Want to Be a Great Leader_ Master These 10 Leadership Styles That Drive Success.pdf

Here are the top 10 leadership styles with real-world examples and practical takeaways: 1. Authoritarian Leadership 2. Participative Leadership 3. Delegative Leadership

1. Want to Be a Great Leader? Master
These 10 Leadership Styles That Drive
Success
Understand 10 leadership styles with examples, strengths, and weaknesses to see their
impact on motivation, productivity, and growth.

​​
Leadership is the invisible hand that guides organizations, cultures, and even
countries toward success. But what makes a great leader? Is it the ability to take bold,
decisive actions? Or is it the skill to listen, inspire, and nurture growth?
The truth is, there isn’t one single formula. Leadership comes in different shapes,
and each style has its strengths, weaknesses, and ideal context. Research proves this,
too, according to Gallup, managers account for 70% of the variance in team
engagement. That means a leader’s style directly impacts motivation, productivity,
and retention.

2. In this article, we’ll dive into 10 leadership styles, each explained with real-world
examples, data-driven insights, and practical takeaways. By the end, you’ll not only
understand these styles but also learn how to adapt them to your unique journey.
Here are the top 10 leadership styles with real-world examples
and practical takeaways:

1. Authoritarian (Autocratic) Leadership
Authoritarian leaders make decisions quickly and expect compliance. While often
criticized, this style shines in crises where speed is everything.

3. Strengths Fast decisions, strong control, useful in
crises
Weaknesses Risk of low morale, limited innovation
Best Fit Manufacturing, emergency response,
and military
Take Elon Musk, his strict deadlines at Tesla and SpaceX are classic autocratic
moves. They push teams to deliver groundbreaking results, though sometimes at the
cost of burnout. Similarly, in the early days of COVID-19, governments worldwide
used decisive measures to control the crisis, as an example of how leadership styles
can save lives in emergencies.
Key takeaway: Use this style sparingly; it’s effective for control and clarity, but too
much stifles creativity.
2. Participative (Democratic) Leadership
This style thrives on inclusion; leaders invite ideas and build decisions together. It
boosts innovation, but yes, it takes longer.

4. Strengths Builds trust, sparks innovation, and
increases ownership
Weaknesses Time-consuming, risk of decision
gridlock
Best Fit Creative industries, education, and
collaborative workplaces
Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, demonstrates this by holding regular town halls
and valuing employee input, which helped the company recover from crises and lead
in EV innovation. A 2025 study even found that democratic leadership styles directly
improve psychological safety, making employees more willing to take risks.
Key takeaway: Perfect when you want creativity and buy-in, less ideal when you need
split-second decisions.
3. Delegative (Laissez-Faire) Leadership
Here, leaders trust their teams to run with the ball. It works brilliantly with skilled
people, but risks chaos without structure.
Strengths Freedom, ownership, creativity

5. Weaknesses Lack of structure, risk of chaos
Best Fit R&D labs, creative startups, self-driven
teams
At Duolingo, co-founder Severin Hacker’s mantra is “reduce, automate, delegate.” By
giving his teams freedom, he focused on AI innovation. The payoff? Over 46 million
daily users and a stock surge of 190% in a year.
Key takeaway: Delegation drives ownership and innovation, but you need clear
vision and accountability to avoid missteps.

6. Source- fortune.com
4. Visionary Leadership
Visionary leaders inspire with a picture of the future. They don’t just manage, they
ignite.
Strengths Inspires loyalty, drives transformation
Weaknesses Can overlook practical execution

7. Best Fit Tech, social impact, organizations in
transition
Satya Nadella’s transformation of Microsoft into a cloud-first, AI-driven powerhouse
is a powerful example. Under these leadership styles, Microsoft’s value jumped from
$300 billion in 2014 to $3 trillion in 2024. Employees weren’t just executing tasks;
they were rallying behind a mission to empower people globally.
Key takeaway: Vision creates momentum, but without execution, it’s just a dream.
Pair inspiration with action.
5. Coaching Leadership
Coaching leaders focus on growth. Instead of just delivering results, they invest in
developing their people’s skills for the long game.
Strengths Builds future leaders, strengthens
loyalty
Weaknesses Time-intensive, not effective for urgent
results

