Today leaders are different, they don't need fear to gain respect or authority to impose obedience, on the contrary, they are very much concerned about their reputation and the relationships they build with their teammates. Leadership is not an imposition anymore, it is a natural consequence that comes from the trust, admiration, and respect that has emerged in a relationship.
In the past, we used to think that a strong, despot, and authoritarian boss was a good leader, but this idea has no place in today’s world. Nowadays, people are more active and understand that a relationship is a two-way street.
A toxic boss is not a good leader
A toxic boss can harm you emotionally, cause you stress, and make your daily work life a living hell. A toxic boss can create such an unpleasant atmosphere that could end up discouraging and harming the team. Toxic bosses can be coercive, manipulative, and disrespectful of other people’s boundaries.
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How to identify toxic bosses?
There are many types of bosses and identifying toxic bosses is quite easy, sometimes all you need to do is praise them and see their reaction. If they are blindly flattered by your sugary comments and ignoring the meritocracy, red flag!. But most importantly, a good way of identifying a toxic boss is by measuring the level of commitment, motivation, and sense of belonging of a team. A toxic boss can damage a team’s performance and wellbeing.
What does it take to be a good leader?
It takes honesty, accountability and transparency to be a good leader. A good leader will always walk the talk, lead by example, and inspire others while pushing them to be their best selves. A leader always shows empathy and works to achieve consensus while making the decisions that will benefit the team the most.
But not all leaders are the same, let’s see the different leadership styles that we might find in a workplace.
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Types of leadership
• Democratic Leadership
In this leadership style, the leader makes choices based on the input of the members of the team. Although the leader is the one with the ultimate call, each teammate has an equal say.
•Authoritarian Leadership
Opposite to the democratic style of leadership. An authoritarian leader implements its power and will without asking for any suggestions from others, it simply asks the other team member to act upon it as it says.
•Participative Leadership
Is a type of leadership in which the leader expects the employees to give suggestions, and then after developing a consensus, the leader makes a decision.
•Delegative Leadership
Also known as the Laissez-Faire Leadership style, emerges when the leader delegates the authority to the teammates to empower them and let them be in charge of their responsibilities.
•Transactional Leadership
This style appears when the relationship between the leader and the team is based on specific “transactions” that are rewarded or punished. In the end, it is a coercion method that aims to achieve good performance from the team.
•Transformational Leadership
This is a type of leadership that occurs when the manager brings the team together under an inspiring vision that empowers all the members to work together to achieve the same purpose.
A New Era of Leadership
Leadership has evolved from time to time, and in the present era, one thing is clear: leadership is not about conquering personal battles or prestigious goals, it is about empowering others and bringing a positive change to any organization or environment. Leadership today is less focused on leaders, and more oriented toward the team. Today, being a good boss requires you to be more focused on making a good impact on your teammates, inspiring them, and leading in a direction that includes and benefits all.
At last, as Simon Sinek said: “A leader’s job is not to do the work for others, it’s to help others figure out how to do it themselves, to get things done, and to succeed beyond what they thought possible.”