Exploring a Coaching Approach to Different Leadership Styles
We’ve all studied various leadership styles at least once in our careers! However, there’s often a gap between how we perceive our leadership abilities and how we lead in reality.
When we practice leadership, our leadership style is often influenced by our personalities, values, and team dynamics. While it’s important to recognise and reflect on these styles to understand which best aligns with our own, let’s also take a moment to explore how we can take our leadership further by using a coaching approach.
Coaching in leadership settings has shown significant positive impacts across various business metrics. Studies and surveys reveal significant benefits such as improved productivity and enhanced employee satisfaction.
According to Coachilly Magazine, leaders participating in coaching have shown a 50% to 70% improvement in work performance, time management, and team effectiveness. This includes better decision-making and increased leadership confidence.
In this blog, we’ll explore several common leadership styles, their characteristics, and how you can embed a coaching approach to each style.
There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in these leadership styles. Each has a place and time. Effective leaders are able to flex between the styles depending on the needs of the situation.
Jump to Each Section
1. Autocratic Leadership
Think of a leader who commands and demands only your best output. Autocratic leadership is a style characterised by individual control over all decisions and little input from team members. They make choices based on their own ideas and judgments and rarely accept input from followers. This leadership style, marked by direct command and control, allows little collaborative or consultative interaction.
Best Used When:
Autocratic leadership works best when quick decisions are needed, especially in high-stakes environments such as the military or emergency services. It’s also helpful when the team is inexperienced and needs strong, clear guidance.
Strengths:
- Quick decision-making in high-pressure situations
- Clear direction and structured roles
- Effective in crisis management or when the team lacks experience
Challenges:
- Lack of team input can stifle creativity and engagement
- Can lead to low morale and job satisfaction if overused
- Not ideal for environments that thrive on collaboration
How to Embed Coaching:
Although autocratic leaders typically maintain control, they can slowly introduce coaching by creating opportunities in how they give feedback and facilitate development for their team. This might include one-to-one coaching sessions where team members are encouraged to reflect on their work, seek advice, and grow their skills.
Leaders can still maintain decision-making authority while fostering growth by coaching individuals on how they can contribute more effectively to the team’s success. This approach allows for open communication, shifting leadership from being one-way to two-way.
For example, an autocratic leader could ask coaching-style questions such as, “How do you think you can improve your performance on this task?” or “What resources would help you succeed?” This invites reflection while maintaining clear expectations. In situations requiring autocratic leadership, such as an emergency, coaching can occur after the event to reflect on performance and areas for improvement.
2. Democratic Leadership
Do you like facilitating ideas in your meetings to get things done? Or perhaps the idea of imposing your own decisions makes you uncomfortable? If so, you may be a democratic leader. Democratic leadership is a style where leaders value the input of team members and peers, though the final decision-making responsibility rests with the leader. This approach encourages collaboration and active involvement from group members, creating greater engagement and shared responsibility.
In a democratic leadership environment, leaders often facilitate discussions, encourage open communication, and actively seek the opinions and ideas of others. Team members feel valued and empowered to contribute their ideas, allowing for more innovation.
Best Used When:
This style is most effective in creative industries or environments where collaboration is essential. It also works well when the team consists of highly skilled professionals who value having a say in decisions that affect their work.
Strengths:
- Encourages innovation and creativity through diverse perspectives
- Builds trust and ownership among team members
- Enhances job satisfaction and team morale
Challenges:
- Decision-making can be slow, especially when quick consensus is required
- May not be effective in situations that require rapid decisions
- Can lead to frustration if too many voices complicate the process
How to Embed Coaching:
Democratic leadership naturally aligns with coaching principles, as it involves seeking input and fostering open dialogue. To further embed coaching, democratic leaders can encourage team members to set personal development goals, offer regular coaching feedback, and use open-ended questions to stimulate critical thinking and self-discovery.
During meetings, leaders can integrate coaching by asking questions like, “What solutions do you propose?” or “How can you take ownership of this challenge?” This approach empowers team members to find their own answers and actively contribute to the team’s success.
3. Transformational Leadership
Do you enjoy involving your team in meetings and motivating them to reach their full potential? Are you passionate about driving transformation, both from a business and individual perspective? Transformational leadership is a style where the leader works with teams to identify needed change, creating a vision to guide that change through inspiration. It is characterised by the ability to inspire and motivate followers to achieve high-impact outcomes and, in the process, develop their team’s leadership capacity.
Best Used When:
Transformational leadership is ideal for organisations undergoing change or looking to innovate and create a forward-thinking culture. It works well in industries where vision and motivation are key drivers of success.
Strengths:
- Motivates employees to perform at their highest level
- Drives innovation and promotes a shared vision
- Encourages personal development and fosters a culture of learning
Challenges:
- Can overlook the importance of short-term goals and daily operations
- Relies heavily on the leader’s charisma, which not all leaders possess
- May lead to burnout if employees feel pressured to constantly perform at high levels
How to Embed Coaching:
Since transformational leadership already focuses on growth and inspiration, embedding coaching is a natural extension. Leaders can coach their team members by helping them set long-term goals, encouraging self-reflection, and offering ongoing feedback to enhance personal development.
