Six of the Best Leadership Styles—and How to Use Them in Practice

Contents

Why You Need More Than One Leadership Style

The Coercive Leadership Style

The Authoritative Leadership Style

The Pacesetting Leadership Style

The Affiliative Leadership Style

The Democratic Leadership Style

The Coaching Leadership Style

How to Choose the Right Style in Real Time

The Coaching Readiness Scorecard

Leadership is an Act of Adaptation

 

If you’ve read my earlier article on “What is the Best Leadership Style?”, you’ll already know there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

In fact, asking “What is the best leadership style?” is the wrong question altogether.

Instead, the most effective leaders ask: “What leadership style is right for this situation, this person, and this moment?”

That’s where Daniel Goleman’s research is incredibly useful.

In his now classic Harvard Business Review article “Leadership That Gets Results,” Goleman outlined six distinct leadership styles—each one rooted in emotional intelligence, and each one valuable when used appropriately.

In this article, we’ll examine six of the best leadership styles in detail, help you identify your natural leadership style, and give you the tools to adapt your approach in real-life situations.

 

Why You Need More Than One Leadership Style

Goleman cites a study from consulting firm Hay/McBer that drew on over 3,000 leaders and revealed that the most successful were able to draw on multiple leadership styles and switch between them depending on the context.

That ability to flex is key.

In his words:

“Leaders who have mastered four or more styles—especially the authoritative, democratic, affiliative, and coaching styles—have the very best climate and business performance.”

Think of these six styles as tools in your leadership toolkit. The more tools you have—and the more skilfully you use them—the better you’ll be able to lead.

Let’s explore each one in more detail, with practical examples and tips to help you use them in your day-to-day leadership.

 

 

1. The Coercive Leadership Style

“Do what I say.”

This highly directive style involves making quick decisions, enforcing rules, and expecting immediate compliance. It’s useful but dangerous if overused.

Use this style when:

• You’re in a crisis and need urgent action
• Safety, security or legal compliance is at stake
• Someone’s performance poses a serious risk

How to apply it well:

• Be clear and specific in your direction
• Explain why urgency is critical (even if briefly)
• Set a short time limit—then switch to a different style

Avoid this style when:

• You want long-term engagement
• You’re dealing with creative tasks or skilled professionals
• You’re trying to build relationships and trust

Example:
A serious customer complaint has just landed. You gather the team:

“We need to respond within 30 minutes. James, draft a reply. Anita, pull the case history. I’ll review before we send.”

 

2. The Authoritative Leadership Style

“Here’s where we’re going—and why it matters.”

Also known as the visionary style, this is about painting a compelling picture of the future and rallying people around a shared goal.

Use this style when:

• You need to inspire action
• Your team is lacking direction and/or motivation
• There’s change or transition ahead

How to apply it well:

• Be clear about the vision—and the ‘why’ behind it
• Link the team’s work to a meaningful goal
• Give people freedom in how they achieve results

Avoid this style when:

• You’re unclear on the strategy
• You’re working with highly independent experts who need autonomy

Example:
You’re launching a new product:

“This isn’t just about hitting revenue targets. It’s about solving a real problem for our customers—and making something we’re proud of.”

 

3. The Pacesetting Leadership Style

“Follow my lead.”

Leaders who use this style lead by example and expect others to keep up. It’s fast, demanding, and focused on results.

Use this style when:

• You’re working with high performers
• You need to move fast
• You’re under time pressure and have done it before

How to apply it well:

• Be explicit about your expectations
• Share your rationale and standards
• Avoid micromanaging—trust your team to deliver

Avoid this style when:

• The team lacks experience
• You’re building new habits or skills
• You tend to step in and redo work

Example:
A big pitch is due:

“Here’s my draft structure for the deck. I’d like everyone to use this as a template—please get me your slides by 12:00 Friday.”

 

4. The Affiliative Leadership Style

“People come first.”

This style is all about emotional connection. It focuses on team harmony, wellbeing, and building relationships.

