Quick! Think of a truly great leader. Now think of a couple more.
Maybe you thoughts of historical figures, tech superstars or even your old boss. Now, think of how different each of those leaders are.
Not all leaders are created equal and every leader has a different style. But truly great leaders have one thing in common – they lead with their strengths.
As the leader of your business, do you know what kind of leader you are?
If you’re not sure, don’t worry I’ve got you covered with this quick and fun guide below. Read them and then figure out which leader you are – or maybe you’re a combination of a few.
The Majesty
The Majesty rules her kingdom with a will of steel and an iron fist. She can handle anything the universe throws at her and is confident in her rule. She commands respect everywhere she goes. As the Majesty, you need to look for ways to use your authority for good, and not intimidate other people into submission. With your team, schedule opportunities for them to contribute and share so that your ideas and convictions don’t steamroller them.
The Task Master
You work hard and you expect everyone around you to do the same. You tend to lead with a focus on the steps needed day-by-day and communicate with precision on tasks. You’re amazing at taking the vision and breaking it down to make it possible. As the Task Master, you can fall in the trap of being transactional in your communications. Actively look for ways for creative or strategy time so you don’t spend all your time on the to-do list.
The Visionary
You inspire with big ideas and the way you articulate your vision makes others want to follow you. The bigger or more audacious the idea, the better. You can have your head in the clouds and not be interested in the details of running the business. If you’re the visionary, hire a team that can execute on your vision so you can stay out of the weeds. Empower the team to do what they’re good at while you focus on the vision and creative process.
The Collaborator
You love to consider different viewpoints and really connect with people to understand their vision. You give a lot of weight to feedback, both good and bad, and find ways to incorporate it into your business. People love working with you because they feel valued. As the Collaborator, don’t give up too much decision-making power to those who aren’t in-the-know and set hard deadlines on making decisions so you don’t fall into analysis paralysis.
The Scientist
You love understanding the why of your business and really dig the numbers. You look at everything with a keen eye on experimentation and finding ways to continuously improve. As a leader, Scientists sometimes need to work on communicating and connecting with people beyond the data. Pay careful attention to opportunities to get creative and seek out people who balance out your delightfully geeky tendencies.
So, what kind of leader are you?
And in case you were wondering I’m one part The Majesty and one part The Collaborator. I certainly step into other roles as needed (i.e., I have to hold back from being the Scientist too often so I can stay in a Visionary space). If you find yourself toggling between leadership types, don’t fret – It’s normal.
It’s actually a very good thing.
Being able to tap into different leadership styles based on the situation or where you are in business right now, will work to your advantage and help you grow your business.
Tell us what kind of leader you are in the comments!
I’ll see you there!! 🙂
