Leadership in Action: From Classics to Agile

According to Gallup statistics published in 2024, only 32% of employees in the United States are engaged in their work. About half work without enthusiasm, and 16% openly express dissatisfaction. These figures highlight how crucial leadership style is, as it can increase engagement, inspire the team, and minimize the negative impact of dissatisfied employees, especially in turbulent times.

Mountains of material are dedicated to management, and any artificial intelligence can generate an overwhelming amount of publications on this topic. So, we won't waste your time rewriting the same data. Instead, we've taken a structured approach and summarized key aspects worth considering, as well as a way to "diagnose" yourself.

Leadership is the ability to inspire, guide, and organize others to achieve a common goal. It is not just a formal role but also a behavior that influences people by creating motivation and trust.

By the way, a question: Do you consider Hitler a leader? At the same time, let's recall Mahatma Gandhi. He held no formal position, yet Gandhi represented India and its people in negotiations with the British in London.

1. Democratic — Engagement: Decisions are made collectively, and the leader values the team's opinions.
2. Liberal — Freedom: The leader grants maximum autonomy and minimally intervenes.

The democratic style involves active participation of the leader in discussions, but decisions are made collectively. The leader provides structure, organizes dialogue, and supports engagement without dictating terms.

The liberal style, in contrast, is characterized by minimal intervention. The leader gives employees full decision-making freedom, acting more as an observer or advisor. This works well for experienced, autonomous teams but may lead to a lack of coordination.

Essentially, the democratic style is about shared participation, while the liberal style is about independence.

3. Authoritarian — Control: The leader makes all decisions independently and demands strict adherence.
4. Agile — Flexibility: The leader focuses on adaptation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

The fourth style is less common, so let's take a closer look.

It is based on a horizontal structure, where teams have a high degree of autonomy and self-organization. Leaders act as facilitators, creating conditions for effective interaction and team support.

Leaders focus on employees' needs, engagement, and development. They foster a supportive atmosphere where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities.

Agile leaders must be ready for changes and uncertainty, constantly adapting their approaches based on new circumstances and customer demands. Change is seen as part of the process.

They utilize open communication and collaboration, encouraging teamwork and idea exchange. Leaders actively involve the team in decision-making.

• The liberal style provides freedom of action, but the leader is often uninvolved in processes. This can lead to a lack of structural adaptation—the team makes all decisions, which may sometimes reduce overall coherence.
• The democratic style maintains flexibility through collective decision-making, but this process can be slow and less effective in rapidly changing conditions since consensus is required.
• The Agile style, on the other hand, makes flexibility and adaptation the foundation of the approach. Here, iterations, quick feedback, and continuous plan adjustments are built into the management system itself, making this style the most dynamic and ready for change.

• - Directive ("Do as I say")
• - Pacesetting ("Do as I do")
• - Visionary ("Come with me")
• - Affiliative ("People come first")
• - Democratic ("What do you think?")
• - Coaching ("Try and learn")

Affiliative Leadership

Focused on creating harmony within the team, resolving conflicts, and building trust among members.

Transformational Leadership

The most popular theory by Bernard M. Bass is transformational leadership. This theory was formulated based on James MacGregor Burns' 1978 concept, stating that transformational leadership in its ideal form creates valuable and positive changes in followers, ultimately developing them into leaders.

The four leadership qualities in transformational leadership are individual consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence.

Transactional Leadership

First formulated as a concept by sociologist Max Weber and later refined by Bernard M. Bass as the opposite of transformational leadership.

Transactional leadership uses the "carrot and stick" principle for motivation. Such leaders believe that a well-structured management system increases efficiency. Employees must strictly follow instructions and remain under close supervision.

Transactional leadership is more flexible than authoritarian leadership and relies more on a system of rewards rather than submission to authority.

We conclude with a personal thought: in reality, the key to success is the ability to switch and respond to change with flexibility. Strengthen your team with democracy, act as a coach when needed, and sometimes just be a good comrade. According to another theory, leadership can be divided into:

• Producer (P): Focused on results and task execution.
• Administrator (A): Creates order and structure.
• Entrepreneur (E): Drives change and strategic thinking.
• Integrator (I): Ensures team cohesion and a trusting atmosphere.

However, we are firm believers in fusion. We have all these components within us. A master is defined by awareness—the ability to consciously choose the right tool and effective subpersonality according to the situation. 😈

P.S.: The battle partner of leadership is corporate culture. And that's where we can help. Reach out for corporate culture definition and development for your company. We know what we're doing.