Leadership types: the 15 types of leaders

There are several types of leadership that can be classified according to the personal abilities of those who have the responsibility of facing a project.

In this sense, leadership can be defined as the ability to manage a group activity or project, putting into practice a series of capacities that manage to unite the participants and influence them in such a way that the achievement of the objectives is possible raised.

Classic leadership types

For some authors, there are 3 styles of leadership that can be applied to multiple areas, and from which other classifications derive:

1. Traditional leadership

One who is inherited, as in the case of monarchies or the presidencies of family businesses.

2. Legitimate or formal leadership

In this case, the leader is elected according to previously agreed procedures (elections, selection by a special commission, etc.)

3. Charismatic leadership

It is the style of leaders with a marked emotional influence on their group of followers. Many political leaders respond to this type of leadership.

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Types of business leadership

At the organizational level, other forms of management have been identified according to certain personality patterns and problem solving of team leaders. These are the most common leadership styles in companies:

1. Democratic leadership

It is a leadership style characterized by constant consultation with the work team, who can choose between multiple alternatives proposed by the leader. However, this type of management can lead to greater bureaucracy or slowing down of processes, since when considering so many points of view it may be difficult to make decisions that are approved by all involved.

2. Dictator leadership

It is the style of leaders who impose their criteria and see the work team as executing arms of the orders, without considering their ideas or opinions.

3. Paternalistic leadership

Paternalistic leaders are focused on productivity, so they tend to establish dynamics of rewards and punishments among their subordinates in order to achieve the objectives.

In the long term, this type of leadership can erode the cohesion of the team and generate conflicts of competence among its members.

4. Liberal leadership or laissez-faire

In this case, the leader gives team members ample freedom of action, so they usually make decisions on their own and go to his superior only when the circumstance warrants it.

5. Emotional leadership

These types of leaders are characterized by having a highly developed emotional intelligence, which gives them social skills and strengths that allow them to connect with the work team.

This leadership style is very useful in transition processes, such as changes of branches, removals, processes of administrative restructuring or mergers between companies, which tend to generate a lot of uncertainty among subordinates.

6. Transactional leadership

It is characterized because the work team accepts the leader's guidelines, generally in exchange for something (a salary, a benefit, etc.). Bosses in temporary jobs often establish these types of dynamics with their subordinates.

7. Authentic leadership

It is the style of the so-called natural leaders, who without having to be charismatic or authoritarian manage to guide teams towards their objectives. This type of management is characterized by a deep self-knowledge of one's own strengths and weaknesses, such that the leader has total control of her emotions and therefore can be more empathetic with her subordinates.

8. Longitudinal leadership

It is a style typical of organizations with very rigid work dynamics. The leader is the only one who can give guidelines, and these are followed and transmitted by people who act as secondary leaders, who in turn transmit them to subordinates.

It is also known as pyramid leadership.

9. Lateral leadership

It is the type of management in which the leadership of the team is shared between different leaders who have the same rank in the company. This can happen because they have the same degree of influence among the team, or because their level of experience is similar.

Types of educational leadership

In educational leadership, the school director is assumed as the main guide and decision maker. Your leadership style can have a significant impact not only on the performance of the professors, who would be your direct reports, but also on the students of the institution.

Although many educational leaders can apply classical or business leadership styles in their management, there are three types of leadership directly related to school dynamics.

1. Distributed leadership

In this case, the academic director acts as an agent enhancing the abilities of the teachers. By identifying their strengths, you can create strategies that allow each of them to put those capabilities at the service of the institution.

With this type of leadership a decentralization in decision-making is achieved, but it also has a positive impact on the sense of belonging and level of participation of subordinates, which ends up creating a positive dynamic for the institution.

2. Pedagogical leadership

This style of leadership seeks that the person in charge of the educational institution go beyond its administrative functions, creating strategies that promote constant updating of teachers, which facilitate the learning processes for students and, ultimately, generate better school performance.

3. Leadership for social justice

It is a leadership style that promotes equal opportunities and non-discrimination based on sex, gender, race, disability or social status, both for teachers and for students.

See also Difference between leader and boss.