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Writer's pictureBryan Powell

Three Types Of Leadership To Explore For Your Team

Bryan Powell | Executive Leadership and Team Coach with Executive Coaching Space.


In my experience working as a coach this past decade, I have had the privilege of working with some outstanding leaders. Many demonstrate outstanding qualities like humility, vulnerability and courage, and they often feel comfortable in communicating opportunities to improve just as they can celebrate success. Some fantastic leaders focus on skills like building effective strategic plans, creating measurements of success for the team and building commitment. And for some, outstanding leadership is seemingly inherent in their natural personalities.

My curiosity has led me to think about what type of leader is needed in the future. Is there one type of leader that will rise above the rest? Will Robert Greenleaf's servant leadership theory continue to gain traction after all these years with new



and established leaders? Do you need to follow one type of leadership theory, or is adaptability key in the future?


Every team that I have had the honor of coaching has a uniqueness to them, so as I say often, leadership can not be some sort of paint-by-numbers process where everyone copies one style or approach. In this article, I want to bring forward three different leadership theories so that you can get curious about what your team needs to be effective in driving results and about what may work for your team.


1. Authentic Leadership

When thinking about the needs of your team, authentic leadership theory values sincerity and integrity in what you stand for as a leader. Think about traits such as integrity, transparency and empathy where you have explored who you are as a leader with the ability to be confident in how you communicate with your team through those traits. In 2020 when the pandemic started, authentic leaders were able to show that they were unsure of what was to come, leading their teams through one of the toughest times in recent history. They were open and sincere in their communication with team members, which built long-lasting relationships through the trust that was earned. Examine the questions below to see if this fits your team's needs.


2. Transformational Leadership


I have to admit that I am biased toward this one, as it lights me up every time I come across a leader who has evolved to a point where they feel comfortable empowering the members of their team. Transformational leaders can instill a culture of engagement and inspiration as they focus on how they can motivate members of their team to reach their full potential. They are big on creating vision statements with meaning so that there is a sort of North Star the team can aspire to achieve in the future. Team members feel energized and engaged to support the organization's results as they feel connected to the mission the team is seeking to achieve, giving each team member additional ownership and commitment. Spend a few minutes getting curious with the questions below to see if this style would support your team's success.


• How could I create an environment of empowerment for all team members?

• What would happen to our results if team members felt more connected to the organization?

• What steps could I take in my evolution as a leader to build a vision that would align with my team?


3. Inclusive Leadership


Inclusive leadership theory is first thought to have been created by authors Ingrid Nembhard and Amy Edmondson. It focuses on including and valuing the diverse perspectives and backgrounds of the members of the team. Getting curious with teams, I inquire: How do you incorporate the diversity of knowledge and experience on the team consistently?

This leadership theory is built on the foundation of creating an inclusive team culture where everyone is celebrated for their uniqueness and what they bring to the team dynamic. Leaders who are self-aware and spend consistent time being curious to understand their team's culture, knowledge and experiences have crafted their abilities as well as focused on cultivating an environment of inclusion. Research shows that having a truly diverse and inclusive team leads to higher performance.

Here are a few questions to explore if this leadership style would fit your team's needs.


• What would happen to my team if we celebrated our differences together?

• How could the team elevate their performance if our team was truly inclusive?

• What could the team achieve if we pushed ourselves outside our comfort zones to learn about team members' journeys, cultures and experiences?


Here is my inquiry to all of you, whether you are just embarking on your leadership journey or have been an established leader for the past few decades: Do you need to follow one type of leadership theory, or in today's rapidly changing environment, would it be beneficial to exhibit behaviors of all three leadership types listed above?


I believe that there is not one style to emulate but several to be curious about when considering how you can become an adaptable leader who is needed in today's workplace. What would it look like if you could be a transformational leader when it was called for as well as demonstrating the behavior of inclusive leadership theory? How would your team respond when you could exhibit traits of a transformational leader when it came to their progress and development?


I believe that as a leader there is no finish line nor one type of leadership theory to define us. Spend time getting curious about the traits of these three leadership types and how you can incorporate them into your style. Get curious with the members of your team about what traits would be needed in certain situations, and be authentic in your journey evolving into the adaptable leader who is needed today.


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Bryan Powell


Bryan Powell | Executive Leadership and Team Coach with Executive Coaching Space. Read Bryan Powell's full executive profile here.


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