As we head into a brand new year, it’s a great time to assess your leadership style. Would your employees describe you as having a laissez-faire attitude towards leadership? Or perhaps you engage in participative leadership. Whatever the case, it is important to be informed of the different styles of leadership so you can best determine your own.

Laissez-Faire Leadership

The Chron explains that a laissez-faire leader lacks direct supervision of employees. This style of leadership also fails to provide regular feedback to its employees. Highly experienced employees who require little supervision are good fits for this type of leadership. However, not all employees possess those characteristics. Laissez-Faire leadership hinders the production of employees. It also fails to produce leadership or supervision efforts from managers.

Participative Leadership

This style of leadership is often referred to as the democratic way of leading. Participative leadership values the input of employees, while the ultimate decision is still in the hands of the leader. The Chron says that participative leadership boosts employee morale because employees make contributions to the decision-making process. It causes them to feel as if their opinions matter, generating better will and productivity within the company.

Facilitative Leadership

Facilitative leadership is  dependent on measurements and outcomes. WiseToast.com explains that the effectiveness of a group is directly related to the efficacy of its process. If the group is high functioning, the facilitative leader uses a light hand on the process. Conversely, if the group is low functioning, a facilitative leader will be more directive in helping the group run its process. This can be an effective style of leadership if it involves monitoring group dynamics, offering process suggestions and interventions.

No two leaders are the same and there are many types of leadership styles in the business world. The most appropriate leadership style depends on the function of the leader, the followers and the situation. As we head into a new business year, assess your own leadership style by gathering input from your employees. Perhaps you need to be a little less laissez-faire and more participative. Or perhaps you are too participative and need to facilitate more. Whatever the case, it is worth it to know what style leadership you adhere to and make it the best fit for you and your company!