable and diverse sources of information.
- These two steps will help ensure you are not making decisions based on limited or inaccurate information. Remind yourself there are more data than only what is directly in front of you.
- Include the impacts decisions have on people when it is time to influence
- You will likely understand the logical reasoning behind your decision, but when you need to influence, be sure to recognize you have thought out the impacts these decisions will have on the people involved.
- Create space for problem-solving
- Be proactive in making space to analyze data, think deeply, and problem solve. Protect this time as you will need it to be at your best.
The Explorer (NF) brings enthusiasm and focus on the possibilities.
- Have a plan for when you start taking feedback personally.
- When you start feeling frustrated, use this as a cue to step back and ask questions.
- When people show you who they are, believe them.
- Don’t let your tendency to see people’s potential prevent you from seeing their opportunities.
- Set realistic goals in addition to your big ambitious goals.
- Set milestones you can celebrate along the way. This habit will help prevent you from feeling frustrated and like you are wasting your time.
The Theorist (NT) brings theories and will focus on logical analysis.
- Make time for your relationships
- You don’t want people to feel like you are taking them for granted, but remember the time and attention you give them means a lot.
- Resist the urge to be immediately critical of people and ideas
- Sometimes people just need someone to listen and say they understand. Not every problem needs to be solved right now.
- Find things you enjoy
- Every moment doesn’t need to be spent problem-solving or developing your skills. Find things that are done for the sole reason of enjoying them.