8. Best Fit Organizations prioritizing employee
growth, education, and startups
Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, famously mentored leaders like Sundar Pichai
and Marissa Mayer. That culture of growth outlasted his tenure and continues to fuel
Google’s success. According to LinkedIn’s 2024 Workplace Learning Report, 76% of
employees are more likely to stay at companies with coaching-oriented leadership
styles.
Key takeaway: Coaching pays off in loyalty and future-ready teams, but it requires
time and patience.
Also Read:
●​Why Visionary Leadership Is the Key to a Better Future?
●​Visionary Leadership Skills for CIOs: Mastering Leadership in a New Era of
Innovation
6. Affiliative Leadership
This style thrives on empathy and harmony; it’s about putting people first and
creating emotional bonds.
Strengths Boosts morale, fosters loyalty, improves
teamwork
Weaknesses Risk of overlooking poor performance

9. Best Fit Teams in conflict, employee-centric
cultures
During the pandemic, Arne Sorenson, the late CEO of Marriott, sent an emotional
video message to employees while battling cancer himself. His reassurance that staff
well-being came before profits made him a global example of one of the affiliative
leadership styles in action.
Key takeaway: Building strong emotional ties fosters trust, but leaders must balance
empathy with tough decision-making.
Source- www.cnbc.com
7. Pacesetting Leadership
Pacesetters demand excellence and lead by example. They set high standards and
expect teams to match their pace.

10. Strengths Inclusivity, teamwork, and better
decisions
Weaknesses Slow, risks indecision
Best Fit NGOs, education, nonprofits,
collaborative teams
Serena Williams, though not a corporate leader, embodies this style in sports. Her
relentless pursuit of excellence pushed her teammates and protégés to perform at
their peak. In business, companies like Amazon often reflect this style: fast, efficient,
but sometimes exhausting for employees.
Key takeaway: Great for short-term goals and high-performance teams, but risky if
burnout isn’t managed.
8. Commanding Leadership
Commanding leadership is strict and directive, leaving little room for debate. While
often unpopular, it works during crises.
Strengths High performance, rapid results

11. Weaknesses Pressure, fatigue, and low morale
Best Fit Sales teams, tech startups, high-stakes
environments
During Hurricane Katrina, General Russel Honoré became famous for his
commanding presence in New Orleans. His decisive orders restored order in chaos,
earning him the nickname “the John Wayne dude.” In moments of crisis, this is one
of the strictest leadership styles, and it’s not just effective, it’s necessary.
Key takeaway: Use it only in emergencies. Long-term, it can damage trust and
morale.
9. Transformational Leadership
Transformational leaders go beyond vision; they inspire change and innovation on a
massive scale.
Strengths Clarity, order, efficiency in crisis
Weaknesses Can create fear and resistance

12. Best Fit Military, disaster recovery, high-risk
industries
Oprah Winfrey is a standout. She transformed not just media, but how millions of
people think about personal growth, empathy, and leadership styles themselves. In
business, transformational leaders like Jeff Bezos turned industries upside down by
reshaping consumer behavior. According to a 2024 Gallup study, teams led by
transformational leaders see 21% higher profitability.
Key takeaway: This style thrives in industries that demand constant evolution, but it
requires leaders to be authentic and inspiring.
Source- www.latimes.com
10. Servant Leadership
Servant leaders put their team’s needs first, empowering people to succeed and grow.

13. Strengths Inspires creativity, builds loyalty, drives
long-term change
Weaknesses Can cause burnout if unrealistic
Best Fit Tech, social impact, growing companies
Brian Cornell, CEO of Target during the COVID‐19 pandemic, increased transparency
with both employees and customers, enhanced safety protocols (like plexiglass,
hygiene measures), raised wages and benefits for staff, and ensured essential
workers had protective gear. He showed servant leadership by putting the welfare of
employees and customers first, listening to their concerns, and taking action to
protect them even at potential cost to the business.
Key takeaway: When leaders serve their people, loyalty and performance naturally
follow. But it takes humility and a genuine commitment to others.
Conclusion
Great leaders don’t just follow one path; they adapt. An autocratic style might save
the day during a crisis, while coaching leadership creates tomorrow’s innovators. A
visionary leader can spark movements, while an affiliative leader ensures no one
gets left behind.
The secret lies in understanding these 10 leadership styles and knowing when to
apply them. Data shows that leadership impacts everything from employee
engagement to innovation. By balancing structure with empathy, vision with

14. execution, and authority with collaboration, you can unlock your full leadership
potential.
As the workplace evolves, leadership will remain the defining factor that separates
thriving organizations from stagnant ones. So the question is: Which leadership
style will you embrace?