Guide
Versatile Leadership in Practice: Tools for the Development and Recruitment of Versatile Leaders
Successful organisations have skilled leaders. But what makes a good leader? Research points to concrete traits that make a person better at leading others, and organisations with versatile leaders are more successful.
This guide gives you answers on what versatile leadership is, how you can develop your own leadership, and how, as the person responsible for recruitment, you can find the right leaders for your organisation.
Versatile leadership is about leadership from a holistic perspective. It's not just about results, but about the whole person behind the leader. In versatile leadership, results orientation matters just as much as people orientation, and there's a balance between productivity and wellbeing.
The guide is for you if you're a leader who wants to explore your own leadership, and for you if you recruit and develop leaders and senior executives in your organisation.
Here's what you'll get from this guide:
- Goleman's 6 leadership styles: strengths, weaknesses and development opportunities for each style.
- Optimised leadership: the four key areas within emotional intelligence.
- Versatile leadership: the four categories that show how leaders balance conflicting aspects of their personality.
- OPTO+ Leadership: how to use a data-based tool for recruiting and developing leaders.
Goleman's Six Leadership Styles
Not all leadership tasks call for the same approach. Effective leaders understand when to shift style. The guide introduces Goleman's six leadership styles, along with their strengths, weaknesses and development opportunities.
For leaders, the styles help you adapt your approach to the situation and become more flexible in your leadership. For HR, the guide can be used in workshops and recruitment, among other things by assessing candidates' ability to adapt to the organisation's needs.
Affiliative
This style focuses on building strong personal bonds and striving for wellbeing in the team, prioritising harmony over results. It promotes harmony and emotional support and builds strong relationships and loyalty, but can end up avoiding critical feedback and confrontation. It's typically used during conflict in the team, when trust has been broken, or in pressured periods where motivation is needed. It's developed by learning conflict management and focusing on handling emotions in the team.
Democratic
Also known as the participative style, where the focus is on working together through dialogue and consensus-seeking. It values the group's input and transparency and creates a safe space for feedback, but the decision-making process can be time-consuming and risks favouring consensus over expertise. It's used to bring the team on board with an idea, or when seeking input from motivated, skilled team members. It's developed by involving the team in problem-solving and training active listening and facilitation.
Commanding
Also known as the directive style, where the leader tells people what to do and when. It provides clear direction and decisiveness and is effective in difficult decision-making, but can have a negative impact on team morale and create a work environment of fear and stress. It's used in crisis situations requiring rapid change, or with problematic team members who need an immediate solution. It should be used with caution and is developed by learning crisis management and rapid decision-making.
Pacesetting
This style focuses on performance and results, where the leader acts as a role model and outstanding results are expected. It focuses on high standards and is driven by ambitious goals, but can negatively affect team morale and risks deprioritising innovation and long-term development. It suits talented, self-managing teams when fast, high-quality results are needed. It's developed by focusing on team performance and using high-performance coaching.
Visionary
This style is built on inspiring and motivating people to pursue a long-term vision. It inspires around a shared vision, builds hope and focuses on the bigger picture, but can become ineffective if there's no belief in the vision. It's used when the organisation needs a new vision or direction, or in times of change. It's developed by strengthening expertise, vision, self-confidence and empathy, as well as training communication and presentation skills.
Coaching
This style is about coaching team members to develop and improve. It develops people's potential and builds engaged, loyal employees, but risks coming across as self-serving. It's used when team members need help building long-term competencies, or need coaching and supervision. It's developed by engaging in informal coaching sessions and getting to know team members better.
Optimised Leadership
Optimised leadership maps four key areas within emotional intelligence: executive wellbeing, sociability, grounded support and self-regulation. These qualities help leaders improve team performance and create a psychologically safe working environment. By mastering emotional intelligence, leaders can more easily shift between Goleman's six leadership styles and adapt to any situation.
