9 Different Leadership Styles – Which One Are You?

Leadership is a practice that evolves for everyone over time. The more we lead, the more we realize what works and what doesn’t, and our leadership style reflects that. Hence today, let’s discuss the meaning of leadership and 9 different leadership styles. You can see which one you relate to the most! 

Recently, I signed up for the trainer certification program at The Enneagram in Business. This trainer certification was special because it happened in the waiting room of a hospital in the quiet of the night, as I waited for my mother to go through her surgery. And so, from the small screen of my laptop, I connected with people from around the world. We spoke about our worldview, deepest longing, desires, and our leadership type. 

There is one thing that I now know with increasing clarity. Leadership is not just a word, nor is it just a set of behaviors, nor is it about shepherding people and resources towards a goal. 

It is an expression of our unconscious idea of what being in authority means. It’s a culmination of our past experiences with authority figures, our achievements and traumas, our innate fears, longings, and desires, what matters to us deeply, and how we wish to show up in the world. 

It’s complex yet so incredibly simple. It’s Human. 

Here is a snapshot of 9 different types of leadership styles and how we might be unconsciously driven to lead. Mine is TYPE 2. 🙂 

Type 1: Have high standards of excellence for self and others, driven by perfection, and strive for quality.
Seek: Perfection
Avoid: Mistakes 

Type 2: Empathic, supportive, and generous, have an intuitive ability to understand what people need.
Seek: Appreciation
Avoid: Rejection

Type 3: Achievers, organize their lives to achieve specific goals, and have a strong need to be successful.
Seek: Admiration & Respect
Avoid: Failure

Type 4: Need people to find their deeper meaning and purpose at work.
Seek: Deep Connection
Avoid: Superficial 

Type 5: Driven by knowledge, research, and information. Emotionally detached.
Seek: Wisdom
Avoid: Emotions

Type 6: Insightful, create worse-case scenarios, and always prepared with backup plans.
Seek: Certainty
Avoid: Negative Scenarios

Type 7: Lead by innovation, stimulation, excitement, new challenges.
Seek: Stimulation
Avoid: Monotony

Type 8: Lead from the front, exert influence, power-oriented, strategic.
Seek: Control
Avoid- Feeling vulnerable 

Type 9: Lead from peace, harmony, and positive mutual regard.
Seek: Peace
Avoid- Conflict

What is yours? How does it show up when you lead your teams and your children? How does it influence your social systems? 

Sneha Shah has over 20 licenses and certifications in the field of leadership and psychology. She completed her Train The Trainer certification in May 2022 with The Enneagram in Business. She is now a certified Enneagram facilitator for conducting the Which Type of Leader Are You program.  

If you resonate with our thoughts on leadership styles and are looking for more, take a look at our top-rated development workshop that will change your beliefs, Click here

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