What Kind of Leader Do You Work Best With?

Anyone who’s spent time in the working world – especially in the biotech field – knows that there are multiple types of leaders. Some bosses ask for people’s opinions before making a major decision, while others are more authoritarian and believe that what they say goes, no matter what.

Over time, you’ll realize that you work best with certain types of leaders, and you will seek out employment under them. (And how can you tell? You’ll know right away from your interview what type of company leadership you’re dealing with.)

If you’re questioning which types of leaders you get along with the best, or you’re just wondering what types of leaders exist, you’re in the right place. Here’s a quick breakdown.

The Most Effective Leaders

According to studies, some types of leaders are more effective than others, simply because their style allows them to get along with multiple personality types. Also, these effective leaders manage to make their employees feel valued, simply by doing their jobs and keeping employees from having to deal with some of the headaches produced by upper management and the company’s board of directors.

• Democratic Leaders - A democratic leader is exactly what it sounds like. These leaders ask those around them for input before making large decisions, and consider the impacts of those new procedures and regulations on their employees before choosing to put them in the books. Under this form of leadership, all employees have an equal say in things and are treated as though their opinions matter.
• Strategic Leaders – Strategic leaders are very supportive of their employees. They manage to balance keeping their workers happy, while also keeping those above them (the board, other managers, etc.) fully satisfied with the company’s progress. This balancing act can be tricky, but when the leader manages to pull it off, everyone in the company has what they want – stable and successful working conditions.
• Coach-Style Leaders – This type of leader understands that every one of their employees has certain strengths and weaknesses, and finds ways to play up the former while minimizing the latter. They look for methods of keeping their employees motivated and on task, while making sure that the job gets done. A coach-style leader will also put people together on projects that they know will work well together based on their individual strengths and weaknesses.

Not-So-Effective Leaders

On the other hand, there are leaders that manage to be less effective than others. These leaders typically don’t make their employees happy (and often do not lose any sleep over it), causing plenty of employee turnover to occur. When it comes to these bosses, their employees tend to not like them at all and begin to resent working under them.

• Autocratic Leaders - An autocratic leader is the type who believes that what they say goes, and they don’t really care what others think, especially their employees. These bosses make major decisions without checking with their employees, and simply expect them to follow suit without complaining or asking questions. For example, they may suddenly make changes to the required work hours, making things tougher on certain employees, without consulting anyone.
• Bureaucratic Leaders - If you’ve ever come across (or worked for) a boss that was completely by the books, then you’ve worked for a bureaucratic leader. True to their names, these bosses consult the company rules and regulations (or those related to the field that you’re in, like biotech) and make everyone adhere to them. These leaders are less effective because they alienate their employees by refusing to listen to opinions or even consider any types of innovations when it comes to things like company policies about dress code or work hours.

What Kind of Leader Do You Work Best With?

If you’re like most people, the leaders in the most effective category are more than likely those that you work best under. They manage to make their employees feel as though they’re important, – because they are – give others a voice (and listen to it), and make the office a happier place to be. So, with all this in mind, the next time you’re interviewing for a position, look for a democratic, strategic, or even coach-style leader, and you’ll most likely thrive in your new work environment.

After all, those that lead by example are usually a delight to be around, encourage individual growth, and are proof that teamwork trickles down from the top.