Seven Leadership Styles To Utilize In 2025

Managing a team or running an organization is no easy task. Understanding the different functions and approaches to leadership, however, can help.
It is worth noting that most leaders combine several styles of leadership or will rely on different approaches at different times to solve complex challenges.
Conflict can occur when management relies heavily on a style that is unfamiliar to staff or when a particular leadership style runs counter to the overall workplace culture.
Adaptive
Adaptive leaders are flexible because they have a strong set of consistent moral values that underpin their decisions and interactions. These leaders value character, integrity, honesty, fairness, and transparency above all else.
By understanding what is truly important to themselves, they are able to more easily respond to diverse situations and problems while creating a healthier, more productive workplace environment.
While these individuals are often excellent team leaders, their convictions can cause conflicts when different minds cannot agree on what counts as the “right” thing to do.
Agile
If your company or organization is going through large or frequent changes, it is the agile leaders who will keep it successful. These open-minded leaders believe that change is not only inevitable, but something to be enthusiastically encouraged.
Process improvement and being able to think outside the box are two of their biggest strengths.
They should be careful, however, as not everyone is as eager to switch up routines as they are and too frequent changes can drive away dependable talent.
Authoritative
When faced with a new problem it is natural to seek the advice of the most experienced, most educated, or most qualified individual. Authoritative leaders believe in placing people into positions based on their merits and value verifiable success.
Their knowledge and expertise allow them to confidently direct projects or teams.
This approach can run the risk of shifting towards authoritarianism, where leadership directs through power and intimidation instead of convincing qualifications.

Coaching
Leaders who focus on coaching understand the importance of developing their staff and nurturing their talents. These leaders often adopt a mentorship approach and encourage others to discover their true potential and strive toward greater goals.
They invest their time in really getting to know their staff and then provide them with solid advice or effective feedback when they are faced with difficult situations.
On the other hand, coaching leaders will also need to accept that not everyone is interested in personal or professional growth.
Democratic
Democratic leadership understands that we are more than the sum of our parts. That is to say that everyone within the organization, from the custodian up to the CEO, may have valuable insight, useful solutions, or great ideas.
They seek input from all stakeholders, especially when planning or preparing for large scale projects.
While their collaborative approach is fantastic, these leaders will also need to accept that no outcome will fully satisfy every party and sometimes top-down decisions are simply necessary.
Inclusive
Understanding that we all have different backgrounds, perspectives, and needs is important in managing a diverse team. These leaders seek to identify and deprogram personal bias, create a safe and empathetic workplace, and empower all staff to succeed.
They value the contributions of each team member and want everyone to feel like a valued part of the organization.
This approach is sometimes accused of being overly focused on feelings and cultural sensitivity to the point of neglecting duties or diminishing productivity.
Servant
Servant leadership is the antithesis of the toxic “what’s in it for me” mentality that can sometimes infest management and entrepreneurship. Servant leaders start by asking “What can I do?” or “How can I help?”
Their humility and selflessness creates a supportive environment in which team members are treated as valuable, authentic individuals and not simply numbers on a page or cogs in a machine.
Servant leaders must be cautious, however, that their compassionate nature does not result in them becoming a doormat or being pulled along by their heartstrings.
Conclusion
All managers and leaders use a combination of these seven approaches to guide their teams, run their businesses, and direct their organizations.
It can be helpful to understand which styles you rely on most and which ones you may be lacking. Certain situations may have better outcomes simply by employing a different approach.
Finding the right style or combination of styles that works best for your organization or team will result in a happier and more productive workplace environment.

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