Coaching questions like, “What steps will help you grow into the next phase of your career?” or “How do you think you can contribute to the team’s vision?” empower team members to take ownership of their personal growth while aligning with broader organisational goals.
4. Transactional Leadership
Results equal rewards, while poor performance brings consequences. Transactional leadership is focused on supervision, management, and performance, where leaders reward compliance and results, while non-compliance may result in corrective action. This style is systematic and relies on set routines and regulations to manage teams.
Best Used When:
Transactional leadership works well in environments requiring clear structure and immediate results, such as in sales teams or manufacturing. It’s also useful when working with teams that perform routine tasks or require close monitoring to ensure compliance.
Strengths:
- Clear structure with well-defined rewards and consequences
- Effective in achieving short-term goals and meeting deadlines
- Provides stability and clear expectations
Challenges:
- Can limit creativity and innovation, as the focus is on following rules
- Doesn’t inspire long-term growth or personal development
- Relies heavily on extrinsic motivation, which may not sustain long-term engagement
How to Embed Coaching:
Transactional leaders can incorporate coaching by moving beyond simply offering rewards and consequences. Instead of evaluating performance, they can coach team members on how to improve their skills and overcome challenges. Leaders can use coaching conversations to help employees set performance improvement goals, identify learning opportunities, and develop personal accountability.
For example, instead of just assigning tasks, a transactional leader could ask, “What skills would you like to develop to improve your performance?” or “How can you use feedback to achieve your goals?” or “What can we do to increase team performance in this area?’ This approach encourages growth within a structured, results-driven framework.
5. Laissez-Faire Leadership
Imagine a leader who only checks in during lunch breaks. Laissez-faire leadership involves a hands-off approach, allowing team members to make decisions and set their own pace and method of work. This style is effective when working with highly skilled, self-motivated individuals capable of working independently.
Best Used When:
Laissez-faire leadership is most effective with expert teams who require little supervision and thrive on autonomy, such as in research or creative fields. It’s well-suited to environments where employees are self-motivated and capable of managing their tasks independently.
Strengths:
- Empowers employees to take ownership of their work
- Encourages creativity, innovation, and independent problem-solving
- Works well with highly skilled and self-motivated teams
Challenges:
- Can lead to confusion or lack of direction if not properly managed
- Lack of oversight can result in missed deadlines or inconsistent performance
- Not ideal for teams that need structure and guidance
How to Embed Coaching:
Laissez-faire leadership naturally encourages autonomy, which is a key component of coaching. Leaders can further embed coaching by offering support and guidance through regular check-ins, where employees can reflect on their progress, set goals, and seek advice when needed. Laissez-faire leaders can ask ‘What type of coaching support do you need from me’, shifting the ownership of the coaching style to individuals.
Even though the approach is hands-off, leaders can ask coaching-oriented questions such as, “What challenges are you facing in this project, and how can you overcome them?” or “What would help you feel more confident in your decision-making?” This adds a supportive layer of reflection and growth without undermining the autonomy that laissez-faire leadership promotes.
6. Servant Leadership
“Go ahead, I’ve got your back.” Servant leadership focuses on supporting and serving the team. This approach embraces a philosophy of ensuring no one is left behind and embodies a hands-on, collaborative spirit, similar to saying, “I’m right there with you, working alongside my team.” Servant leaders understand that their role is to help their team perform at their best. It’s not about the leader—it’s about the team.
Best Used When:
Servant leadership is effective in environments that value collaboration, teamwork, and employee well-being. It works well when the leader’s primary goal is to support their team’s development and success.
Strengths:
- Builds strong, trusting relationships with team members
- Fosters a positive and inclusive work environment
- Encourages collaboration, personal development, and engagement
Challenges:
- Can slow down decision-making, as the leader prioritises team consensus
- May lead to leader burnout if they put their team’s needs above their own well-being
- Difficult to implement in highly competitive or fast-paced environments
How to Embed Coaching:
Servant leadership already shares many principles with coaching, such as focusing on the development of others and fostering an inclusive environment. To deepen the coaching aspect, servant leaders can create structured coaching opportunities where they help team members identify personal growth areas, set clear goals, and reflect on their progress.
Coaching in servant leadership might involve asking questions like, “How can I best support you in achieving success in your role?”“How can I support your development further?” or “What goals would you like to set for your professional growth?” This ensures that the focus remains on empowering the team while aligning with the leader’s commitment to serve.
To summarise
Leadership styles vary, and the most effective leaders adapt their approach to fit the needs of their team and organisation. By embedding coaching into any leadership style, leaders can enhance their team’s development, improve communication, and foster a culture of growth and innovation.
Whether you lead through structure, collaboration, or inspiration, coaching can be a powerful tool to guide others towards success while helping you become a more impactful and empathetic leader.
What leadership style do you resonate with, and how will you integrate coaching into your approach?
If you have a chance, watch our masterclass on how to give difficult feedback and our podcast on receiving feedback even when it hurts. Check them out and share them with your team.
Here’s more resources around coaching:
Coaching Methodology: T-GROW for Effective Coaching
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About the Author
Jean Balfour is Managing Director of Bailey Balfour and Programme Director of our ICF Accredited Coach Training Programmes. Jean is passionate about helping people to have good conversations both at work and at home. She believes that coaching is a life skill and that you never regret learning to coach.