Executive Wellbeing
Measures the extent to which a leader is a pillar of strength, emotionally robust and socially confident. Key skills are self-confidence, staying calm, handling stressful work, taking charge and building relationships. A leader with a perfect match is typically seen as calm yet outgoing, and as emotionally strong at fostering relationships and building professional networks.
Sociability
Measures the extent to which a leader has the social competencies to build positive relationships. Key skills are being supportive, building relationships, being expressive, self-confidence and handling stressful work. A leader with a perfect match is typically seen as positive with strong social skills and good at cultivating relationships that drive outstanding team performance.
Grounded Support
Measures the extent to which a leader is composed, understanding and appreciative of others. Key skills are staying calm, handling stressful work, being supportive, openness to new knowledge and trust in others' honesty. A leader with a perfect match is typically seen as open and appreciative, offering genuine support and curiosity toward others, and good at cultivating close relationships with team members.
Self-Regulation
Measures the extent to which a leader is consistent, conscientious and in control of their own emotions, reactions and stress. Key skills are diligence and self-discipline, staying calm, handling stressful work and doing what's expected. A leader with a perfect match is typically seen as emotionally robust and calm in pressured situations, with a high degree of self-discipline and self-control.
Versatile Leadership: Four Categories
Research shows that leaders differ from employees on four key aspects: assertiveness, drive, confidence and ingenuity. The OPTO personality test is built on Big Five theory and helps map these traits. When leaders balance these aspects with their complementary counterparts, they create stronger leadership. For HR, it's about identifying imbalances in the organisation's leadership and using OPTO to assess and develop leaders strategically.
Compassionate Assertiveness
Leaders with a high degree of compassionate assertiveness score highly on both assertiveness and its complementary aspect, altruism. They show a strong balance between being persuasive and taking charge, and knowing when to take a step back. In balance, this fosters an inclusive working environment and builds respect and motivation. The balance is kept by being neither too strict nor too accommodating, by listening actively before sharing your own views, and by staying focused on results while still appearing supportive.
Serene Drive
Leaders with a high degree of serene drive score highly on both drive and its complementary aspect, stability. They show a strong balance between thriving at a high pace and staying composed. In balance, this maintains team morale in stressful situations and fosters perseverance and resilience. The balance is kept by being neither too complacent nor too forceful, through regular check-ins on the team's stress levels, and by managing stress and remaining calm under pressure.
Humble Confidence
Leaders with a high degree of humble confidence score highly on both confidence and its complementary aspect, sincerity. They show a strong balance between feeling confident in social situations and being sincere. In balance, this fosters a realistic and positive self-image and builds trust and credibility. The balance is kept by being neither too blunt nor too arrogant, by seeking regular feedback, and by being open about your own mistakes without undermining yourself.
Co-Ingenuity
Leaders with a strong degree of co-ingenuity score highly on both ingenuity and its complementary aspect, trust. They show a strong balance between challenging existing approaches and trusting what others say. In balance, this strengthens innovation and creative problem-solving and uses the team's strengths effectively. The balance is kept by being neither too naive nor too challenging, by delegating key tasks with follow-up support, and by promoting your own ideas while still believing in others'.
OPTO+ Leadership
OPTO+ Leadership is an advanced tool designed to strengthen leaders by offering in-depth insight into their personality and leadership style. Based on the well-established Big Five personality theory, OPTO measures eight essential personality dimensions that influence behaviour and performance in the workplace.
A central component of OPTO+ Leadership is its focus on versatile and optimised leadership. By analysing the leader's scores in relation to emotional intelligence and core qualities, the tool identifies areas where the leader can develop to achieve a more effective and flexible leadership style.
For HR professionals, OPTO+ Leadership is a tool for both recruiting and developing leaders. By integrating data-driven, measurable insights into the recruitment process, it ensures that candidates have not only the necessary professional qualifications, but also the personal traits that match the organisation's culture and values.
During the development process, HR can use OPTO+ Leadership to identify strengths and development areas in current leaders, enabling tailored training programmes and coaching that contribute to continuous improvement in leadership quality.