This month, we’re exploring four guiding principles for leading change. This week, we’re focusing on the critical need to adapt your leadership style based on the situation — whether you’re navigating through periods of significant upheaval or addressing everyday challenges.

Previously, we discussed how the 20/60/20 rule can help leaders assess whether they’re spending too much time on underperformers in the bottom 20%. Last week, we explored the Change Curve, a tool for recognising and managing the natural anxieties people experience during transitions, along with strategies to support them through each stage.

Leadership Styles

Effective leaders don’t rely on just one approach; they embrace a range of leadership styles, from directive and authoritative to engaging and participative. Experts commonly identify six leadership styles: visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, and commanding. While most leaders gravitate towards one or two of these, mastering the ability to shift between styles is a key skill of truly effective leadership.

Each style brings its own strengths and potential drawbacks:

• Visionary: During times of significant change, a visionary style provides clarity and inspiration, giving teams a sense of direction and purpose. However, it’s crucial to listen to employees at all levels, ensuring that the vision feels authentic rather than just lofty rhetoric.
• Coaching: This style fosters learning and development, empowering employees to grow and improve. However, there are moments when clear, direct guidance is essential, and a coaching approach may not provide the immediate direction required.
• Affiliative: A caring, empathetic approach builds strong bonds of loyalty. But there’s a risk of focusing too much on more ‘needy’ employees, potentially overlooking the steady performers who also deserve recognition. Remember the 20/60/20 rule mentioned earlier in this series.
• Democratic: Encouraging input from the team can lead to higher levels of engagement and buy-in. However, there are times when leaders must prioritise decisiveness over consultation, particularly in fast-moving or high-stakes situations.
• Pacesetting: High-performing teams often thrive under this style, as it sets ambitious goals and leads by example. The downside? Overuse can lead to burnout and demotivation, especially if the pace feels relentless.
• Commanding: In critical situations where results are paramount, this style can provide stability and confidence. Yet if overused, without balancing it with more collaborative styles, it risks harming morale and long-term performance.

The Key to Success: Flexibility

In our experience working with hundreds of leaders across various sectors, it’s natural for individuals to lean into their dominant leadership style. But the ability to adapt — switching between different approaches as needed—is what separates good leaders from great ones. Fortunately, research shows that 75% of leadership is learned. This means that whether you’ve been leading for decades or are new to the role, you can develop and enhance your leadership skills with the right guidance and support. And better leadership always leads to better outcomes, no matter your organisation’s goals.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to refine your leadership style, check out our leadership development program on our website, or contact us directly for a personal conversation.

Next Week

In our final post on the guiding principles for leading change, we’ll explore Employee Engagement — a crucial component of driving successful transformations.

Keep up-to-date on the latest leadership and management tips by signing up to our weekly blog here

Sign up to blog