Use this style when:

• The team has been through a tough time
• Morale is low
• You’re onboarding new team members

How to apply it well:

• Prioritise one-to-one conversations
• Acknowledge emotions—without needing to ‘fix’ them
• Celebrate team and individual contributions

Avoid this style when:

• Poor performance needs to be addressed
• Decisions are being avoided for fear of upsetting people

Example:
Your team has just delivered a tough project under pressure:

“You’ve all done an incredible job, and I know it wasn’t easy. I want to check in with each of you next week to reflect and make sure you’re supported.”

 

5. The Democratic Leadership Style

“What do you think?”

The democratic leadership style is one of the most well-known and widely discussed leadership approaches, especially over the past decade. It encourages collaboration, shared decision-making, and values the perspectives of others.

Used well, it can create a sense of ownership and foster innovation. It’s also one of the good leadership styles for building trust and morale across a team.

Use this style when:

• You need input from people with different expertise
• You want to build commitment to a decision
• You’re tackling a complex issue that needs creative thinking

How to apply it well:

• Be clear about what’s up for discussion—and what isn’t
• Facilitate focused conversations and summarise input
• Make a decision and communicate it confidently

Avoid this style when:

• A fast decision is needed
• The team lacks experience to offer helpful input
• The goal is clear and non-negotiable

Example:
You’re reviewing your team’s weekly meeting structure:

“I’d love your input. What’s working well for you, and what could we change to make these meetings more useful?”

A Common Trap: Collaboration Overload

In my work coaching and mentoring Managing Directors and General Managers, I’ve seen a consistent pattern. Many have rightly embraced the idea of being collaborative—especially after years of reading about the value of democratic leadership styles.

But some have swung too far to one end of the spectrum.

Assuming a scale with “directive” at one end and “collaborative” at the other, these leaders try hard to avoid being overly controlling, which is a good instinct. But in doing so, they sometimes avoid making clear decisions altogether.

And here’s what I’ve heard repeatedly from people in their teams:

“Sometimes, I just wish they would tell us what they want us to do.”

“I wish they’d be more direct, instead of spending hours—sometimes weeks—trying to reach consensus when that’s not required.”

Being collaborative doesn’t mean being indecisive. One of the most important things you can do as a leader is know when to involve others—and when to take the lead.

Sometimes, the most respectful thing you can do for your team is to make a clear decision and move things forward.

 

6. The Coaching Leadership Style

“Let me help you grow.”

This style takes the long view. It focuses on developing people’s potential through support, feedback, and guided reflection.

Use this style when:

• You’re working with someone open to growth
• You want to prepare people for new roles
• You’re investing in long-term development

How to apply it well:

• Ask questions that promote reflection (“What would you do differently next time?”)
• Give regular feedback—not just during formal reviews
• Set development goals with your team

Avoid this style when:

• Someone is resistant to feedback
• You don’t have time for regular follow-up

Example:
A team member wants to step into more responsibility:

“Let’s explore where you want to grow, and I’ll support you with stretch projects and feedback along the way.”

 

How to Choose the Right Style in Real Time

Choosing the best leadership style depends on three things:

1. The situation (crisis, change, long-term development)
2. The person (skill level, motivation, experience)
3. Your values (what kind of leader do you want to be?)

 

To get started, try this simple exercise:

Step 1: Reflect on your default style—where do you spend most of your time?

Step 2: Choose one style you rarely use and try applying it once this week.

Step 3: Ask for feedback and notice the impact.

The goal isn’t to master all six styles overnight—but to expand your range over time.

 

Your Next Step

If this article has sparked some self-reflection, I encourage you to take my free Coaching Readiness Scorecard. It’s designed to help you explore whether working with a coach or mentor is right for you, and identify what other support might help you grow further.

Take the Coaching Readiness Scorecard now.

 

Final Thoughts: Leadership is an Act of Adaptation

There’s no universally best leadership style. The most effective leaders are those who understand themselves, understand their people, and flex their approach accordingly.

By building awareness of Goleman’s six styles—and practising when to use each—you’ll be better equipped to lead with confidence, clarity, and impact.

And in the end, that’s what good leadership is all about.

Your coach,